Righty versus Lefty or Lefty versus Righty

[MarkV]

G'day all I am 40 and have been bowling for nearly 2 years and have established an average around 180 - 200 mark depending on what month it is and what new thing I am trying or failing at. My question is what is all the bumpff about conditions favouring left versus right or vice versa as in my limited experience there aren't all that many lefties about in the general populace and so therefore it follows that statistically they seem to be represented pretty well in all the comps I have witnessed in person and on the net. I am of the understanding that all the oiling patterns are symmetrical and therfore should hold no particular advantage for anybody. The only possible advantage I could envisage is that there may be less people playing on your side and you will have a bit longer before you lift all the oil from your playing area. Although the way all you young blokes crank the @#$% out of it it the ball covers the entire lane anyway and make s a mess of any LINE as such. I feel the bottom line is that the good bowlers adapt and overcome and the hacks whinge. I mean no offence to anyone but I see constant references to this issue on all bowling sites and can't really believe that they are justified. By the way I am right handed medium to low revs and higher ball speed. What are your thoughts. Cheers

 

[Levithian]

I have to totally agree with you. Although i have bowled a tournament or two where either by mistake (or deliberate) the left or the right has been shut out (not at the same time), with the technology going round today you really have alot of options when setting up your lane conditions. It isnt impossible to give one side of the lane the easier conditions but i would think proprietors are well above that.

In my experience, it pays to know the person who is having a 'whinge', i know a couple people who will come back with the shutout tag but they dont really mean it, they are just kidding around.

Ball technology is at a stage where if you have the right equipment and the right setup, you should be able to find a way through the conditions. The good bowlers make do with what they have and still make a respectible average. Ill be shot down for this, but lets put reverse blocks everywhere and see what happens

 

[Ray Krueger]

Lefties V righties

I am a Lefty, I have been told by some bowlers that I am a slow turning Bowler.
I have also been told that Lefties have a NATURAL ADVANTAGE, I personally can not understand what they are talking about. I do understand that there are fewer lefties so that the oil does last longer. Some manager / owners do oil the lanes on the left diferant than on the right. [THIS IS WHAT GETS UP MY NOSE]
I think both Lefties and Righties should have the same conditions.
Ray

 

[craig]

only a lefty would make such a remark

you say the oil is eaten away, but refuse to accept the fact that the lane condition shouldn't be made to even out the sides.

fairs fair

if i had my way i would dump 50 units out on your side (left) from 1-20, just so i could hear you's complain about something valid.

 

[RobbieB]

Much of the advantage of the lefty used to derive from the actual condition of the wood that makes up the lane, rather than the oiling patterns. Before synthetic and modern urethane surfaces, lanes needed to be sanded and recoated reguarly, a process known as resurfacing. The older laquer finishes were quite soft, and did not protect the wood as effectively as the combination of glue injection and modern urethane does now. Resurfacing was expensive, and often was not done regularly enough. The pounding of the ball on the lane eventually reduces the top layer of wood to a splintery mess if it's left too long. Since there is less traffic on the left, in such a centre the leftys were rolling on essentially a different lane surface to the rightys. In some centres it was a huge advantage to be left handed.
Nowadays the lane condition is the culprit. As the oil pattern changes due to the traffic on the lane, the condition changes differently from right to left. Sometimes it gets easier, which favors the rightys, sometimes harder. However, even now a good lefty has a winning advantage in that when conditions do favor the left to the extent that the right is shut out, he or she has fewer bowlers to beat to win the tournament. Shutting out the left has far less effect on the field in that regard.

 

[bm2]

8) If the left hand side was so easy, then more bowlers would be using it!!!

As an old leftie myself......I reckon you cannot change anything by whinging about the condition that is or isn't there. Just make whatever adjustments you need to get the shot into the pocket, or as close to the pocket as you can, and get out there and bowl. I pay my money the same as any righthanded bowler does to enter league or tournament play, and I use whatever equipment I have to the best advantage that I can......sometimes it pays, sometimes it doesn't, but THAT'S BOWLING!!!!! Ultimately I am responsible for the way I get my ball down the lanes, and if I cannot adjust adequately enough after 20 years of bowling, then bad luck to me! (Just remember, tho, I WAS stuck in Darwin for 19 of those years!!! :shock: )
It is also worth remembering that a good centre manager aims to put down a condition that is fair to ALL his bowlers, after all, he is the one to feel the pinch when the paying customer does not come back.

Just my (left-handed) two cents worth......

