Terminology: what is a "ditch"?

[AJD]

I accept that this is a real noob question. I see people using the term ditch (or bowling without a ditch) in the threads here. This is usually in the context of oil patterns.

When I looked up the term, the internet (e.g. http://www.croftonbowl.com/glossary.htm) told me that it generally refers to the gutter, or the very edge of the lane.

Now, I guess that the contributors are not talking about bowling on lanes without gutters, and you can't have a lane without a very edge (very quickly diminishes to a thin line!). So, what does "ditch" mean in these conversations?

 

[Troyza]

It's a term used to explain the lack of oil outside 10 board in most house shots.

 

[Geoff300]

THS or Typical house Shot / Ditch = same animal
Generally , as above, there is no oil from the gutter to 10 board on each side
therefore you always get "Free Hook"
This allows you to miss your target by approx. 7 boards and still get the ball back to the pocket
This all goes to overinflated averages

 

[Roysa]

Just to clarify AJD (and Geoff300 wont mind), Geoff means NO oil from 10 board to gutter.

 

[Geoff300]

Just to clarify AJD (and Geoff300 wont mind), Geoff means NO oil from 10 board to gutter.

Oh Buggar, Fixed , sorry

 

[AJD]

Thanks for that, something else I have to learn to assess/handle .

 

[Schmicko]

Don't forget about the puddle (hold) inside 10 board to give you another 7 boards the other way just incase you tug the the ball

 

[Brian Spillman]

Webster’s dictionary defines “ditch” as; a scoring environment that is high enough that someone that is not there is upset that the scores are too high. (example, “Look at the scores there! must be a ditch”)

 

[Geoff300]

Webster’s dictionary defines “ditch” as; a scoring environment that is high enough that someone that is not there is upset that the scores are too high. (example, “Look at the scores there! must be a ditch”)

And your point is ??

 

[Roysa]

AJD... a quick summary I found whilst googling...

http://www.nolabowling.com/2012/02/27/oil-patterns-by-walter-peluso/

 

[Roysa]

and this article which I enjoyed reading...

http://blogs.post-trib.com/gorches/2010/05/theres-no-crying-in-bowling.html

 

[Brian Spillman]

And your point is ??

It seems that we are unfamiliar with sarcastic humour.

 

[Geoff300]

It seems that we are unfamiliar with sarcastic humour.

I have a black belt in sarcasm !!! Sorry I thought you were trying to make a point

 

[jason_doust]

No sarcasm please. And especially no irony! We're all Americans now...

 

[jason_doust]

But to be useful for a change. Time to slap a whole side of sacred cow on the barbecue...

A ditch is generally referring to an oil pattern with a very high cross lane ratio. Basically anything above about 8:1. But as with anything in bowling, it's not that easy. The underlying surface plays a huge role. With a good lane surface, 6:1 is pretty easy for a wide range of players and 8:1 is a ditch. On a beaten up old surface, 6:1 is bloody hard. Long story, but I'm sure you get the idea. (You can put lipstick on a pig....)

But 10:1 is always easy. For certain players, that is. It can be a real nightmare for anyone with strong ball roll, because the outside has so much friction with the oil edge too far in to control the early backend reaction off the outside boards. (Unless you throw it quite straight.) The guys with nothing on it just get more room to the right. So it's no surprise that they are most of who's left in bowling and nothing is said as we don't want to offend the majority.

We're much too polite to use blunt language in bowling. We have innocent sounding euphemisms like "house shot" or "social shot". These are the same thing. Ditches.

So what is a ditch? It's the bowling lane equivalent of a golf green shaped like a funnel toward the hole.

It is the deliberate and calculated manipulation of the playing surface we compete on to make the game easier. And it's ubiquity is nothing short of alarming.

It's called "cheating" or "doctoring" in other sports and is time we got serious about this shameful practice.

I've seen guys who bowl 3 games a week and expect to average 200. If you played 40 minutes of golf a week, would you expect to play off scratch? It's just delusional. But this is the delusion of the ditch. It is the deep belief in the beautiful lie over the terrible truth.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[Geoff300]

But to be useful for a change. Time to slap a whole side of sacred cow on the barbecue...

A ditch is generally referring to an oil pattern with a very high cross lane ratio. Basically anything above about 8:1. But as with anything in bowling, it's not that easy. The underlying surface plays a huge role. With a good lane surface, 6:1 is pretty easy for a wide range of players and 8:1 is a ditch. On a beaten up old surface, 6:1 is bloody hard. Long story, but I'm sure you get the idea. (You can put lipstick on a pig....)

But 10:1 is always easy. For certain players, that is. It can be a real nightmare for anyone with strong ball roll, because the outside has so much friction with the oil edge too far in to control the early backend reaction off the outside boards. (Unless you throw it quite straight.) The guys with nothing on it just get more room to the right. So it's no surprise that they are most of who's left in bowling and nothing is said as we don't want to offend the majority.

We're much too polite to use blunt language in bowling. We have innocent sounding euphemisms like "house shot" or "social shot". These are the same thing. Ditches.

So what is a ditch? It's the bowling lane equivalent of a golf green shaped like a funnel toward the hole.

