Most of the major airports and TSA these days are used to seeing bowling balls as carry ons. Now immediately after 9/11, that was a bit of a different story.
Worst case, your bowling balls are swabbed for bomb material and takes an extra 5 mins thru security. Now I wouldn't be running late for your flight and appear to be in a rush and have bowling balls. Then TSA may take an extended look through everything.
And last year I flew American from DFW to Reno. My 3 ball tote was 51.5. Usually DFW lets it through but Reno will want to charge me for over-weight on the return flight and I will have a ball box in my suitcase and just shift clothes around to the tote and put a ball in the box in my suitcase. Last year, Reno was even nice and didn't say a word to me at 51.5.
I have heard of people who have had issues with TSA coming from smaller airports that will question the bowling balls and may give you some grief and delay you 15-20 mins but eventually you get through.
With El Paso, Southwest Airlines can be an option for some people and they still offer the 2 bags free which bowlers love.
