There is no single answer to this question.  The one fundamental that applies to most bowlers who don't have a lot of experience on sport patterns is to work on a straighter game.  Opening up the lane like can be done on a house shot simply isn't very effective. 

Bottom line. Control your out angle, learn to be comfortable playing outside or inside.  One other tip.  If you don't already do it use a spare ball for all your non double wood spares.  Do these things and you will be much better equipped to make a good ballbselection based on the feedback from watching your own reaction

Good point about playing the gutter.  Most guys try to swing the ball toward a break point at 3 or 4 board.  Squaring up more way outside can be tough.  It is one of the reasons you see a trend toward urethane on the short patterns

I posted this over in the older Hammer Bowling forums (back when Hammer ran them) roughly 4 years ago. It is relative to the balls that were current at that time, but it should still hold true, so I'll try to include the entire thread.

Just posted this at another site, but would like as many opinions as I can get, so I'll post this here too.

Question for you all.

Next week, I have a tournament I'm bowling in that is going to have Kegel's Middle Road pattern laid out. This will be the first time I've played this shot, so I'm wondering where to play and how to line up for it.

Trolling the internets to see what I could find, I came across this:

http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/10992-Kegel-middle-Road

which someone had tried to apply the Subtract 31 formula to the pattern. For that, have a look here:

http://bowlingknowledge.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=46

Using that formula this tells me that the exit point of the pattern should be the 8 board, and that is regardless of how much oil is put down for the pattern (there are 2 Middle Road patterns).

But Mo Pinel is stating otherwise. Again, from the first link:



So I'm seeing two different ways here that this should be played. How would you play it? I'm lucky in the sense that this tournament is for our district, but will be held at the house my league is at, and they are going to lay down the pattern for practice during the week. But for those not being able to make it to that, how would you line up and play this pattern? and does having 2 patterns for it (one 40uL, the other 50uL) make that much of a difference?

BL.

For me... this pattern needs to be played straighter in the front part of the lane and I tend to use something with a Low RG (Arson or Arson Low Flare) with 2000-4000 surface and play between 13-15 at the arrows out to 8-10 depending on the surface (HPL or Availanes) of the lanes you are playing on.

Hope this helps...

This helps out quite a lot. Thanks!

To be honest, this is what I bought the First Blood for, but seeing that the backends might be really clean, skid/flip may not work here, unless I really modified the cover. Sounds like I may have to start fresh on the my Challenge then ball down to the Domination/250K.

Thanks!

BL.

Got some practice time on this pattern today, and did exactly the opposite of above. And Mo's breakpoint formula worked PERFECTLY.

After warming up, I took out my benchmark ball (Mission Domination/250K) and lined up as I would with it on a THS (line up left foot on 23, 11 at the arrows, 8-9 at the breakpoint). I was expecting it to turn off the spot, but in fact, thanks to the heavier volume of oil, it came up like a down-and-in shot, and held the line. Had me scratching my head, as that was not what I was expecting to happen. But I was indeed close..

But seeing the decent line, and seeing that ball speed was the problem, I slowed down, moved 2 and 1 left, stayed behind it, and saw the reaction I was looking for. 258 with the benchmark ball.

Balled up to my Challenge, moved a bit more left, and put Mo's formula to the test: feet at 27, target 14 at the arrows. spot on for the entire block, so I think I'm good here. Skid-flip had no chance, as I saw a couple of people struggle with the !Q Tour Pearl on the same shot, not realizing that there is OOB on that pattern. They were going more direct than me as well.

So for me, the key is slow down, Mo's breakpoint formula, and stay behind it, so I think I'm set on this pattern. Thanks for the advice!

BL.

Rule of 31 is a great starting point, but don't be afraid to watch the people around you.  If there is somebody with an amazing look to the pocket, be willing to take a peek at their equipment and angles so that you can imitate them.

Know that the rule of 31 is only a guideline not absolute truth. I've learned a lot by watching what other people do and Don't be afraid to make big moves