walc
#@&*~!! ten pin!!
And up until lately, nearly every day we wished you were still here with ya magic plastic rulers Shelto!!!!!!
PS... Great work Robbie!!! PMSL!!!
Do You Know What a "Ditch" is?
- Thread starter jason_doust
- Start date
And up until lately, nearly every day we wished you were still here with ya magic plastic rulers Shelto!!!!!!
PS... Great work Robbie!!! PMSL!!!
$$Pricey$$
meh.
so are you going to make a presentation or something?
rpac23
Posse Court Jester
Sunday i'd say...
$$Pricey$$
meh.
shweet.
will how to read a lane pattern sheet thingy be included?
will how to read a lane pattern sheet thingy be included?
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
Hi Guys,
So much to do, so little time. I was planning to do a video, but I'm going to have to type this one if I'm going to keep my commitment.
A "ditch" is another name for a blocked lane, also given the euphemism of a top hat or a house shot. So that explains the nomenclature (naming standards).
What a ditch actually is takes a little more explanation. I'll start by talking about oil...
OIL
Centres use oil-based conditioners which we refer to as "oil" for obvious reasons. It's fair to say that you're all aware that oil is slippery stuff, but just in case you didn't know that, now you do. We apply oil to a lane surface which has usually been cleaned with chemicals that break down the remains of the previous coat of oil for easy cleaning. Therefore we can assume that the bits that haven't been oiled are a dry surface.
Oil length - Some people think that it's the oil that makes the ball hook and this is true from a certain perspective. Without head oil, the ball will hook early and roll out quickly. Especially with today's ultra-high friction coverstocks. So oil is required in the front part of the lane to make the ball skid to a point where it can hook. Of course the bowler must impart rotation on the ball to take advantage of this situation. No rotation = no hook, regardless of what's on the lane. If the oil length is long, then there is less dry lane at the back (backend) and less hook. The opposite is true if the oil is short, where more dry backend is present.
Oil Distribution (Ratio) - So if the length of the oil affects the hook, what about the width of the oil? Some of you may be saying "Huh..?" right now, but stick with me. If a bowling lane is oiled with equal amounts of oil on every board from edge to edge, the pattern is said to be flat. The amount of oil on the centre of the lane compared to the, outsides of the lane (near the gutter), expressed as a ratio would be 1:1. This is a very tough pattern and I don't advocate it for anything but the highest level of play. In a Sport Bowling tournament, patterns are laid in a ratio of 3:1 or less. That means that there is 3 times the amount of oil in the middle of the lane compared to the outside and it is blended gradually from centre to edge. Scores are much lower than on house shots, but competition is much closer. Nobody runs away with the event on a sport shot. That said, sport shots are also very difficult and sometimes too hard for a lot of players. In most open events in Australia, patterns with ratios varying between 4:1 and 7:1 are quite normal. Patterns from 5 or 6:1 and higher are considered to be getting easy by proficient bowlers and play like league shots used to. Note: All houses used to play like tournament shots.
BLOCKED LANES
Blocked lanes (ditches, house shots, call them what you will) often use ratios of 8:1 and above. Oil, as a liquid, can't be "stacked" too high. To achieve such a substantial bias in the ratio, you must apply a very low volume of oil on the outside boards of the lane. This provides gross amounts of free hook to the outside of the lane. The ball just bounces back from these dry areas. In the house I bowl league at, you can lean over the foul line and see where the oil stops across the boards. (See the attachment: ditch_photo.JPG)
On this pattern, where almost all the oil is between the 10-boards on each side, the fix is in. If you have very high ball speed or a very low rev rate, you simply play around this "oil line" on 10 board and use the dry boards to the right as a breakpoint. The extra friction to the right provides earlier hook and the big wall of oil provides hold to the left. You have instant area and a lot of dry boards to get more carry from. The pattern overhead shows this. (The attachment Kegel_Easy_Street.JPG is comparable.)
So what's the problem with that..? Well, I'm glad you asked! None at all, if you don't care about needing to bowl well to score well. The average Joe or Joanne can strike all day with a reactive resin ball, a strap-on wrist and a bit of coaching. But answer this question honestly. Is it honest? If you bowled 300 with the bumpers up, should that be allowable? Obviously not. So if the centre lays oil-free parts of the lane that act as bumpers, what's the difference?
