Iis it worse to play on lanes that have been used for open play vs a league

[NewToBowling]

Open play meaning people using house balls going straight up the middle vs league play with personal balls usually going towards right of lane around second arrow.

From what I understand house balls don't absorb oil but rather just splatter it around. Flip that with reactive resin balls that soak up oil.

So in general when bowling on lanes that have been used all day for open bowling you are probably going to encounter some very radical and non-uniform oil patterns?

[Amyers]

I'll take bowling after a league any day of the week. In most of the houses where I bowl they put fresh oil out for league getting the lanes after three or four games have been bowled on them isn't bad after open play god only knows who has thrown what and how many games on them.

[Tony]

I would prefer bowling after leagues. Another thing I've noted is the centers here have some daytime leagues and they condition all the lanes just before these leagues....but they are only using half the lanes so the others are ready for open bowling on whatever they are putting out for that league.

[mc_runner]

For score, after leagues. For practice/more of a challenge? Sure, push the oil anywhere, makes for an interesting (albeit frustrating) shot.

[RobLV1]

It all depends on the situation. If you are bowling a sweeper (see Mike White's comment on the thread about mis-matched pairs), then the lanes should be the same for everyone = freshly oiled. For normal league play, you are bowling against one team on the same pair for points, so what's the difference? As long as the lanes are the same for both teams, then it's a fair situation.

[Mike White]

It all depends on the situation. If you are bowling a sweeper (see Mike White's comment on the thread about mis-matched pairs), then the lanes should be the same for everyone = freshly oiled. For normal league play, you are bowling against one team on the same pair for points, so what's the difference? As long as the lanes are the same for both teams, then it's a fair situation.

In a league situation, side pots and brackets have you competing against people on other lanes.

[Aslan]

It all depends on the situation. If you are bowling a sweeper (see Mike White's comment on the thread about mis-matched pairs), then the lanes should be the same for everyone = freshly oiled. For normal league play, you are bowling against one team on the same pair for points, so what's the difference? As long as the lanes are the same for both teams, then it's a fair situation.

I deal with this every Tuesday as my Tuesday center stopped oiling prior to league play. They have very large leagues that encompass 30 lanes and according to the explanation I got, the owner didn't like having to turn away open bowling folks that wanted to come in and bowl up until leagues started. I don't think the owner likes the idea of turning open bowlers away for league play either but is smart enough to realize that leagues are necessary to the center's survival.

It creates a very tough shot when you're playing on those type of conditions. It creates a disadvantage (most of the time) for righties because most people are right-handed thus the right side gets extra beat up. It creates a volume problem because the center, in order to protect the lanes without re-oiling, will "flood" the lanes in the morning; putting down a very long, heavy volume pattern. And it creates a length problem because the plastic balls push the oil down the lane and ultimately you end up with very little dry area, even on the backend...which greatly moves your breakpoint.

It ends up creating a condition where each night a few bowlers get assigned to a pair that are just beat up enough where it suits their particular game...and those bowlers do very well. But it creates a miserable shot for most of the bowlers...as evident by the last season's scores where only 2 out of 149 bowlers carried an average of 200+. I think there were only 9 others in the 190s. I currently average 18 pins lower in that league than my Wednesday league at a different center (that does oil pre-league) and it's one of a few reasons I probably won't be back to my Tuesday center next season.

[RobLV1]

In a league situation, side pots and brackets have you competing against people on other lanes.

