Contributions to the Game - John Davis
"I have no special gift - I am only passionately curious". Albert Einstein
Some refer to John Davis as a genius in the field of lane maintenance and bowling. Davis however will tell you the same as Einstein; it was his fervent curiosity that led him to his inventions and a successful career in the bowling industry. His curiosity is even ingrained into his company’s mission statement – “we research the sport of bowling to find solutions, create products, and provide systems to enhance the sport of bowling.”
A recent announcement by the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America (BBIA), a non-profit association formed in Chicago in 1940 to service the billiard and bowling industries, confirmed Davis’ contributions to the game have not gone unnoticed. Davis is the 2012 recipient of the association’s Industry Service Award, to be presented by long time friend and associate Len Nicholson during BBIA’s Annual Convention in La Jolla, California in April 2012.
Starting with The Key™ Lane Cleaning Tool invention in 1981, a simple device that helped bowling centers clean lanes better and more economically, to his most popular invention, The Sanction™ Machine, Davis was never content with status quo. In his mind, there is always a question to be asked, and a better answer to be found.
In 1991, Davis’ company, Kegel, developed and released the DBA® LaneWalker™ - a revolutionary lane machine that moved from lane to lane all by itself. This technology lives on today in the form of the battery powered Kustodian Walker, allowing lane maintenance personnel to focus on other responsibilities while the machine does all the work.
But it is not just bowling products that make John Davis special to the bowling world; it is his unparalleled commitment to the sport of bowling, and to those who play the game.
In 1998, Davis started an organization called The Foundation, a group of expert lanemen who were working towards an ultimate goal of creating fair play for all styles of players. Another goal of The Foundation was to form and train groups of lanemen worldwide that would take care of lane maintenance at every major bowling event throughout the world.
When the bowling world approved the short oil rule, Davis created a tournament called Option One, an alternative to the low difficulty short oil option. This monthly tournament held in their bowling center in Sebring Florida helped the likes of Jason Couch, Ricky Ward, amongst many other up and coming Florida bowlers, develop their games in a way that helped them compete at the highest levels.
In 1997, Davis opened The Kegel Training Center, first known by the name HERBIES – a bowling Center in the Sky. This private ten lane facility was the first of its kind, and featured state-of-the-art technologies that took the bowling coaching and learning experience to another level.
After the company moved to Lake Wales in a new manufacturing facility in 2004, the Kegel Training Center was taken to another level. The 12 lanes in the training center included another industry first – all lanes are fully adjustable, which allows Kegel to control and study the effects of topography on ball motion and oil patterns - Davis’ curiosity at work once again.
In this new training center, Davis’ curiosity quest posed another question to his staff: "What do we have to do to create a program that will result in the best team of junior bowlers on the planet?"
Out of that came the creation of the highly successful Kegel Junior Elite Team – a group of six junior bowlers based on ability, attitude, and love of the game. The program continues on today at the Kegel Training Center with youth bowlers competing yearly for a spot on the elite team.
Furthering Davis’ dedication to the sport, along with then PBA Commissioner Mark Gerberich, Kegel became the first independent lane maintenance company to take care of the lanes on the PBA Tour. From 1997 until 2004, Kegel lane maintenance equipment and staff performed lane maintenance duties for every PBA Tour event.
Since 2001, Kegel staff has been involved in every WTBA World Championship and today Davis continues his unselfish world wide support to organizations like the European Bowling Tour, United States Bowling Congress Championship, and all WTBA zones.
To Davis however, his latest invention, the Kegel LaneMapper, a device that efficiently measures the topography of a bowling lane, might be one of his most important and greatest contributions to the game. Prior to this invention, the tools available to measure a bowling lane could not expeditiously provide the needed information to see how the shape of the lane affects ball motion, and more importantly, “fair play” – which is at the heart and soul of Davis’ quest.
John Davis began his pioneering quest in the game of bowling seeking answers to problems that many experts could not give him. Luckily for many in our game today, his quest continues on not only because he himself still possesses that curiosity, but because he has ingrained that same curiosity trait into the culture of his company.
Fine Tuning your House League Pattern
This is the time of year when new seasons have begun and pattern decisions are being put to the test. You’ve made your choice, laid out the pattern, and now things aren’t going exactly as planned. You’ve verified that your machine is in perfect working order, now what do you do?
Once the bowlers take to the lane, lots of problems can come to light. If a majority of your bowlers are experiencing the same problem, it may be time to make adjustments to the pattern. Common complaints could be: too much carrydown, back ends too strong, not enough hold area, heads hooking, no swing, track dries up too quickly, or no taper. How do you trouble-shoot your pattern and fine-tune it to get the ideal conditions for this year’s league? Here are some tips for common problems with patterns which should help you make proper adjustments.
