Expert: Chip Aki - 10/10/2008

Question
I want to know is what is thge big difference from buying
a quality ball fron the internet and a house pro shop where i bowl at and what pros and cons.

Answer
The local pro shop would know the lane conditions in your area, the internet would not.
The local pro shop could watch you bowl and might know your game, much more dificult for the internet shop.  If you sent them a video, they could see you bowl.
The local pro shop will honor warranties.  The internet you might be responsible for shipping and the warranty probably would not cover drilling.
The internet is cheaper in most cases.
The local pro shop can have several balls to pick from when specific pin and top weight is wanted.  You have to request what you want from the internet and making a different choice may be costly.

Developing a relationship with the local shop might provide other services that may be thrown in, such as polishing and or cleaning.

I know when I ran a shop, I drilled balls purchased from the internet all of the time.  I provided the same care as if the ball was purchased from me.  I would help with warranty issues if it was someone I drilled exclusively for as well, but not all pro shops are created equal.

I would prefer local service, but I also understood that I could not match all internet prices.

I would make the choice on where the best price and service is, and that might be a combination of internet and local.

The most important thing the local pro shop can provide is the knowledge of the local area, centers, conditions, what is working there, and visual knowledge of your game.

Chip