Talk Bowling #93 - Baffling Lane Conditions

http://www.talkbowling.com/talk-bowling-93-baffling-lane-conditions/

Question from Michael:
Q -- I recently bowled on a particularly challenging lane condition that completely baffled me. Any ball (even plastic) left of 10 at around 25-30 feet would check hard left no matter where I released it on the approach. In several games the only look I could find was standing 39 and looking 13 at the arrows with a stronger ball. The lanes were synthetic the first 15 feet or so, and wood the rest of the way, and after several visits I'm wondering if that is why I'm having such a problem. My first question is how would you attack such a lane differently than a lane that is completely synthetic? My second question is if I were to bowl for an extended amount of time (like a tournament or something) on this condition, how the heck would I adjust from that spot with the weird check point just to the left? Just hope to be able to downshell? Thanks for all you do, Michael

A -- Interesting challenge. It sounds like you are describing a reverse block type of pattern, where the middle is dry and the outsides a super wet. This would be true if in your scenario of standing 39 and throwing to 13, had you pushed the ball to say 9 and it just continued sliding into the gutter, or hold and say take out just the 10 pin.

These patterns require very accurate shot making. Usually you want to know where the oil is, and it sounds like you knew it to be right of board 10. Now you want to make your delivery straight up boards 9 or 10 taking advantage of the oil there. You will need to continue moving, as you will burn that oil up quickly.

This is where practice comes in. You should not be worrying about striking, or your score. You go to the lanes with the intention of trying a different shot. Pick a board on the lane, say the 1 board at the arrows. That is extreme, but if you can roll a ball straight up the lane along the gutter, you will have the confidence to hit any spot on the lane when you want/need to. And confidence is an important skill to have in any situation (in sports, business, or life).


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[hisbassness]

@ThatBoyT614 After a couple more visits and a lot more learning, I finally found a shot there...kind of. There's a crazy amount of friction at this house. I ended up lofting the gutter (I had to give it a lot of angle) to play 5th arrow with my plastic ball. Every time I've been there it plays like a crazy reverse block, hook in the middle and hang outside of 10 all the way down the lane. I thought it might be a good place to practice, but I stopped going there b/c of excessive ball damage.

[ThatBoyT614]

i personal think he was getting the ball out too far to early he should have played a much tighter line probably about 39 to 20 and let the lane do the rest

[DrivillianGenocide]

Why do you guys disown Ebonite International? I understand why you don't do videos on the balls, it just doesn't seem right that the Ransom Demand has a low perfect scale rating. I've thrown some Storm and Roto stuff that doesn't hook as much as that ball, with the same layout, and the ball outhooks them.. I just don't understand that.

[DrEaMxBoI]

Just don't bowl there..!

If your alley has bad Lane Topography, don't bowl there..!!