extreme oil patterns

[tonybaby]

Having heard and read everyone quietly questioning the wisdom of having a testing oil pattern at mount druitt and the poor scoring associated with it ,Has it been considered that maybe it is detrimental to the image of the game in a country where it is largely considered a pastime as opposed to a sport.To have the cream of our bowlers struggling to shoot 190 ave has about as much appeal as watching tiger woods go round pebble beach and shoot 18 over par, intrest is borne through scoring and the belief of those watching that they are witnessing an exeptional individual, as Matt Riley points out the cream will rise to the top regardless thats usually the scenario,and what was also pointed out was that alot of these bowlers are in the privelaged position of sponsorship , so getting the biggest hooking ball they can and sanding it to 320 is no problem ,Unfortunately the high average league bowler, who is used to bowling on a desert compared to a 3:1 condition might not be so keen to spend another $350 then attack it with sand paper in the vain hope he might just make the cut.!!!

 

[Brenton_Davy]

I can see where you are coming from, however, I agree with TBA's stance on lane conditions. As Australian tournament conditions became easier and easier, we fell far behind in world competition. While this is neither here nor there for most tournament players, I believe that TBA had to draw a line in the sand somewhere and a start had to be made in lane conditioning procedures in order for the tournament players in this country to improve, to create an environment where practice becomes a part of every tournament players regimen again. I would hazard a guess that at least 60% of the field at every tournament no longer practices, unlike the fields of 10 years ago and further, where if you didn't practice, then you weren't competitive.

What this does as well, is to bring the skills of the player more into the equation and make the bowling ball technology less of a factor. Granted, sponsored players have an advantage, however, dulling a ball to help play more oil is an easy option in order to give a player an advantage. It is also easy to bring it back to original condition for league play.

The problem lies in the education (or lack of) in the bowler, by coaches, proprietors and ball drillers.

 

[twenban]

I actually would love to see Tiger Woods shoot 18 over par. There is the opinion that with all the crowds etc of a tournament that Pro's don't play the same game as the rest. We at least have to find our own ball when we hit in the trees, they have people to do this for them.
Competition is what people are looking for, not scoring. Who waits until the end of a footbal game when the score is 30 to nil and ten minutes to go.

 

[Miguel]

The ususal complaint about Mt Druitt is that the lanes are "reverse blocked" or that there is no oil on them! Hope you left some of that 3:1 there for the house bowlers. Perhaps if these conditions were more prevalent and not just put down for tournaments then bowlers could actually practice on it and learn how to play to International standards!

 

[Rayzer]

I personally didn't get a chance to bowl on them but was there to watch. I'm not sure that the "poor scoring" could be blamed on the lane because there were plenty of reasonable scores shot, with the 299 in qualifying and the 297 in matchplay.
I do agree with Brenton tho on the problem lying in education, and possibly discipline (in choosing the right equipement and bowling a line that the lane allows you to bowl consistently). Sure sponsored bowlers may have an edge in equipment supply, but most bowlers that bowl in tournament will carry at least 2 reactives and a plastic if not more. They can usually find one of their balls to dull down and leave it in the bag in case they run into heavy oil.
I say put down these sort of conditions more often for everyone to experience and learn on them!
R

 

[chrisb]

Would have to disagree witht the comment about making our lanes harder to bring us in line with over seas when looking at results from there tournaments it is nothing out off the ordinary for the winner to be averaging 240+ (belmos win off late is an example) maybe some off the bowlers who currently compete overseas can let the rest off us know what the lanes are really like. Is what we are now bowling on coomon when they travel. I also cannot understand why we are getting the same so called 3:1 every tournament laterly

 

[mattr]

I personally didn't get a chance to bowl on them but was there to watch. I'm not sure that the "poor scoring" could be blamed on the lane because there were plenty of reasonable scores shot, with the 299 in qualifying and the 297 in matchplay.
I do agree with Brenton tho on the problem lying in education, and possibly discipline (in choosing the right equipement and bowling a line that the lane allows you to bowl consistently). Sure sponsored bowlers may have an edge in equipment supply, but most bowlers that bowl in tournament will carry at least 2 reactives and a plastic if not more. They can usually find one of their balls to dull down and leave it in the bag in case they run into heavy oil.
I say put down these sort of conditions more often for everyone to experience and learn on them!
R

Razor your last comment is great but i can tell you right now if you lay down the pattern in league like what we bowled on the weekend, you wouldnmt have league because the avergae league bowler wants to average 190 to 200 on that pattern they would be lucky to average 170

Hey im all for making the pattern hard but as chris said nearly every international tourny you see you need to average 230 plus to win, Look at the Thai open a few weeks back Purvus had to average 250 to win.