Too Much Carrydown
Too much conditioner at the end of the pattern can cause excessive carrydown. This can be rectified by not loading as far down lane on the forward pass or increasing the machines buff out speed, which decreases the amount of conditioner on the lane towards the end of the pattern.
If your machine has our reverse brush drop feature, this is another fine tune adjustment you can make to bring the amount of conditioner farther back towards the foul line, or limit the amount of conditioner towards the end of the pattern. Poor cleaning can also cause carrydown issues. This can come from an incorrect mixture of cleaner or improper machine performance. It can never hurt to double check to make sure your machine is cleaning properly. To do this, perform a clean-only run on a few lanes and see if all the conditioner and cleaner are removed from each lane.
Back Ends Are Too Strong
Lengthen the pattern or create more taper to tone down the back end reaction. Tamer back ends provide predictable ball reaction and make spare shooting much easier.
Different types of cleaner provide different back end motions; this is another “condition” adjustment you can try. You could also experiment with a weaker ratio of cleaner to water mixture, but be careful; there is a fine line between getting the lane clean, and not clean enough.
Not Enough Hold Area
Make no mistake about it, as much as bowlers think they like swing area, what creates the highest scoring environment is hold area. The hold area is created by the amount of shape in the pattern towards the end as well as some friction outside of target. Without both, it is just about impossible to have the other.
If your lane machine has reverse oiling capabilities, starting the reverse oil loads farther down the lane will help increase hold without fear of getting too much conditioner at the end of the pattern, which as we said before, can cause carrydown issues.
Lane topography can increase hold area, a side slope away from the pocket at the break point area for instance, but topography can also minimize hold area if the side slope is towards the pocket at the break point area. Before you start searching for hold area by way of the oil pattern, get to know your lanes to make sure your lanes will allow the type of shot you are searching for.
Heads are “Hooking”
The amount of oil in the lay down area, or a lane surface in poor condition, can cause the heads to hook. In both instances, the lane machine should run slower in the heads, 10 or 14 inches per second on Kegel machines. The slower the machine travels, the more brush strokes per distance traveled which increases the amount of conditioner to any one area. This is better controlled on the return oil due to the direction of travel and the rotation of the buffer brush. Apply oil loads during the return travel that finish closer to the foul line (but not less than 4 feet).
Another thing that will give the perception that the heads are hooking is when the lay-down point of the bowling ball is on the upslope of severely depressed heads. No amount of oil in the world can fight a significant gravity influence towards the headpin in this situation.
No Swing Area
The amount of oil on the outside boards or adverse lane topography can affect swing area. Reducing the length of your oil pattern, or decreasing the amount of the applied oil on the outside boards, will increase the amount of swing area. But be cautious, even though bowlers like to swing the ball, your lanes just may not allow that to happen with the success you, and they, are looking for. Just know, however, our highest scoring patterns are the ones where most styles can go up the lane and have hold area.
A recent example is the 2011 WTBA Women's World Championship where many scoring records were set on the 47' Paris oil pattern. Note: the 2011 version of the Paris pattern tapes out at 4.2:1 at 22', so be aware if you try and use this in your Sport Bowling league.
Another example of a high scoring pattern is our Kegel Navigation Challenge pattern Route 66. This 45’ pattern routinely outscores many higher ratio shorter recreation patterns.
If you have topography issues, or side slopes that go towards the outside portion of the lane, the pattern should be adjusted by stacking up your inside oil line, applying conditioner farther towards the end on the forward and reverse passes, and allow the bowlers to play a more direct line to the pocket. This should create more area where ball reaction is concerned on a longer pattern.
Another topographic issue that can decrease swing area is depressed heads. Depressed heads cause the ball to quickly lose energy which makes down lane recovery (swing area) very difficult no matter how little oil you apply to the outside boards, or how much you apply to the heads.
Track Area Dries Up Too Quickly
Many bowling centers do not apply enough oil to the mid-lane track area on both the forward and return passes. Applying oil to the track on the return pass can help provide more longevity and stability without drastically affecting the forward oil readings and ball motion at the end of the oil pattern. Another adjustment is widening your pattern slightly. As balls hook more, the track area is becoming wider and farther down-lane. Take your middle loads and try widening them out a board or two and see if this adjustment gives you more longevity to your track area.
No Taper to My Pattern
The easiest way to create taper in the pattern is to make adjustments to your lane machine’s drive speeds during the forward pass only. Increasing the drive speeds on your forward run towards the end of the pattern will apply less oil in that area which increases front to back taper.
If your machine has Kegel's reverse brush drop capability, dropping the buffer brush farther back into the pattern on the reverse pass can also give you more front to back taper within your pattern.
