Bowling can be a fun and healthy pastime for all ages, but there are risks and rewards, as with anything else in life. One of the risks associated with bowling is how much weight your bowling ball can lose after drilling. This is important to be aware of, as it can affect your game.
The amount of weight loss will depend on several variables, including:
- How many holes are punched into the bowling ball?
- The depth of these holes drilled.
- The hole’s diameter
- The material from which your bowling ball is constructed.
Your bowling ball will need to have some holes in it. This means that the bowling ball will always be lighter than when purchased.
You will need to keep this in mind when searching for a bowling ball with the appropriate weight for you. Always keep in mind that it will become slightly lighter.
Many individuals will have additional holes drilled into their bowling balls. This slightly improves the balance of the ball.
A single additional hole may shave off 1 oz of weight (depending on various factors), but these balancing holes must be strategically placed to maximize their weight-saving potential. A professional bowling ball driller will be required at this point.
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When a Bowling Ball is Drilled, How Much Weight Does it Lose?
The average bowling ball weight loss after drilling is about 2.5 ounces. A standard-weight bowling ball will lose about 0.25 ounces after drilling, and a heavier ball will lose more weight.
Drilling typically removes 1 to 2 ounces of top weight. It is essential to have the pro shop check your ball after drilling to ensure it is legal. After that, don’t concern yourself with the amount of top weight in your bowling ball.
Bowling balls can lose a significant amount of weight after being drilled, but it’s essential to keep the ball from becoming too light, or it will not travel as far down the lane and may even become difficult to control. Follow these tips to help keep your bowling ball in balance:
Make sure your bowling ball is properly inspected after drilling. A pro shop can help ensure that your bowling ball’s weight is within the legal range.
Avoid over-drilling your bowling ball. Over drilling can remove too much weight from the ball and may even cause it to become too light or unstable.
Be sure to rotate your bowling balls regularly. This will help to prevent them from becoming too heavy on one side.
Top 6 Tips to go Bowling Ball Weight Loss After Drilling
Follow these tips to help keep your bowling ball falling and performing at its best:
1. Have the Pro Shop Check Your Bowling Ball After Drilling
After drilling a bowling ball, it is essential to keep it in good shape. One way to do this is to have the pro shop check the weight and condition of your bowling ball after drilling.
This will help you ensure that your ball stays in balance and falls correctly. Additionally, if the weight of your bowling ball changes after drilling, be sure to bring it in for a tune-up so that your game can continue to improve.
It’s essential to have your bowling ball checked by the pro shop after drilling to be legal. This way, you can be sure you are playing with a ball in good condition.
Check Also: what weight bowling ball do most pros use
2. Avoid Over-Drilling Your Bowling Ball
Bowling ball weight loss is possible after drilling, but it takes careful adjustments. Here are four tips to help keep the ball falling:
- Make sure the bowling ball is balanced.
This means that the center of gravity (CG) is located near the middle of the ball. Over-drilling can cause a heavy ball to wobble and destabilize midair, making it harder to bowl strikes.
- Use a lightweight drilling bit if possible.
Bowling over-drilled balls can weigh as much as 2 ounces more than an adequately drilled ball, adding unnecessary weight and drag to your swing.
A lightweight bit will cut through the surface more accessible, allowing less resistance from the ball’s surface area and reducing weight overall.
- Keep your drilling consistent throughout each hole on your lane.
Drilling too deep in one spot can cause instability in another area of the bowling ball, leading to poor performance and even more, weight added to your throw!
Consistent drilling throughout each hole will ensure even wear on your bit – resulting in a longer lifespan for your drill and, ultimately, a lighter bowling ball!
- Take breaks between holes when possible.
Hitting a bowling ball repeatedly over a few minutes can quickly wear down the ball’s surface. Use a break between games to give your ball a rest and keep it performing at its best.
- Inspect your bowling ball after each game.
If there are any holes or imperfections in the surface, have your pro shop correct them before your next game. This will help keep your ball balanced and perform consistently on the lanes.
3. Rotate Your Bowling Balls Regularly
Keeping your bowling ball in good condition is essential for your gameplay and ball weight. Make sure to rotate your balls regularly and keep them away from high temperatures and direct sunlight.
If you drill too much weight from your bowling ball, it will become too light or unstable. Rotating your bowling balls regularly will help keep them in good condition and balanced.
This will help to prevent them from becoming too heavy on one side.
4. Keep a Bowling Ball Weight Chart On the Hand
You can do a few things to help keep the ball falling during your bowling session. One is to keep a bowling ball weight chart on hand, so you know how much weight to put on the ball each time.
Another is to practice consistently to get better at rolling the ball with proper balance and speed.
Finally, make sure you eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to don’t put unnecessary extra pounds on your frame.
Keeping a weight chart on hand will help you track the weight of your bowling balls over time. This will help you understand how much weight your bowling ball is losing and help you identify any problems early on.
5. Take Precautions When Drilling Your Ball
When drilling your bowling ball, be precautions to keep the ball from flying off the lane.
