Kegel Abbey Road Oil Pattern: Benefits and Challenges

Are you going to play on a challenging pattern soon? You are just in luck! If you are a tournament player, you may have bowled on a Kegel Challenge Series pattern, at least once. Which one is the most popular one from this series? It’s none other than the Kegel Abbey Road oil pattern. I understand the hype behind this pattern. This Kegel pattern is many bowlers’ favorite. If you’re in for a blast from the past, and get a taste of the old-school basic bowling patterns, the Abbey Road oil pattern is just what you should be interested in. Hence, I encourage you to read this article and learn more about this bowling oil pattern.

Oil Pattern Specifications

Title	Kegel Challenge Series— Abbey Road (3540)
Distance	40 feet
Total Oil Volume	24.2 mL
Forward Oil	16.6 mL
Reverse Oil	7.6 mL
Oil Ratio	3.70:1

How to bowl on the Abbey Road oil pattern?

Now that you know all the necessary specifications, time to hit the Road, the Abbey Road, of course! So how do you enjoy the nostalgia and still dominate on this pattern? Well, first thing first, get the pattern length and deduct 31 from that. It will look something like this — Pattern Length – 31 = the number of the board where your ball will exit the oil pattern. So, 40 – 31 = 9. So you should start bowling anywhere as far right as 7 or as far inside as 11, depending on what you prefer. 

On a freshly defined pattern, you can move a little more inside, and rolling the ball on 10 or 11 boards can be your sweet spot. When I participated in the Riverbend Bowl Sprummer Sweeper tournament in 2022, I was shocked to see the versatility this pattern offered. I was moving left and right, and changing my moves quite frequently, and still managed to get the ball to the right pocket. Lots of places to roll down the ball, enough room for errors, and a wide range of tactics— these are what makes this pattern so popular. 

So what do you require to have some awesome bowling experience on Abbey Road oil pattern? Simply put— excellent speed, accuracy, and control. Remember this small tip— try to bowl from different lines across this pattern, keep an eye on the traffic on the lane, and figure out your best scoring side. Some would be more comfortable playing from the inside while others will find it comfortable playing from the middle. 

For my fellow left-handed bowlers, the Abbey Road oil pattern would be fun when you stay close to the channels. The more you move toward the right, the more friction you will see. Once you notice the pattern burning out, move slightly to the left. Although this will enable longer skids the in the middle lane. You can also handle this situation by switching to a different bowling ball. 

But don’t get too excited if you’re a righty. You too have to be cautious about a few things. But don’t worry too hard. There is nothing you can’t handle as long as your speed is right. Of course, that will need plenty of practice before your big day. Keep your speed and ball motion steady to maintain consistency.

What are the challenges you will face while playing on this pattern?

One of the common complaints I hear from my fellow bowlers is that the pattern burns quickly, considering the volume and viscosity of the oil. Left-handers face this more than right-handers because they tend to play closer to the gutters. How to deal with that? You have two options open— move to the left or change your gear. Most experienced bowlers prefer opting for a weaker or polished bowling ball. However, by moving left, you can keep using your selected bowling ball. But this will show a delayed motion (aka longer skid) in the midlane. So whatever you choose to do, make sure you are adjusting properly to the changes. 

Don’t be too chilled if you’re a righty because the Abbey Road oil pattern will make you face a fair share of complications. I ask right-handed bowlers to be extra careful. However, you’re most likely to face challenges if you’re not a speed-dominant bowler. Let’s say you have missed your point of exit, it will be hard for you to retrieve from there. You can try moving a bit and throw the ball wide right and see if that works out for you. Remember to stay calm. Whether you are a lefty or a righty, never hit the ball too hard while playing from outside. Yes, your nightmare will come true. Your ball will go into the gutter. 

Which bowling ball is best for this pattern?

For bowling on a Kegel challenge pattern like Abbey Road by Kegel, you should go for a good benchmark bowling ball and a layout that suits your bowling style best. Ebonite Game Breaker with the Label Tech layout drilled would be a fine option. Do you want to see predictable ball motion? You can’t go wrong with this bowling ball. Plus, you also get to enjoy a definitive read because the pattern and the ball are a perfect combo. If you’re not a power-dominant bowler, use something stronger like the Storm Physix bowling ball as it is a lot smoother and comparatively earlier on the lane. 

Using the wrong bowling ball will make your bowling difficult. I was having trouble with nudging my bowling ball on this pattern. Turned out, I was just using the wrong equipment. During the abovementioned tournament, my opponent was bowling with his Storm Virtual Gravity and the ball did no justice to him. Since Kegel Abbey Road is a medium pattern using a ball that is made for a heavy oil pattern was a poor choice. So apparently, you are gonna have to use something with more surface than you regular ball that you use on THS. 

If you can use something like the Hammer Black Widow (black/gold), and the Storm Fever Pitch as your spare ball, you would be able to rock this pattern. One interesting fact is that urethane bowling balls will act like a magnet on this particular Kegel challenge pattern. Alternatively, you can use the Ebonite Mission bowling ball. A controllable backend would be guaranteed.

Conclusion

I love analyzing medium patterns because that’s where I bowl the best. If that’s your cup of tea, hope this article has helped you to some extent. Nonetheless, the Abbey Road oil pattern is an amazing creation by Kegel. You will love bowling on it because it truly will reward your bowling attributes. Of course, you will need enough practice. Try out different exit points, different bowling balls, and see what fits you best. I wish you nothing but good luck for your future challenges. Consider my words as a good starting point. Toodles!