Conclusion
With these tips, tricks, and troubleshooting techniques, you should be able to tweak your pattern and make it playable for most of your league bowlers. However, even with excellent lane conditions, you may still not be able to please everyone. If you reach the point where the majority of the bowlers are happy and bowling well, then it may be time to leave the lanes alone.
As always, it is important to remember that the pattern is not the only factor contributing to your lane conditions. You are competing against the lane topography, the other bowlers who share the lane, and Mother Nature herself. With topography, we cannot stress enough how important it is for you to know the shape of your lanes. When that information is known, finding that right oil pattern for your center is much easier. Without it, it's just a trial and error exercise.
Bowling is about skills and technique, but it is also about versatility and one’s ability to read the lanes and make adjustments to account for those factors which are out of your control.
Warning: Managing lane conditions may result in the loss of sanity. If it occurs, please contact our free Kegel Tech Support at (800) 280-2695 and we’ll help you get it back.
Inside Line Tech Tips - Summer 2011
“The oil pattern didn’t play anything like it did at home!”
by John.Janawicz@kegel.net
Often times I hear this comment and there are many reasons why this can happen. Frequently, the center that you are going to bowl the tournament in (say for example the USBC Open Championships) is using a different brand of cleaner, different oil, and a different lane surface (not even taking account of one of the biggest differences….topography). Those are very obvious factors, but often people think that because they have the same lane machine as at the tournament site that it should cover all of those differences. Ultimately, even if you have the same lane surface, oil, cleaner, and lane machine, differences will still remain.
One of the differences we see often is the physical condition of the lane machine. Even though each Kegel lane machine leaves the factory meeting all of our strict adjustment and performance specifications, what happens to it from there is totally dependent on the maintenance (or lack thereof) that is given to it.
For an example, let’s compare two cars: Two 2011 Chevrolet Corvettes.
One Corvette lands in the hands of a business man who uses it strictly as a commuter car. He washes and waxes it every week, changes the oil right at 3000 miles, and always uses synthetic oil. He manages to put 25,000 miles on the car in a 12-month period.
The second Corvette ends up being a rental car. The car is in numerous drivers’ hands many of which perform routine burnouts and jackrabbit starts. This car also logs 25,000 miles in a 12-month span.
Though both of these cars started their life exactly the same, do you think both cars are going to look the same and perform the same after 12 months? Do you think the interiors are going to be the same? It wouldn’t surprise me if the rental car’s transmission doesn’t shift as crisp and probably a few of the basic items are a little more worn out (brakes, parking brake, tires, etc.) All I know is, I’ll take Corvette number 1 and you can take a chance with the rental car, haha!
Knowing this, do you think all lane machines are treated the same? We’ve seen many lane machines after one year look like they’ve never been cleaned! Oil drips out of the vacuum motor (where it never should), the transfer brush is filled with dirt and hair, the paint is peeling off due to cleaner being spilled on it numerous times, and the frame has been tweaked throwing the factory adjustments out of spec since the machine has been dropped more than a half-dozen times due to negligence.
- Do you think that this machine I described above will put out the pattern the same way the brand new machines we have at the USBC Open Championships will?
- Do you think the pattern will be the same with a machine that doesn’t clean the lane well because the squeegee blades or cushion roller have never been changed?
- Do you think the pattern will be the same even if the cleaner tank filter is clogged and the Norprene cleaner tubing hasn’t been changed in over a year which results in half the amount of cleaner coming out (resulting in poor cleaning) and now you’re oiling on top of a film?
- Do you think the pattern will be the same even if the transfer brush has so much dirt in it that it keeps the oil in the transfer brush an extra 6 feet down the lane?
Many factors will make a pattern play different from center to center but often one of the biggest is the physical condition of the machine itself. Stay up with the maintenance of the parts that commonly wear out (squeegee blades, buffer brush, cushion rollers, etc.), keep the machine clean, and your lane condition will be more consistent from week to week and month to month.
Like our VP of R&D Mark Davis once said: “Machines that look like new….tend to perform like new.”
Preparing your Lane Machine for the Fall Season
by Steve.Cross@kegel.net
As many bowling centers close during the summer months, it is especially important to properly prepare your machine to begin a new fall season. If this is not done, it can lead to restriction to flow in the system, or problems with ball reaction at an inconvenient time after the league season has begun.
In order to stay ahead of Murphy ’s Law, I urge customers to follow the Boy Scout motto and “Be Prepared.” You will thank yourself for performing this preventative maintenance on your machine.
