I was just reading the 3-Point Targeting article in the latest issue of BTM and a question popped into my head (one for which I don't really have a good answer..).  The article talks about choosing a target at the exit point of the pattern, based upon pattern length.  So for instance, on a 39' pattern it suggests the 8 board and on a 45' pattern, it suggests the 14 board.  My question is, how do you determine (within a small margin of error) what is 39' down the lane and what is 45' down the lane?  I guess on lane surfaces with "down the lane targeting strips," you can make an educated guess, but what if they don't exist on your lanes?  We know the distance to the arrows and to the head pin, but can only really guess on the others (maybe you can estimate camera distance, but that's still pretty far down the lane).  I guess you could slowly throw your ball down the lane and see where it responds to friction (but that's still going to be some distance beyond the true end of the pattern) to get an idea...  

The whole point of this being, if for instance you are targeting the 8 board on a 39' pattern, but the exit point you choose to hit is really 42' down the lane (instead of the desired 39'), you are no longer exiting the pattern at the 8 board.  In this case it would be further inside, maybe up to several boards, depending on your launch angle.  

So after all of my rambling, my question is... how does everyone determine 35' down the lane versus 39' versus 43'?  

S^2
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The perfect qb/receiver combo in Miami:
Ginn & Juice
(Ted Ginn Jr and Cleo Lemon)

You get used to determine the lenght of a oil patter, maybe not 1 foot accurate, but you have atleast an idea. Most pattern is 40ft +- 1ft, so its not really so hard to determine the length. IT just takes some practise.
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