AboutWarren Friedl Expertise 20 Years Pro Shop Owner/Operator, 17 Years Bowling Center Operator (Manager/General Manager), Certified Coach since National Bowling Council and YABA days. Also Dick Ritger and USA Bowling Bronze certified. International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) Charter member, IBPSIA Certified, IBPSIA "On Lanes" Certified, 2 Time Member of the IBPSIA Board of Directors and Past Secretary/Treasurer, Small Shop columnist "Pro Shop Operator" Magazine, contributor to "Bowlers Journal International" magazine, editor of IBPSIA NET NEWS weekly e-newsletter, editor of "The Bowling Tree" blog and webmaster of www.revbowl.com.
Experience 20 Years operating Revolutions Pro Shops in 2nd Largest bowling ball market in the country, Chicagoland.
17 Years in Center operations as Marketing Director, Asst. Manager or General Manager, becoming GM in every Center I worked.
Organizations American Bowling Congress/USBC Member since 1976, bowling 50 years.
International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) Charter and continuing member (18 years), 2 time member of IBPSIA Board of Directors, former Secretary/Treasurer.
US Bowling Coaches Association (Bronze Coach)
Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA)
Publications “Bowlers Journal International” and “Pro Shop Operator” Magazines.
Chicago Bowler, Windy City Bowling News, Centennial Lanes.com, The Bowling Tree Blog, IBPSIA.com and IBPSIA Net News (e-newsletter).
Education/Credentials IBPSIA Technically Certified. Multiple Seminars from AMF, Brunswick, Columbia, Circle, Ebonite, Hammer, Mo-Rich, Storm, Track, Dexter, Etonic, and others. Kaploe and Davis Bowling Marketing training.
Certified with the Young America Bowling Alliance (YABA) and the National Bowling Council (NBC) as a coach in 1982. Other coaching credentials include: Dick Ritger Level One, Dick Ritger Coaching Coaches, and USA Bowling Bronze Level.
Awards and Honors Created and executed Promotions highlighted in Bowlers Journal Magazine and included in the “150 Promotions for Bowling Centers” organized by the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA).
First Pro Shop featured in Bowling Industry magazine, for customer service and merchandising, October 1996.
Identified “One of the best ball fitters in the country” by then Track, Inc. President Del Warren, September 2005.
Tournament Promotions lead to top performance in center, or for center hosted events including: Chicago City Championships, US Open Qualifiers, Amateur Bowlers Tour.
Past/Present Clients Presenter at the IBPSIA National Convention.
Presenter at Bowling Proprietors Association Management School
Question Hello again Warren. I hope alls well with you.
I am planning on getting a new ball drilled and in the past, my pro shop guy would match the span and pitches from the ball that I was using. But I noticed that eventhough it feels comfortable, it doesn't exactly reflect the same feel as the ball that I used. I'm thinking, maybe it's because the pitch that he uses is taken from the pitch of the thumb hole with the slug or insert in it. An insert or slug thats been shaped and sanded, in other words altered after it was inserted. Would it be better to remove all the finger grips and thumb inserts before he matches the measurements on my ball and mirror them to the new ball or would it be better to start from scratch and remeasure my hand?
Also, since I am currently using an oval thumb slug and you're answer to my question is for him to remove the grips and the slug before mirroring the measurements onto the new ball, does this mean that I have to get him to shape a new oval thumb slug for me? I find that the oval slugs instead of the round thumb inserts works better for me.
Please share with me your thoughts at your earliest convenience.
Thanks again.
Rich
Answer Rich,
To measure the grip of an existing ball, you need a span ruler and pitch gauges. There are a bunch of equipment choices. The cost and precision of the equipment varies greatly. Sensitivity to the exactness of your fit also varies.
It's best to use the original fit. If you throw more than one ball, it's ideal to have the same feel in every ball.
If a ball is "worked out" (adjusted), the slight changes are almost impossible to duplicate exactly. Even how you glue grips, changes the angle very, very slightly.
My store does not provide a copy of a fit. It's proprietary (intellectual property) to the fitter/driller. Their time, knowledge and experience helps craft the final fit. So when you find someone who does a good job, stick with them. They should archive your information for future use.
Even if a customer has a copy of their ball fit, equipment varies enough that literally sometimes an inch isn't an inch!
Let me be sure I understand, your thumb hole is drilled in a slug that's been ovaled? Or do you have an oval thumb grip?
It would probably be better to measure the raw holes, rather than holes with the grips. But pulling out a thumb grip is hard, removing and reinstalling a slug is not possible (unless it's an interchangeable piece). Thanks for the questions.
