Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it?

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krava
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Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it?

Post by krava »

Short Version:
I have purchased about 20 balls from Wicks Proshop. Last year, I went to the IRTC for the shot practice thing , I was told that 3 balls have 3 different pitches in them. Each ball is suppose to be drilled the same but sometimes I have different layouts for them (such as control, Go long etc). Of the balls I use, about 3 of them give me issues when I come out of them. (Before I was holding the ball on the side like a 3/4 roller and always staying on the side of the ball. This year I am doing it the way it is suppose to be done). If I am correct, the ones with a 1/4 pitch pull at the top of my thumb when I try to come out. The ones with 1/8" pitch are good. And the one with 0 pitch I can come out fine in.

I wanted to get my GB3 fixed since it is new and I haven't even used it at all much. I got the person here to do it. First of all the last person here that did it charged me $25. This cost me almost $50 to plug 1 whole and thumb slug etc. When I got it back I tested it by, the grip test (meaning hold it and let it fall out of my hand on the ground with no grip, and also with my fingers in the ball, pulling the thumb out).

A long story short, I threw the ball a few times in practice (twice maybe), then bowled 6 frames with it 5/6 X's and tore the left side of my thumb in only 6 shots. I put the baby powder slick glide or whatever on it after the first throw because it hurt a little. I didn't have any trouble coming out of the ball. I have never ever hurt that side of my thumb in my lifetime or even any hint of it ever hurting.

Pictures of thumb from Last thurs:
https://postimg.cc/K1k8X8kT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://i.postimg.cc/QCshmbb1/20190314- ... esized.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I left that ball for them on Friday along with another ball it is suppose to be just like. I come back on Monday to see what is up with the ball. I get told that the thumb pitches are the same and infact the GB3 has a hole that is slightly larger then my other ball I left with them.

I get told "I use IT switch grips in my balls, sometimes my thumb gets cut all to hell and it happens from time to time". I couldn't say anything back. That is a bad attitude to have like it is suppose to happen? I knew I wouldn't get anywhere with this person. I have to go back to wicks and see if we can get this thing fixed.

More info:
I planned not to bowl for 1.5-2 weeks and even told one person bowling with me to find me a sub. So 4 days later, I am growing skin back over this mess. I say to myself, I haven't ever had any problems before with the left side, let me get the nu skin and put it on hours before bowling and if my thumb hurts at any point in time I can quit and they can do my score. Atleast I won't be gripping the ball much since it is hurt.

Quick Version:
Picture of Thumb after bowling tonight:
https://i.postimg.cc/bwbP7WBk/20190318- ... esized.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (nu skin on it and never had to reapply)

Results after bowling 3 games bowling with a tore up thumb and "over doing it at the gym"
https://i.postimg.cc/q7VJg431/20190318- ... esized.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (bowling results)

Never ever once had any kind of pain or tug on left side of the thumb.

Game 1: Started with radical ridiculous Got the 5-6 X from the start, then left solid 10 solid 10 and then flat 10 and switched balls because of ridiculous looking weak and flat entering the pins. It was too early for them to be too dry so balled up to the Hammer Ripped. Threw the hammer Ripped twice and gripped the ball instead of relaxing and also tugged it left both times (might be a pitch thumb issue). 10th frame left a 6-7, went for it and missed both.

Game 2: Changed balls to the Radical Consipracy because wanted something close to the power of the ripped. Got a solid 10 somewhere after the first 5-6 again, then at the end of the game left a 7 and missed it in the 12th.

Game 3: 1st ball Consipracy started to flatten out so oil was depleting and switched to a Rotogrip Hustle and played where someone else played that was going at a straighter angle. Got a X then solid 10 then went out.

I used Ripped, Hustle, Consipracy, Spare ball, ridiculous (5 different balls and never 1 time pulled at my thumb), 3 of these are 16lbs and 2 are 15lbs. How the hell can someone say I am suppose to tear my thumb sometime when bowling on a side that I never hurt in my lifetime?

