Expert: Gary L. Oatis, PBA Coach and USBC Silver Level Coach, PBA Member, Pro Shop Staff Member - 11/1/2011

Question
Often times when I'm bowling at a house that typically has a higher concentration of oil, I will pick up very thin and infrequent amounts of oil... But at another house that typically has a low concentration of oil I will see very thick and consistent rings of oil.... All of this is while using the same ball (so I can rule out the idea of ball surface)... Are there typically differences in the oil type maybe??? or is this caused by something else that I am not noticing...

Answer
Greetings John, bowling on a pattern that has a higher concentration of oil may require you to bowl a lot straighter to the pocket. Your track flare will be minimum. In another house that has a lower concentration of oil you say you notice a very thick and consistent set of rings on the same ball. What also tracks more or less oil on a ball is where you are landing the ball in the oil. This would be either in the middle of the lane verses the outside of the lane depending on how the ball is reacting or its lack of reaction on the back end.

Oil patterns are designed to provide a scoring environment that a bowler can manipulate at times bases on their particular skill set. The shorter or lower concentration of oil on a pattern may translate to a drier pattern.  On a drier pattern bowlers have a tenancy to "spin" the ball in their delivery more often.

Although a pattern may be a longer or higher concentration you believe, or a lower or shorter pattern, they both may possess the quantity of oil that is common to both. The amount of oil used on the long pattern may be stretched out where as the shorter pattern may be flooded on the front end to provide just as much ball travel as the longer pattern.

Thus a 30 foot pattern may play like its 43 feet and whip sharply on the back end, whereas the 43 foot pattern may begin to change or transition quickly, even during practice, causing bowlers to move or adjust half way through the 1st game! This may occur because it's longer but thinner in volume, yet it utilizes the same amount of oil.

The ball tracks themselves are not as much help to you as reading your ball reaction as you may know. If when delivering your ball you notice that your ball works great in one house versed the other house, you must work to fill the gap in "your arsenal" so this does not happen.

Figuring out if that ball is better in one house or the other is the key. The challenge for every modern bowler is to get the correct ball for the lane condition.

Generally speaking, the one ball for all lanes, doesn't work too well with modern day bowling!  

News flash !!!!! I have heard from a reliable source... Tom Smallwood, PBA Champion... that Brunswick has a new ball called the NEXUS! He tells me that the solid version of the NEXUS bowling ball is truly a game changer! Can't wait to try it myself one day.

In summary John, how and where you release the ball on to the lanes, affects the flare and oil tracks that are on a bowling ball. Where you land the ball in the oil will deposit more or less oil on the ball. The high concentration of oil is only for the first 15 to 30 feet. There is still more oil down lane but its less noticeable on the ball forward rolling verses spinning at times. Take care John! I wish a 300 for you!!!

-Coach Gary
Las Vegas, NV.
www.TrueBowlerAdjustments.com