But if TBA wantt o continue in this way you wil only have 20 bowlers turn up to every tournament because the average bowler who pays their 300 bux to bowl on tough lanes will just not bother.

To put it in fewer words yuo have to suit the majority not the minority and unfortunatly in Australia the elite bowlers are the minority, TBA have to make that decision

 

[GeorgeF]

All I'm saying is that we already know what to expect at International events (short and long patterns). The current patterns being used aren't helping any bowlers prepare for International events.

Short and Long patterns require 2 different disciplines, its not an unknown, we know what to expect. Patterns like Mt Druit didn't come close to assisting bowlers in developing their skills for International competition.

I can't say anything further on the matter but I can tell you the matter is being addressed.

 

[mattr]

All I'm saying is that we already know what to expect at International events (short and long patterns). The current patterns being used aren't helping any bowlers prepare for International events.
Short and Long patterns require 2 different disciplines, its not an unknown, we know what to expect. Patterns like Mt Druit didn't come close to assisting bowlers in developing their skills for International competition.
I can't say anything further on the matter but I can tell you the matter is being addressed.

Lets hope so George

Or there wont be any tournament bowlers left to bowl with only the 20 or so blokes who bowl everywhere

 

[Rayzer]

Hi Matt/George
I know it seems a bit strange... and silly for me to make a comment about the lanes, but could somebody describe to me what they were like on the weekend? (seeing as i didn't roll on them...) like.. just simple ball reaction, whether it was just inconsistent, volume, length?
Cheers
R

 

[chrisb]

the pattern was very unforgiving if you missed your target by as little as one or two boards the likely result was through the nose or slide past everything

 

[mattr]

the pattern was very unforgiving if you missed your target by as little as one or two boards the likely result was through the nose or slide past everything

yep thats pretty much it haha

 

[Glenno]

Yes the condition was tough over the weekend,however i still feel that the house conditions should be toughened up.I realise that there are house bowlers out there who enjoy bowling a 190-200 avg that are not interested in bowling tournaments and thats there choice.
However only 24 bowlers can make the final no matter how the condition is.
How many times have bowlers averaged 200+ or even 210 and failed to cut.Has happened to me numerous times.
Are those bowlers dissapointed that they didnt cut but bowled well cause the condtions favoured everyone???
In my view,i would get more satisfaction making the cut on a tougher condition,then on a ditch or block or whatever you might call a easier condition.
Glen

 

[weggy]

In my opinion, the word 'extreme' is pretty subjective depending on the conditions that bowlers are used to from their home centre.

I read an interesting comment some time ago from another thread about lane conditions that there is not enough regulation in this area. On the wrong track possibly, but it is worth considering a standard set of conditions to use across all competition. This way, I can see two main benefits to all bowlers:

1. Bowlers won't have to scratch their heads as much about what equipment to use for different layouts. A standard set means that the competitor just matches up with a pre-determined arsenal, and then gets on his/her way.

2. There won't be any reason to suspect centres of being biased in favour of a certain type of bowler (not that I'm saying this happens at the moment).

I know that this makes the sport more repetitive and predictable, but no-one can blame the lane technicians for something that lies with the person throwing down the ball.

 

[Ice]

On the wrong track possibly, but it is worth considering a standard set of conditions to use across all competition. This way, I can see two main benefits to all bowlers:

1. Bowlers won't have to scratch their heads as much about what equipment to use for different layouts. A standard set means that the competitor just matches up with a pre-determined arsenal, and then gets on his/her way

.

I know that this makes the sport more repetitive and predictable

Well, no I don't believe it would really. You could lay the same pattern across Aus and it would be completely different from one centre to another due to a number of factors including the age and conditions of the lanes and temperatures, not to mention other factors which I am sure would make a difference. A pattern laid in Far North Queensland would be nothing like the exact same pattern if it were laid in say Melbourne.

 

[Muels1]

Why cant the pattern be made tough for all bowlers but yet still leave a small area open to the bowlers. Give all the bowlers from the elite to the "regular tournament attendees" a chance to score. I am not saying that the lanes have to be ditched up and have averages sky high. I dont know how to lay patterns on the lanes or anything but there must be a way to do it.
The other question that i feel has to be raised is that why is it that the 4 Super Six tournaments this year have been really tough with a s**t load of oil on the lanes yet other adult tournaments 'opened up' to scoring and not to mention a lot of the youth tournaments the same way. Are the youth bowlers around that much better than all of the adults or are they getting easier conditions. If so, why???? Their events are also ranked events

 

[The Chosen One]

Whats wrong with the good old days, each house had its own caracteristics and played different to the next.

