INDEX
Lane Conditions
Lane Condition Q&A  [1-20]  [41-60]  [21-40]  [41-60]  [61-80]  [81-100]



Todd November 19, 2006
Guelph
Ontario
Canada

Hi Walter Ray,
I was just wondering if you had and tips/advice on how to bowl on a reverse block shot? I have tried all across the lane and I am just not able to make anything work. The best line that I found is standing 15-17 and trowing over 5 board, while doing this I'm trying to come straight up the back of the ball to create as much forward roll as possible.The ball that I'm using is a old Brunswick T2 as all of my newer equip. is just to much hook. I can hit the pocket but I get some really nasty leaves. Any help would be great,Thank you!!!
Todd

Hi Todd,
Everybody is different and throws the ball a bit different. Also, not all 'reverse' blocks will play the same. It is unusual for a bowling center to put up a 'reverse block'. If going straight up the 5th board works for you, then keep doing it. Making great shots is the best thing to do on more difficult conditions. Repetition and consistency are the key to any condition. Good luck!



Eric November 1, 2006
Cincinnati
OH

Hi Walter Ray, Hi Paige,
First off, congrats on win #42, and great to see you sign with MoRich. I am a big fan of MoRich equipment and use it along with Brunswick when I bowl in the Central region. What I was hoping you could help me out with is the Viper pattern. I will be bowling the PTQ in Wickliffe, Ohio coming up at the end of November and was wondering how you normally would bowl that pattern, mostly on the fresh of course. I know depending on the cross and the lines the other bowlers play determine the breakdown later in the block or in match play. I would consider my game somewhat versatile. I can play up the twig to 5th board right up the back of the ball; or I can move left as far as 6th arrow and slow loop it. Any tips you wish to share would be appreciated. I know you probably get a ton of email so if you can't get back to me it's not a problem. If I see you in Wickliffe I'll be sure to introduce myself.
Thanks, Eric....

Hi Eric,
Good luck in Wickliffe. The viper (37') pattern will sometimes lend itself to playing outside, but like you mentioned, it also depends on how everybody is playing the lanes in front of you. Being able to play different parts of the lane will help you.



Jerry October 30, 2006
Wingate
NC

Congrats on #42! I hope you have a great season, and contend for another player of the year honor. I need some advice on adjusting to lane conditions. I have never been able to hook the ball a great deal, so I like to start about 4 boards left of the center dot, and play over the second arrow with a sharp hook on the back end. My problem is when the lanes are dryer I can't seem to find the correct line. I can move 3 or 4 boards left, and the ball will still hook too much. I will then try moving farther left, and bowling more inside around the third arrow, but I can't get enough revs to get the ball to turn the corner. I usually use a Hammer Black Widow and The One. Should I try going to a ball that doesn't hook as much, and bowl my original line, or is there a way that I can get more revs on the ball to make it turn the corner? I would appreciate your advice.

Hi Jerry,
You need to find a happy medium when moving left. If you can't get the ball to get up to the pocket then you moved too much. It might not be a bad idea to get a ball which does go straighter for when the balls do hook a bit more.



Dillion August 9, 2006
Benton
AK

Dear Walter Ray,
I have been bowling for awhile bow on league lane conditions. The only problem is I hit the 10 board but lately my ball hasnt hooked enough, I mean it is still hooking it just comes in about an inch light.I have moved over and tried to adjust but I don't know what to do. Can you please help?

Hi Dillion,
One of the things about being a better bowler is to learn to make adjustments. That means that you may need to move your feet and your target. Since the oil on the lanes isn't exactly the same on every lane and is always being moved around and taken off of the lanes with every shot, you should be moving. Try moving a bit more. You may want to ask some of the better bowlers in your league if they have any tips on how you should be playing the lanes.



Jeff August 8, 2006
Grand Rapids
MI

Hi Walter Ray,
I've been enjoying the ESPN classic matches on TV and wonder why it is that some bowlers use an extreme hook, hanging the ball halfway into the gutter on the first shot, while others, including you, seem to prefer a much more subtle hook and much straighter ball? I'm an old guy (60) and just got back into the game after a 20-some year hiatus. I'm averaging about 200 and would like to take my game to the next level (if it's not too late!). Thanks for your help. Good luck in your future endeavors!
P.S. Where are the horseshoe contests held?? Are they ever televised??
Jeff Wells
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Hi Jeff,
Everybody is different and a lot of the professional bowlers learned to bowl when they were kids and did a lot of experimentation. Most of the liked to hook the ball and then learned to be accurate with that. A big hook can be an advantage at times, while a more subtle hook like I throw has its advantages.

