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Looks like I won't get a new arsenal today: Thanks alot pro shop industry!
So, it's been almost exactly a year since I retired my last arsenal and got my new one drilled. I try to switch them out every year. And, it's time....the Scandal Pearl isn't reacting nearly the way it was back in 2017...the Thug Life was never a great choice as my first ball out of the bag...and it's time to try 15lbs again (instead of 16lbs).
I've been super excited about the NEXT arsenal. It'll be my strongest one to date...and all 4 balls (not counting the spare ball) will be in the Brunswick/DV8 family...which I have had the most success with (Brunswick/Radical/DV8).
So, I double-checked the hours of the pro shop last week...got up early this morning...and headed over. Got pulled over for speeding...but only a warning...phew.
Got to the center....not open till 11AM.
Okay, called the pro shop...no answer. So, went to IHop...had some breakfast...came back to the center...go inside...pro shop not open. The lady tells me they won't be back till Tuesday because they are bowling in a tournament in Chicago this weekend. ![Mad](images/smilies/mad.png)
So, now I'm annoyed. Not only did their website not have accurate hours...but they didn't bother to put anything on the website about being out of town. So, I'm determined to stick it to em by taking my business elsewhere. The problem is....VISE inserts. I know of 4 other bowling centers with pro shops...but two of them don't drill VISE...only TURBO. So, I call the other two...one only drills TURBO...the other was by appointment only on weekends.
So I start looking for other centers/pro shops on my phone...
Newton IA...48 miles away...center and pro shop look sketchy and the hours are weird...no mention of pro shop hours.
Pella IA....not open yet.
Osceola IA...closed for the summer.
Oskaloosa IA...not open yet.
Marshalltown IA...center permanently closed.
Harlan IA....center claims they don't have a pro shop anymore.
Ottumwa IA....one wasn't open yet and the other the pro shop was only open during leagues.
So, after wasting about 3 hours this morning...I decided I'd just wait till next weekend to have them drilled. Supposedly there's a pro shop in the center I bowl at on Wednesdays...although I've never seen it. They probably don't drill VISE...but worth a check. Maybe go back to the original place...hopefully they won't take another weekend off and at least now I know not to go there so early.
Just in case, I sent an e-mail to VISE asking for a list of pro shops in Iowa and the Omaha, NE area that install VISE inserts...just in case. They probably don't have that information...it's probably something the distributors would have...but it's worth a try. I'd like to know, in case I have trouble with this one shop...where my nearest option is.
The other possibility is to switch from VISE to TURBO...I know of a few pro shops that install those...but that's another $150 to purchase more thumb inserts.
You'd think VISE would do a better job of making sure they have more vendors in the metropolitan area...but I suppose that's a distributor issue. The one guy I know who operates a pro shop in the area, that only drills Turbo, claimed it was simply too expensive. To drill VISE he'd have had to get another $2,000 worth of equipment just to drill the holes...then stock hundreds to thousands more in supplies. It kinda creates a Microsoft versus MacIntosh situation where once you are established with one brand...you're kinda locked in. I can't switch without completely changing over to a new system...and wouldn't be able to use any older balls. The pro shops can't do both types of inserts without doubling their costs on drilling equipment and inventory.
In Bag:
(: .) 900 Global Zen Master;
(: .) Brunswick Perfect Mindset;
(: .) Brunswick Endeavor;
(: .) Radical Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 198; Lifetime Average = 171;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 185
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
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Bowling Guru
"You'd think VISE would do a better job of making sure they have more vendors in the metropolitan area...but I suppose that's a distributor issue. The one guy I know who operates a pro shop in the area, that only drills Turbo, claimed it was simply too expensive. To drill VISE he'd have had to get another $2,000 worth of equipment just to drill the holes...then stock hundreds to thousands more in supplies. It kinda creates a Microsoft versus MacIntosh situation where once you are established with one brand...you're kinda locked in. I can't switch without completely changing over to a new system...and wouldn't be able to use any older balls. The pro shops can't do both types of inserts without doubling their costs on drilling equipment and inventory."
Unless VISE insists that you use a particular brand of drill press and drill bits or the warranty would be void, I don't see why a decent pro shop would have to buy $2000 worth of equipment to install them.
I can understand a shop having a decided preference for one or the other brand of inserts. I can also see where if one brand's inserts required a slightly different size hole, they might want a second drill press that was only used for that brand.
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The way I understood it, it has to do with how the holes are drilled. A pro shop person that drills both might be able to explain it. It wasn't (as far as I understood) a need for a second drill press...it was a need to buy a set of bits or templates and whatever else was needed for the installation.
This video kinda shows the differences in the two drilling processes and pieces needed (which I assume means stuff you need to buy):
In Bag:
(: .) 900 Global Zen Master;
(: .) Brunswick Perfect Mindset;
(: .) Brunswick Endeavor;
(: .) Radical Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 198; Lifetime Average = 171;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 185
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
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The Vise system is a pain to install.
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Member
I am not sure what price your getting quoted for thumb inserts, but i get mine done for $25 each in Atlanta area. I have never had a problem, but i have seen two other bowlers have the insert break (over the past three years). I think switching to what you can get done locally is worth considering.
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