You can usually buy a ball on the Internet for less than your local proshop charges. I'm not arguing that point. All I'm suggesting is that the difference is not a great as many here suggest.
But the up front price for a ball and drilling is really not what's most important. If that's all I cared about, I'd buy everything through ebay auctions and then take the balls to the local Kmart guy for a $10 drill.
Most of us are here at Ballreviews because we love the game and want to be the best that we can possibly be. To get there, you need a partner who will do more that just punch holes for the lowest possible price. For better or worse, that generally means developing a good relationship with a local driller. Buying most services (ball and drilling) from him conveys a message that you're worth spending extra time with. That's just the way the world works.
A GOOD local driller will help you fine tune span, pitches, layouts, cover, and core to best optimize your game. And he'll recommend changes over time as you continue to evolve into a better bowler. These are things you can't get from the Internet.
And because you're getting personal attention, you're less likely to make mistakes in purchases. Joe Falco takes pride in his Internet purchasing strategy, but he's made mistakes because he doesn't have a qualified professional to rely on. So who's saving money?
I guess that if you have set spans and pitches you never change from, don't care about advice and informal tips/lessons, and just want to save a buck above all else, the Internet is the place to do business. It all comes down to what you're goals are.
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"You want the truth? -- You can't handle the truth! "Edited on 1/19/2005 9:51 AM
