Most bowling alleys are constructed with synthetic bowling lanes today, instead of the wood that was used in the past. In fact, many older bowling alleys have upgraded to synthetic, especially when the wood lanes are in bad shape, and they interfere with the quality of bowling. Pretty much anyone who is starting a bowling alley today will choose synthetic lanes for their durability and strength. However, for the bowler who is making the transition from wood to synthetic, the way they play will have to be adjusted in order to get the benefits of synthetic.

Wood Lanes and Oil

Coating the wooden lanes with oil is an age-old practice that bowling alleys started in order to protect the wood surface. This helped reduce the impact of the bowling balls, especially at the head of the lane, where balls are repeatedly thrown against the wood surface. The practice also made it more difficult to hook the ball.

Today, synthetic bowling lanes are usually “conditioned” in the same way. Although the practice is no longer used to protect the finish, it does add a challenge to the bowlers. Not all areas of the bowling lane are oiled in the same thickness, and the oil can’t be seen so the bowler can judge how to bowl.

House Rules

Fortunately, the patterns used by bowling alleys are based on the level of competition. The patterns used are designed to help you bowl more successfully. That’s why many players greatly improve their score when they go from bowling on wood lanes to synthetic, and lower their score when doing the opposite. The house pattern is working in their favor, even when they can’t see it firsthand.

The House Pattern

The house pattern includes more oil in the middle, and less to the outside of the lane. When your shot is slightly off, it hits the dry portion, which causes it to stop skidding. If the shot goes too far inside, the slicker center will guide it out to the pocket.

Customers are going to be a lot happier when they get better scores, and they are probably going to want to bowl even more. To learn more about upgrading to synthetic bowling lanes for your bowling business, call Murrey Bowling at 310-532-6091.