Horseshoe tournaments are held all over the place. However, the main horseshoe season is about over for those in the northern states. Check out www.horseshoepitching.com for links to tournaments and charter websites. I do know that there are indoor horseshoe facilities in Jackson, MI, Whiting, IN and just south of Auburn, IN. Next year the world championships will be in Oklahoma with the 2008 tournament scheduled for Alabama. As far as I know only the 1989 world tournament has been on ESPN.



Bret June 12, 2006
West Covina
CA

First congratulations on your accomplishments. My question is about a lane pattern. In particular a "reverse block", I was hoping to general idea from you and how you shoot this pattern. Also, do you consider the OPEN pattern the toughest each year? Thanks for takig the time and responding to everyone's questions

Hi Bret,
A 'reverse block' is tough to play as by its name indicates that there is more friction left and less to the right (for a right hander). Sometimes a player can get deep enough to get into the left handers oil, but that can mean playing 6th or 7th arrow. Normally I will try to find a target and make great shots. That is what I normally try to do at the US Open until some sort of 'shot' seems to develop. For the last 5 years or so, I consider the US Open the toughest lane conditions that the PBA bowls on.



Bob March 20, 2006
Mentor
OH

Hi Walter Ray:
I bowl in an establishment that does not oil or condition the lanes before league play. I use a plastic ball which probably contributes to the difficulty I am having in maintaining my average. Do you have any suggestions on bowling under these conditions?

I am very tired of the subject of you winning 41 titles being broght up by fans, the press, and TV announcers. I think people should focus on your tremendous accomplishments in the sport. If you don't win # 41 you will still be a legend of the game for generations to come. And probably nobody will ever accomplish what you have. Hey fans!!! How about if all of us just recognize Walter Ray as one of the greatest bowlers who ever lived and forget about #41.

Hi Bob,
If your bowling ball hooks too much, then a ball which doesn't hook as much might be the ball to use. If a plastic ball doesn't hook enough then you might want to try a urethane ball or a 3 piece reactive ball.



Gerald March 20, 2006
Lowman
NY

Walter Ray, what oil pattern do you like the most on tour?

Hi Gerald,
I really don't have a favorite PBA pattern. Most of them have more oil than I would like to see and the short oil pattern hooks too much off of the gutter. But, making adjustments is one of the most important parts of the game, in my opinion, so I just try to do the best I can with what is out there.



Jeff March 1, 2006
Bensenville
IL

Last night I was carrying the 10 pin for the first 2 games in which I shot a 270 and 267. It was in the 2nd frame of the 3rd game that I started leaving 10 pins. In fact the next 5 frames following, I also left crushing 10 pins. It was about the 9th frame I started striking again and carrying. The weird thing is that all the guys on my pair were starting to leave 10 pins also during this period.

WHAT KIND OF ADJUSTMENT WOULD YOU MAKE IF YOU AND OTHERS WERE LEAVING "CRUSHING" 10 PINS.. THE KIND WHERE YOU CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LEFT A 10 THE BALL HIT SO HARD.
Thanks so much for your time.

Hi Jeff,
I normally don't move if I leave a solid 10. If I am leaving a weak 10 and I felt like I made a good shot I may move a bit right to get the ball up to the pocket better. It can be very frustrating when you get tapped. Hang in there and remember that taps are a part of the game! Keep making good shots and you will be fine.



Ron February 27, 2006
Manhattan
KS

Hey Walter Ray,
I was really stumped tonight and thought you were exactly the right person to ask this question:
What would you do in the following scenario?

I was bowling in league tonight-Sunday night. Normally, on Sunday nights, they oil the leagues right before league begins-which makes for a nice, predictable controllable shot. And I had been bowling really well, too. Above a 200 average the last several weeks. However, tonight they neglected to oil the lanes at all. In fact, I don't think the lanes had been oiled in the previous 24 hours!!! The normal ball with a 205 hook potential rating (according to the listings on www.bowlingball.com as my point of reference)I use in this league hooked into the left gutter half way down the lane in warm-ups. So I kept trying less aggressive equipment. A ball with a 140 hook potential. Still too much hook. Another with a 110 hook potential. Still too much hook. In fact, I finally tried to play my normal line standing left in front of the ball return and sending my plastic spare ball (hook potential of about 5!) over the third arrow out to near the five board and it hooked all the way back. Of course, a plastic ball doesn't carry well and I got very few strikes. I also tried standing near the right gutter and throwing the ball hard and quite straight which seems to work a little better.

