I just got home from the USBC Open also. We bowled Monday and Tuesday 3/16 & 3/17. I did reasonably well in team. I had a problem keeping under the ball though. I wanted to help it. That was the wrong thing to do. Once I got myself back under control I did OK. After the team event I rented a locker and stored my equipment there overnight. We were staying about 8 miles from the Cashman Center on the west side of Vegas. Our S & D were scheduled for 9:20 on Tuesday morning. We left the condo at 7:45. We pulled into Cashman at 9:05. The traffic was horrendous. I don't think there is a street or interstate that is not under construction. Anyway, I hustled through the scale room and just got my shoes on when we went out to the lanes. The first ball in practice would not come off my thumb. I almost did the Machuga flop, but I was able to stop. I only had one piece of tape in each of my balls. I removed it but still couldn't get out of them. Obviously I kept pulling everything left.

Some advice if you are going to the Open. Test the fit of your grip before you go through the scale room. That way if changes are required, you can have any number of pro shops there make the adjustments. Once on the lanes it's too late.

Personally I had a hard time keeping hydrated. I expect this is the reason my thumb was swelled up. Hopefully the smell of me stinking up the place in singles and doubles is gone.