Bowling Pattern Question

[classygranny]

A friend of mine wants me to join her for some type of fun bowling thing...not quite sure of the specifics. She said I would really like it and probably score well, and she sent me the following specs.

Due to many reasons not worth going into, I am only bowling league in two different houses and try to practice as often as I can (which is seldom) and meet with my coach about monthly. Thus, I don't really pay attention to the oil patterns and discussions and such unless I'm watching a pro tourney.

If I do decide to bowl with her, should I attack this any differently than I normally would. Our THS are usually in the same area, but varied enough that you have to search the best way to get the best angle to the pocket, and I only read lanes fairly well - I probably read them better than I give myself credit (I'm always telling my teammate to move/adjust), I just don't trust myself to make myself move as soon as I do as I second guess my delivery. Any suggestions? Or just go in like I would in league?

Specs she sent:
Length - 39'
Volume - symmetrical; 70 units at 20-12; 65 units at 25
Strip and clean and oil at close of business
Fill shot @ evening

We will be bowling on the morning squad more than likely, not the evening squad. Three games on each pair - six games total.

[billf]

Play it like a THS. The heaviest oil is in the middle and dry outside the 12. This would let a great deal of different angles and styles to be played.

[got_a_300]

That is really a walled-up THS as bill said just play it like you would
on your regular THS. It sounds like it would make for a good straight
up second arrow shot just ride the oil line like being on a frozen rope.

[austin]

My thoughts are on all oil pattersn, sport or other, just throw a ball down the lanes and see what happens. Quite often the pattern won't play like it reads anyway. I recently bowled in a tournament where the oil pattern was WTB Montreal, but played a hell of a lot drier than it should have. So my advice would be to forget about looking at oil pattern graphs or what type of lane surface it is. Throw a few balls and find out for yourself where you should play the lanes to score the best.

[Hampe]

My thoughts are on all oil pattersn, sport or other, just throw a ball down the lanes and see what happens. Quite often the pattern won't play like it reads anyway. I recently bowled in a tournament where the oil pattern was WTB Montreal, but played a hell of a lot drier than it should have. So my advice would be to forget about looking at oil pattern graphs or what type of lane surface it is. Throw a few balls and find out for yourself where you should play the lanes to score the best.

This has been pretty much my experience as well. Even the times when one of my home centers was nice enough to lay out a pattern for an upcoming tournament somewhere, it always plays different once you get to a different center. Too many differences in the oil machines themselves (different parts etc.) and the lane surface, you just never know exactly what it will be like. Your best bet is to throw a few warmup balls and pay good attention to what your ball is doing.

[dnhoffman]

Difference in temperatures from summer to winter makes a difference too

[Mike]

I would agree with everyone else here. Start with a ball and line you like and adjust from there. I bowled on the Cheetah (35 feet long) and the Badger (52 feet long) on my sport league this summer and I swear that they played the same for a game and a half to two games.

[dnhoffman]

Keep it simple before you try to complicate it eh?