What to expect from the PBA experience league?  When I started this league I was expecting allot of low scores and everybody struggling but in this league it feels like league and I am alittle disappointed..  I didnt want to join this league to score but learn allot of technigues from the league but its just another league...  Was my understanding wrong...

Greetings!

My experience in PBAX leagues has been that this league tends to draw stronger more fundamentally sound bowlers. They come so that we can learn how to handle the PBA patterns. If the scores are higher than you'd expect, then ask if they are laying down the patterns the correct way.

Just last night, my PBAX league had its first night on the Shark pattern. We only found out later that the house laid down the pattern without stripping the lanes first. Thus there was more oil than there should have been and the pattern played much longer than it should have.

Don't be afraid to ask questions from better bowlers. You'll find that most everyone is there for the same reason.

Knock 'em over!    Vinnie

I'd ask if they're laying down the proper pattern and if they're stripping the lanes before putting it down. Also if it's truly a PBAX sanctioned league someone should be taping the lanes for USBC to certify. Whoever is taping the lanes should be able to tell you if the pattern is correct.

I went to a tournament once where it was advertised as a sport shot but whoever came in to oil before the tournament didn't strip and laid the sport pattern over the house shot. Scores ended up being extremely high, definitely didn't end up being a sport shot and there were a lot of disappointed bowlers. The tournament director apologized to the field even though he wasn't associated with the house at all.

It also could depend on the overall quality of bowler in the league. If the league is loaded with talent I could see higher scores since that caliber of bowler would work together to break the lanes down and open up the shot. But if that's not the case I think the shot's not being laid down properly.

I dont think we are getting the real pba experience because I know some of the people and also know myself..  Everybody is striking and currently I am caring a 205 avg and I know i am not that good.. 

I was hopping for someone to instruct me on what i should be throwing to strike. 

It really depends on the quality of players in your league.  While it is true that machines often don't get a good enough strip before laying out the sport shot, the fact is that most guys who can average high on a house shot and dont hook the ball from coast to coast will find at least a couple of sport or PBA patterns that they can match up with pretty well.  I remember talking with a couple of guys one year who agreed with me that the Cheetah played easier for us than the house shot at one center.  As a senior with lower revs and more end over end, I always struggle with carry when playing very wet dry house shots.  The flatter pattersn let me play straighter with less head belly and give me better carry.  In another sport league I averaged 219 during the summer while only averaging 216 during the winter on the house shot. 

The more experience people get on the PBA patterns the better they bowl on them.  I think some of the Kegel challenge patterns play tougher because they use so much reverse oil, and I am not use to playing on them like I am the PBA patterns.

Lots of misconceptions out there about house shot vs sport and PBA patterns, but that is for another post.     

The oil patterns that are laid down for the PBA Experience league are only as good as the lane surface itself. On newer synthetic lanes or recently resurfaced wood lanes these patterns will play like they should. On older and/or worn lanes the track area of the house will dictate play more than it should.

Good point about lane surface.  If you are playing on synthetics that are 10 years old, there is much more of a track area than you would expect between 10 and 15.  On the longer patterns you will find some swing area in that part of the lane fairly quickly.