 

[AdrianS]

Exactly, some places are easy, someplaces are hard. Not every house shot is a wall(and not every house condition lets you throw stuff that was released 5 minutes ago either, of course some people still pull out their power gear and try to use it anyway. Little tip there, no ball is obsolete!!)

 

[akdefl]

Tough conditions lead to lower entry numbers. Why? Because a lot of bowlers don't know the difference between a good tough condition and what they think is crap. You put down tough shots and the average league bowler is going to question why they should put up $300 to bowl in an event where they know they won't cash or not very highly anyway. Look at all the events, take away 3/4 of the field of league and locals that only bowl in the events near them "because it is a big thing to them" and you are left with bugger all as i think Matt said before (sorry if it was someone else). Tournement promoters are now trying different things to try and get the locals to bowl and it is getting tougher. Numbers are suffering.

I honestly believe that the patterns should be fair for all, but not over the top. Penalise a bad shot, hell yeah, but give everyone something to hit. Make the 190 ave league bowler feel good after the tournement. If they can walk away with something, knowing that they bowled well, made the cash, but still the winner averaged 220, they can see that they have more work to do to get to that level. As it has been said before, scores are not the issue, the highest 8 game block was set in the 60's from memory. Giving the bowlers something fair to bowl on should be the highest priority. It isn't fun seeing half the field scratching their heads thinking what the hell is going on here. Work for your scores, yes, but destroy all hope, no.

The idea is great with what the TBA is trying to achive. 5 patterns to use in the tournements, just like the PBA. My question is why do we have to be like the PBA? Everything in life now seems to be "Let's be like the USA." why can't we be thinking "lets be Australia for a change. Lets think for ourselves for a change" But what happens when a pattern that plays well on wood is put down on an aggressive synthetic? Or a long pattern that has good back end reaction is put down on a weaker synthetic? Is there any allowance for change to make it fairier or even playable. After all they will be choosen at random.

I am not trying to can the TBA for what they are doing. It is a start and its good to see they are thinking of trying to help the standard of bowling in Australia. I am hoping that (myself included) everyones comments are put forward and taken as constructive critisim.

Now because the best bowlers should always finish well in the tournements regardless of what pattern is put down, why can't we have a fair good scoring pattern that helps neither the left or right, and leave all the tough long and short stuff to help the bowlers do well overseas to the rep team training camps, and not to the major events? This also leaves it open to the best bowlers over the entire season making the teams via the ranking points.
I agree we need the best bowlers bowling well to look good, but what is a few tournements going to do when you can only get a few games practice in on the condition before hand? The lanes will play different once you acutally start the event anyway.

Last question, looking back the the winners this year and the previous years of the NSW Open, should the left handers turn up next year? It has been won a lot of times by lefties, and surely that might change the pattern for next year to stop what one could call a partial domination! Just curious.

Andrew Daley

 

[Phluff]

Couldn't agree with Andrew more.

A read through the entry lists on any of the ranked events this year would show you the high number of locals who attend each event and make it a success. These are bowlers who will give it a shot because they feel at home. They might pull off a supprise win, but mostly they will add to the atmosphere and make it an enjoyable weekend.

So why would we want to shun them by putting down a pattern that will lock them out completely simply so that 5 or 6 bowlers in the field who MAY compete internationally can show their versitility? Why not put down a pattern that gives everyone a chance to play their shot, be them lefties/righties, crankers or strokers. The winner should be the person who is consistant with shot selection, not the only left handed cranker in the field because that's the best shot for the pattern.

The problem is that at the end of the year when you are selecting your best bowlers to go and take on the world, you want the bowlers who can play the different patterns used on the international stage. What better way than to get the bowlers to bowl on these patterns at each event. Then, obviously, the bowlers up the top are the ones who can play the full range and should be the ones on the team. Of course, having the funds to travel to all the events to ensure you get alot of points isn't a factor. I'm sure the person who won 1 event wasn't good enough as they were ranked 20th. The fact that they practice at their home centre 4 times a week on a variety of short & long & sports conditions laid by the friendly head tech means nothing.

I think the TBA is on the right track with the recent announcements of team selection camps where bowlers can go and show the hard work they have been putting in. Play them on as many patterns as you want so that you can see exactly which bowlers can play those short & long conditions. At the end you will have the most consistant bowlers up the top where they should be.

In the meantime, lets not get carried away with making our tournaments as tough as the PBA. After all, they get paid to bowl week after week on various conditions with the latest equiptment. 75% of our tournament bowlers just want to enter one big event a year and are happy.

Luke