Choosing lane conditions for entry-level bowlers

By Bob Learn Jr.
USBC Coaching Specialist


As an entry-level bowler, standard "house" conditions are where you belong. These oil patterns are fairly straightforward because they are designed to give the bowler a great deal of assistance reaching the pocket.

The typical house shot places a high concentration of lane oil from second arrow to second arrow. Conversely, the areas outside the second arrow are very dry. So, if you put rotation on your shots to make the ball hook, shots that miss to the outside portion of the lane will hook back toward the pocket, and shots that miss to the inside are likely to slide and stay mostly on target. Because of this, oil patterns of this design are capable of producing an extremely high scoring pace. As a beginner, this is where you want to be.