Yes they do, but you have the option of getting into brackets and side pots or not. I just finished a league that started at 12:30 pm, and the lanes were oiled at 8 am with open bowling all morning. I always made it a practice to ask the desk person to look up how many games had been bowled that morning. Once I bowled on a pair where there had been twelve games bowled on the left lane and none on the right! At least I knew why I couldn't carry the corners on the left lane. LOL

[ChuckR]

Yes they do, but you have the option of getting into brackets and side pots or not. I just finished a league that started at 12:30 pm, and the lanes were oiled at 8 am with open bowling all morning. I always made it a practice to ask the desk person to look up how many games had been bowled that morning. Once I bowled on a pair where there had been twelve games bowled on the left lane and none on the right! At least I knew why I couldn't carry the corners on the left lane. LOL
I find it difficult to determine What the OIL pattern is for different houses. Most people at the desk have NO IDEA and the fellow that did the oiling is usually working in the back on machines. It would be great if the information on Oil volume, Oil pattern, lane activity were available. Currently, after winter leagues, I practice Mondays and Fridays at 2 different casinos and BOY is there oil because 1. Less Activity 2. Only oiled once a day so a heavier lay down.

[RobLV1]

I find it difficult to determine What the OIL pattern is for different houses. Most people at the desk have NO IDEA and the fellow that did the oiling is usually working in the back on machines. It would be great if the information on Oil volume, Oil pattern, lane activity were available. Currently, after winter leagues, I practice Mondays and Fridays at 2 different casinos and BOY is there oil because 1. Less Activity 2. Only oiled once a day so a heavier lay down.

Most houses here in Vegas hold the actual specs of their oil patterns very close to the vest. In many cases, only the head mechanic actually knows what the pattern is and even he is often told by center management not to reveal it to the bowlers. Let me know when you want some company for a practice session, and I'll see if I can show you how to determine what the pattern is.

[ChuckR]

Most houses here in Vegas hold the actual specs of their oil patterns very close to the vest. In many cases, only the head mechanic actually knows what the pattern is and even he is often told by center management not to reveal it to the bowlers. Let me know when you want some company for a practice session, and I'll see if I can show you how to determine what the pattern is.
Red Rock is a good example of heavy oil around noon. Have you picked up an information on what we usually bowl on during winter league? It seems that is changes from fall to spring. Gold Coast is always oily, but I practice there early friday, no pot game. Southpoint was interesting when Mike drilled the Mastermind. The line there was to pick up as much oil as possible and the lanes were fresh.

[RobLV1]

Red Rock is a good example of heavy oil around noon. Have you picked up an information on what we usually bowl on during winter league? It seems that is changes from fall to spring. Gold Coast is always oily, but I practice there early friday, no pot game. Southpoint was interesting when Mike drilled the Mastermind. The line there was to pick up as much oil as possible and the lanes were fresh.

I think what you are seeing at Red Rock is that the change in weather from winter to summer makes quite a difference. From what I know, they do occasionally try new products for oiling and cleaning, but rarely change the pattern. The heavy oil that you see in the middle before noon leagues is a result of the house condition that creates "the Great Wall at Red Rock." The biggest difference that you are seeing among the three houses is not the oil condition, but the condition of the lanes. Starting with Red Rock, all of the high average leagues are bowled on the high end of the house, therefore the track area on the lanes at the high end are pretty chewed up. At Gold Coast, the part of the house where you are bowling makes a big difference in that there are restaurants with ovens on the first floor that affect how the lanes play. The big thing at the Gold Coast is not that there is more oil, but that the back ends are not as clean, making them tighter down lane. Southpoint is where the World Series of Bowling is held every year, at that high volume of high rev bowlers has taken its toll on the lane surfaces. Also, at Southpoint, the two sides of the house play totally differently, which makes a big difference in how you play the lanes. Hope this helps.

[Aslan]

I like Red Rock. It's gorgeous and I average 206 there. Last time I bowled there I beat Iceman scratch with a 234.

Is the new bowling center at Southpointe open to the public or is it just for PBA stuff like Reno?

[RobLV1]

I like Red Rock. It's gorgeous and I average 206 there. Last time I bowled there I beat Iceman scratch with a 234.

Is the new bowling center at Southpointe open to the public or is it just for PBA stuff like Reno?

The Bowling Plaza at Southpoint is only used for tournaments, however some of them are small events sponsored by Southpoint so it is possible to bowl there. I bowled one ten-gamer there, and it really is an awesome environment.