# Bowling alley chips ball--what is reasonable recourse?



## normab (Jul 18, 2009)

We were bowling recently and the ball came back chipped.  The ball is at least 10 years old, but we only actually were in a league for 3 years, so it was not heavily used for the entire life span.

The alley is offering us a used alley ball as a replacement and we think that is not sufficient, our ball was in excellent condition and those balls are dinged from daily use.

We are trying to negotiate something better from the manager, but are not sure what is reasonable.  We have thought about negotiating a discount toward the purchase of a new ball, but how do we know what is reasonable? Should we ask to purchase one at cost?

Or is there something else we haven't thought about?

Any ideas appreciated!!!


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## pjrose (Jul 18, 2009)

It's a 10 year old ball.  I'm amazed they're offering you anything!  What's the life-span of a ball?  How many years is the original Manufacturer's guarantee?  How much was the ball in the first place?  What signs does the bowling alley prominently post about not being responsible for damages.

What would YOUR responsibility be if your ball chipped their lane?

I'd ask for a few free passes and then buy another ball.


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## gmarine (Jul 18, 2009)

I'm surprised they offered anything. Its not that unusual for a ball to get chipped. The ball is getting thrown down an alley, hitting pins and then being sent back up the ball return then hitting any balls also in the rack. 
 Like s**t, chips happen.


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## Texasbelle (Jul 18, 2009)

Usually the bowling alley will repair our balls if damaged.  They polish out scratches, but the scratches must look "new".  Not sure how a chip would be filled in, but I have seen balls that had the old holes filled and new holes drilled.  A discount on a ball sounds reasonable, a win-win with them getting a sale.  Not sure of the mark-up in bowling balls.  If this is league play, you might get some help from the officers.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 18, 2009)

Growing up a bowler and working the bowling industry for many years, I can say you are indeed lucky to be offered anything. Most centers so "not responsible for damage to bowling balls" or something similar.  A used "alley ball" however is no bargain (many are left/abandoned).


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## jwq387 (Jul 19, 2009)

*bolwing ball chipped*



normab said:


> We were bowling recently and the ball came back chipped.  The ball is at least 10 years old, but we only actually were in a league for 3 years, so it was not heavily used for the entire life span.
> 
> The alley is offering us a used alley ball as a replacement and we think that is not sufficient, our ball was in excellent condition and those balls are dinged from daily use.
> 
> ...



Having bowled for 46 of my 51 years of my  life.... The chipped ball should be repaired at the bowling center's cost. That's what  my center has done. If the chip is NOT in your track(the area where the bowling ball contacts the lane) then the repair will be fine. If it IS in the track area, then  your bowling ball's effectiveness will be determined by the quality of the repair. No reputable establishment will use the " bowling alley not responsible for damage to bowling ball" tact. Their machines damaged the ball, its on their dime.


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## pjrose (Jul 19, 2009)

jwq387 said:


> Having bowled for 46 of my 51 years of my  life.... The chipped ball should be repaired at the bowling center's cost. That's what  my center has done. If the chip is NOT in your track(the area where the bowling ball contacts the lane) then the repair will be fine. If it IS in the track area, then  your bowling ball's effectiveness will be determined by the quality of the repair. No reputable establishment will use the " bowling alley not responsible for damage to bowling ball" tact. Their machines damaged the ball, its on their dime.



But how does one know if it was the machines, or if the ball was dropped?  Doesn't years of use eventually lead to normal cracking or chipping?  I honestly don't know; just curious!


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## jlr10 (Jul 20, 2009)

When I was a junior bowler (looong time ago...) my hard rubber ball came back to the ball return with a crack all the way around the ball.  The bowling alley replaced with a new plastic ball.  I am not sure if it was because I was a poor child (who had been given the used ball by the bowling alley pro shop in the first place,) or if, as they said, they wanted to figure out how I cracked a ball all the way around.  Either way I got a new ball.  

When my husband's ball came back with a large chip in it, at our local bowling alley, they told him they weren't responsible and it was obviously his fault for a having a ball that was too big for the return.  It didn't seem to matter to them that he had bowled in that same bowling alley with the same ball for years.  Bascially it was just a very poorly run alley.


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## jwq387 (Jul 20, 2009)

pjrose said:


> But how does one know if it was the machines, or if the ball was dropped?  Doesn't years of use eventually lead to normal cracking or chipping?  I honestly don't know; just curious!


Bowling balls get small "nicks" on their surface, that line up with the track on a bowling ball. The track is the part of the ball that contacts the surface of the lane, and is unique to every bowlers. Bowling balls generally do not "crack". A chip in a bowling ball is not a naturally occurring event. Dropping a bowling ball will not create a chip. If you are observing the surface of your bowling ball after you get it back from the ball return, a chip will be obvious. Mosts "chips" in my 46 years of experience, are from mechanical parts of the ball return mechanism, and any reputable bowling establishment will take financial responsibility for the damage.


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