What would you do in the aforementioned scenario? Would you stand inside and if so, use a very unaggressive ball? Or stand outside and throw it straight? It seems a plastic spare ball just doesn't get the job done, but that was the only thing I could keep on the lane...I know I was quite irritated as I felt I had enough balls to be prepared for any situation. Not to mention the fact that I felt it wasn't my fault that the lanes were so unplayable for everybody. But tonight was just unbelievable. There were people using plastic house balls who normally can't hook the ball two boards who were hooking the entire lane.

I somewhat presume that you would probably stand near the right gutter, use the entire approach and try to throw it as hard and straight as you could, but that's just an educated guess...
Walter Ray, help!
Thanks.
Ron

Hi Ron,
I would first try to play some sort of hook with a ball that doesn't hook as much like a plastic ball. I can play pretty far left, but if I wasn't able to play a deep inside line then I might throw the ball very straight. However, I don't remember having to resort to doing that in a PBA tournament. I do remember one tournament where I had trouble keeping my plastic ball to the right side of the head pin in 1994, but that was the only one. Picking up spares becomes even more crucial on conditions like this.



Linda February 27, 2006
Holt
MO

You are hands down my favorite bowler and I have been disappointed to turn on the PBA and not find you in the finals. I'm pulling for you. Which of the lane conditions is your favorite and why?

Hi Linda,
I am not really sure I have a favorite PBA lane condition. I like to play the extreme outside part of the lane and most of the patterns don't play there very well. The one pattern that is designed to play outside has too much 'wet/dry' for me to be really comfortable with playing that line most of the time.




Paul February 17, 2006
Latham
NY

I've been following your career, and specifically this week's US Open Touney. I realize that it has been a very demanding condition. I was just looking at your scores, frame-by-frame of the 3 qualifying blocks. In rd 3, 6-game block, you had 5 - FIVE frames, in which you left the SIX PIN, what was that all about?? You probably haven't left the 6 pin (alone) 5 times in your LIFE, before this week. Do you favor this type of a grind-out condition, or would you rather have the shoot-out, 240+ avg?

Hi Paul,
The lanes were difficult at the Open and I kept making bad shots. It didn't take much to leave a 6 pin. Checking on my palm pilot I have left 112 6 pins that I shot spares at for the last 2 & 1/2 years of the games which I have kept track of. That is for 1429 games with an average of 224. So that is about one 6 pin for every 12.75 games on the average, so 5 in 6 games is definitely way above average. I prefer a grind out like that to a shoot out, even though I like to strike like anybody else.



Bill January 24, 2006
Fishkill
NY

Quick general question on the report from Phoenix .... in it you say that 'In game 6 the right lane bounced quite a bit' - I was wondering if you meant that literally (ie. the alley itself) and if so is that something that you just have to deal with or is there rule/guideline about the stability(?) of the lanes??
. Thanks,
Bill ...

PS - Again, thanks for taking the time to share your reports with your fans; it is really appreciated by this fan at least !!

Hi Bill,
In Phoenix, that one lane really did bounce (like a basketball) quite a bit more than normal. It really shouldn't make that much difference as long as it bounces in the right direction. Basically a player has to deal with a 'bouncy' lane. I don't know if the USBC has any regulations on lanes bouncing, but I would be very surprised if they did.



John January 19, 2006
Goshen
NY

Hi Walter Ray,
I would greatly appreciate any insight you can give about bowling in the 2006 US Open. I have entered averaging in the 220-230 range on local league and tournament conditions. I have access to practicing on any patterns and I haven't found a comfortable line with the oil pattern that is given on the PBA website. Your advice is greatly appreciated and Goodluck to you in the future.

Hi John,
The US Open lane pattern is one of the toughest patterns that pros and amateurs will bowl on. Basically the oil is applied evenly across the lane. However, due to the lane surfaces not being perfect, the middle of the lane will hook more than the outsides of the lanes. This requires a lot of accuracy and patience plus some good spare shooting. Last year I played mostly right of the 2nd arrow going very straight or inside around the 6th arrow playing a fair amount of hook. The last round and on TV I found another reaction between the 3rd and 4th arrows with a medium amount of hook. The thing to remember is that you won't have much 'area', so your misses to the right are going to go right and your misses left are going to go left. Good luck.