I don't advocate tough lanes for everyone to suffer on. I advocate ending this delusion and taking a road in between. Blended patterns of around 5-7:1 (depending on the condition of the lane surface) seem to offer a fair balance between really tough and stupid easy. I just want bowling to respect itself again so it can in turn, get the respect it should deserve as a sport.
Jason
So much to do, so little time. I was planning to do a video, but I'm going to have to type this one if I'm going to keep my commitment.
A "ditch" is another name for a blocked lane, also given the euphemism of a top hat or a house shot. So that explains the nomenclature (naming standards).
What a ditch actually is takes a little more explanation. I'll start by talking about oil...
OIL
Centres use oil-based conditioners which we refer to as "oil" for obvious reasons. It's fair to say that you're all aware that oil is slippery stuff, but just in case you didn't know that, now you do. We apply oil to a lane surface which has usually been cleaned with chemicals that break down the remains of the previous coat of oil for easy cleaning. Therefore we can assume that the bits that haven't been oiled are a dry surface.
Oil length - Some people think that it's the oil that makes the ball hook and this is true from a certain perspective. Without head oil, the ball will hook early and roll out quickly. Especially with today's ultra-high friction coverstocks. So oil is required in the front part of the lane to make the ball skid to a point where it can hook. Of course the bowler must impart rotation on the ball to take advantage of this situation. No rotation = no hook, regardless of what's on the lane. If the oil length is long, then there is less dry lane at the back (backend) and less hook. The opposite is true if the oil is short, where more dry backend is present.
Oil Distribution (Ratio) - So if the length of the oil affects the hook, what about the width of the oil? Some of you may be saying "Huh..?" right now, but stick with me. If a bowling lane is oiled with equal amounts of oil on every board from edge to edge, the pattern is said to be flat. The amount of oil on the centre of the lane compared to the, outsides of the lane (near the gutter), expressed as a ratio would be 1:1. This is a very tough pattern and I don't advocate it for anything but the highest level of play. In a Sport Bowling tournament, patterns are laid in a ratio of 3:1 or less. That means that there is 3 times the amount of oil in the middle of the lane compared to the outside and it is blended gradually from centre to edge. Scores are much lower than on house shots, but competition is much closer. Nobody runs away with the event on a sport shot. That said, sport shots are also very difficult and sometimes too hard for a lot of players. In most open events in Australia, patterns with ratios varying between 4:1 and 7:1 are quite normal. Patterns from 5 or 6:1 and higher are considered to be getting easy by proficient bowlers and play like league shots used to. Note: All houses used to play like tournament shots.
BLOCKED LANES
Blocked lanes (ditches, house shots, call them what you will) often use ratios of 8:1 and above. Oil, as a liquid, can't be "stacked" too high. To achieve such a substantial bias in the ratio, you must apply a very low volume of oil on the outside boards of the lane. This provides gross amounts of free hook to the outside of the lane. The ball just bounces back from these dry areas. In the house I bowl league at, you can lean over the foul line and see where the oil stops across the boards. (See the attachment: ditch_photo.JPG)
On this pattern, where almost all the oil is between the 10-boards on each side, the fix is in. If you have very high ball speed or a very low rev rate, you simply play around this "oil line" on 10 board and use the dry boards to the right as a breakpoint. The extra friction to the right provides earlier hook and the big wall of oil provides hold to the left. You have instant area and a lot of dry boards to get more carry from. The pattern overhead shows this. (The attachment Kegel_Easy_Street.JPG is comparable.)
So what's the problem with that..? Well, I'm glad you asked! None at all, if you don't care about needing to bowl well to score well. The average Joe or Joanne can strike all day with a reactive resin ball, a strap-on wrist and a bit of coaching. But answer this question honestly. Is it honest? If you bowled 300 with the bumpers up, should that be allowable? Obviously not. So if the centre lays oil-free parts of the lane that act as bumpers, what's the difference?
