It is as cliffed, the left side is definitely more cliffed than the right I'd say the majority of the time. If it wasn't as cliffed, why would lefties default to urethane so much? It's non negotiable in a lot of situations. Urethane is more viable on the left because not having the track friction, urethane isn't as early and slow as it is on the right, you get more length and definitely more shape. This puts the ditch in play because you do have more freedom to play with the shape and roll, whereas on the right, the track will cause problems if you're too far right. The gutter might as well be the 5 board on the right, but 2-5 on the left is where the best look is at most of the time, get it much inside of that and it'll just never hold, there's no blend, and because of that, if the ditch isn't in play, it's going to be rough. Remember that PB3 ran over the tour when they bowled on house shots, as soon as they went to more difficult patterns, he disappeared for years.
It's a whole different experience watching vs participating. The good lefties are a lot more accurate and skilled than you think they are, and yeah if they have a look, they're just going to win and it's going to feel demoralizing. Lefties have to be accurate because there's not as much room to get to the pocket, and when they have a couple extra boards to work with, they aren't going to miss. I've got a buddy that's the best lefty you've never heard of, and when him and Packy team up for doubles tournaments around here, everyone else is literally bowling for 2nd, so I get it, but becoming competitive as a lefty myself, there are days you're straight up locked out, and certain centers you'll just never compete at as a lefty. It's a whole lot more hot and cold, and the comfort that you have as a righty that even if you don't have a look early, the lanes will break down and you'll figure something out, that doesn't exist on the left. It's either there in practice or it's going to be a long day. And maybe it's realistically not more difficult, but the feast or famine thing drives me insane, at least on the right you're on the same playing field, it's up to you to make the adjustments and get things done, but if it starts out tough for everyone and opens up on the right while never opening up and staying tough on the left, it's a done deal and you have to just suffer for however many games.
Luke,
I am not saying that the left side is so easy as to being able to close your eyes and throw the ball. My point is that on the PBA patterns, it isnt as cliffed as we might think because if it was, lefties would have no chance to make a show. For certain, PB III would not be competitive at all because he cant play 3rd arrow. House shots I can understand your point because the oil ratios are much much higher. Even I was seeing a cliff on the right side on our house shot which I why I decided to punch up the Scorpion in the first place. My initial thought process was to use a Beast and play up the track. But here in Florida, backends are much cleaner than what I was used to while living in Atlanta. If I get the ball outside 5 too quickly the ball went left and would hit light brooklyn side. So I get what the cliff is. I think the reason our perception of the left side not being as challenging is because it seems like no matter what pattern is put out there; the gutter is almost always in play. Even the 45 foot Dragon pattern was in play on the left side from the 5 board. Fach and Russo had a field day playing 10 out to 5 on that pattern which should be unheard of. If the old -31 rule were in play today, that would mean a breakpoint of the 14 board on Dragon which there is almost no chance a left hander is playing that deep (maybe Packy and Jesper?). With the right ball in your hand; the -31 rule is probably more like -35 now.