Jagga :wink:

 

[Dark Assailant]

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: i have only two little words for you !!!!!!!!!!!!!lefty's rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Levithian]

Good to see some people still enjoy living in an alternate reality. Delusion is a state of mind, keep it up swamp thing :lol:

 

[Scotty Gooch]

Well I thought after my 20+ years in this industry I thought I had seen and heard it all. But after reading the post in this topic from "bm2" I can honestly say now I think I have.

bm it's nice to see that there are still bowlers out there that will actually take a look at themselves and their own performance rather than instantly blame the lane conditions set down. Mate thank you for reassuring me that there are real bowlers out there and I wish I had 50 of you in my centre. :lol:

Ray I read your post too, and I guess I have to reply to you this way because you seem to think you can't come to me and talk, and I am still waiting for the email that you have been telling everyone you where going to send.

I can assure you that at my centre the same condition is put down on both the left and the right but I guess you wouldnt beleive that because its seems no matter what I do in your opinion its wrong and you seem to think you know more about how to setup a lane than I do.

I would guess thats why for the past 2 years (excluding this year) you where a 205+ average player in my centre but still you complained and pulled out of a league with about 9 weeks to go you where leading worth $1000 or so dollars.

Myself like I would think all bowling centre owners/managers do all we can to enable our patrons to score well (without blocking the lanes) thats part of the service, a service that we hope will keep our patrons happy and coming back. So to say that we are trying to shut the left handed players out of bowling is just plain stupid. Every customer pays the same money when they come to play so every customer gets that same level of service.

Ray now that you have a little more time on your hands, maybe you should find a few books, watch a few vidoes or better still come and talk to the people that have actually achieved something in the game and maybe then you and I can sit down and talk about the state of your bowling, I have held my hand out many a time to you in the past to put whatever differences you have behind us and move on, I have done this out of respect - respect that you are a customer in my centre however you have chosen not to accept any of this and now this post of yours in the forum its not hard to see who you directed it at! :evil:

Goochie

 

[androooo]

Entry for a tournament $250

Brand new reactive ball $400

The feeling after beating a lefty at Moonah PRICELESS!!!!

 

[griggsy]

I may joke about lefties having an advantage and all, its all in good humour but it is in my belief that we all have the same condition be it good or bad, the onyl thing that i can see that the lefties have as a slight advanatge in some centres is the fact that their side is less used thats about it.I mean i will bag lefties out in good humour just as much as they bag me out thats all well and good but if I classify myself to be any sort of a bowler I/we(as righties) should be good enough to adjust to conditions if we arent on the day thats bad luck not alot compaining is going to do about changing the results on the score board. I am not taking a stab at any one here just simply stating how i see it

 

[Ray Krueger]

Reply to Mr. Gooch

Mr. Gooch in reply to your attack on me;
Item 1
You obviously have people that gossip in you centre. I had intended to send you a nasty letter about your oiling pattern, but as I do not normaly burn bridges behind me I decided to do nothing about my feelings at that time. :x
Item 2
As to my knowing how to set up a lane, As I am a plumber and not machanically minded at all, I have never eversaid that I know how to set up a lane. However I am observant and I can see ball reactions from other bowlers.
Item 3
It was not easy walking away from $ 950 approx. but managment should not have changed the oiling pattern with 9 week of a league to go. [ at the beginning of the year I was told that it would not change. as in previous years ].
Item 4
As I am getting a bit long in the tooth and not as quick on my feet as I used to be I see no answer in confrontation for I may say somthing that I may regret later.
Please excuse on old square head for the spelling mistakes
Ray :evil:

 

[Levithian]

I was just looking at your post ray, in reguards to a pattern change, do you know all the details?. Perhaps supplies were low on the certain type of conditioner used making it hard to source more from their supplier?. Perhaps they were having problems with migration? An increase in oil related ball trouble calls? It could have been any number of things, the above only mention a few. No offence or anything but you are being alittle unrealistic, lane maintenance is an on going thing, tweaking and modification of conditions is something that naturally happens. Centre's usually do their best to ensure a fair condition right through the year, i cant see management running the risk of upsetting their patrons by excluding the select few. Things change, new advancements in industry happen, and im sorry but if Scotty Gooch did indeed offer you the chance to have a chat to him, you really missed out. I know a few mechanics and they usually dont mind a bit of a chat during their down time (is there such a thing? ) if you wish to know whats happening (within reguards, dont want to give away all their secrets do they ).

It's a two way street.