TBA lane conditioning policy?? explain please

[Lefty]

Tournament condition ATBSO

Tournament Committee asked AMF Regional Office for a good tournament lane condition, we were promised - but obviously didnt get what we wanted. Rumours were flying around all week regarding the oiling machines - did the centre run out of oil? did they have to "shop around" to find some more? Was the oil the cheapest in town? did an out of state bowler tamper with the oiling machine one night? All rumours - none actual facts, and will we ever know.

Only one way to go if you dont like the condition a particular centre puts down, vote with your feet and go bowl elsewhere. Only 2 centres in Queensland where I can find the oiling pattern I like and both are privately owned. My average dropped 15 pins when I moved from NSW to Qld - gee that makes me feel really good (not). I have to travel interstate to bowl now and again to get my confidence back. Dont forget now "AMF" - Always means fun!!!!!

 

[griggsy]

lefty. now im not having a go at you or calling you any names or anything but wouldnt your average dropping by 15 pins be a good thing? as you know u have faults in your game that you need to adjust and fix? wouldnt it be more beneficial to your bowling to continue bowling in that harder centre?
im not saying your a bad bowler by no stretch of the imagination, im just saying isnt it better to bowl in a hard centre and get good off that? now i know dropping average that much sucks a$$ cause hell im my home centre i have dropped from 197 to 190 in two weeks because i cant get consitant ball reaction due to certain circumstances, i know its frustrating and does jack all for your confidence, but in the long run wouldnt it be better to bowl in this centre that has made your average drop?
just an opinion no offense intended there and many appologies in advance if i have

 

[Lefty]

I probably do have lots of faults, and while not being one to give up trying, I am most likely now "just a chucker" as it seems that is what it takes to keep the ball on the lane, and at my tender age, chucking is becoming too painful to bear.

Us oldies shoudn't have to use such speed and strength - it is fast becoming unenjoyable.

 

[Bowltech]

Sneezy the written Spec is as follows:

1 unit is 16.67 microliters spread over one square foot or one board for 12 feet. Both are the same, 144 square inches.

Even though there is debate over this also, it is the written spec!

This measurement of one unit is equivalent to .000007" thick. A common sheet of paper is 150 units thick and a human hair is 100 units thick!

I hope this helps

 

[griggsy]

i do understand that one lefty very much, i am young and i do put a bit of hand in a ball but i do seldom like chucking the ball especially when i have to heave the damn thing at light speed to get it down the lane without breaking at the arrows. i do understand your reasoning for leaving i would too if i was able to be in your position. once again sorry for any offense given

 

[Tiger]

I think I can understand perfectly well with what your describing there Lefty - I'm guessing here, but I'd be roughly half your age - give or take a few years - and I know just how sore I am this morning after having to literally RUN to the foul line and throw the ball as hard as I can last night on the dreaded 15-16 down here, this was the only way I could hit the right side of the headpin.

If I was a 50+ year old and got served that, I wouldn't have bothered showing up. :x
Still I suppose physio would be cheaper on the Pension card :wink:

 

[RobbieB]

Haven't any of you guys heard of urethane or even (gasp) plastic bowling balls? Believe it or not, people did score before the advent of resin. Why do so many people prefer to bowl badly with a $400 ball than use a plastic ball and at least be in the pocket? If the lanes are dry, plastic will hit hard enough to carry. Of course, you don't get the free hook that provides the area that resin balls give on a ditch. Shame, that. :? :lol:

BTW, plenty of oil up here at Currajong lately. Not real wet, but enough to roll easy through the heads. Even for the more 'experienced' people. :lol: :twisted:

 

[griggsy]

robbie b>
tiger and i bowl in the same centre, now we are two completely contrasting styles, tiger is very much point the ball in, and he little hook at times but can hook the ball a small amount if needed,where as i use alot more of the lane, i have used urethane plastic and rubber balls too. the thing u have to understand is that its not our centre is un scoreably dry cause thats not the case, the reason why we have so much trouble is you have no god damn laquer to bowl on, and because of the patchy nature of the lanes laquer the ball does not roll consistantly no matter how good u are, the ball will expend energy at all different intverals down the lane leaving it very sporadic no matter how consistant your swing or roatation is. thats why we have so much trouble, and trust me not even urethane or plastic works on these lanes. lanes 1- 8 are good, its 9-24 u have troubles with.

