How Much Does It Cost to Drill a Bowling Ball?

When it comes to drilling a bowling ball, there are two options which include custom drilling or basic drilling. Basic drilling is for recreational bowlers with own balls.

On the other hand, custom drilling is more than casual or recreational bowlers. But how much does it cost to drill a bowling ball? Find answers to that and a couple of other related questions in this post.

Did you know that, unless you have bought a second hand bowling ball, new ones do not come with holes? Yes, that’s right. The holes you see on bowling balls are actually drilled post purchase. And it all happens in a Bowling Pro Shop.

The question on how much it costs to drill a bowling ball depends on a number of considerations including the total number of holes you want drilled on the ball, or whether or not you need a thumb hole. Other additional factors also come to play when determining the ultimate cost of drilling a bowling ball.

Factors Affecting the Cost to Drill a Bowling Ball

Drill a Bowling Ball

What are some of the factors that affect the cost of drilling a bowling ball? Right below, we have enlisted some of the key factors for you:

Where the shop is located: One of the unwritten rules of business is that those shops in high end or posh estates or those located at strategic point in the city tend to charge slightly more than their counterparts in the outskirts of the city. The same is true for bowling ball drilling shops. It’s important to always have this in mind.
How many holes do you want drilled? At the bowling pro shop, the cost of drilling holes is pegged on the number of holes you want drilled on the bowling ball. The more holes, the more you’ll pay. Note however that this is not an industry standard. Some shops may have a fixed price, irrespective of the number of holes drilled.
Custom vs basic drilling: As you might already know, if you want the ball custom drilled to suit your hand measurement, then custom drilling is the way to go. Unlike basic drilling, custom comes with extra costs.
Finger inserts: often finger inserts are installed in the drilled holes in order to make the edges smooth and easy to handle. However, the inserts aren’t free. They come at an extra cost.

Extra Bowling ball services at the Pro Shop

bowling ball cost of drilling

Besides drilling, most, if not all, Pro Shops also offer additional services at a cost. Some of the common ones include:

1. Bowling ball polishing: As you may have guessed, this service is offered to improve the surface quality of the ball. It makes the ball shiny and smoother, just the way professional bowlers like it. If that something you would like, then you’ll need to shell out more money.

2. Bowling ball cleaning: At the Pro shop, electric ball spinners are used to clean bowling balls. The service often comes at a cost. Note, however, that some shops may offer it for free.

3. Bowling ball resurfacing: In some pro shops, ball resurfacing is packaged as a separate service while others offer it together with drilling. In the latter case, the price is inclusive of the ball drilling charge.

How to get the best value for your money at the Bowling ball drilling pro shop

cost of drilling bowling ball — FRED ZWICKY/JOURNAL STAR
Bowling ball drillmaster Tim Pallai custom fits bowling balls to the hand of their owner. Pallai, who owns The Strike Zone pro shop at Landmark Lanes, is marking his 25th year in the speciality.

Before you get you bowling ball drilled, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. That way, you will get the best value for your money.

Prioritize what you want: At the pro shop, there are many services offered, besides bowling ball drilling. Some include cleaning, resurfacing, and polishing. All these services cost money. It is up to you to know what to prioritize so that you don’t end up drilling extra holes when you don’t actually need them.
Research about the different service providers in your locality: Know how much they charge and the types of services they offer. That way, you can be sure to get best deal. Moreover, researching will also help you find answers to some questions about bowling ball drilling costs and related charges.
Choose pro shops with post drilling warranty: Some Pro shops offer a post drilling warranty which covers any associated risks to the bowling ball after it has been drilled. Usually, they charge a small fee for this. This options helps you minimize costs associated with any damages that may occur post drilling.
Take care of the Bowling ball: Be sure to comply with any post drilling instructions provided so as to keep the ball in good shape.

Why Drill Bowling balls?

drilling bowling ball

So why do bowlers bother to drill their bowling balls? They do it for a number of reasons. Some of these include:

1. Improve gaming accuracy and efficiency: balls with appropriate distribution of holes are easier to handle during game play.

2. Improve rolling performance: Professional bowlers say that balls with proper distribution of holes tend to have better rolling performance than those without.

3. Reduce the ball’s weight: In the world of bowing games, lighter is better. Well, I mean lighter ball. It makes for convenient handling and ease of throwing the ball, irrespective of your experience level.

4. Better grip: bowling balls with appropriate distribution of holes offer better grip during gameplay.

Basic vs. Custom Drilling: What’s the difference in terms of cost?

On average, standard (basic) drilling costs for bowling balls range anywhere between $30 and $50. The amount will vary depending on a number of factors, including location of the pro shop.

On the other hand, custom bowling ball drilling costs anywhere between $50 and $70.

Beginner vs experienced bowlers: cost of drilling bowling ball

For a beginner, it’s advisable to buy an already drilled ball. Usually it will cost anywhere between $40 and $70. However, if you choose to get the drilling done later, you can buy your plastic bowling ball and get the job done at a pro shop of your choice.

Unlike beginners, experienced bowlers prefer to have the balls custom drilled per their preference. That way, they get to tailor the ball to suit their needs. The cost of drilling in the case of a professional bowler, is subject to a number of factors, including the quality of the ball. The cost may range between $20 and $80.

Conclusion

The cost to drill a bowling ball depends on many factors including the pro shop location, the type and size of the bowling ball, the number of holes you want drilled, among other factors. With research and price comparison, you should find the best option for your bowling ball needs. That said, we come to the end of this post. Hope you found it very insightful.