Lane pattern / house database / website?

[unclemantis]

Is there a website I can go to that will show the oil patterns for the various houses?

[GeoLes]

Google Kegel. There is a complete database of patterns there.

[scottymoney]

You will never find that info as a site as there are too many to keep track of and some houses make tweaks to what they use from time to time. At this point I would say not to worry about it, just know what to do with more oil and less oil. I doubt you are going to be seeing US Open type patterns or anything really challenging without bowling a sport pattern league.

Enjoy the game don't get caught up in learning so much that at this point I would say is probably not going to help you very much. If you want to learn about the house pattern you bowl on that is one thing. Ask the front desk and they should be able to give that to you. If you are mainly bowling practice, I am going to bet that you will see a beat up lane that it doesn't make much of a difference.

[UBowling]

Unless each specific bowling center puts it on their website, which they should but probably never do, then you won't find anything like that. Kegel does have a nice library of patterns, but not too many houses use those for leagues. But between looking at the Kegel, Brunswick and USBC pattern libraries you should find something similar.

[Greenday]

Best bet is to just ask. Unless it's a special tournament or league, it's probably a THS. The only difference is the length and perhaps just how much oil it is. For instance, my league uses a 37' THS. Lately, the oil has been very heavy in the middle, making it almost impossible to go inside for me. The only time I've bowled that definitely wasn't a THS and I wasn't expected it was my summer league. They seemed to use a block pattern where from the ten board to the ten board, it was heavily oiled. You either played a straight ball or played from the outside.

[ZRock]

My house will actually print out the various pattern sheets for you, just try asking :D