Same shot/diff centers question.....

[sandsdenver]

I throw over the second arrow from the right (a 16 lb Flash Flood) at my local center. I have an avg of 173. I have bowled for about 5 years in high school (now I am 37) and this is my first league since then. The past few nights I have gone to diff centers to bowl (real late, about 1 AM). At both centers (diff from my league center), while throwing type of shot/same bowl/same everything, it would break horribly into the head pin or 1-2 pocket ( I am right handed). Was this because of the late hour causing less oil to be on the lane or I am too 'homed into' my regular center or do I have a wild ball that hooks alot (the ball was given to me and I had plugged drilled fingertip) or is there too many variables to solve this question with a simple answer?

I normally bowl at the Gold Coast in Las Vegas *but went to Sams Town and Sunset Lanes recently*.

Thank you,
Jimmy
sandsdenver@hotmail.com

[threeripmin]

most bowling alleys differ from one another, some have heavy oil some are really dry.

[WAC4504]

Well Sandsdenver, I don't know anything about the ball, but I would bet that the lanes were probably drying up on you. In any case you want to adjust to the lane conditions. If you're hitting Brooklyn ( 1- 2 pocket ) then you should try moving 7 or 8 boards left keeping aiming mark the same, if that brings you to deep in the pocket then you can fine tune it back to the right. Any way you look at it you just have to be able to move with the lanes, little oil move left, lots of oil move right. Hope that helps a little.

[mrbill]

This is why I am trying to get on a traveling league.
I try to go to as many deferent alleys as I can because there never the same.
Some alleys have wider oil in the center of the lane. I like to go right up the 2nd arrow aswell but on my league alley and that works fine, But at this other house that I practice in the oil is a little wider and makes me have to go up the 5-6 boards to get some friction.
Good Times...............
Oh and Welcome to the boards sandsdenver (http://www.bowlingboards.com/member.php?u=2779) and good question.

[DanielMareina]

The center I run has a completely different shot then any other center in our area. In fact, I don't think the same line would work between any of the 5 houses in our area. We have two with wood lanes, 3 with synthetic first of all. One of the centers oils every 3 days or so (DRY), we oil a very basic house shot and keep our wood lanes in good shape, one house has a wall of dry outside the 4 board, one floods their lanes like they just pour the bottle on the lane and push it around, and the last of the five has a typical house shot, but more oil than our by a decent amount.
The point is, you should assume that the shot is different, no matter what time you bowl, and try to adjust according to what is happening. It also helps if you ask the front desk when the last time they oiled is. That will give you an idea of whether it is the pattern, or the fact that a bunch of people have moved the oil all over the lane. Good luck!

[sandsdenver]

Thank you for everyone who replied.....

[sandsdenver]

Man....first game 157, second game 175....10th frame of second game started to move over left 4-5 boards (I like to throw more of a hook than curve..but hook was hooking too much), throwing at same spot though, struck three times in 10th, then threw 8 in a rrow strikes in third game, human error in 9th (IOW, I choked!), spare in 9th, spare then strike in 10th for a 267!!! Best game of my life.

We lost the game though, team event, 4 to a team, handicap 1012 lost to 1017....grrrr!

[threeripmin]

great job, sands! throwing 11 in a row is awesome!

[mdmjdm]

Great game, way to adjust. Different houses are always just that...different. Two houses here in Hagerstown, both owned by the same guy, same shot...play totally different. One is wood, the other synthetic. One is in a center with a pathetic HVAC system, one has perfectly controlled temp and humidity. High averages...221 vs 238.

The wood lanes dry out, synthetic lanes tend to carry down a little before drying out.

So...how to find the shot? Daniel hit the nail on the head...NEVER assume you know the shot...even in your home house. Start with the same practice shots in every house, every time. 1 - straight up the first arrow, watch the reaction 2 - straight up the second arrow, watch the reaction 3 - straight up the third arrow, watch the reaction.

Throw all three shots before even THINKING about what your target line should be. More often than not, ON A HOUSE SHOT, the first arrow shot will read too early and go through the nose or brooklyn...sometimes it will just skid. If it skids right of the head pin, you have an "out of bounds", and you need to avoid it. The second arrow shot will usually take a nice line, and the third arrow shot will skid longer before turning.

Like I said...make all 3 shots BEFORE you decide on a line to play, and make sure to check that first arrow line, even if you have to throw a few shots in order to hit it...you need to KNOW if there is oil out there or not.

Hope this helps...goog luck and good bowling

[sandsdenver]

Maybe I didnt read Daniel advice mdmjdm, but what you said makes total sense!!! The part about no matter what your shot, throw first, second, third arrows and then judge the shot that way.....thank you.

[mdmjdm]

Your're very welcome. My personal "most important" test shot is the first arrow one. I need to know if I have room outside for the ball to recover if I miss right of target. When I see that I DON'T have any recovery out there, it usually steers me to a straighter line to the pocket, one that stays in the oil a little longer. I'm basically searching for...where does the recovery start outside and where does the hold start inside?

I've even added one thing to my own "personal" warm up shot routine...ignore the first two or three. Why? I have noticed that as I get older, it takes me a few more shots to get a fluid release that will match the one I will be getting 4 or 5 frames into the set. Any reads I get off the first two or three shots tend to be poor...since my release was poor.

[threeripmin]

those were two very good posts, mdmj. i have forgot so much stuff over 20 years its crazy. its nice to see it written down to jar my brain. im with you about my frist few balls are worthless. when i bowled we wouldnt even set ourselves for the first few shots just to get warmed up.

[hokiefan76]

that's the best tip ive seen since i started bowling. thanks for putting it out there.

[Gemfire]

I've even added one thing to my own "personal" warm up shot routine...ignore the first two or three.

I've found that I need to throw the first two or three shots much slower (maybe 1/2 normal speed) to give my arm a chance to warm up. My arm seems to hold up better when I do this. I try not to make any adjustments until I'm warmed up.

[JAnderson]

is there too many variables to solve this question with a simple answer?

Yes. There are hundreds of variables, some of which have already been mentioned. Variables that will generally have a bigger impact on how the lanes will play include (and all can differ from center to center):

Lane Condition
There are many, many factors that go into lane conditions. Some I've listed below, but for this topic, let's just consider the amount and disposition of the lane conditioner as it has been applied to the lane surface. Is it fresh or has there been 60+ games bowled on your pair since the last dressing? When the pattern is fresh, how long is the pattern? What is the ratio of the pattern between the 20th board and the 10th board? What is the ratio of the pattern between the 10th board and the 5th board? How much condition volume has been applied to the pattern overall? How clean are the back ends? How old is the lane machine? What type of machine is it? If it is a wick machine, when was the last time the wicks were cleaned? When was the last time they were replaced? If it is a spray machine, does the house clean the spray nozzles between each dressing? What type of conditioner is in use? Keep in mind too, that factors such as heat, humidity, and drafts all have an affect on every other question in this topic.

Composition and condition of the lane surface
Are they wood lanes or synthetic lanes or wood lanes with a synthetic overlay? If they're wood lanes, when was the last time they were cut? For synthetics, are they Guardian, HPL, Anvilane, or ProAnvilane. There are probably some older types still out there as well. How old is the surface? How much care has gone into maintaining the lane beds?

Of course, there are other factors beyond these, but I feel these are probably the biggest factors (outside of the bowler) that can make one bowling center play differently than another bowling center.

If you bowl more than one league and have the opportunity to bowl each league in a different bowling center, I would urge you to do so. It will help make you a more well-rounded bowler and teach you how to adjust to more than one condition.