Suggestions???? I went on and on I know sorry but really upset at this problem and I need this ball badly. I don't really have a good smooth arching medium ball.

(in the middle of editing this, bad English etc in this but will fix but a bit busy with something else and will delete this out when done editing).
44boyd
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Re: Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it

Post by 44boyd »

Do you use tape to make it fit? When do you not play the lanes straight? Go to your PSO with all equipment you use and make sure the pitches are what they need to be.
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Re: Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it

Post by nwohbowler »

So you don't have a switch grip style thumb in your balls? If you have multiple balls and the issue is none of them are pitched/sized right, I would just take the plunge and get them changed over to switch/it style so that you only have to fuss with getting one thumb grip drilled up right. Then you can actually mold and cast your own based from that or have them mold and cast from it so that you can avoid inconsistencies. You could also do a search around on facebook or someplace where the best pro shops are in your area. Even if it's an hour away to get to one that's really good it would be worth the time investment and money cost to make it so all of your equipment fits the same.
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Re: Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it

Post by boomer »

That isn't going to fix the problem, which is that it looks like your PS is not drilling your equipment consistently. That is bad. Inexcusable, honestly. They should take pride in their work.

So - first, verify. go to another shop, see if they can help you use their pitch gauges and then write all of the info down. If everything is inconsistent, then get the new shop to help you put it right.

I have five balls, I regularly take 4 (not even sure where the 5th is except when I run into it moving things around, often kicking it accidentally! LOL) and they are all identical, even the White Dot that was drilled 20 years ago. MAYBE 1 piece of tape different, but that could be just my thumb - but that's how close. Your PSO should be able to reproduce this for you. If they can't - get a new shop.
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Re: Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it

Post by krava »

Sometimes I use tape, right now there is no tape in any of the balls. I just took 2 pieces of the red really slipperly turbo tape out of my spare ball and missed 0 spares yesterday.

boyd: To me playing the lanes straight is bascialy throwing the ball straight up the lane and then a slight hook in. It doesn't travel at all to the right. I started throwing the ball either 10-11 at the arrows out to 6-7 and back in. Throwing it straight means throwing down 8 and then to the pocket. Hips aren't angled body not angled and everything faces straight.

I have to figure out what is going on with the PSO. I know that he is in a hurry everytime he drills the balls almost. The span and holes are always on point, I don't know if he even has a record of the thumb pitch though and just guesses. I will ask when I go back over there.

it is not that every ball is drilled different. The only one that is 0 pitch is the BTU I believe. I don't know anything about drilling balls so I don't know if being off 1/4 on pitch is a mistake or what.


Somehow things got changed around, I am not here to critizes the person that drills most of my balls. When he saw me bowl things have changed. Like I said before I was doing a 3/4 roller which means that my hand is on the right side of the ball the whole time and I feel the weight of the ball usually on my middle finger and then when i come out of it, I lifted the middle finger up to create spin. Now I hold the ball with my hand under the ball, The weight of the ball I feel where my index finger is, almost all the way through the swing, there is really no finger lift or nothing just wait and don't turn the ball early and just let it come out. I can feel the thumb come out and then fingers, before it was almost all of them at the same time so I guess pitch didn't matter.

But anyway I posted this to see if anyone ever had an experience like this with someoen that drilled their ball and then told them everything is ok and "stuff just happens". He did say that people's thumbs are not all round. I need to ask the PSO guy in Dallas if he does something special to my hole or something that someone else wouldn't do or something. But thanks for the help though.
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Re: Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it

Post by imagonman »

Which pitches on the thumb are you referencing? i.e. 0-1/8-1/4???? Is it reverse/fwd or lateral pitches?? lemme know...….
krava
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Re: Proshop Drilling/Fitting problem and how to deal with it

Post by krava »

I wish I knew more, he said something about 1 and 1/8 which might have been latteral and the pitch.

Anyway the problem is fixed. I took the ball today and I guess he smoothed out the whole when it was up there waiting on him. I used it 3-4 times and never irritated my thumb. It must have been something inside the slug that wasn't sanded down enough.
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