2010-11 City Tournament Lane Conditions
USBC Red/White/Blue Patterns
With the MBA City Tournament set to be contested on a USBC White lane pattern, a number of obvious questions arise.
Why?
Integrity and credibility.
The tournament has been held on house conditions as long as I can remember. If a modified 'tournament pattern'
was ever used, I never noticed.
Over the years, there have been advancements in lane conditioning machines, oiling and cleaning techniques, and
bowling ball technology. These, and other factors, have produced a modern scoring environment that produces
record scores, perfect games, and even perfect series with seeming regularity. There was a time when a
perfect game - even a 200 average was rare and celebrated. Last season, the MBA recorded 224 perfect games and
there were 924 different bowlers with an average of 200 or higher - about one out of seven bowlers.
This is fine for league bowling, if that's what you want. Pretty much all bowlers in the center are competing
on the same condition, more certainly so within the same league. And, people enjoy high scores.
What can happen, though, is these high scores don't always indicate good bowling. I've had great 600 series and
horrid 750 series. We've probably all personally experienced the difference between 'good bowling' and 'good
scoring'.
The MBA wants the tournament to reward good bowling more than good scoring. The USBC White condition is a step
in that direction. It will provide a fair lane condition that is not foreign to league bowlers, adds the
element of a little challenge, and enhances the tournament experience.
What is a USBC White condition?
The USBC has introduced the Red/White/Blue system of lane patterns to provide a bridge
between typical league conditions and Sport Bowling. The patterns can be seen with more information on the
Bowl.com website here.
The color system is analogous to golf tees, for you golfers. Red is the easiest, White somewhat harder, and
Blue the most difficult of the three. None of them are Sport Bowling. Other factors can come into play, of
course, but this is the general idea.
All of the colors are also "house shots" - meaning there is a larger concentration of oil in
the middle of the lane and less on the outside. These are all conditions league bowlers are familiar
with.
USBC Red is pretty much all standard league conditions today. USBC White has less oil buildup in the middle.
Blue, less still.
The general consensus is that White cuts down the miss area by a couple boards in either direction. If you pull
the ball, it will not sit there and hold the pocket the way it would on a Red condition with its heavy
concentration of oil in the middle. The White condition has also been known to have a limit to how far right
(or left) you can throw it. Basically, the shot is moderately forgiving - not extremely forgiving. While Red
may be 'shooting fish in a barrel', White is like shooting fish in a swimming pool. (Unlike Sport Bowling
which, for me, is like shooting fish on the moon.)
How will it affect the typical league bowler?
Until the USBC Red/White/Blue program, the terms 'pattern' and 'challenging' often meant
'tough' or 'Sport Bowling'.
No more.
Remember, the USBC color patterns are all 'house patterns'. League bowlers should find them familiar and be
comfortable bowling on them.
A key element to success will be the individual bowler's ability (and willingness) to adjust. Often, a bowler
can focus on a single mark for virtually an entire league night. On the White, the lesser concentration of oil
in the middle may require a bowler to move more frequently.
Of course, any number of factors will dictate your adjustments. Just keep in mind that if you are throwing the
ball well, hitting near your target, but not hitting the pocket - it's time to move!
The goal is to provide a condition that rewards you if you bowl well.
Does this favor higher average bowlers?
Not really. The tournament is 100% handicapped, so it is virtually an 'over average'
contest. Higher average bowlers are as apt to bowl well or bowl poorly as anyone else relative to their
average. Certainly more accomplished players have the advantage of experience and sometimes greater arsenals -
but this is something they have regardless of the condition.
And, because it is not a Sport condition, the 'shot' should be manageable for league bowlers.
The White condition was used for our Senior City Tournament - results here. The results show success by
bowlers of a variety of averages. There were two 300 games bowled in the Senior City Tournament and a good
number of other high
scores and series.
You can't compare the scores you get to your Red average. Note in the Senior City tournament, hitting average
was generally all that was required to cash.
Why should I bowl?
We hope you will take up the challenge and compete. The scores you get may not be as high as
you are accustomed to seeing in regular league play, but you will know that if you get a good score - you
earned it.
We also hope you will enjoy the added dimension to bowling that this challenge offers.
The MBA Championship tournament is now a good test of skill for the members of our association. While winning
is the ultimate accomplishment, success on a challenging lane condition is something to be proud of.