Time for a change

[smothers]

I've started bowling again after about a 15 year break. I bowl the original Blue Hammer. Well, my average is stuck in the 160 range. I'm thinking about jumping to one of the new hammer's. What do you recommend I try out. And any specific dealers where I can get a good price. I'd like to purchase from my pro shop, but, they charge full retail, and well, I like a good deal.

K

[HammerMann]

:D It all depends on what your looking for the Blade Series is very good,
the backend is more gradual as opposed to the Diesel and Blue Series which
whip on the backend. If your looking for deals on the internet Gary at http://www.bowlingindex.com/ has some good deals, also http://shop.buddiesproshop.com/ but you still have to take them to your pro shop and have them drilled. :)

[Wiz Of Cincy]

You do need a new ball. Not because the Blue Hammer is bad, but because the new lane oils are slicker, longer lasting, and more is applied than in the past to counter the new high tech balls that chew up lanes. Your ball is 3-4 generations old now....BUT KEEP IT in your arsenal as a spare ball or light/fried lane conditions.

To match you up with a ball more properly please give us some of your characteristics. What's your average speed? Newer houses with auto-scoring will display it. Do you throw hook or straight? What type of hook bowler are you (classic, stroker, tweener, power-stroker, cranker)? If you don't know ask someone who seems knowledgable. How much oil do you typically play in: heavy, med-heavy, medium, med-light, light, or fried?

Answers to any or all of the above will help tremendously.

Check out some ball review sites like http://www.ballreviews.com or http://www.bowlingballreviews.com

Hammermann suggests some good sites for purchase. I use both, but prefer BuddiesProShop. Ebay is also a good place to buy, but ask seller if they are blems or X outs, i.e. inferior balls. It almost always comes out in your favor even after drilling by proshop. You will save anywhere from $20-$50 after shipping and drilling (up to $120 before both). ;)

[skizz]

Stay with your driller .....if you think the price could be better ,think of the alternative.....good price bad reaction on the lanes! if you want to hear a good story on this e- mail me at skizz225@aol.com

[pba6285]

There is nothing better than a good pro shop. By buying off the internet you aren't going to save very much by the time you pay for shipping and drilling. lets say you buy a Deal from bowlers paridise.com for 149.95 add 15.95 for shipping you are at 165.90 then add on what your proshop is going to charge to drill the ball up to lets say $ 50.00 ( my current price for balls from the internet) so you are at 215.90 plus grips.

Now if you buy from the proshop you are getting the expertise of you local pro, You are putting $$$ into your local economy. Then you are probably going to get a few extra benefits from using you local shop. With each ball I sell my customers get free finger inserts, a Mini Lesson, 10 Free Games and a free resurface. Plus if something happens to your ball where the ball co. is going to warranty the ball, I will do the warranty exchange on the spot and I will deal with the ball company.

Case in point I had a customer come in with a ball that I didn't feel met their game and advised them of that before I drilled the ball. They weren't happy with the ball after It was drilled. He ended up selling that ball for $100.00 less that what he paid for the ball and bought another ball from me which matched his game.

2nd case Customer brings in a ball to drill. About 1 week later the core seperates from the shell. He brings the ball to me to see if I will help him with the warranty, I ask him for his reciept and he produces one from the online retailer. Sorry you bought the ball from another place, you will need to take it back to them. (You can't return something to Penny's that you bought at Sears). Now he has to contact the online retailer to Get an Return Authorization, Pay to Ship the ball By the time he gets the ball back 2 weeks have passed and he has to layout another $ 50.00 plus grips to have me drill the ball. Had he bought the ball from me He would have gotten a new ball immediately, drilled free, with grips.

Next case, Bowler buys on-line specifies pin 3-4 out the ball comes in with a 1" pin. He brings the ball into my shop and asks me to exchange the ball. Can you imgine the look on my face :eek: :confused: :( ? Now he has to ship the ball back because, I'm not going to trade it out. He has to wait all this time and guess what. The ball he wants is sitting on display in my shop.

Last words on the subject. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PRO SHOP.

Rick Oelkers
Rick's Pro Shop
Valdosta, GA