...What can you do???

This is a problem that has been killing me for a month & a half; and in that time I've watched my average plummett from 181->172!!  It's just insane!

I've spent some time talking to the guy who oils the lanes in our house & he's not 100% sure what is happening either.  Here's what I do know:  The lanes are done nightly around 5pm; leagues start at 6:15.  On saturday morning the lanes are oiled for the local youth leagues (very flat pattern); then saturday night rock N bowl, sunday open bowling, then oiled finally again monday night (after a morning of open bowling).  My league is on the monday night by the way...  What I wonder is if the oil machine is simply not able to get all of that carry down off the lane from the 3 days of bowling?  It's brutal from lane to lane how diferent the "shot" might be; depending on how used the lane was on the weekend.  Sometimes one lane will actually have a breakpoint; and sometimes there's nothing.

So what I've tried to do is play much more direct into the pocket; harder & straighter.  But it doesn't seem to be any better cause there's not that drive into the pocket needed to carry the back row consistently.  I've analysed my games the past few weeks & I am still opening an average of 2 frames per game which is normal for me; but with no strikes in the game at all; I can't make average...
 
I've gone so far as to buy another ball (break s75) in the hopes that it will be able to find something to bring my strike percentage back up a little so I can get my games back into the 180-190 range.  We'll find out monday night...

I know this is more of a rant of frustration than anything else; but I am at a total loss & if anyone has ever encountered this and can offer advise on how to play these lanes; I would be forever in your debt.  I'm at the point now that if I throw another 460 set; I might give up & leave...

please help!!!!
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Unofficial Member Of The Canadian National Beer Drinking Team    

There is no backend, but you are going "harder and straigher".  Chill out, MFR(move feet right), relax and roll the ball.  If necessary adjust the surface of your equipment.
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--"I see your opinion, I just don't give a f$%k."

thanks for the responses guys.  

I don't recall it ever being this bad before.  I'm sure that in years past there has been some degree of this  going on cause from what I've heard the oil schedule hasn't really changed.  Don't know if they've changed stripping solution or not.  I should ask.

As for the suggestions thanks!  Ball speed (from what teammates tell me) is always been my nemesis.  I'm usually up in the 17-17.5 mph range according to the scoring machines but I know every once in awhile I get a little speed happy.  I think that's cause my timing is slow & I put a fair bit of muscle in the swing.  It's something that I've been working on all year despite the other issues.  I'm actually in the process of going from 5 step to 4 step (in practice only not ready for league yet) and people say that the timing looks better.  I might actually try it monday & see if it makes any difference.

notclay - I never thought about ball surface in that way before.  good point!  I overheard someone last week saying that they had to put their solid away & go to a pearl cause the solid was going straight!  With your comments that makes a little more sense now.  So I wonder if the s75 will encounter the same problems?
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Unofficial Member Of The Canadian National Beer Drinking Team    

well i am suprised nobody has mentioned, trying a low particle ball?
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" Lift Your Skirt Grab Your Balls and Learn How to Bowl "   http://coolluvr4u1976.bowlspace.com/

Unfortunately the s75 is already drilled.  I picked it up at a great deal off e-bay.  Guy had a span identical to mine so it was a no brainer.

ball is drilled with pin over bridge, cg about 2" under ring MB (900) about 1" to right of thumb.  Was surprised that it was polished up a bit but the guy had explained kinda what was mentioned above the OOB surface was causing the ball to burn up & not make the turn cleanly so he polished it up to 2000 & it worked much better.

I've had a chance to throw it already but the lanes were pretty toasted.  I'm still optimistic cause this ball is easily 5-8 boards stronger than my NGS threshold with a similar surface prep.  I didn't see the hook monster some of the reviews had praised but I'm sure that's the polish.  Still a pronounced move at the breakpoint though.  Might hit it with a green scotchbrite pad to get a little more out of it.  Monday will be the telltale...
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Unofficial Member Of The Canadian National Beer Drinking Team