Bowling This Month Magazine comments on THS patterns........

[Hammer]

House patterns have a reputation for being easy. That is not always true. House patterns can play easy for some and are more challenging for others. On a given house pattern, a high speed player that likes to play left-to-rightmay be scoring higher than a low speed player who likes to keep the ball in front of them, aka playing down the boards. On a different house pattern, a stroker who plays down the boards may be more likely to score then a player who wants to stand left and throw right. In short, while there is usually more oil in the middle of the lane, not everyone finds a house shot easy.

House patterns give you more room to miss and, when you are properly matched up, the area to carry pocket hits can be quite vast. It's easy to have a free swing when you have that much room. There is also a much smaller need to be an outstanding spare shooter on house shots.

The best course of action is to do what the lanes tell you to do that day. You want to be able to play whatever shape the lanes call for standing anywhere on the approach. You play what the lanes give you. You can't play the lanes the way you want to play them.

I find this in my own experience playing on THS patterns for 27 years. Sometimes on league nights I feel like there is a channel in the lane that lets my ball go to the pocket on each shot. Also I get a feeling that I can throw the ball with my eyes closed and get a strike. On other nights no matter how I set up on the approch my ball does not want to hit the pocket solid for a strike. There are nights when my ball will hook and other nights when I feel like I am playing on a sport pattern. I guess the problem is that sometimes my ball just don't match up with the lanes on a particular night.

The solution for this is more practice and a ball arsenal. If you go to league night with just one ball and your ball doesn't match up to the lanes that night it will be a long night for you. You will be doing a lot of head scratching and teeth clenching. The lanes are just laying there telling you to try and figure them out. Whoever figures them out first wins.

[Zaxmazr]

House patterns where I live dramatically vary. One lane will be pretty oily, whilst the next lane, a few miles away, will be a tad dryer in spots.

Can never really "master" the THP. (Not very 'typical' lol)

[Perrin]

In my area there are 3 alleys. each one has a distinct shot. and the shot that works best is different from house to house

it's interesting how many people have a difference of 20-30 pins between Alleys

[Aslan]

In my area there are 3 alleys. each one has a distinct shot. and the shot that works best is different from house to house

it's interesting how many people have a difference of 20-30 pins between Alleys

Or in my case...42 pins. BUT...the gap is closing...it started out a gap of 70...so I'm getting better at the one alley and worse at the other...hopefully they'll be similar by the end of leagues.

[vdubtx]

Mine is currently 7 pins between centers, average 220 in Tuesday center and 227 in Thursday center. THe Tuesday is a drier house and have had a bit of a challenge adapting to their lanes.

[Stormed1]

Lane surface and topography have a huge effect on hoe THS plays . My Monday league is on older higher friction Synthetics. I throw weaker polished equipment starting 12-8 and move in and ball down as the night progresses.
Friday Mornings is on 5 year old Brunswick Pro-Anvilane on the USBC Blue patternI throw more aggressive equipment with strong drillings and move left and ball down as needed.
The Friday night lrague is on old wood. I start at 18-8 with the same equipment as Monday nights and ball down and move left as nescessary

[Aslan]

It's kinda funny how most "casual" "open" bowlers have really no idea that bowling alleys have different surfaces and how drastically different today's bowling balls can react. Of course, most of them are throwing plastic/urethane house balls so the difference isn't as noticeable...but still.

I LOVE when a new, high average guy shows up on Friday nights (old wood lanes) and they just start cussing up a storm as their ball skids left of the headpin. They get all flustered...try moving right...which only makes the hook more pronounced...try throwing softer...which again, only makes it cut earlier. I've watched guys with 190 averages bowl a 113 in that first game. Actually kinda sucks in a handicap league...cuz those guys eventually figure it out or use a less aggressive ball.

[MICHAEL]

I would say that with the balls, and drilling techniques they have today its much easier then in the early 70! I did bowl on one league with my dad back then and I remember
what a big deal it was on our league to bowl a 600!! I think I only did it once, but that was a long time ago, and we only bowled that one season.... then I started up after all that time at 62, and had some great games with the new technology right out of the gate, I have posted the sheets on me vs Michael many high 200 games, what keeps my average around 200 is I am hot and cold!

I believe I will have a 210 average or abouts this year, and a lot of it has to do with the knowledge, and great equipment I have! I do think its easier now,,, otherwise when I was in my early 20's I would have had a much higher average then I had then! It was around 180's as I remember... dad and I bowled just that winter of I believe 1972,,, and that was it until 3 years ago.. I didn't have the time working Iron, and teaching in the Iron Workers apprenticeship program from Sept, through may didn't give me much time to even think about bowling back then.

[circlecity]

My house pattern is pretty easy for me. I have only moved 1 board once in 6 weeks of bowling. Others seem to be moving around more.

[dnhoffman]

Some nights I never have to move once, others I'm 5 boards left by the third game...

I love those nights where I don't have to move