Coach, I’ve Got a Question! – November 2023

In this recurring feature, I answer questions from Bowling This Month readers. If you have questions, please leave them in the comment section below so I can address them in a future installment of Coach, I’ve Got a Question!

Our house pattern changed back in January 2023, and it has impacted me in a big way. Whereas in the past, the oil gradually tapered off, there now is a drastic change of board nine being very dry and board 10 being very oily. A slight miss right, and I get early and too much hook, but if I move ever so slightly left, I leave the 2/4/5. Is having such a house pattern common? Hoping you have some ideas. 

To answer the first question, yes, it can be pretty common. It really doesn’t take much for a pattern to feel very “cliffed” in this way. Tugs in the oil never hook, and misses to the outside respond way too much. Depending on your game, there are a few different ways to attack it.

The first is to “play in the dirt” and stay in the friction. This generally works better for speed-dominant types. You can use a weaker layout on a medium to weaker bowling ball and let your speed get the ball downlane. If anything, you want a ball with some surface, 3000 or 4000 grit, rather than something polished, because the polish makes it respond too violently. It can be solid, pearl, or hybrid, based on whatever seems to work best for you in that ...