 

[FLOWER]

I cannot believe I am saying this - I AGREE WITH Robbie!! After too many years bowling in 'oil friendly' centres and witnessing the huge changes in bowling equipment - I did not have the courage or confidence to pull out the plastic to bowl at Kedron - needless to say, the future of my own game will include many games with the dreaded PLASTIC. The same comments have been passed in all my years of bowling re conditions - no one remembers the great tournament atmosphere, the tuff work to actually put on the big events (or small ones for that matter), the meeting of old friends, the competitiveness of most bowlers - young and old and the stories that evolve and form our love of the GAME.

All we ever hear after an event is 'lane conditions' - after all, as comments have been passed - so much is just totally out of our control. The dreaded Oiling Machine is to blame -

For all Tourn. Directors including ATBSO - have a conference, put forward some oiling patterns suitable for your particular tourn. (consider ages, number of games etc), make a decision and then appoint a couple of lane checkers to confirm that your condition has been put down - THEN THE BOWLERS WILL HAVE SOME ONE IN PARTICULAR TO BLAME.

ATBSO had the opportunity to re-oil during the Challenge and that motion was defeated - with the new equipment and our age (Why???). That is why I agree with Robbie - just bowl plastic in most centres ........ did I really say that!!! The new stuff has kept me in the game with the 'experts' saying I am deluding myself - DO I CARE - I LOVE TO BOWL!!!

I will continue to bowl in 'oil friendly' centre leagues, they keep me sane and will continue to also bowl in 'deserts' for tourns. with the dreaded plastic!

FLOWER

 

[sandor]

Balls Being Used

Robbie

I was using a 1995 columbia cuda/c (first game), 1993 black prohook and a blue dot at Kedron, all polished to the max and label drilled

i didn't have any older/weaker balls with me

all my new stuff stayed in the bag for the whole week

what i did learn to do at Kedron was to apply no lift and turn to the ball and increase my ball speed from my normal 25km/hr to around 30km/hr
i stopped at wearing the roboarm wristguards favoured by many of the east coast bowlers at the challenge
this combination gave me plenty if not too much hook, carry was ok except for the 10 pin

i am now back at Fairlanes (Perth) where i am having trouble moving my new gear 5 boards on a league condition

but thats bowling................

 

[You have been Munsoned]

Flower,

how was the lane oiling machine to blame????????
What about the people who program them??????

Education is the main factor in this, it is incredible the amount of times that i have heard from a tournement bowler
"the lanes played really well today, i was about to average 225", or
"damm this place sucks, i only averaged 170"
Why are the lanes great just cause you averaged 225??
Why do they suck just cause you averaged 170??
Have people ever heard of "AN OFF DAY????"
Look at yourself, before you blame everything else.
By the way, i am not saying that everyone is like that, but you know that they are out there.

How many people here actually know anything about lane conditions??? if you know and understand them, you can nearly always find a way to bowl the best you can on any pattern. Have a look at the foundation website, they have a really good report with the patterns they display with everything to do with the tournement that was bowled. You look at how the scores vary so much, from the tourny leader just rolling scratch, to the top 24 averaging 230. In the low scoring tournys you never hear the pros shit canning the conditions, cause they realise that everyone has to bowl on them. They are also bowling for their next pay check, not just a couple of grand, this is their life and they would have more reason to complain about conditions that anyone.

There is one major three letter word that plays the biggest part in bowling in australia, it is "EGO"

Roy Boy

 

[Brenton_Davy]

Sorry Roy Boy, but your assertion that

In the low scoring tournys you never hear the pros s*** canning the conditions, cause they realise that everyone has to bowl on them. They are also bowling for their next pay check, not just a couple of grand, this is their life and they would have more reason to complain about conditions that anyone.

There is one major three letter word that plays the biggest part in bowling in australia, it is "EGO"

is quite a way off the mark. At this years US Open, I thought I was back in Australia listening to the pros complaining about the tough condition that was laid down by the PBA. It was a brutal condition and those who couldnt (or wouldnt) come to terms with it, spat the dummy just as badly as happens in Australia. Don't believe all the stories about the pros accepting conditions no matter how tough. There are plenty of them who go off the deep end when they feel they dont have a shot. I went over there believing as you do that the pros would find a way round any condition and would do so without complaint. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those who did manage to score well enough to cash or cut still complained about the condition, altho a little less vehemently than those who missed out. The language in the "paddock" was definitely not for polite company...........................

I have also seen the same behaviour in professional golf, having caddied in a few professional tournaments in my (much) younger days. Remember, they are human as well, with the same foibles and failings as mere mortals. Just the best of them seldom let the public see them..........................