I don't advocate tough lanes for everyone to suffer on. I advocate ending this delusion and taking a road in between. Blended patterns of around 5-7:1 (depending on the condition of the lane surface) seem to offer a fair balance between really tough and stupid easy. I just want bowling to respect itself again so it can in turn, get the respect it should deserve as a sport.
Jason
Attachments
Dunno Jase!!
Have you seen what a reactive ball can do when it hits one of those bumpers?? Pinball anyone?
If you are able to have the ball hit the bumpers at least twice each shot and still throw a 300, I reckon it should be awarded!
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
Probably a bit harsh. Because they don't know any better/have never been coached or taken time to understand the finer points of the game. I believe that everyone has some level of ability, but it definitely takes less time with some. There are also people bowling with balls that don't fit and aren't laid out properly for them. While a bad layout doesn't help, you simply can't out-bowl a bad grip.
Knowledge is the key, as Fred Borden put it so eloquently. There is so much good information out there. It's the reason I distribute Bowling This Month. Fabulous info. I make bugger all on it, but feel I'm doing my bit for bowling every time I send it out to people as I don't have the time to coach.
Knowledge is the key, as Fred Borden put it so eloquently. There is so much good information out there. It's the reason I distribute Bowling This Month. Fabulous info. I make bugger all on it, but feel I'm doing my bit for bowling every time I send it out to people as I don't have the time to coach.
tonx
New Member
House patterns greater differentiate scoring abilities of bowlers, separating the "sport" into those that have, and those that have not.
This in turn makes it harder to define how good a bowler actually is. A true 170 can buy a reactive ball and learn to impart a couple of revolutions on the ball, and learn to throw it away from the pocket and that true 170 bowler can "improve" by 20 pins or more overnight. Then that true 170 bowler starts thinking he is better than the true 180 average bowler that can't afford to purchase a new reactive ball.
The late (great) Bill Taylor wrote an artice about super soft conditions and their affect on the sport. Well worth the read.
http://www.bowlbetter.com/warning.htm
This in turn makes it harder to define how good a bowler actually is. A true 170 can buy a reactive ball and learn to impart a couple of revolutions on the ball, and learn to throw it away from the pocket and that true 170 bowler can "improve" by 20 pins or more overnight. Then that true 170 bowler starts thinking he is better than the true 180 average bowler that can't afford to purchase a new reactive ball.
The late (great) Bill Taylor wrote an artice about super soft conditions and their affect on the sport. Well worth the read.
http://www.bowlbetter.com/warning.htm
bluey
Member
Hi Jason, l have recently joined a league at Dandenong that is running Sports Patterns on a Monday night. The other league l bowl in is Wednesday at Boronia on a House Pattern. At Boronia my average at seasons end was 227, after 6 weeks of the new season it is 230. At Dandenong after 3 weeks my average is 178, reminds me of Ringwood 15 years ago pre reactives. The enjoyment of struggling to hit the pocket and spare all night to make 180-200 just isn't going to keep me coming again and again. One guy bowled the first week with a 515 series for 4 and hasn't returned, while l can see the benefits for learning how to truly bowl, most people would walk out in tears if confronted with this. The House patterns sure aren't creating great bowlers, just great scorers, but the social aspect of this league is very enjoyable and will have many people lining up over and over again. Guys that want to learn how to "bowl" will challenge themselve in various ways, whether it be a Sports League or Tournaments l hope that more go down this path so that we can produce some truly great bowlers. But for those that do, stick with it, the rewards will come. Cheers, Paul.
Oh my God.... There would be , IF you were very , very lucky a small handful of people in Australia truly capable of an average of 225+
Do yourself a favour and check out results of Australian bowlers bowling overseas over many, many years.
Try it , Name a few who have !!!!!!
Chris Batson IS one and he did it in the 80's
Anyone who thinks people turning up and averaging 230+ is good for the game is kidding, we all know in our hearts that most of these people are 190 Ave bowlers at best
in their ability.
I would love to see all bowlers today use a rubber bowling ball and average 200+ Let me tell you there would be very few of todays so called super stars....bowling 200 averages not to mention 6 + 300 games
The truth is Bowling ball technology and lane conditions have made the game a joke...
