Expert: - 8/15/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello Warren,
First I want to say that because of back problems I can only bowl once a week in a Friday mixed league averaging about 170, because of my back I hardly am able to practice much.
I was looking for a ball that would give me big backend hook and after a lot of web shopping I decided on a Black Widow Sting ball. I ordered the ball on line and had it set with the pin a2-3 and the top weight at 2.5-3.5. I took the ball to the lanes that I bowl at and told the man what I was wanting the ball to do and he took it and told me to come back in about 45 minutes. When I went back for my bowl he had me try it to make sure the fingers fit and it did. I noticed that he had drilled another hole down and a little to the right of my thumb hole, he said it was to balance it out. I figured he was the expert so I took the ball home. This morning I tried out my new ball during league practice thinking that I will need to get used to this new big hooking ball of mind. The problem was it hardly hooked at all, it hooked less that the kinetic energy ball that I was using. Needless to say I was very frustrated and disappointed, I ended up using my old ball during the league. I have to day I can not but a whole lot of hand twist in my ball and I mentioned this the the guy that drilled my new ball so I am at a loss on what to do next. Do Is it something I am doing or not doing or do I need to take the ball back to the driller and have him do something. To save money I bought my ball on the Internet and saved about $80 to $90 dollars on my pro shop was selling the sting for. I would like to think that this guy screwed up my ball because I did not buy from him. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Joe in Chattanooga

ANSWER: Joe,
You dug yourself a hole.

Lets examine what you saved? You spent $130 instead of $220 from the pro shop for the ball. Did it arrive for $130? The freight is include in the pro shop price. (For the $90, the pro shop guy helps you choose a ball, fits it, drills it and is invested in it (if it doesn't work their customer is not happy). What do carpenters, mechanics, accountants make an hour where you live?

What did you pay for the drilling? Grips? Freight? Handling fees? Please compare all your costs.

When you figure the tax, shipping and handling, fees, the difference between the shop purchase and your internet purchase, you save maybe $20-$30. You saved $30 on a ball you didn't use. Or wasted $200 on a ball you didn't use.

You may be the least capable person to choose between the multitude of ball choices. But YOU chose your new ball (instead of a guy who sells them for a living?). What kind of condition do you bowl on? What is your ball speed, rev rate, axis tilt and rotaion? Did you take all those things into consideration? Or did you just look at some manufacturer's fluff and buy something that looks cool?

How was the Kinetic drilled? What did it do? Did the driller use it to determine ANYTHING? Did your driller sell you the Kinetic?

The site, and the people who own the site, that you bought the ball from (and that you spent the MOST money with) don't care if it does ANYTHING. They sell a cheap (and maybe defective) commodity. They sell to a price conscious buyer who, in this case, made a bad choice (seemingly).

You had NO trust in the ball driller to sell you a ball (or so it seems to him) so he's not invested in the ball working, it was YOUR choice!!! Chances are he did exactly what you asked.

The guy who prepared it (fit you and drilled it), didn't help you make the ball choice, didn't have any input in what you wanted or what you needed. Sounds like he never saw you roll a ball. So, he had NO information other than "more hook". (The low, thumb quadrant weight hole usually provides upwards of 40% more flare from a ball. So he did his job.)

Hopefully my FREE advice will help you resolve the situation. Go back to the ball driller and explain what's going on. Have them watch you bowl (pay them for their time and advice). If they save your $200 investment from becoming a boat anchor, pay them what you should have paid them in the beginning.

This, I believe, is why league bowling is down. Bowlers believe that ball drilling is no big deal. And that all the technology inside bowling balls is magic. And with three holes, they will be "golden". The technology is complicated, that's why stuff costs more.

Please, if you see an ad on the Internet for a 2010 Mecedese E Class, for $10,000. Don't buy it. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have an engine, transmission and wheels. And, shipping is $28,000.

Cheap on the Internet is not always cheap. Thanks for the questions, sorry about the rant. Your situation is a pet peeve of mine. Please let me know if the ball gets "fixed". Hopefully with the help of your ball driller you will rock Chattanooga with your new Hammer.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: First of all the shipping was free which means if you can't figure it out means I PAID NOTHING. Second I talked to the same guy at the pro shop that drilled my bowl what he would suggest for a ball,  after watching me bowl a few frames you know what he suggested...thats right the Black Widow Sting. I did not buy any grips or extras so once again no extra charges. He did charge me $40 to custom drill my ball but in the long run I still saved about $50 to $60. You may not need to save money but I sure do. All I was asking you for was some ideas on what I can do to help my situation but instead all I get is so presumed crap about cheating the pro shop out of some money, what did you say you did for a living, oh yes you run a a bowling pro shop. I guess I can see why you don't want anyone buying from the evil Internet. Next time someone ask you for help I hope you find out more about the situation before you spout your venom, thanks for nothing! By the way I would not have a Mercedes, I buy American

Answer
Joe,
Again, I apoligize for the rant. But this happens over and over and over. The "evil Internet" as you called it, doesn't care. DOESN'T CARE. But you do. Check with the site, check with your driller, provide me more info and we can try to help you.

I would sincerely like to help but I need to know a lot more than I do. You have a high flare ball with a low thumb quadrant weighthole. When I rolled a Sting, it was bunches of hook. What does the drill layout look like? Where is the pin? Where is the mass bias? Did you adjust the surface on the ball at all? How hard do you throw the ball? Do you know your rev rate? axis tilt? axis rotation? positive axis point (PAP)? Where are the oil rings/lines when the ball comes back? Are there alot of them? Where do you stand on the approach/lane and what do you aim at?

That should get us started. It will tell me significantly about what's going on. My first thought is the surface might be too rough or the layout is getting the ball to roll too early for your speed and the lane conditon (and the ball is rolling out).

Good luck with the Hammer Black Widow Sting. Thanks for your questions.