Throughout my career in the bowling industry I have heard one thing that is consistent. I hear the customer say that I like to stand here, and throw it there. Can you get me a ball that I can do that? The answer I always give them is two parts, yes and no. Bowlers can’t always get what they want. This week I would like to talk about why and hopefully I will shed some light on the fact that I stated earlier this year in a previous article: The lanes tell you what to do. 

Every bowler has what is called their “comfort zone”.  This is the area of the lane where the bowler feels the most confident and on some nights does their best. We all have a comfort zone. The questions I ask you, as a bowler is; do you only have one comfort zone?  If you do, then you really need to open your mind in this great sport of bowling. Yes it’s a great feeling when you can stay in your comfort zone and bowl. That’s why it’s called the comfort zone. But as a bowler, you need to have more then just one of these zones. Every bowling center does not put out the same oil pattern, nor do they sometimes even have the same lane surface. So if you have a comfort zone in one center and it works, but it doesn’t work in the other, it’s not that the lanes are tougher, it’s the simple fact that the comfort zone in that particular center is different then the other. If you’re a bowler that bowls in more then one center, how many times do you say, “Well this worked at the other center, why isn’t it working here?” Simply put, the lanes dictate where you play! 

As a bowler, you need to work on learning how to either play straighter or play more hook. Which ever is your weaker of the two comfort zones. When you have learned both you have not only made yourself better as a bowler, but you have now just created two “comfort zones”.  

Bowlers are always looking for that certain ball that will allow them to play in there comfort zone longer. Some look for a less aggressive bowling ball for when the lanes start to dry out. That makes sense in some aspect. When a lane starts to dry out in a certain point, that means that there is oil depletion on the lane surface. So if you go to let’s say a weaker reactive bowling ball then you should be able to stay there right? Not entirely true. Remember Reactive bowling balls will tend to slide in oil and grab or have friction to dry. So if you have depleted the oil in a certain part on the lane, will a reactive bowling ball slide in the same spot? No. It will grab the lane surface. So what do you have to do next? You guessed it; you have to move your target. When you do this, you are moving out of that comfort zone. So back to why I mentioned about learning other zones on the lane. If you have more then one comfort zone then you can be more versatile and be able to maintain a higher score. How do you do this? You need to practice other parts of the lane. If you practice enough in other areas of the lane surface then you have created more zones. And all of a sudden you those no so comfort zones become comfort zones.  

So remember this, lanes that break down, makes the bowler move. When you learn to play what the lanes tell you to do, then you will be more susceptible to scoring better. Remember you can’t control what happens to the lanes, you only can control what you do. By making adjustments and becoming more versatile you not only have improved your scores, you have also recognized lane adjustments and have become a better bowler for doing so. Last thing I will say is if you can see what the lanes are doing, or you see other bowler’s styles scoring, then why would you stay where you are? If there scoring then the only thing they have done, was to recognize that the lanes have changed and that they themselves have changed with it. Change is a good thing. Resistance will only create headaches.  

On a side note, I would like to personally thank everyone that has wished me a speedy recovery during my physical therapy. I am now back to bowling, and starting to get ready for nationals. Only 65 days until Reno!   

T.J. Yeip is the Manager of GLC Bowling and the Lead Technical Advisor. He is an IBPSIA Advanced Certified Member and former PBA member. He is a USBC Certified Coach. You can email your questions to him personally at thomas.yeip@glcbowling.com