One way to do this is to hold the drill firmly in one hand and use the other hand to hold the ball against the side of the drill bit. This will help keep the ball from spinning and flying off the lane.
Additionally, make sure that you are using a heavy enough bit for your bowling ball. A severe bit will help keep the ball from moving around and falling off the lane.
Ensure you follow all the proper safety guidelines when drilling your bowling ball. These guidelines include using the correct drill bit, wearing protective equipment, and keeping a safe distance from your walls.
6. Use a Bowling Ball That Is Suitable For Your Game
If you’re looking to maintain your bowling ball weight loss after drilling, using an appropriate ball for your game is essential.
A heavier ball will slow the speed of the ball while in the air, making it harder to keep up with the pinball action.
A lightweight ball will make it easier to roll strikes but may also lead to less power and accuracy when throwing strikes. Try out a few different balls and see which one gives you the best results for your game.
Not all bowling balls are created equal. Contact the pro shop if you are not sure which type of bowling ball is best for your game. They will be able to help you find the perfect ball for you.
Check Also: how to find your pap on a bowling ball
How Much Does it Cost to Drill Holes Into a Bowling Ball?
Much of this will depend on your location. The cost of drilling will likely range between $30 and $50.
If you purchase a bowling ball from a company, they will likely offer you a discount on their drilling services as an incentive.
If you bring an undrilled bowling ball to a store where you did not make your initial purchase, they will likely charge you closer to the upper end of this range.
You may believe that this price is excessive, but it is not. Remember that drilling holes in bowling balls require a significant amount of skill and equipment. If anything, the price that some of these companies are charging is a bargain.
Frequently, this price also includes “ball insurance.” However, this is typically only the case if you bring a previously purchased ball to a driller.
If you are using the company from which you purchased the bowling ball, this will likely be a “standard” feature.
If the ball cracks during the drilling process, the professional will replace the ball entirely. It is essential to have this type of “insurance” in place.
As stated previously, drilling bowling balls is complex, and even professionals can make mistakes on occasion.
Can You Make Holes in Your Own Bowling Ball?
You can. However, it is not recommended.
Some individuals will drill their holes into bowling balls. However, these individuals have experience drilling bowling balls. The process can go awry if you lack the necessary expertise.
Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to drilling a bowling ball than measuring fingers and pulling out a drill bit. Additionally, careful consideration must be given to the placement of the holes.
Additionally, the drill bit must be extremely sharp. Due to the complexity of the procedure, even professionals occasionally make errors.
If someone has never completed a task of this nature before, we do not believe they will succeed.
No YouTube tutorial or Instructable guide will provide all the information necessary to drill bowling balls. It takes a considerable amount of time to develop this skill.
If holes are improperly drilled, the bowling ball will crack. If your bowling ball has broken due to drilling, it must be replaced.
A replacement bowling ball will likely cost more than what you would have paid to have it repaired by a professional, to begin with.
Before you even consider the cost of the drilling equipment, you probably had to purchase it.
How Many Times Can a Bowling Ball Be Redrilled?
This will depend entirely on why the bowling ball is being drilled in the first place.
If the hole layout on your bowling ball is satisfactory and you want to plug the holes and redrill them with a different size, you could do this a dozen times.
The material will likely become slightly weaker with each redrill, but not to the point where the bowling ball’s quality is compromised.
On the other hand, if you are unhappy with the hole layout on your bowling ball and wish to change things up, your options will be somewhat restricted.
Last Opinion
Each time a hole is drilled into a bowling ball, the integrity of the ball’s core is compromised. This indicates that each new hole brings the body closer to giving up. To cut a long story short, you will end up with an ineffective bowling ball.
The consensus is that you should never change a bowling ball’s layout more than three times in this situation. Nonetheless, even after the second redrill, you push that core to its absolute limit.
Remember, regardless of the reason for redrilling your bowling ball, you should always hire a professional. At least you can rest assured that you will do the job correctly!
Keep these tips in mind to help keep your bowling ball falling and performing at its best. Thanks for reading!
Hello everyone, I’m Sonjay Chowdhury.
Bowling for Beginners is a resource I made to help new bowlers learn the basics of the game, whether they’re just starting or hoping to make it as a professional.
I’m an aspiring bowler with a strong passion for the game. I started playing the game at a very early age, and it’s been an integral part of my life ever since.
The start was not as easy as many hurdles to becoming a professional bowler. However, if you’re passionate about something and have the guts to work your way, then there’s nothing in the world that can stop you.
However, I eventually overcame the barriers, and right now, I’m a member of many prominent bowling clubs around the country. For me, bowling isn’t just a hobby; It’s instead a passion that’s embedded in my veins.
I’ve chosen to commit a good deal of my time to assist anyone interested in learning to bowl. If your objective is to bowl more strikes and increase your scoring average, or if you want to learn more advanced techniques and skills, I have enough resources for you as well.
I hope everyone who wants to bowl may learn to like it.
Happy Bowling!
