Does this make any sense?

[RobLV1]

Considering that Slowinski is one of the very elite group of about 30 Gold Level Coaches in the world, and has long been affiliated with the Kegel Center, accepted to be the preeiminent experts on everything oil, I take his word that carry down is a thing of the past. To quote his article, The Myth of Carrydown, from the October 2008 issue of Bowling This Month, "Unless you come to a bowling center after hours of open play or a birthday party, your change of ball motion is not a result of carry down. Rather, oil absorption has significantly changed how lanes break down." That is the view of the world from the space station, and the world is NOT flat!

[J Anderson]

Considering that Slowinski is one of the very elite group of about 30 Gold Level Coaches in the world, and has long been affiliated with the Kegel Center, accepted to be the preeiminent experts on everything oil, I take his word that carry down is a thing of the past. To quote his article, The Myth of Carrydown, from the October 2008 issue of Bowling This Month, "Unless you come to a bowling center after hours of open play or a birthday party, your change of ball motion is not a result of carry down. Rather, oil absorption has significantly changed how lanes break down." That is the view of the world from the space station, and the world is NOT flat!

I just reread the article. Joe cites one study that was done in one center with 36 participants,that was done nine years ago. I agree that the results are striking. I however have no idea if any one else has tried to recreate this study. If this were something serious, like finding a better treatment for heart disease, results like this would be a prompt for more studies. Since it's only bowling I guess we just should accept the word of the authorities.

We've had numerous space flights, in addition to the view from the space station that confirm that the earth is round, something that the ancient greeks managed to figure out over 2000 years ago. I am not trying to say that carry down of oil still occurs to the point where we need to play the lanes like it's still 1984. I'm just saying that a single study, no matter how prestigious the institution involved, does not make a scientificly proven fact. The result may be true, but unless the results are reproducable by others it's not proven.

[bowl1820]

I just reread the article. Joe cites one study that was done in one center with 36 participants,that was done nine years ago. I agree that the results are striking. I however have no idea if any one else has tried to recreate this study.

If you want to see a little more recent (2012) study take a look at this Kegel article:

Breakdown and Carrydown - By The Numbers
Click here for Breakdown and Carrydown - By The Numbers

That article was a follow up to this one:

Breakdown and Carrydown – Then and Now
Click here for Breakdown and Carrydown – Then and Now


You might also want to take a look at:

Oil Pattern Depletion
Click here for Oil Pattern Depletion

[RobLV1]

Bowl1820: Thank you for the articles: very interesting. I think that it is significant that there was more oil depletion at the end of the pattern among the women players than the mens because of the similarity of their styles. Does this sound at all like house bowlers who constantly congregate around the second arrow? Sure does to me!

[J Anderson]

Thanks Bowl 1820. Were I Mike White I might argue that all the studies were by Kegel and therefore not independently confirmed. However I doubt that anyone else would attempt to repeat these studies, and so concede that carrydown is no longer a factor to consider for the majority of league bowlers as the lanes transition.

Rob, it was interesting to note that one of the articles mentioned that because of people using non-flaring balls to shoot the seven pin, carrydown may affect lefties. Even when I bowl in the local sport league, I would say that almost half the bowlers attempt to hook at left side spares. In my other leagues the only bowlers, other than myself, that throw spare balls at the 7 pin are those who only own a plastic ball. I know that my experience is too limited to be statistically significant but I would tend to have the opinion that even left-handers don't have to worry about carry down.

[ChuckR]

I can't locate the Youtube by Norm Duke where he talked about bowling with 2 other guys. The used different lines and styles. One was Wes Mallot. The article dealt with bowling with these guys resulted with him having to change balls or lines as the lanes transitioned. This transitioning, per our discussion here, MAY BE oil movement or oil reduction because of other bowlers.
ROBLV1 has pointed out to me that certain teams leave the lanes with drier boards and balls can jump(grab/slip)
Question: My spare ball is a White Dot which doesn't hook. WHERE DOES THE OIL GO when I shoot a 10 pin cross alley.

[J Anderson]

I can't locate the Youtube by Norm Duke where he talked about bowling with 2 other guys. The used different lines and styles. One was Wes Mallot. The article dealt with bowling with these guys resulted with him having to change balls or lines as the lanes transitioned. This transitioning, per our discussion here, MAY BE oil movement or oil reduction because of other bowlers.
ROBLV1 has pointed out to me that certain teams leave the lanes with drier boards and balls can jump(grab/slip)
Question: My spare ball is a White Dot which doesn't hook. WHERE DOES THE OIL GO when I shoot a 10 pin cross alley.

A White Dot will start re-depositing a bit of the oil it has picked up once it gets past the end of the pattern. I suspect at least some oil clings to the surface all the way back through the ball return since I've picked up a number of house balls over the years that felt positively slimy.

[bowl1820]

I can't locate the Youtube by Norm Duke where he talked about bowling with 2 other guys. The used different lines and styles. One was Wes Mallot. The article dealt with bowling with these guys resulted with him having to change balls or lines as the lanes transitioned. This transitioning, per our discussion here, MAY BE oil movement or oil reduction because of other bowlers.
ROBLV1 has pointed out to me that certain teams leave the lanes with drier boards and balls can jump(grab/slip)
Question: My spare ball is a White Dot which doesn't hook. WHERE DOES THE OIL GO when I shoot a 10 pin cross alley.

Norm Duke, Wes Mallot & Mike Machuga

Norm Duke 19 Lane Transition



Screencap excerpt:

[ChuckR]

Thanks This is the one I referred to.

[RobLV1]

The one thing that is not addressed for the most part is that the streaks of oil that are past the end of the pattern are comprised of less than five units of oil, and modern reactive balls don't react to anything less than eight units. The streaks are there, but in the great majority of cases, they have no effect. Here's the thing: humans have a tendency to think that every exception to every rule applies to them. If you believe that carry down is affecting your ball motion, then 95% of your adjustments will not work. If you believe that carry down is never a factor, then 95% of your adjustments will work. What makes better sense for you?