After watching the PBA League Playoffs this week, I can't help but think that this is a perfect time to start a discussion on uneven "pairs" of lanes.

1. What do you believe causes two lanes next to each other to play totally differently from each other?
-The topography lane to lane can be significantly different, especially at our local house, so each lane can be different due to this and the oil pattern will not always play as it says on the paper.
-The way people play the lanes will affect where the oil pattern is changed (stripped out), lines and equipment choices will affect this; many bowlers are not consistent or may be playing the lanes different.
-Outside situations - oil machine issues or if they didn't strip prior.

2. What do you look for when you are trying to figure out how to play each lane?
-Out of bounds - both inside and outside
-Where people are playing - what lines are working/not working and how many people are playing the areas
-Equipment Choices - surface vs. polished in regards to oil absorption
-Where my equipment starts to make a move (front to back)

3. What have you done to successfully overcome the differences?
-Watch other bowlers
-Understand what hand position/speed changes I am able to make consistently and what that change does to the roll of the ball
-Make an adjustment and trust that adjustment

In regards to the topography argument - I will agree that many times we will not be aware of the topography of a particular lane: the thing I think people need to realize is that topography differences do exist and when you look at a piece of paper (especially seeing this in the PBA league I'm bowling) and what is occurring on the lanes it is often not the same. Oil patterns are a good resource for where I should start to see if the shot is there, not a rule of where the shot is going to be. Topography is another invisible variable (similar to oil) that we will have to keep in the back of our mind to understand that adjustments are not uniform lane to lane and creates the necessity even more so that you understand your ball roll and how to read your ball roll to make adjustments.