The first thing you will need to do is get the machine out and drain the fluids. You will then want to remove both the oil and cleaner tanks individually and perform a thorough cleaning on them and the filters. Inspect the tanks to make sure there is no sediment or residue from the previous conditioner or cleaner left behind. It is important to flush and clean these tanks whether you plan to use a new batch of the same conditioner or intend to switch to a new conditioner altogether.
Once the cleaning is complete and machine is intact, you should turn the machine on and check that oil is flowing freely through the oil lines. You will be looking for a consistent PSI reading. If the pressure readings are too high or too low, this indicates that there may be a problem in the oil lines.
This is also a time of year where many centers will experiment with new oils or patterns. I always recommend that changes be tested before the season begins. This allows time for you to decide what is right for your center and make pattern changes or adjustments if necessary. If your center will be using a new oil, I suggest keeping the same pattern for testing. Changing only one of these variables will give you a better comparison of the new versus the old oil.
This should help to ensure that you maximize your machine’s performance and decrease the risk of problems sneaking up on you once your season has begun. Take care of your machine, and it will take care of you. And if it doesn’t, give one of us Techs a call US Toll Free at (800) 280 2695, or International +1 (863) 734 0200.
DC Drive Motor Maintenance
by Steve Calhoun
All Kegel lane machines are driven by DCV drive motors that are designed with two carbon style brushes, one on each side of the motor. As the brushes wear down over time, carbon dust particles build-up inside the head of the motor between the stator (field) and the rotor (armature). This build-up can cause a short inside the motor. To prevent a dangerous build-up, it is important to routinely remove the carbon brushes, and blow out the motor with air to remove any carbon build-up.
Note: If you use an air compressor, please insure that the air-lines are free of moisture before evacuating the motor.
If the brushes are several years old, they may need to be replaced. Each brush is manufactured with a tension spring that keeps the brush in constant contact with the rotor of the motor. The shorter the carbon fiber brush becomes the less tension there is on the rotor.
How to Make Your Batteries Last Longer
by John.Thrift@kegel.net
As we all know, batteries are not created equal and they do require maintenance. It is important that batteries are charged properly and to make sure the source that is using this supplied power is not abused so that they reach their maximum potential. After reading this, you should be familiar with two causes of decreased battery life and some charging standards for Odyssey batteries.
One of the biggest problems that can decrease battery life is a machine that has been abused. When a machine is not kept clean or well maintained, it can cause an overall higher amp draw and result in the battery dropping out faster.
For example, if the vacuum motor has had waste sucked into it, like the images of abused vacuum motors below, this can greatly affect the battery. Damage like this could hinder machine performance and easily cause a NEW set of batteries to do 25 lanes less than it should.
Another battery issue that is often overlooked is whether the charger is giving the batteries a proper charge. This can take into account any portion of the charging mechanism. The Odyssey batteries require different stages of charging which should be as high as 29 volts within the first 30 minutes of being on charge to as low as 27 volts after being on charge for 6-8 hours. If proper charging does not occur, this will also affect the life of your batteries.
Periodic checking of the charging system along with regular maintenance of your lane machine will greatly extend the life of your batteries.
Contact our techs at their e-mail address, or call US Toll Free at (800) 280 2695, or International +1 (863) 734 0200.
Changing Out Conditioners - Sanction Technology
KEGEL TECH TIP - The following is Kegel's recommended procedure for changing out lane conditioners in Kegel Sanction Technology lane machines.
Remove the conditioner tank from the lane machine.
Empty the conditioner tank into a container. Do not reuse the old conditioner.
Remove the internal filter from the conditioner tank.
Flush the conditioner tank out with your lane cleaner solution to get any leftover conditioner and debris out of tank. Repeat this step at least one more time.
After the lane cleaner solution rinse, rinse the conditioner tank out with water until there are no more soap bubbles to ensure all lane cleaner residue is out of the tank.
Note: Kegel recommends NOT USING isopropyl alcohol or any other solvent.Allow the conditioner tank to dry completely.
Clean or replace the internal conditioner filter.
Reinstall the internal filter using Teflon tape and a small amount of clear silicone around the threads.
Reinstall the conditioner tank.
Fill the conditioner tank with the new conditioner.
Put the return line to the conditioner tank into a separate container and run the oil pump so that the old conditioner left in the lines will go into the container. This will force the old conditioner out of the conditioner tubing and replace it with the new conditioner while also keeping the old conditioner out of conditioner tank.
Once all of the old conditioner is out of the conditioner tubing, reinstall the conditioner return line back onto the conditioner tank.
Perform an oil volume output test five times into the separate container. This allows all of the conditioner to be removed from the pencil tip and conditioner tubing leading to the pencil tip.