Lee January 12, 2006
New York
NY

Hello Walter Ray:
I wrote you maybe two years ago, now I'm back again. Do you feel your average reflects what conditions you bowl on. Since the house changed, most bowlers have high 180's to mid-190's and few 209's. I don't know if this is a fair assessment of what a bowler's real average is. How can a person tell if he/she really improved.

Hi Lee,
Lane conditions are the biggest influence of scores. Then it is up to the player to figure out the best way for them to score by playing the correct line and using the correct equipment. The best assessment is how a bowler rates among their peers. If you were 10th in average before and are still 10th, then things really haven't changed much. Scores are definitely relative. I think it would always help a bowler to try and bowl on the toughest conditions possible. Bowling on easy conditions may make a bowler think that they don't need to work on very much.



Gary January 4, 2006
McAllen
TX

I notice you don't move your feet very often or very much. What makes you make bigger moves? Can you try and explain the minor adjustments you make? I know this is a broad question but I'd like to hear it close to your thought process rather than me asking too many specifics.

Hi Gary,
As somebody who throws the ball straighter, I don't need to move as much. But sometimes I do need to move as I did in the last tournament where the last couple of games of qualifying I was playing the 6th arrow, so I was starting on the left side of the lane and sliding between the gutters. Basically if my ball is hooking too much I move left and if it isn't hooking enough I move right. Sometimes that doesn't work due to the lane conditions and I need to adjust my side rotation and speed.



Nate December 18, 2005
Bellona
NY

I am 15 years old, and I am in 10th grade at Penn Yan Highschool. I average around a 195 btu have trouble bowling on oily lanes.I need to be able to throw straight down and in but, I am having trouble, and i was wondering what I could do to help me get better at this skill. I throw the ball between 15 and 16 mph and like to play 17 out to 8. I can do this at my home center, but i bowling in tournaments where there is to much oil to play that line. But when i try to play straight down 10 i am unable to keep the ball on 10. I usually throw it out to about 5 and then my ball does not come back to the pocket.

Hi Nate,
Practice is how you get better. You might want to practice with your spare ball going up 10 so that you get used to the angles.



Don December 15, 2005
Brandon
FL

Walter Ray, I am in the military and I have bowled for the All-Army team for 2 years now. During the last two national tournaments, there was a lane pattern that is exceptionally short. I have a ball speed between 13-15 mph and have difficulty keeping the ball to the right of the head pin when there is little to no oil in the heads even when I move extreme left and swing out to 5 or less. What type of ball is best for this type of condition, it did crash most of the tournament scores. Someone is recommending the Mercury by Rotogrip. Hopefully, you have some answers. Thanks
Don Oglesby

Hi Don,
You might want to try some 'old style' balls like a plastic or urethane ball. If those are too weak, then try a 3 piece reactive ball. I don't know anything about the Mercury.



Billy December 13, 2005
Wood Dale
IL

Walter Ray, i must say that i have admired your bowling for years! I am 32 years old, been bowling for 20 of those years...I'm a 210-220 league bowler. I injured my elbow last year (playing volleyball) and since then i have tried to adapt a bowling style more like yours, harder and straighter from the outside. I am just not consistant enough to throw pete weber style... I love having the ball hook thru the pins, and not to them. I plan on starting my pba regional career in 2006, My question to you is "should i exspect medium to heavy oil condtions in pba events?" I bowl a few local tounreys and sometimes the plastic spare ball becomes the ball of choice, because the lanes are sOOOOO dry!

ALSO, what equiptment do you use, i am a hammer man, won my first tourney with hammer, and satyed with them ever since!
thanks for you time
BILL "BRONCO" WELCH
Good LUCK!

Hi Bill,
The tour uses a lot of oil, but regionals tend to use a little bit less. I would always keep a good variety when going to a tournament as you never know. I don't have any particular affiliation with any company.



Velma November 28, 2005
Selma
NC

Walter Ray,
I am a tournament director, I host ameteur handicap doubles tournaments for men & women in the eastern NC area. I am trying to determine what would be a fair lane conditions for the handicap & scratch bowlers and keep the scores low. I would like to find a challenging shot that is scorable for everyone. I would appreciate any advise you can give me. Thanks!

Hi Velma,
If you want to keep the scores down then put down a sport pattern. However, that won't be scoreable for everyone. Higher average bowlers are probably more affected by lane conditions that lower average bowlers. Good luck as you have an impossible job in finding perfect lane conditions.



Lane Condition Q&A  [1-20]  [21-40]  [41-60]  [61-80]  [81-100]



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