From: mafu@ocf.berkeley.edu (Mark Fujimoto)
Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling
Subject: Reverse Block and Christmas Trees
Date: 29 Aug 1992 22:06:57 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: tempest.berkeley.edu
Keywords: lane conditions


In article <1992Aug28.210105.27064@bnr.ca> jeffh@crchh317.BNR.CA (Jeff Hammond) writes:
>Howdy;
>	Could somewhere out here please explain to my outdated brain-cells
>what reverse-block & christmas patterns are. I know they are oil patterns
>on the lanes but I'm not exactly sure what they are.
>	When I worked in a bowling center (mid 70's) we would lay oil heavy
>for the first 20-30 feet and then light till 45 feet. The oil was layed
>pretty much even across the lane with a slight decrease toward the outside.
>This may even have some name of it's own.
>	Info is appreciated.
 
I'll try...



	|                          |
	|		           | 			
	|                          |
	|                          |
	|                          |
	|__________________________|  point oil is dragged to  
	|                          |
	|                          |
	|             ___          | 
	|            |   |         |
	|            |   |         |
	|      ______|   |____     |                        
	|     |      ^   |    |    |
	|     |	 ^   |  ^|    |    |
	|_____^      |   |  ^ |----|
	|  ^  |      |   |    | ^  |  L: light oil
	|     |      |   |    |    |  M: medium oil
	|     |      |   |    |    |  H: heavier oil
	|     |      |   |    |    |
	----------------------------  <-- foul line
	   L     M     H    M   L
	                          

	This diagram, more or less, is what the offset Christmas-tree
	pattern looks like.  The "offset" comes from the heaviest con-
	centration of oil located somewhere right of 20-board, i.e., 
	usually in or near the track area of the lane.  The amount of
	oil in these strips is determined by the amount of wear and
	tear of the lane beds.  The oil is sprayed from a "bug
	sprayer" -- it looks like a large, old-time pesticide sprayer.  
	Once the oil has been applied to the lane in these strips, the
	lane is then dragged from the foul line to some pre-determined
	point out on the lane.  The claim is that this type of oil
	pattern is conducive to good scoring by all types of bowling
	styles.  But as you sometimes see, right-handers seem to have
	a better shot than lefties, primarily due to the excessive
	hook from the left side of the lane.  Many lefties are forced 
	to be in as deep as 15-20 (20-25 to righties).  Numbers catch 
 	up to the righties, however; after a couple of blocks, the heads
	start to go and the righties drop in as far as 20-30 to find
	head oil. 

To many people, this won't look like a difficult scoring environment;
you get more oil in the center of the lane, less to the edges -- not
all that different from house conditions, right?  Well, two major
differences exist: (1) there IS out-of-bounds, i.e., no/almost no
absolutely dry boards near the channels; and (2) the lanes get condi-
tioned once and only once a day -- no re-oiling for the start of next
block. #2 means more adjustments the bowler must make, often radical
ones the casual bowler might not be comfortable making, hence, the
"difficult" PBA lane conditions.  The PBA isn't trying to put out a
"bad" condition; rather a "tough-but-fair" one that makes bowlers
"bowl" instead of "throw".  Of course, this goal isn't always
achieved.  It is easy to wall 'em up, easy to make 'em awful, but
a science to make 'em fair.

In reference to the "reverse block" conditions:

The reverse block is simply a lane condition where there is less oil
on the middle boards, say 10-to-10, than on the outer boards (1-10
board).  The condition Jeff's center had is basically a "tapered" 
pattern, a length-wise and cross-wise taper.

In article <1992Aug28.154044.1160@worldbank.org> aki <aki@atlas.worldbank.org> writes:
>
>If there's one lane condition that I personally despise more than any
>other
>it's GOT to be the reverse block.  The only way you can get the house to
>change their oiling conditions is to have a LARGE number of people
>complain to the management.  A reverse block condition is not normal or fun to

In defense of bowling centers, very few of them knowingly condition
their lanes in this fashion.  If a center oils 1-to-1 or just a very
slight taper with a lot of oil, most bowlers find that the help (dry
boards) they have been accustomed to is not there.  So, to get to the
pocket, they move to the center of the lane.  This process moves oil
down and away from the center of the lane, resulting in the "reverse"
effect.  I also believe that the tougher oily condition invokes many
adjustment attempts, only distorting the condition further.  What to
do?  You can complain to the proprietor, but most will tell you they are
not purposely oiling in this manner.  If you must, find another center
with a shot you like.  Then, quite possibly, the "reversed" center
will get the hint.  If moving out isn't feasible, try radical adjustments.
Since "A reverse block condition is not normal or fun..." (see above)
try something abnormal -- point off the corner with hard equipment,
no hook at all; go in deep to 22-27 board and try to jam the pocket, as
opposed to hooking the ball into the pocket.  Don't be stubborn; be
flexible and try all of the angles, because everyone grinds on reverse
block conditions.


Newsgroups: alt.sport.bowling