Pattern Reading Question

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pjape
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Pattern Reading Question

Post by pjape »

I'm familiar with Mo's idea of finding the breakpoint three boards right of the first highest red bar. My question is, does this formula work for house patterns?

My league is bowling on this (Kegel Stone Street):

http://patternlibrary.kegel.net/Pattern ... 3&VIEW=COM

Should I target around board nine for the bp?

FYI, we're using Kegel Current oil and the lane surface is DBAIQ.

Since this oil has a high viscosity level, I was expecting it to hold up, but it didn't. I saw a number of very dramatic drops in scoring for game three. Do you think that as they break down I should move my breakpoint left?
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stevespo
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Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by stevespo »

These general guidelines are just that, very general. Sure, target 9 and then adjust from there.

When it begins to break down, you'll have to move left, ball down or increase loft/speed. I often find I need to move my breakpoint a little right to change my angle through the front, but that probably depends on who you're bowling with, etc.

I have a running joke with one of my teammates. During practice, I ask "how is the pattern playing" and he says "the breakpoint is about 5 at 45 feet". He throws 500+ RPM and 20+ MPH off the hand. I reply, "ok - I'll play the 9 board at 40".

Steve
16 mph (14-14.5 on monitor), 375 rpm, PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up, AT: 12*, AR: 45*
RobMautner
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Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by RobMautner »

Individual lane topography also plays a BIG part in how the lane plays. The idea that the oil pattern dictates everything dates back to wooden lanes and non-reactive bowling balls.
pjape
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Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by pjape »

OK, I really need some help here. I just got back from league, and I really struggled. I did execute better than last week, but I just couldn't find a good ball reaction. A big part of the problem was the other team. Three of them were "2nd arrow bowlers," and two of them basically destroyed between 10 and 20. The fourth bowler scored very well, but he is a young kid with a ton of revs and high ball speed. He had all the area in the world.

Last week I purposely put a good bit of surface on the two main balls I use (Hyper Cell and Rumble). I'm thinking now I actually need much less surface. After a 5-7 split and trying to determine if it rolled too early or late, I got out my Pitch Blue. My carry (and ball speed) got way better, so that told me that my ball was dying in the mid-lanes. Mind, it wasn't just me; I saw a lot of other bowlers struggle as the night went on.

Since I just don't have the rev rate to play to the left of everyone and get it back, is my best option to have much less surface on my stuff, maybe even polish? Since I don't have a lot of hand, and the backends aren't really crisp, I don't think I'll have issues with over/under.

Oh, and one other thing. Our new machine does not put any oil down the first foot or so of the lane. Kegel told the proprietor that this won't be a problem. Do you agree?
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Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by krava »

I believe that you said you were getting a new lane machine in also. Is the bowling alley there experimenting with the machine and putting different patterns down? They are doing it here. One of the people said so. One day there are flying backends, next day it is normal like what I am used to.
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stevespo
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Positive Axis Point: 5.75" x + 3/8"
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Rev Rate: 375
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Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Phaze II, Altered Reality
Medium Oil Ball: IQ Tour Nano, Zen, Phase III
Light Oil Ball: Electrify Pearl

Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by stevespo »

When facing unknown, or at least inconsistent conditions - you have to have some options with you. It sounds to me like you already have the heavy and light conditions covered with the Hyper Cell and urethane.

You could try 2000/4000 or a 1000/polish on the Rumble and see how that works when the fronts start to get beat up. What sorts of layouts do you have on these pieces? What else do you typically use when the conditions are dry?

If the big jump left isn't an option, stay put with weaker pieces. I sometimes find I can move a little right and finish a block because nobody is playing right of 10 and there is still a shot there by keeping the hand behind the ball or adding a little loft. I do have good ball speed, and I like to throw it harder as the night goes on so these conditions work well for me. It is hard getting stuck with a poor reaction and feeling like your options are all bad. Keep working at it and find some new ones!

Steve
16 mph (14-14.5 on monitor), 375 rpm, PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up, AT: 12*, AR: 45*
LookingForALeftyWall
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Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by LookingForALeftyWall »

My favorite house in my area (that I don't bowl at regularly) uses Stone Street as it's house shot. To me, it plays like a really easy house shot. Perhaps you are overthinking it?

And for the record, putting any kind of surface on a ball like the HyperCell or Rumble is asking for trouble on a pattern like this - unless you are extremely speed dominant or the pattern is playing extremely over/under (which I haven't seen from this pattern).
pjape
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Re: Pattern Reading Question

Post by pjape »

LookingForALeftyWall wrote:My favorite house in my area (that I don't bowl at regularly) uses Stone Street as it's house shot. To me, it plays like a really easy house shot. Perhaps you are overthinking it?

And for the record, putting any kind of surface on a ball like the HyperCell or Rumble is asking for trouble on a pattern like this - unless you are extremely speed dominant or the pattern is playing extremely over/under (which I haven't seen from this pattern).
Yes! I have since found this to be totally true. I practiced on Sunday night on a pretty burned up condition. I experimented with my stuff at 5,000 w/polish and slip agent, and my reaction was way better. BTW I'm not speed dominant, but have fairly slow ball speed (I'm an old fart!).

I understand now how too much surface, along with the fact that the mid lanes were destroyed very quickly by a young kid with a very high rev rate, just doesn't work at all. I stupidly didn't get the hint when I practiced three days before our second week. I bowled seven games, the did one more after the lane man ran the lanes. My shot and reaction didn't get better.

I think the biggest lesson for me to learn is sometimes there is excellent advice given on this site, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work for everyone on every condition. Sometimes we have to think outside the box, even if it's "wrong."
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