Differences in fresh oiled lanes?

[MICHAEL]

Lane differences? Bowling on league with fresh oil, what makes one lane bowl differently than another? Same bowlers on both lanes, same oil machine, yet one can be so different than the other!

[Vince805]

I also would like to hear the answer to this. The house i bowl at the lanes are like that ALOT. Very rarely are the lanes identical. For example last night in league play the left lane i could throw my normal shot. The right lane i had to move alot to the right and throw over the first arrow to get it to hook. If i threw my normal shot it didnt move or react at all like i threw a straight ball.

[Zothen]

The question I have is-Are the lanes being oiled right before leagues or earlier in the day? Also the oil machine may not be laying oil down consistantly. If your near the entrance or exit the oil will break down quicker on 1 or both lanes. You could be bowling on lane after recreational bowlers have used it. I know in summer our league had to bowl on lanes where the alley let people bowl on 1 lane and we found 1 lane had oil and the other was dry.

Zothen

[jimlc2001]

This can be attributed to many different things. Besides the items mentioned above. One lane might have had previous bowlers on it, and the oiler did not remove the carrydown. The oiler might have run low on oil on that lane. Proximity to the A/C and fans.

[EboniteKid299]

This is the exact same thing that happens at the house I bowl in, the left lane always hooks and the right lane always skids it's not just one pair either it's throughout the whole house I feel your pain, lol I'm not sure why this is either has to be something with the oil machine right there's no prior bowlers on them and it's done right before league starts

[Vince805]

The question I have is-Are the lanes being oiled right before leagues or earlier in the day? Also the oil machine may not be laying oil down consistantly. If your near the entrance or exit the oil will break down quicker on 1 or both lanes. You could be bowling on lane after recreational bowlers have used it. I know in summer our league had to bowl on lanes where the alley let people bowl on 1 lane and we found 1 lane had oil and the other was dry.

Zothen

A Year ago i bowled in 2 leagues. one a sanctioned league and one a cheap $5 league just for fun with some friends. They have 42 lanes. The sanctioned league we bowled on the middles lanes from i wanna say 15-36. and the non sanction league 1-14. Now i know that on sanctioned night there oiled before and people that come in to bowl before us the put them on side lanes. So rarely are they different they consistent until they changed the oil to heavy oil. the other league we get there and there people using house balls and stuff on the lanes before us. But NO MATTER WHAT lanes 1-2 are HORRIBLE! lane 1 is like there is no oil at all and i have to throw my ball quiet a bit faster on that lane to stay right and hit the pocket. If i throw my normal speed and shot not only is it going Brooklyn but hitting between 2-4 pins. Now lane 2 is not as bad but requires more speed them usual. same with lanes 41-42. There are exits/entrance on both sides.

[Zothen]

Most likely the heat is drying up the oil! See if you have problems in winter when its cold out.

Zothen

[MICHAEL]

At our lanes they always oil 1 hour, to 1/2 hour before we bowl! So that rules out a lot of the above! (NOT ALL, but a lot)! The lanes are just about center of alley, we have 42 lanes as I remember,,,,, Its just strange how there can be SUCH A DIFFERANCE! Sometimes I actually use two different balls!

[Vince805]

Most likely the heat is drying up the oil! See if you have problems in winter when its cold out.

Zothen

I will do that. But where i live there is no real season change lol. Its funny. winter, summer, fall, spring, our weather is the same year round. high 60's mid 70's and if were lucky we get heat waves and its high 80's low 90's.

[75lockwood]

Wooden Lanes!

When it comes to old wooden lanes, every lane is unique, the wood warping and being abused in different ways means that every lane will tend to play slightly differently. but yes, depending on who is playing on what lane and what line they play the oil pattern will degrade differently. just get over it and play two lines on two lanes lol