It is the deliberate and calculated manipulation of the playing surface we compete on to make the game easier. And it's ubiquity is nothing short of alarming.

It's called "cheating" or "doctoring" in other sports and is time we got serious about this shameful practice.

I've seen guys who bowl 3 games a week and expect to average 200. If you played 40 minutes of golf a week, would you expect to play off scratch? It's just delusional. But this is the delusion of the ditch. It is the deep belief in the beautiful lie over the terrible truth.

Cheers,
Jason

That is beautiful !!! Well said sir

To me it is cheating end of story
To many others of this "Modern game" it is evolution

How is it possible for a person who averaged 160 / 170 with a rubber or urethane ball
to suddenly average 190/200 when they put a new generation "Modern Game" reactive
bowling ball in their hand

What this "Modern Game " has done is take away from those who are the true "Good Bowlers"
as we knew them and throw all the "Very average Bowlers" in the same mix.

Bowling a 300 game was once an event that happened 6 times a year
Now a 300 gets bowled 6 times a week
Are we saying that everyone is so much better in ability today than before ???

 

[Ben Woods]

Unfortunately, handicapped or even some scratch leagues tend to put these "ditches" down to appease the masses. Not a lot of league bowlers have a lot of hand so the pattern suits them. And what we get from this is a false understanding of how good a league bowler is compared to a tournament bowler with a similar average. They may even think they are awesome because they have a league average of 220. Put this league bowler in a tournament and they struggle with the pattern put down. Then they struggle with the transition.

If these league bowlers were to start bowling low scores, they would leave and go to another centre that accommodates them.

I bowl in the scratch singles league at Tenpin City on Thursday night. Throughout this league, we have put down 4 WTBA patterns...

• London
• Stockholm
• Athens
• Seoul

It is amazing at the difference. I have seen league bowlers try to bowl on these patterns and only average 140 - 150 over 4 games. Do they want to continue bowling on this? I bet some of them don't because of the scores. But it this a true reflection of their tournament ability?
I find the issue with the modern game, is that is accommodates for making mistakes. Thus, allowing us as bowlers to become less accurate. Unfortunately, on most of the tournament patterns, you need to be accurate to 1 or 2 boards.
As Jason said, and I will use a golf analogy. If you miss a putt, you don't have some artificial grass pushing the ball towards the hole.
I just feel we are pandering to the masses.

Anywho, my 2c

Cheers,

 

[Roysa]

The issue is "the masses" is what keep centres alive. Bowling in Australia isn't in a position to play hard ball with league bowlers. They will scamper. Sad but true.

In saying that I'm looking forward to the Sports Series tourney in December. It's the only one I've been able to make this year. I'm under no impression that I'm truly a 200 avg bowler as my league avg shows. Sports series will prove that. However it is what it is and I will bowl on whatever is put down for league as I don't have a choice.

 

[Troyza]

The issue is "the masses" is what keep centres alive. Bowling in Australia isn't in a position to play hard ball with league bowlers. They will scamper. Sad but true.

In saying that I'm looking forward to the Sports Series tourney in December. It's the only one I've been able to make this year. I'm under no impression that I'm truly a 200 avg bowler as my league avg shows. Sports series will prove that. However it is what it is and I will bowl on whatever is put down for league as I don't have a choice.

I love the sport series tournaments in Sydney, I've only just recently started bowling in them. For me, it's the ability to play different parts of the lane, & the tournament mentality which I enjoy & can't experience at home.

I'm currently bowling a 221 average in league, but when I go away to these tournaments, I've only been setting my self goals which I feel are realistic to my ability - the first one I entered in I had a goal of averaging above 175 being the first tournament I had bowled since 2011, the second one my goal was 180 - I achieved my goals & uncovered parts of my game which I need to work on, including spares. I'm giving my self an aim of 190 in December, mainly because it's the long pattern I first bowled on in Blacktown, & I have an idea of how it breaks down (though Rooty Hill will more than likely play differently) plus I have been working really hard on fixing some faults which have been causing me to tug my shot, with positive results.

If all league bowlers in general understood exactly how badly ditches inflate scores, I think our sport would be in a slightly better situation because the ground for improvement would be there to build upon. Instead, I still have bowlers whinging how they still can't hook the ball 15 boards & that we shouldn't be putting down more than 15 ml of oil.

Education is key, but how do you educate people who don't want to be educated?

 

[Loose Cannon]

The issue is "the masses" is what keep centres alive. Bowling in Australia isn't in a position to play hard ball with league bowlers. They will scamper. Sad but true.

In saying that I'm looking forward to the Sports Series tourney in December. It's the only one I've been able to make this year. I'm under no impression that I'm truly a 200 avg bowler as my league avg shows. Sports series will prove that. However it is what it is and I will bowl on whatever is put down for league as I don't have a choice.

so true, not all league bowlers want to be tournament bowlers and will tend to dictate what they want as a house shot, some are content with being a legend in their own backyard. I only bowled a few tournaments this year due to my game being in development still, hope to increase that for next year, have an average shy under 200 on a ditch , go to Bathurst pitstop this year and average 169 yet I came back a better bowler for the experience.