Before applying conditioner to the transfer system components, and depending on your machines oil application, clean the transfer brush, smoother pads or transfer rollers, and the buffer brush. No chemicals should be used to clean these items; just clean dry towels.
Allow the conditioner pump to run and inspect all connections for any leaks.
Check your conditioner volume output and conditioner pressure. Kegel suggests setting the conditioner pressure at 15 psi for machines with a CPM2A and C200 PLC’s. However, anywhere between the ranges of 10-20 psi is safe. Machines that have a CP1H PLC will run conditioner pressure NO lower than 15 psi and no higher than 45 psi. And remember, conditioner pressure and volume are independent of each other - pressure differences WILL NOT affect conditioner volume.
For questions or assistance, please contact Kegel Tech Support US Toll Free at (800) 280-2695 or e-mail at tech@kegel.net
How to Choose the Correct Lane Conditioner
If there is one thing we have learned over the years, it’s that every bowling center is uniquely different. Even two bowling centers located right down the road from each other, using the same lane machine type, with the same lane surface, and using the same chemicals, can have drastically different lane conditions.
By measuring the lanes of hundreds of bowling centers with the Kegel LaneMapper™, we have begun to further understand why bowling centers can vary so much. However, things such as the water used to dilute the lane cleaner, the temperature and humidity within the building, and the different bowler types or balls being used by those bowlers can influence what lane conditioner is best for any one bowling center.
The properties Kegel tests on lane conditioners in the lab are all physical properties. Because all physical properties are affected by the environment they are used in, it is often hard to find or suggest the “right” lane conditioner without a little trial and error. So how do you begin to select the right lane conditioner and set-up for your bowling center?
First and foremost, our recommendation is that if you are happy with the lane conditioner you are using, don’t change it. If you are not happy however, and were to contact us at Kegel, there are a number of factors we would talk you about to get you on the right path. The following will give you some insight into the process we use to make lane oil recommendations to bowling centers.
The first thing we would ask is what problems you are experiencing in your bowling center. Issues that might indicate you need to change your lane conditioner are:
Excessive ball calls
Excessive out of ranges
Pattern is not holding up long enough
Pattern adjustments seem “too touchy”
Scores are not what they used to be
Before you switch your conditioner however, consider these possibilities:
Oil pattern: Some of the problems listed above could simply be caused by the oil pattern you are using. If you notice any of these issues, it is a good idea to have an expert review a copy of your current oil pattern to determine if this could be the source of the problem. Check out our pattern library or contact our tech support
Cleaner type, mix ratio, or residue:
Sometimes oil related issues can solely be a cause of a certain cleaner or mix ratio. Make sure the cleaner you are using is designed to remove the lane conditioner you are using.
ALL cleaners leave some residue behind - even those that claim to be residue free. For example, toilet bowl cleaners that keep your toilet “cleaner for longer,” leave a small amount of residue behind to help repel the dirt. Though the toilet may be flushed frequently and appear clean, the residue remains. For an example of this residue at work, watch this “Drop Shape” video to illustrate the effect cleaner residues can have on a surface.
Lane machine: Maintenance and upkeep of the lane machine are just as important as the chemicals they apply. Machines that are kept clean and maintained will apply conditioner more accurately and leave behind smaller amounts of residue.
Lane topography: We have a new saying at Kegel after measuring 1000’s of bowling lanes; “you can’t fix a gravity problem with oil.” Checking today’s synthetic lanes at 3 predetermined distances does not give enough information to determine how your lane’s shape affects ball motion. The consistency and predominant characteristic of your bowling center’s lane topography can finally be seen with the invention of the Kegel LaneMapper which can measure 744 points on the lane.
The top factors affecting lane play are the environment and pattern choices. After that comes the conditioner choice, followed by a third and often overlooked factor, the cleaner selection. Make sure you have exhausted alternate possibilities before chasing the perfect lane conditioner.
Lane Surface type:
Synthetic brand, model and age – AMF HPL’s or SPL’s, Brunswick’s many surfaces, DBA IQ™, Murray Pathfinder™, Switch, etc.
Wood lanes with finish - 100% solids, EZ Coat, moisture cure, water-based, etc.
Type of lane machine: Do you have a fluid metering lane machine (Kegel Sanction Technology), a wick/pad lane machine, or spray type machine?
Lineage: how much of your business is league play with high flaring modern bowling balls vs. open play with low flaring house balls. If more than 50% of your lineage is from league play, you should opt for a conditioner that has high durability. If your business is predominantly open play, parties, and social bowling events, look for a lane conditioner that is geared to prevent ball calls and out of ranges such as Prodigy.
Environmental factors:
Temperature consistency
Humidity
Cleanliness
Altitude
For example, if you live in a dry desert area, there is typically high static in the air which can cause lane play issues. In this scenario, it is good to look for an oil to help prevent the snappier back ends caused by the high static environment.