Do yourself a favour and check out results of Australian bowlers bowling overseas over many, many years.
Try it , Name a few who have !!!!!!
Chris Batson IS one and he did it in the 80's
Anyone who thinks people turning up and averaging 230+ is good for the game is kidding, we all know in our hearts that most of these people are 190 Ave bowlers at best
in their ability.
I would love to see all bowlers today use a rubber bowling ball and average 200+ Let me tell you there would be very few of todays so called super stars....bowling 200 averages not to mention 6 + 300 games
The truth is Bowling ball technology and lane conditions have made the game a joke...
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
Blocked lanes give people "accuracy" they otherwise don't have. I am always astounded to see "good bowlers" go Brooklyn on them, as it's a 6-7 board mistake at the arrows to do so in some places. That's pretty awful.
Reactive, low RG balls give people revolutions and hitting power that they otherwise don't have. Weak corner pins are becoming an endangerd species in our game. They're generally only left when the ball is tugged into the big puddle in the middle or rolls out on the way back from the desertified edges.
Reactive, low RG balls give people revolutions and hitting power that they otherwise don't have. Weak corner pins are becoming an endangerd species in our game. They're generally only left when the ball is tugged into the big puddle in the middle or rolls out on the way back from the desertified edges.
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
Not at all. This is a great sport we can play into old age. But we should be honest with ourselves. Blocked lanes are a form of cheating. Like a putting green that's shaped like a funnel toward the hole.
If some guy misses far enough left to miss the headpin right, he shouldn't get back to the pocket. Likewise if he misses far enough left to miss the headpin, he shouldn't get a Brooklyn strike.
Adrian hit it on the head earlier when he said we need to make it more honest. Not brutally honest like a sport pattern, just honest. It's time to claim back some of the integrity we've so giddily thrown away. It's all I ask.
If some guy misses far enough left to miss the headpin right, he shouldn't get back to the pocket. Likewise if he misses far enough left to miss the headpin, he shouldn't get a Brooklyn strike.
Adrian hit it on the head earlier when he said we need to make it more honest. Not brutally honest like a sport pattern, just honest. It's time to claim back some of the integrity we've so giddily thrown away. It's all I ask.
steve jones
Active Member
Jason - in three short paragraphs you have outlined about as accurate a summary of the reality of it as I have read....nicely done...and Adrian as well. I couldn't see how any reasonable person could argue with either the simplicity or the content or your expectation. Achieving it - well of course that will be the real trick.
You think thats bad Jason, here's one to think about.
Single pin spares. Anyone want to do the math on how much target area you have to hit one, ie: how many boards from brushing the pin left to brushing the pin right.
And this still astounds me that there are a lot of people with so many single pin leaves in a night, and they still complain.
Answer to the quiz for those that can't work it out. between 13-14 boards. About a little less than 1/3 of the width of a lane. Obviously, the 7 and 10 pins you don't have as much room, only about 7 boards to hit.....
Here's a key word that has unfortuantly dissapeared from bowling, The Crown. It's too bad Ego has taken over bowling and people can't and don't seem to want to work hard to get to the upper levels of a sport...... its just sad.
Jason is pretty right with his sum up of things.
The points made on spares is a good observation, one i have laughed at for some years. How many people bowl 5 to 6 strikes in a game, And deserve 3 of them, then open 2-3 frames by missing simple spares.... This is not bowling. Accuracy has gone from he game because the conditions are set to make life too easy. In the not so olden days Spares were the main focus and the strikes would follow. Work it out get a double and spare every frame and you ave 200, thats how we used to do it.
A fair shot is something i would love to see again but people want to ave 225 + and as long as that mentality is around the game is sadly a joke....
The points made on spares is a good observation, one i have laughed at for some years. How many people bowl 5 to 6 strikes in a game, And deserve 3 of them, then open 2-3 frames by missing simple spares.... This is not bowling. Accuracy has gone from he game because the conditions are set to make life too easy. In the not so olden days Spares were the main focus and the strikes would follow. Work it out get a double and spare every frame and you ave 200, thats how we used to do it.
A fair shot is something i would love to see again but people want to ave 225 + and as long as that mentality is around the game is sadly a joke....
