Another oil pattern question

[boatman37]

We have a traveling tournament 'tour' here in Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Bowlers Tour). I guess they used to use a THS but bowlers complained about the high scores so the first one I entered they changed to sport with a 47' Scorpion. After that they settled on one I guess they use every tournament now. They 'announced' it as a modified THS (42') but had the chart/diagram there. I took pics of it.
Thoughts? Plan to bowl a couple of these early next year. What worked best for me was my Kingpin at 500. Anything else was too hard to control.

[J Anderson]

As I warned in my reply to Phonetech, I don’t claim to be great at reading these charts. That said it doesn’t look like there is very much oil past 35’ so I think it will play like a short pattern. It also looks like more oil is applied on the right side than the left. In theory this should just balance out the rate of oil depletion since ther are more right handers than lefties. Just be prepared to adjust faster and more often should you find yourself in the company of other lefties.

And don’t forget: LANE TOPOGRAPHY TRUMPS OIL PATTERN EVERY TIME!

[boatman37]

As I warned in my reply to Phonetech, I don’t claim to be great at reading these charts. That said it doesn’t look like there is very much oil past 35’ so I think it will play like a short pattern. It also looks like more oil is applied on the right side than the left. In theory this should just balance out the rate of oil depletion since ther are more right handers than lefties. Just be prepared to adjust faster and more often should you find yourself in the company of other lefties.

And don’t forget: LANE TOPOGRAPHY TRUMPS OIL PATTERN EVERY TIME!

Thanks. IIRC when I played this before I played outside the 2nd arrow but more straight at the pin rather than 'hooking' the ball until I grabbed the Conspiracy solid (might have been the Kingpin, can't remember now) then it started to hook a little

[RobLV1]

As J Anderson said, topography trumps oil pattern every time. Don't worry about the pattern. Go out in practice and find a shot. This is bowling, not rocket science!

[boatman37]

As J Anderson said, topography trumps oil pattern every time. Don't worry about the pattern. Go out in practice and find a shot. This is bowling, not rocket science!

I have no idea how to determine topography. Way over my head. But even so, in these tournaments you bowl 3 games on 1 pair then get switched to another pair. By chance you may get the same pair twice but that would be totally random. But I guess what you are saying is pretty much what I do since these pattern charts might as well be written in another language as far as I'm concerned. Just wondered if by looking at it you could say maybe one particular line might be a better choice than another. But again, that's way over my head and maybe a good thing it is...lol. Either way, I enjoy the sport shots. Some guys hate them. I like the challenge. Seems like it evens out the field since even the majority of 200+ bowlers seem to have trouble figuring them out unless they are a 'pro' and bowl on them all the time.

[J Anderson]

I have no idea how to determine topography. Way over my head. But even so, in these tournaments you bowl 3 games on 1 pair then get switched to another pair. By chance you may get the same pair twice but that would be totally random. But I guess what you are saying is pretty much what I do since these pattern charts might as well be written in another language as far as I'm concerned. Just wondered if by looking at it you could say maybe one particular line might be a better choice than another. But again, that's way over my head and maybe a good thing it is...lol. Either way, I enjoy the sport shots. Some guys hate them. I like the challenge. Seems like it evens out the field since even the majority of 200+ bowlers seem to have trouble figuring them out unless they are a 'pro' and bowl on them all the time.

As I understand it, at Some tournaments in Europe, coaches or participants are given graphs that illustrate the topography of each lane. Here in the USA we have to figure it out by watching what the ball does as it goes down the lane. This is why local amateurs are able to beat very good PBA tour players in one game matches on their home turf. That inside knowledge of the local lanes can be just enough of an advantage to win. Give the pros a second chance though after that first game and they probably will walk off with your lunch money.

[boatman37]

As I understand it, at Some tournaments in Europe, coaches or participants are given graphs that illustrate the topography of each lane. Here in the USA we have to figure it out by watching what the ball does as it goes down the lane. This is why local amateurs are able to beat very good PBA tour players in one game matches on their home turf. That inside knowledge of the local lanes can be just enough of an advantage to win. Give the pros a second chance though after that first game and they probably will walk off with your lunch money.

Yeah I saw a youtube video of one of the pros showing a topography map. Think it was Shawn Moldanado.

[RobLV1]

Topography can only be determined through observation of ball motion. If a ball makes a turn towards to pocket and then straightens out momentarily, the it encountered negative topography (an area where gravity momentarily takes it away from the pocket). The hardest topography to figure out is if there is a small bump or a small dip in the lane surface. In these cases, a small miss in either direction will send the ball in opposite directions. Areas like these are best avoided by playing either inside or outside of where they are located.

[boatman37]

Topography can only be determined through observation of ball motion. If a ball makes a turn towards to pocket and then straightens out momentarily, the it encountered negative topography (an area where gravity momentarily takes it away from the pocket). The hardest topography to figure out is if there is a small bump or a small dip in the lane surface. In these cases, a small miss in either direction will send the ball in opposite directions. Areas like these are best avoided by playing either inside or outside of where they are located.

lol. you're making the assumption that I can remember what I did from one ball to the next. But I get what you are saying. Not sure I'm a the level that I can make that observation though.