Through our experience with bowling centers all over the world, we have being exposed to many different scenarios. Although we have come to find that certain generalizations can be made based on the type of situation, no two centers are EXACTLY the same.
Dennis Sheirs, Vice President of Kegel’s Chemical division often gets asked the question “What is the best lane conditioner out there?” His response is, “the best lane conditioner is whatever works best in your center.”
When choosing a conditioner for your center, it is important to get advice specific to your factors in order to determine the best lane conditioner for your center, and ultimately, for your customers. As always, if you would like to have company along that journey trying to find that perfect lane conditioner, Kegel Technicians are only a free phone call away - Kegel Tech Support (800) 280-2695.
Oil Pattern Depletion
Oil pattern depletion (breakdown) is much different with today’s high flaring balls versus the low flaring balls of the past. Oil pattern depletion also happens much quicker and much more with today’s bowling balls.
When bowling balls had essentially balanced weight blocks, or differential Rg values of .010” or less, the ball basically rolled over the same place every revolution. When this happens, the ball picks up all the oil it can within the first couple revolutions and oil pattern depletion only happens in the head area, or only in the first 16’. The rest of the oil pattern remained intact, but not with today’s high differential Rg weight blocks.
Most bowling balls today have differential Rg values in the .040” to .060” range. The maximum differential Rg value is now .060”, according to USBC specifications. These high differential Rg values create a dynamic imbalance within the bowling ball. When a ball is drilled to maximize this imbalance, this causes track flare and results in the bowling ball rotating on a fresh part of the cover every revolution. This erases oil off of the lane every revolution, causing oil pattern depletion throughout the entire length of the oil pattern, instead of only the heads as when bowling balls were more dynamically balanced.
Kegel performs many tournaments every year and one of the things we are constantly measuring is oil pattern depletion. We do this because the main goal for the laneman in tournaments is to try and create a playing condition that has the best opportunity for fair play; in other words, give as many styles a chance as possible. If massive oil pattern change continues to make this task difficult, we need to find ways to help Lanemen do their job better.
How much oil is erased with today’s balls?
During a recent seminar tour, we got a group of bowlers’ together and measured oil depletion after 10 minutes of practice, and then every three games of play. At the end of this test, we had 9 games per lane. To put it in comparison, a 5 person team bowling a 3 game league has 15 games per lane.
To follow are the results of that test:
The greatest amount of depletion occurs during the early stages of play because the ball creates a larger footprint within the oil pattern. In the head area, there were 80 units of oil before bowling. After 9 games, there were about 35 units in that same head area. The move left by the players was not the lack of head oil; it was the ‘spark point’ being reached in the mid lane and the back part of the pattern causing the ball to hook more and forcing the players left.
Now we show why this massive depletion of the oil pattern can affect fair play. The following graphics are a comparison on how different styles of players break down oil patterns.
The event was the 2009 European Bowling Tour Masters featuring the top 16 players, men and women, from the 2008 European Bowling Tour point list. Both groups had 3 bowlers per pair and they played 8 games. So the lanes had 12 games per lane plus 10 minutes of practice on them. There was also an equal amount of lefties and righties on both the men’s side and the women’s side, and every player bowled on each pair of lanes twice within the block, so it was a very good comparison.
The fresh oil pattern was 44’ in length with the same pattern used for both the men and women. Below is the graphic of that pattern:
The first depletion example is the women’s side of the event. They were bowling by themselves and as with most lower rev players, because of the decreased motion on the back end, these type players tend to play in the same area on the lane and in a tighter line to the pocket.
As you can see in the above graphic, the women essentially started at the slope of the oil pattern, the rise from the least amount of conditioner to the greatest amount of conditioner, and broke the oil pattern down in a very logical manner. When oil patterns are broken down this way, scoring pace can increase greatly.
The men played on lanes right next to the women players. Here we had players like Jason Belmonte, Osku Palermaa, Dominic Barrett, and several Scandinavian players with fairly high rev rates. Below is the graphic of how the men broke that same fresh oil pattern down.
Because of the great amount of potential hook we have in the game today, and especially with the higher rev players, the slope of the oil pattern is not always followed as it used to be when bowling balls hooked less.
What is interesting, is the area where the bowling balls roll throughout the pattern, both groups depleted the same amount; over 60%. Testing has shown depletion is not significantly greater with higher rev rates, depletion is only more spread out. Towards the end of the pattern where all balls meet, both groups depleted the same amount, over 60%.
Here is the tape data and depletion percentages at comparable distances throughout the above patterns.
