If this pro shop is going to be the one to drill your balls from now on, then the first ball takes a lot more work than any succeeding ones. Pitches can be problematic, at best, especially if you have no base to work from, that is a ball that fits you perfectly right now. If you've been out for 3 years or more, your hands have changed. And they may change again, if you start bowling a lot of games.

As for bringing in balls bought elsewhere, you better ask the driller or the pro shop owner. They may accept it or they not like it. Also, even if they do accept it, they may charge a higher price for drilling such a ball, as much as their profit margin on a ball they'd ordinarily sell you. So, it might $30 or $40 to drill one of theirs (usually included in the price) BUT they may charge you $70 to drill a blank.

One thing to be aware of, if you do bring blanks: if there's a manufacturer's defect, the pro shop is not responsible for it and you'll have to either contact the manufacturer or distributor or the person you bought it from. Then, also you coudlget caught between the seller and the driller, each one blaming the other for causing the problem.

My only excuse for bringing in a blank is when my pro shop can't get the ball I am interested in or tells me to get it and he'll drill it.

One note of STRONG advice: if you're an avid bowler, your relationship with your driller/pro shop is almost as valuable as your relationship with your wife. You can't put a price on a solid relationship. It must be treasured and worked at, in order to make it work. Mutual respect is essential.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

So let me give the rest of the story (so far).  I've taken the advice given here and today left work early to stop by the pro shop.  The pro shop was one recommended by a ballreviews user in this area.  The gentleman/owner of the shop did take time to watch me bowl and was very good with my level of understanding or really, the lack thereof.  

Here's the sad part.  I haven't bowled at all in about 8 years and haven't regularly for 30 as mentioned above.  I was throwing a house ball starting from about half way between the first and second arrow from the right and drawing it(using the golf term because I don't know the bowling term) in from there.  He didn't come out until my second game (3 games and shoes for $6.00, sweet deal).  By that time, I had a cramp in my left leg from just one game and couldn't bend it fully anymore without falling over.  Middle age sucks.  I actually did fall on to my right knee once.  In spite of that, I was doing very well (for me) and he complimented my form for such a long layoff.  I had 200 and then 204 with him watching.  With that, he talked me into a higher end ball than I was planning to buy.  He sold me a Lane Master Terminator.  I came back to bowl my third game with my new ball and not having any idea about the reaction the ball would have, I played the same line.  First shot, directly into the left gutter at about 3/4 of the way down the lane.  I've never smiled so big in a bowling alley and certainly not after throwing it in the gutter.  I still couldn't finish correctly because of my leg and had no idea how to play this cool new ball.  I finally got lined up around the 6th frame and and finished X X X / and open in the 10th on a split with a final score of 173.

So, it's entirely possible that he was just trying to sell me a more expensive ball.  I don't yet know.  I'm going to let vanity rule the day and believe that the opinion of my local pro is that I can improve relatively quickly to the point that the ball purchase is justified.  Right now, I don't care as I'm simply having a blast bowling again.

Thanks again for all of the advice given, this n00b appreciates it.

For those who suffer insomnia, you might want to bookmark this post.

Jim