To score big, you either need friction to the outside or hold on the inside.  Most house shots already have tons of friction outside, so there's no reason to try to create hold.  I would say it's more common for power players to look for hook, and down and in players to look for hold.

As an old guy the old definition of shim I use is the one that they use to put in the wick machines. 

However what guys are talking about today is the tendency of high rev players to ignore the oil pattern and try to blow a hole in the pattern from inside right out of the gate.  It has been going on for 15 years.  The ironic thing is that these guys not only blow up the shot for other guys, but typically don't score as good as they could if they tried to play the pattern and let it open up on a more direct angle. 

A good example of what I am talking about was last winter in a senior tourney I bowled.  They used the Paris 50 foot pattern which none of us seniors was going to open up very quickly.  Instead we all started playing very square up second arrow.  It took a 220 average to make the cut.   I was talking to a good young player about it the next week, and he said it was a good thing the kids weren't playing it.  "We would have blown it up for everyone."

   

Also, I have thought for years that many of the high rev players start out using balls that are too strong for their game, which accelerates the problem more.

Great point that not many people seem to grasp. Heavy oil to them means get strong covered ball in their hands, and when they do so, they actually have to get left because they hook so much. Often times on the fresh its better to use a medium strength tame ball with some surface to get it to pick up, yet not overhook, and keep you from splitting, 9-pinning, etc. Then as the lanes dry in that initial spot and force you to move left, you put a little stronger cover in your hands to hook more. If you play them right, you find a look on the fresh that will carry, and as you move left manipulate covers and hand to keep the same ball motion thru the pins. But most will think more oil more ball, even if it requires them to start at 18 on the fresh :/

Not about adapting to what the young guns do.  They have shown they can't play the shot properly for themselves in a long format. 

I really got a kick out of watching the guys on the Badger pattern.  Guys who could go straight, and not fight the pattern pretty much had the boomers lunch. 

What irks me is to see "Not about adapting" anywhere within a bowling discussion.

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