Most bowlers still believe “the heads” breakdown the most and therefore affect ball motion the greatest. This was the case with balls that did not flare, but that’s not the case with balls that flare.
When flaring balls are rolled over an oil pattern, the oil pattern is erased near the same amount,percentage wise, from the lay down point to when the ball exits the end of the oil pattern. The most oil is depleted where the footprint is the greatest, but at each distance, the percentage of depletion is essentially the same.
Once the oil pattern is depleted enough for the ball to reach the “spark point” in the mid lane and back part of the pattern, players start moving inside. And they move until the modern practice of lofting the gutter cap comes into play.
If depletion continues to happen at such a rapid rate, lofting could become the modern way to play the game. After all, we have yet to see a ball hook while it is in the air.
Weather, Topography, and Ball Motion
THE INSIDE LINE: 2011/01/18
In the first issue of THE INSIDE LINE, we promised that our next article would discuss how weather affects topography and ball motion. Since lanes are made up of wood, and sub components of wood, we know temperature will affect the shape of them. However, the one part of weather that significantly affects the shape of lanes is the humidity, or lack thereof.
Because wood is porous, and high humidity means there is a lot of moisture in the air, humidity tends to make wood swell up. Low humidity, when there is very little moisture in the air, makes wood compress as the moisture is not as present in pores of the wood. For those that have seen what happens to wood approaches when a spilled drink was left there too long, you know the effects. Bowling lanes do the same thing.
Humidity and Temperature
When bowling lanes and wood based components that make up lanes are exposed to humidity and temperature changes, extra moisture in the air often "enters" the wood material at a point of least resistance. But because there are many differences in construction, and depending on the sub-foundation material and underlayment, as well as the many different wood components utilized in building a bowling lane, the only thing we can be sure of is weather definitely changes lane shape. However how it changes can vary greatly from situation-to-situation.
For instance, often the outer edges of certain materials, like wafer board Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL), are much more susceptible to moisture penetration from the sides rather than from the top. This contamination happens much faster than moisture penetration elsewhere, so in this case the swelling causes a depression.
In other instances, swelling causes the wood, or boards, to compress against each other which can cause a “push up” effect. In this case swelling can cause a crown, or less of a depression.
But how does this affect lane conditions? First, lane conditions in this case are not about the oil pattern, it’s about the condition of the lane. Time has altered the term lane conditions to mean only oil. This was not the case for the majority of time modern bowling has been in existence. So in this case, we’ll discuss lane conditions as it relates to the shape of the lane, and how those shapes affect ball motion.
Depressions and Ball Motion
If weather change makes your lanes become depressed, this shape not only helps guide the ball towards the center of the lane, it also makes the ball lose energy faster. The reason for this increased loss of energy is the rotational effect of the bowling ball against the side hill of the depression.
Here is a graphical example:
As you can see, for a right-handed player, or left-handed back-up bowler, the rotation of the ball is counter clockwise to the slope, and therefore acts like the ball is trying to rotate uphill. This makes the ball lose energy faster versus a flat lane. When lanes are shaped in this manner, ball motion is more of an “arcing” type motion because of the early loss of energy. This loss of energy is also the root cause of why some houses are referred to as a “10-pin center”.
The majority, if not all, wood lanes are depressed, especially in the head area. The majority of synthetic lanes installed over wood lanes are depressed, especially in the front part of the lane. We have found that new synthetic lane installations are more random; some parts of the lane are depressed, some parts are crowned, some are high left, and some are high right. But they are still affected by humidity and temperature changes, which means the randomness remains, it’s just different.
We have documented examples that show certain type lane structures can depress 70/1000” when weather changes occur. To show how much this affects the bowling ball, we have taken Kegel’s adjustable lanes, shaped them, and performed many tests.
Our testing has shown that a bowling ball released at 18 mph on a lane that is depressed 40/1000” from the edge to the center, can cause the bowler to be over three boards left from that of the flat lane. Slower ball speed players and lighter balls are affected more. Faster ball speed players and heavier balls are affected less. This is in accordance with Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Crowns and Ball Motion
To get an idea how a crown affects the energy of the bowling ball by its rotation, here is the same type graphical example as before:
As you can see, now the bowling ball is rotating with the slope of the lane, which causes the bowling ball to lose less energy than it would if it was rotating against the slope of the lane. When a lane is crowned in this manner, high launch angles will be affected more than a bowler that plays “straighter up the boards”. When lanes are shaped in this manner, ball motion is also more “skid snappy” because the bowling ball is retaining more energy.
The Race Track Effect
Because of this rotational effect and gravity, lanes that are depressed in the heads act like there is very little oil in the front part of the lane. Depressed heads are no different than driving your car on a banked curve. The reason for banked curves on the road, or race track, is that they reduce the vehicle’s dependence on friction to navigate the curve.
