RealTalk #3 HOUSE SHOT to easy or to hard?

[Theo McNair]

What is considered to easy for a house shot, what is considered to hard? I have heard bowlers complain about the THS being to easy, then I have heard bowlers complain when the shot is tougher. What is the happy medium? is there a happy medium? Not enough oil, too much oil, just right? Is just right good for some and bad for others, you tell me, I'm confused. :) Does a tougher league shot create balance when you are in a high handicap league or is it a disadvantage to the "better bowlers"?

Ex. I have heard people refer to lane conditions as being "no shot" then I have heard others say they "love the shot" If someone can't hit the shot does that mean there is no shot? Or does it mean they can't hit the shot?

I know there about 10 questions within this post but you get my drift. :) I guess the real question is what is considered to easy for a house shot and what is considered to hard?

[Kenny Taylor]

A typical house shot is an oil concentration between the 10th boards on each side, 39 to 44 ft, at a ratio between 3:1 and 5:1 (per Kegel.com). The lower the ratio the more difficult the shot. The conditions have gotten easier over the years with the development of lane machines. Originally extra oil was placed in the head area to compensate for dissipation of oil in the area where the bowlers lay their bowling balls down. This is similar to weight blocks in bowling balls which originally were to compensate for imbalance caused by drilling holes in your bowling balls, what was a 3 oz counterweight is now a 9 lb core.
There are different degrees of difficulty which can be applied to a house shot, flattenning out the shot, lenthening the oil, moving the "wall" and even reversing the wall. I agree that the better the league the more difficult the shot should be. But some combinations of difficulty are not going to be conducive to everyones game, and on the other hand some lane patterns will help some bowlers.
I feel that the more challenging conditions should be reserved for the professional and semi-professional bowlers who have the time and facilities to work on their game on certain conditions. If you look at the turnouts in scratch tournaments , regional tournaments, and scratch leagues, tough conditions aren't too popular.
And by the way not everyone will average 220 on an easy shot, you'd be surprised how many bowlers don't know how to play a second arrow shot.
Also some houses and/or shots are not conducive to one's game, you got to know when to hold em and when to fold em. I'm gone.

[TIM MCNAIR]

I just wanted to add one more perspective to the house shot debate......with the evolution of ball bowls(more dynamic and versatile) it would seem only feasible to change the lane conditions to match the advantage of the high powered balls. Like one blogger stated in a previous post.....he got more satisfaction achieving a honor score on a more difficult pattern than he did on a wide open HS. 300 games and 800 series are still big accomplishments but they dont get the same respect and reverence as they did 10 or 15 years ago, why?? Because the equipment(balls) has trumped the lane conditions.....i dont know if some of you remember this but years ago the AJC(newspaper) use to post some honor scores in the sports section. Can we get that respect back to the game? Yes we can!!!!:)

[Randall Harville]

Easy. Scratch bowlers are the minority in a bowling center. The average once a week bowler does not want think about figuring out a difficult lane pattern. Therefore, house shots will always be too easy for the skilled players. You have to keep the masses happy to stay in business. "Real Bowlers" will always figure out the "shot", easy or difficult. Did I say "Real Bowlers"?

[Bruce Richardson]

I have really tried to keep my mouth shut... which some of you know is difficult for me to do.

Let me give you MY opinion on a least one of your questions -- If someone can't hit the shot does that mean there is no shot?.

Well the answer is.... the is ALWAYS a shot. It might be an easy shot to some and not others. It might be a bad shot to all. It might be a good shot that is very difficult. It might be a bad shot that is easy. It might be a shot that makes bad bowlers good and good bowlers bad. It might be a shot that gives you very little room for error. It might a be shot that all roads lead to the pocket. I might be good on monday then bad on thursday because it rained and its humid..... GET MY POINT! I could fill up the page with all of the what ifs in the world.

Now I will give the disclaimer that maybe since I have been bowling just two years that maybe I don't know enough to even respond or might not be considered worthy of communicating on this level with the "better/varsity" bowlers (I barely make the JV team). But I will tell you this... I work hard at being a better bowler and making the game easy so I can feel good about myself is not going to help me accomplish that goal.

Give me a sheet of ice or a lane of concrete. I will attempt to pick the right equipment and make the appropriate adjustment. There are times when I'm very lost and there are times when I luck up and figure it out. BUT I DON'T QUIT!! REAL BOWLERS don't either.