A Great Explanation of Lane Conditions and Topography

[RobLV1]

Last Thursday, I was discussing individual lane differences with a fellow bowler. He suggested that I read an article that appears in the November issue of Bowlers Journal entitled, "The Perfect Lane Pattern." I had the magazine, but had not yet had a chance to read it. It just so happens that the next day I bowled league at a house where I've practiced a lot over the years, and am very familiar with the individual lane differences. We were scheduled to bowl on lanes 37 and 38, which I knew to be a very tough pair for right-handers. I remembered that there are a lot of instances where the seven pin refuses to fall on lane 37. I also remembered when I bowled that pair during the U.S. Senior Open. The single lefty in our group shot 268, while none of the righties were able to shoot 200.

So, last Friday I averaged a whopping 181. On lane 38 I threw 15 out of a possible 19 strikes, while on lane 37 I threw a whopping 3 strikes out of a possible 15 opportunities. When I didn't strike (which was most of the time), I ended up with mainly seven counts. The last three frames on lane 37 I was actually able to throw one strike and get two nine counts (left 2 ten pins). On the right lane, I was sliding into 37, looking 18 at the arrows, going out to ten board with a very aggressive bowling ball. On the left lane, at the end, I was standing 18, looking 9, going out to 6 board with a very non-aggressive bowling ball.

It just so happens that later that day, I finally got around to reading the Bowlers Journal article, and it was like a giant light bulb went off in my head, explaining what happened in league that day. In the article, it talks about a crown in the lane surface. It seems that a raised crown in the lane surface that is as little as 1/40,000 of an inch can cause the ball to fall away from the pins when the ball passes to the right of it, and to fall down into the head pin when the ball passes to the left of it. This explains why balls that didn't strike on lane 37 usually left seven counts; 1-2-4's or 2-4-5's on misses right, and 3-6-10's or baby splits on balls that miss left.

I wish that I could tell you how to deal with a situation like this when you come accross it, but I can't. I do find that understanding it at least makes it a little easier to accept when you do encounter it.

[bowl1820]

You should look on Kegels site for the Lane Mapping info, they tell about it.

Example:


A lot... but the amount is different for everyone. You see, the total effect on ball path varies proportionally according to the SPEED and WEIGHT of the ball.


Heavier Ball / Higher Speed = Less Influence
Lighter Ball / Lower Speed = More Influence

Another variable is “Slope per Board™.” Each board has a specific slope, calculated from the crosswise tilts, crowns, and depressions. The degree of this slope also has a proportional effect on the ball path. For example, a board with a 2/1000” slope will affect the ball twice as much as a board with a 1/1000” slope.

Bowlers throw balls on different boards and each ball is only affected by the slope of the board it’s on. The other slopes don’t matter to that ball because, quite simply, it’s not on them.

[Coach Tucc]

You should look on Kegels site for the Lane Mapping info, they tell about it.

Example:


A lot... but the amount is different for everyone. You see, the total effect on ball path varies proportionally according to the SPEED and WEIGHT of the ball.


Heavier Ball / Higher Speed = Less Influence
Lighter Ball / Lower Speed = More Influence

Another variable is “Slope per Board™.” Each board has a specific slope, calculated from the crosswise tilts, crowns, and depressions. The degree of this slope also has a proportional effect on the ball path. For example, a board with a 2/1000” slope will affect the ball twice as much as a board with a 1/1000” slope.

Bowlers throw balls on different boards and each ball is only affected by the slope of the board it’s on. The other slopes don’t matter to that ball because, quite simply, it’s not on them.

do you have a link for Kegels site?

[bowl1820]

do you have a link for Kegels site?

http://www.kegel.net/

[rv driver]

Is there a way, though, to know about the crown of a particular lane or a particular board, and compensate for it by avoiding that crown, bowling a different track with a different, appropriate ball? If so, what's the secret to discovery?

[RobLV1]

Usually, the first clue to the presence of a crown is a hang spot in the track; a spot where the ball just seems to stop hooking momentarily. When you see that, and you move your breakpoint in and the ball dives, then it's a pretty good indication of a crown. As I finally figured out last week, the only way around it was to literally go around it, playing way outside with a ball designed to go very long. The only problem was, of course, that the less aggressive ball didn't have the required power to carry out the ten with any consistency, but at least it gave me a makeable single pin spare rather than a seven count.

[Blacksox1]

I learned something new to me, from this thread. Thanks guys.