Yes, it is illegal.  Per the USBC Rules, Chapter 8, 4b:

"b. No foreign material may be placed on the outer surface or in the balance hole of the ball
including but not limited to powder, marker or paint. Bowling tape is acceptable in a balance hole."

Bowling tape is acceptable in a balance hole."

Why would someone put tape in a non-gripping balance hole?

Quote from: Good Times Good Times on May 06, 2016, 03:29:26 PM

Quote from: Bowler19525 on May 06, 2016, 02:54:53 PM

Bowling tape is acceptable in a balance hole."

Why would someone put tape in a non-gripping balance hole?

Easier to track visually.

Why track the balance hole?  I would think the overall motion would be what you want to track.  I ask b/c my IQ30 has a P3 hole and I'm curious as to what I'm supposed to be missing.

Why would someone put tape in a non-gripping balance hole?

It's in reference to the bowlers who don't use their thumbhole, which when not used is considered a balance hole.


The real question to ask is why use a ball you went to the trouble to collect autographs on in the first place?

If you don't care about the autographs anymore, just sand them off then you can use the ball.

Really? Can a ball signed with magic marker give someone an advantage? If this is really a rule it's time for the USBC to say bye bye!!

It doesn't matter if it gives a advantage or not, The rule say's "No foreign material may be placed on the outer surface".

The Ink would be a foreign material, so is thus illegal to have on the surface.

Maybe, depending on when the ball was marked, someone feared that the ink could transfer to the lanes when reacting to the oil?  But I think the best answer was Avabob's that it would be better to ban all then make another list of what was or was not allowed.

Well, the rule does say "including but not limited to powder, marker or paint."  What other type of marker is there other than magic marker/sharpie?  99.9% of bowlers wouldn't care if the ball gets used in sanctioned competition, but there will always be that 0.1% who files a protest when they lose and want to take it out on someone.

I was bowling in a tournament recently and a guy on our pair used acetone to clean his stuff during practice.  It smelled like a paint shop in the settee area even after moving lanes after each game because he continued to use the same towel during the tournament.  No one cared despite the use of acetone being a HUGE no-no. 

Chapter 8 also states that the ball MUST have the original brand name/logo, ball name, and serial number on the ball.  How many balls are out there being used after multiple resurfacings where the engraving of the make and model is partially or totally gone?  I used my Ebonite Adrenaline Shot for the the first time this morning, and after 2 games the orange engraving in the "A" in Adrenaline has already started wearing away.  100 games from now who knows what will be left on the ball?