How do You Differentiate Oil Pattern Ratios for Different Lanes?

How many bowling patterns have you bowled on by far? Did you notice any difference between your typical house and sports patterns? If you did, it’s because one bowling pattern seems to be flatter than the other. Not all types of bowling lanes have the same oil pattern ratios. I will get to the details in a bit.

Are you wondering if you could bowl the same way on every oil pattern ratio? Well, you cannot. Some oil pattern ratios are more user-friendly, while others are suitable for advanced and pro bowlers. Let me tell you everything you need to know about oil pattern ratios for different lanes. Stay tuned!

What is oil pattern ratio?

Oil pattern ratio refers to the ratio of oil volume on the outside portion of a bowling lane to the oil volume on the inside portion of the lane. In bowling, oil is applied to the lane surface to create different playing conditions.

The oil pattern ratio is an important factor in determining how the oil is distributed on the lane and affects how the ball reacts. A higher oil pattern ratio means there is more oil on the outside portion of the lane compared to the inside, which can lead to different ball motion and strategy for bowlers.

The lane oil is distributed two ways lengthwise and side-wise. The side-to-side oil ratio refers to the oil distribution in the outside and inside (middle) of the lane. The middle of the lane and the outside part of the lane don’t have the same level of oil. If you grab an oil pattern sheet and look at the topography of the oil distribution on the lane, you will see that in some oil patterns, the middle lane tends to have more oil than on the outside. Contrarily, some oil patterns the center and the left and right sides, both have the same amount of oil. Which type is better for bowling? Which is easier? Allow me to demonstrate.

Types of oil pattern ratios

Based on the amount of oil on the outside and the inside part of the lane, the ratio of oil is determined. The oil pattern ratio can either be high or low. Your strategy to bowl on a high-ratio oil pattern won’t be the same on a low-ratio bowling oil pattern.

1:1 – Flat Pattern
2:1 – Easy Pattern
3:1 – Medium Pattern
4:1 – Sport Pattern
5:1 – Challenging Pattern
6:1 – Difficult Pattern

High Oil Ratio

When a lane has a high ratio oil pattern, it indicates that the oil is center-heavy. Bowling lanes with a high ratio of conditioner generally have more oil in the middle track than it does on the outer tracks. If you take a look at any oil pattern sheet, you will notice that an oil ratio chart is given where they specify which part of the lane has a high amount of oil and which part don’t. Typically, high-ratio oil patterns are usually more beginner-friendly. Ratios like 10:1, 8: 1.5, 6:1.2, 5:1, etc denote patterns that are easier to play. So you need less time to calculate your potential ball throw and play decisions.

Low Oil Ratio

The characteristics of low-ratio oil patterns are quite the opposite. When a bowling lane has a low ratio oil pattern, it indicates that the oil is distributed quite flatly from gutter to gutter. The flatter the pattern the less likely there is any crown or taper. Bowling lanes with a low ratio of conditioner generally have almost equal amounts of oil in the middle track as well as in the outer tracks.

As a result, there is no hold in the middle track of the lane. And because of that, your bowling ball is most likely to cross over to the other side of the headpin and go out of bounds.

So what happens when bowlers roll their ball to the outside? Well, the ball keeps rolling on the boards that are located on the outside and it faces a hard time grabbing the middle of the bowling lane.

If you take a look at a flat oil pattern sheet, you will notice that an oil ratio chart specifies that the entire lane has a high amount of oil from edge to edge. Typically, low-ratio oil patterns are for advanced and experienced bowlers as they are hard to play. Ratios like 2:1, 3.5: 1.5, 1.2:1, and 1:1 (flattest), etc denote patterns that have a low ratio. You are gonna need more time to calculate your potential ball throw and play very carefully.

How do you play on different lanes with different oil pattern ratios?

High-ratio Tapered Oil Pattern:

The Typical House Shots are quite the opposite of a flat oil pattern. The conditioner on these oil patterns is not equally distributed from gutter to gutter. Bowling on patterns that are not flat is comparatively easier to bowl on.

Because the outside boards are a bit drier than the inside part of the lane, bowlers start from outside and gradually move inside. If you come across a bowling lane where the oil is tapered, always start bowling from the outside. And when the lane starts to break down, slowly move inside to use the heavier concentration of oil.

Low-ratio Flat Oil Pattern:

Typically, this kind of oil pattern is very hard to score on. But the demand for flatter oil patterns is also high because it makes bowling interesting and yields low to medium scores. So how do you attack this pattern? For that, you need to evaluate your strengths. Are you a straight bowler? Or do you hook your ball hard? Or are you somebody who is right in between? Whatever your bowling style is, make sure you pick a consistent target and repeat the shot as the match goes on.

Consistency is the key. Because the problem with flatter oil patterns is that they don’t offer a lot of room for errors. So you have to be accurate on every shot. If your shot is off just by a few angles or boards, you will miss out on your shot. So how do you avoid making mistakes? Your bowling ball release and ball speed need to be consistent as well.  Don’t change them too often.

Make necessary adjustments when the flat oil pattern starts to break down. Also, make sure your equipment is matching your gaming style. Follow these tips I have just given and you’ll surely end up with a good score on a flat oil pattern.

Conclusion

That’s it for today, boys! Now you know more about the oil pattern ratios in different lanes. You also have some basic ideas on how you can bowl on different oil patterns. Nothing’s too hard to rock the conventional tapered patterns! Just be a bit careful when you bowl on flatter oil patterns. Remember to pay attention to your consistent shots and adjustments. Good luck!