It’s no different on a bowling lane. Depressed heads keep the ball from “squirting” away from the pocket, or in other words, help the ball make its move towards the pocket, just like a banked race track helps the car turn the corner. That is, until the bowler lays the ball down on the other side of the depression.
Did you ever wonder why players that can get far to the left make the lanes look easy? The next graphic shows why; gravity is now working to their advantage, instead of against them.
The bowling ball now has a gravity “push to the right” in the front part of the lane, and a gravity “bank shot” once down the lane. Gravity wise, the lane is helping the ball get to the right early with energy retention, and then return to the pocket in the breakpoint area. Players that don’t have the rev rate to get to the extreme left are at a tremendous disadvantage in this type of playing environment.
Notice that during this entire article, we have shown how lane shape affects the direction of the bowling ball, how lane shape affects the shape of the ball’s motion, and how lane shape affects the energy loss of the bowling ball, yet we have not mentioned lane conditioner or the oil pattern once!
The next time you start chasing down a ball motion issue at your center, or even a pin carry issue, and you have performed the Process Verification Procedure on your lane machine and oil pattern, don’t overlook the shape of your lanes. We have a relatively new saying at Kegel; “you can’t fix a gravity problem with oil.”
In conclusion, get to know your lanes; identify how they’re shaped and how weather change affects their shape. Find out why some lanes score high, and why some lanes score low. It will save you a lot of headaches, and help you provide your customers with a high-quality playing experience all year round. And like always, if you have any questions or need help, call Kegel. We are just a free phone call away.
Earl Anthony - Simply the Best
THE difference between the good players, the very good players, and the great players, is the mental game. But what exactly is this mysterious thing called the "mental game”?
Many of the good players and very good players possess similar physical talents to the great players, but they often fall short with their accomplishments.
Simply put, the physical game - in any sport - is how the athlete performs based on their overall talent, ability, potential, skills, and preparation. The mental game however is a totally different animal. This element of the "package" is HOW the athlete thinks.
We have all heard about how the great players are the ones who work the hardest. They are the first ones to practice, and the last ones to leave. But, there is a lot more to it than that. Desire, dedication, determination, self-control, focus, concentration, confidence, self-esteem, positive thinking, goals, visualization, knowledge, and a host of other things, must be mastered.
The following is how the late great Earl Anthony “mastered” the game of bowling.
One time Earl Anthony was being interviewed after one of his early victories by a reporter. It was in the early 1970's, and the reporter wanted to be controversial about the lefty-righty situation that had run rampant in the late 1960's. He said to Earl, "This victory establishes you as one of the best lefties on Tour. Are you happy with that assessment?" Earl looked him right in the eye and said, "I don't know anything about that, my goal is to be the best bowler."
There was another time I remember that showed exactly how the man thought. It was 1974 and he had just been named the Bowler of the Year. A press party was arranged and the award was being presented to him in his office. The wall was cleared and the photographer was going to take a picture of Earl putting up the plaque. Earl was standing toward the corner of the wall with the plaque, and someone in the crowd told him to “put the plaque in the center of the wall.” Earl replied, “No, this one is going here, and the rest of them will go across the wall.”
Earl was right, the other Five Bowler of the Year Awards eventually filled up the entire wall.
Previously, I had written a series of books called the “Final Phase”. They were instructional books to help bowlers learn about the great sport of bowling.
For one of these books I interviewed Earl and posed this question this question to him; "Earl, in my opinion, you were the greatest bowler in the world. You totally dominated the PBA Tour for more than ten years. What do you feel was the formula-for-success that you enjoyed?”
Earl’s answer was, "In my opinion, success is the result of hard work, dedication, intelligence, selfishness, and some luck. How hard you work, and how much you are willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals, will determine to a great degree your level of success.
Natural talent is a wonderful gift, and to be the very best you must have a lot of God-given talent. However, you must work hard to develop that talent.”
Earl continued on to say, “To be a winner also takes a strong mind. You must be able to focus your concentration level to a fine point, and achieve a level of confidence in your ability that is unshakable under the most extreme pressure. Most winners develop an air of arrogance, which is a by-product of the confidence that they have in their ability.
The reason I was successful, was my ability to understand and develop my mental game, as well as the endless hours of practice on my physical game. There was also a certain amount of fear-of-failure that was tempered by a small degree of courage that I used as a motivator to let me continue to fight for my goals, despite many setbacks, and a willingness to put bowling, and my desire to be the very best, above all other things in my life."
Those three interviews alone, tells you volumes about why I thought Earl was the very best. To this day I still get chills and goose bumps when I read them.