I see what you're saying, and I would normally play exactly like that. But the problem with playing the oil line on this condition is that missing in by a board results in zero hook. Not a little hold, but zero hook. I have aggressively drilled dull equipment, and even that doesn't move. I have to hit a spot outside 5 at 30-32 ft down the lane to have any chance of scoring. I can do it more often than not, but it's frustrating when you miss in by a board or two a couple of shots in a row and ruin a decent game.

A buddy of mine was drilling Rico layouts as early as about 1991 or so (maybe earlier) with pin-out Hammers and got great reactions from them. He used to say that it seemed to amplify the effect of the top weight in the ball, giving him easier length and a heavy roll on the back.

Have you tried playing farther outside like straight up the first arrow as opposed to between the first and second arrow. You will probably need to be more up the back of the ball with the release to keep it from jumping early on shots missed to the right and use less speed.

Starting it that far out just makes it hook instantly, then flatten out as it hooks into the oil before the end of the pattern. I think I'm playing it the only way I can, though. Thanks for the suggestions.

It sounds like they are using a top hat lane condition, probably either 7 to 7 or 10 to 10. You are going to have to find the oil line and throw a high flaring aggressive cover stock ball like the Levrg or No Mercy or the resugence. Something that is going to bite through the oil if you tug it and burnout before it gets to the nose of the head pin if you miss outside.

What balls are you currently throwing, how do you have them drilled, and what surface are you using? Now that I have a feel for the shot you are playing I might be able to help further.

I have bowled on a top hat condition back when I started back bowling in leagues, so I know how frustrating it can be. Until the oil line gets knocked down the shot can be extremely difficult, in fact depending on the length and severity of the pattern it can be harder than a sport pattern until it opens up.

Some nights I had to stand very deep and play a slow hook out to the gutter, other nights I had to play up the oil line with a urethane ball and still other nights I had to bide my time and play up the oil line with a heavy forward roll and an aggressive ball until the pattern knocked down a bit, then switch to an aggressive pearl. I found that depending on how long the patten was determined what I had to do, and they changed it throughout the season.

I subbed tonight. Walked in and saw 3 of the workers on their hands and knees, spraying the final 20 feet of the lanes, including the pin deck. Found out the oil machine, which was supposed to oil to 39 feet, and buff the back, oiled the entire length of the lanes.

We waited a few minutes for them to finish before we started shadow balls. Now this is normally the House Sport shot league, so I expected some oil. But, what I found was something out of the National shot.

I routinely start my first ball at 25, roll at 12 slowly, and watch the ball reaction. The ball continued to hit the 10 and nick the 6. Woah!!!!! There was no backend at all. Just oil. The workers were spraying a cleaner, but wiping the lanes from gutter to gutter. Seems they spread the oil the width of the lanes rather than clean it up.

Well, started with a 199, and watched the oil start to discipate. Followed with a 223, as the lanes approached normalcy. Then ran into a pretty significant oil transition with over-under for a 190 final. It was truely amazing watching the oil change from game to game.

The good thing was in the first game, there was no wall, and hardly any friction. It forced me to roll straighter, which I was happy that I could. I slowed down successfully and kept my armswing straight, a problem I have been having. I changed balls in the third game with success only to find a targeting problem that I caused. I was sitting XX 9/ X, when I rolled, what I thought was a good ball. Bingo, pocket 7-10. Then a mental lapse for a washout/open, followed by another one. 3 opens in the 5-6-7 frames. Collected myself to finish with that 190. Took some mental straightening and refocus, but I did it.

All in all, it was a challenging and satisfying night on this really screwy shot for 612. I was able to slow and play straight up. I read the lanes correctly in game 2, and I changed to the right ball in game 3. Now, if I only kept thinking straight and keeping focus in mid game 3, all would be OK.

Oops, double post. How'd that happen?

Interesting thread, folks.
I just got home from another miserable night at the alley.. after bowling my average to 180 early in the season on lanes that were tough but had some oil in the heads and the middle of the lane and BIG backend reaction.
Our team prospered on this pattern (36') and was consistent week to week. Other teams which included the centre's big scorers were struggling with it because there was no dry outside to bounce off. The pattern rewarded accuracy and the use of balls that suited medium to dry conditions.
Three weeks ago, the pattern was changed and now we have a desert, no head oil, big backends and dry boards from about 8 outwards on both sides. Now our boys who like to swing the lane are killing everyone while the rest of us are left with 1/2 board margins for error. I have been averaging just 150 the last three weeks and if I find a line, it will only last a couple of shots before it is too dry.
Tonight, I bowled 20 at the arrows to 10 in the first three shots of game one and it was gone after that. I finished the game bowling 6 to 3 with my plastic ball and was still going through the face! Even that line was gone by game two, so spent the night trying everywhere and just picking up whatever I could but too many splits and unmakeables destroyed my scores despite feeling that I bowled well. Very frustrating.
Ok.. rant/off!
It's good to see that I am not alone!!

Cheers,
Allan

Those are some pretty good scores for having oil all the way to the pin deck. That happened to me one night, lane 19 the machine went nuts and oiled all the way to the pin deck on one lane, and oiled normal after they fixed it on lane 20.

It was fun watching your ball skid 60 feet on one lane and normal on the other, and some of the people on the other team couldn't believe that the oil made that much of a difference.

Allen what might help you is if the lanes are hooking, throwing the ball harder will just make the ball hook more. To pick up speed, hold the ball higher in the stance and let it swing from a higher point instead of forcing your arm through the release zone faster which makes your hand go through the ball faster which puts more revs on the ball which makes the ball hook more which is the opposite of what you want on a condition like that.

When the lanes get dry try letting the ball go without putting any finger prints on the inside of the holes. Even if the ball still hooks too much, it will be more controllable and easier to adjust to.

CoachJim, you could see what type of lane conditions there were on the very first balls of the night. My first ball was a good hit, but a solid 7 pin. The spare attempt should have missed to the left, but held for a spare because the ball never finished. The second ball, I made a 1 board adjustment to get rid of the 7 pin. Well, it was a pocket hit and the 4 tripped the 7. But, instead of falling, it slid standing up to a spot between the 8 and 9, causing an out of range.

There were out of ranges all night. I even saw a 4 pin slide standing up to become a 10, or close to the 10 with another out of range. At one point, we had a 6-10 with a pin standing behind the 6. There were 2 pins in the 2 spot, and many other strange leaves. Pins were moving all night, making splits out of normal 2 pin spares.

Actually, I had 2 incentives last night. 1. I do bowl better on oil. I seem to focus more, and my delivery is much better. and, 2. We were bowling against a team that had the House Pro on it. He and I have had previous confrontations. He usually beats me. But, it gave me the incentive to bowl my best, given the conditions. He beat me again, bowling 634, under his 222 average in this league.