Well, the lane maintenance crew messed up last night....

[RobLV1]

RobLV1,

Have you ever bowled on the Route 66, or something similar? I'm curious to get your thoughts on it and where you'd target.

Yes, I've bowled the pattern. Two shots: 14 or 10, but don't get all excited. Ten didn't work, but there was a good shot at 14.

[SRB57]

I Always take a ball for each condition I could encounter. I have four balls that cover pretty much what I would see in my area. Last night I knew the lanes would be hooking but still took all my balls. They were hooking alot using my roto grip scream standing on 35 and swinging inside the third arrow shot shot 604 with 4 splits and 2 missed spares so was happy. I guess what I am saying is be prepared at all times for any shot. I wish I could practice on these type of shots to gage where I am at with my game since coming back to bowling. Steve

[Hampe]

You defined your own problem! They shouldn't have to inform you of a pattern switch. If you start your league without any preconceptions, you'll find the shot whatever the pattern is. Funny, the first article I wrote for BTM back in 2007 dealt with the dangers of preconceptions, and we keep coming back to it, over and over and over...

I was gonna say almost the same thing. I see that pretty often here when the lanes are different at league than they normally are (due to problems with the oil machine, poor maintenance or whatever). People just stubbornly keep playing the same line that usually works and keep getting upset that it's not working.

Being stubborn on your line selection is one of the worst things you can do as a bowler. You have to see what your ball is doing and trust your instinct. If it's not working then it's time to change your line (or ball, or both....whatever the circumstances dictate).

[foreverincamo]

I disagree with not being told about changing the lane oil pattern, especially when it was done in error and the mistake known before the first practice ball was thrown. If anything, you now know the name of the pattern and what equipment you used against it and what success you had. I realized on my first practice shot that the conditions weren't normal and made my adjustments. I played the conditions as I should have and was definitely not throwing " my normal line over and over ". Had I known in advance about the oil pattern change I would have brought all of my equipment and perhaps done better and would have info on what my other ball would do on that particular pattern .
I don't know about tournaments in other areas, but any around here they list the oil pattern that will be used well in advance, even if it's just a sweeper. So my league should give up the info on a pattern change . They could change it every week if they wanted, just tell us. My opinion, and I respect all those who disagree. I grew up bowling in a travelling league where the oil was different every week and you had to find your shot in practice .

[RobLV1]

The indicator to the preconception is the word "normal." A couple of years ago at one of the centers where I bowl league, the oil machine malfunctioned, and the mechanic who was just learning his job didn't notice. The lanes were oiled all the way to the pins! I watched in amazement as more than half of the high average bowlers continually missed the headpin to the right and never moved. When their "normal" shot didn't work, it never occurred to them to try something else.

[foreverincamo]

I've seen that happen where I practice. The machine wasn't stripping, just oiling on top of oil. The All-Star League that bowls when I practice has either a 300 or an 800 on a weekly basis . That night no one broke 650. I couldn't get any of my equipment to do anything. The next week the one lane maintenance guy told me about the machine malfunction . He only caught it because the owner wanted him to make sure the machine was in top shape for a big tournament.

[foreverincamo]

Just to update : they gave us our THS tonite and I shot 650 and went three games without leaving a single 10 pin. Had 104 in the 7th frame of the first game, switched from my Marauder Mutiny to my Black Widow Legend and throw the last 5 in a row and the first 4 of the second game . Couple of 230+ games to end the night.