Q&A for How to Drill a Bowling Ball

A pro shop can plug and re-drill your holes. It's common for your hand to change over time. Higher performance balls are not expected to last for more than a few years. Casual bowlers are more likely to have the issue of their ball not fitting after some time.

A pro shop can always plug and re-drill the ball. They also will tell you if your ball is suitable for re-drilling.

Either way works, but you may find it easiest to drill the fingers first, then you only need to intersect the fingers spans for the thumb hole. If you do thumb first it is harder to be accurate, because you have to make two separate span measurements for each finger.

It's really not a good idea to drill a bowling ball with a hand drill. Even a good drill press with an entry level jig is barely adequate. The size/type of drill bit used for bowling balls requires a lot of torque and can easily bind up and twist out of your hand, no matter how well you've secured the ball.