2 Centers, OPPOSITE directions

[Aslan]

I thought I'd post about a rather unique situation I've come across.

I started out in a non-sanctioned league at an AMF Center. I average 135. The general consensus was that the center "Flooded" the lanes. After bowling many centers in the area...I'd say they had the 3rd heaviest/longest pattern in terms of oil. They also had the reputation of not many perfect games being bowled there recently. Since I left...Bowlmor bought them and the place, at least aestitically, has really improved...and I decided to join a sanctioned league there starting tonight.

My home center (private) used to be wood lanes. It had the opposite reputation...almost like bowling on a playground slide...if ya miss right 7-9 boards...no worries.

While averaging 135 at the AMF center...I average 166 at the private center.

THEN...the private center put in synthetic lanes. At first, they seemed to be very dry synthetics...still alot of hook...just a little less miss room. But, it seemed like people from this center would still struggle when they went to sweeps in Vegas...so I "think" the center decided to maybe put a harder shot out. At the same time...they decided to just "flood" (their words) the lanes in the morning and not oil the rest of the day...even before evening leagues.

This has created a very difficult shot. A flat pattern almost out to 30-40ft...all the way to the 2-board. And because they don't do anything to the lanes prior to league play...the oil (especially on the right side...statistically more RHers out there) simply gets pushed UP the lane from house balls over the course of the day. There is not "breakpoint"...any dry that exists is so far UP near the pin deck...that even if you hit it...you're too far down the lane to benefit.

Statitical evidence? Of 172 bowlers...only TWO average over 200. Only 7 average over 190. In the wood lane era...the old pro shop owner used to average 207-217 each season. Last I checked he averages in the 180s now. My average has dropped from 165/166 down to 161/162.

The AMF center...probably because of THEIR reputation and the new ownership has admittingly been "tinkering" (their words) with their pattern. This has led to my 300-game in practice...and from what I hear...a LOT of 300s...some back to back 300s even. A pro shop guy that bowled there in a travel league claims the shot "is probably not legal. Too short and too narrow."

So this next season is going to be very intriguing. IF both centers hold true to their new philosophies...I anticipate a 30-pin difference in average from one center to the next. While in the private center I generally am standing left foot on the 10-11 board and throwing up the 7-8 board...with 0-1 board of miss room on either side....in the AMF center I'll be standing 2-3 boards left and aiming for 7. And based on my Sunday experience (which was on a fairly fresh pattern even though it was the weekend), the miss room left was only 1-2 boards...but the miss room right was 6-9 boards.

So, we'll see. It would be nice if the USBC and BPAA would do a little better to regulate and specify conditions for sanctioned league play...but I figure the odds of that are 1% or less...so it is what it is.

[Amyers]

With my home house shutting down March 20th I've been bowling at other centers the last few weeks getting a feel for the shots. I couldn't believe how much difference there is.

My home house the most effective shot is to throw it out to between 12 and 17 get it out to 5 and let it roar back I've learned the hard way that doesn't work everywhere

I have three other houses I can bowl at but don't like the management at one of the so it's out

Venture lanes puts out the flatest house shot I've ever seen oil goes out to at least 5 first games I bowled there could barley make the ball move averaged about 140 there feeling like I was bowling with plastic. I ended up getting the virtual gravity and moving more right upto about 180 average there still haven't shot anything great there.

The other house is old wood and outside ten at any point is just ob for me the ball just goes straight left. Started out averaging about 120 in this house my kids were beating me on it. Finally pulled the seismic euphoria out had it polished with extender polish and play 15-20 out to ten and have been successful shot 625 there this weekend. I still have no miss room right but I've got 3 boards or so left.

End of too long a story I haven't seen the shot I can't bowl on but it can be a painful lesson figuring out where it is

[RobLV1]

End of too long a story I haven't seen the shot I can't bowl on but it can be a painful lesson figuring out where it is

So true! In my experience, most league bowlers who find the shot at a particular center to be much more difficult than another center, are simply trying to play their "usual" shot that just isn't there. This is often compounded by a misunderstanding of what is causing a particular reaction, most notably why their ball won't hook. With the strength of modern bowling balls, it's pretty rare to find lanes that won't hook because there is a lot of oil on them. Oil is expensive. Many proprietors use as little as they can in order to save money.

Last weekend I went to my coach for a lesson. It was early in the morning at a center right near his house. This particular center was dropped from the rotation in a senior travel league in which I bowled last year, because it was deemed to be too difficult by most of the bowlers. Last weekend was the first time I had bowled in the center right after they had oiled in the morning. As I was warming up, I tried a couple of different bowling balls, and started between the second and third arrows where I can usually play at most of the centers in the valley. There was nothing there, so I kept looking. It turns out that I had to play between the third and fourth arrows using a less aggressive bowling ball than I usually use.

Bottom line is to try to free up your mind from preconceptions and let the lanes dictate how they want to be played. Some centers are higher scoring than others, but a great majority will give you a shot; if you are willing to find it.