BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: thedjs on June 24, 2014, 04:47:05 PM
-
Is a reverse block a legal oil pattern? I thought I had read somewhere that it was not.
-
It is totally a legal oil pattern, as long as there is 3ml of oil in the middle for some distance.
-
While I see no reason that a reverse block is illegal, people have so many problems with some of the sport patterns, I wonder if something like the reverse block is really necessary any more.
FYI about 99% of the time that people suspect they are on a reverse block, they are either on a true 2:1 sport pattern or they are on a flat pattern. Flat patterns can be absolutely, devastatingly brutal.
-
Its as legal as any ths you see. Keep in mind it is just swapping the hook from the outside and putting it in the middle and putting the oil on the gutters. It takes away the gutter bumper bowling. Ive not seen or heard it in many many years.
-
FWIW a lot of medium true sport patterns can look and feel like a reverse block after some burn
-
I bowled one the other day. 45 foot reverse block. From 11 to about 27 was hooking lots. You had guys either playing up 10, or lofting the gutter. It was fun.
-
I started out bowling on a reverse block. It really hones your targeting skills, and your consistency skills.
-
I don't think anyone would intentionally put out a reverse block. In the summer, it is possible that not oiling for a few days would cause the middles to cave in eventually.
-
The guy that was running the tournament put one out. The lane graph said so! :p
-
I believe you Doom. I just don't think a proprietor consciously decides to drive away his league base by making them tough. Tournaments are a different story.
-
I believe you Doom. I just don't think a proprietor consciously decides to drive away his league base by making them tough. Tournaments are a different story.
The first part sums up what is wrong with the game...proprietors feel like they have to cater to the egos of those who want big numbers but not the skills that one would ideally associate with those numbers.
Tougher scoring environments tend to produce better BOWLERS.
-
I have never seen a true reverse block, which by definition means more oil is applied outside than inside. Most people mistake flat patterns with clean back ends for a reverse block. Part of the reason is that on flat patterns like the Bear or US Open patterns a small amount of carry down will take away any swing area that the clean back ends offered initially. That carrydown will be in the initial swing area. If you make a small move toward the center you get inside the carry down, and the ball checks up high. This seems like a reverse block but is really a combination of carry down on fresh back ends on a flatter pattern.
-
This could quickly turn into a whole "Bowlers don't want to do any work anymore" thread, but I agree. Where I bowl league during the summer is usually a LAKE in the middle (a ton of oil from 10 to 10, 43 feet whee!) and caters to the dumpers. It's the definition of Tweener Hell. Usually don't bring anything lower flare, because I can keep moving into the puddle (Network, Darkness, War Eagle, and King Cobra with plastic are usually in the bag)
Well, the last 2 weeks, the middles have been on FIRE (compared to the normal house shot.) First week, I figured it was a fluke, because the place likes to cater to the house bowler. No shame. 2nd week, I walk in, throw one shot with my Network, ball went runaway 4 pin, and I balled down to the weakest piece in the bag.
I loved it. Scores were MUCH more reasonable, and it was fun. You missed, it showed! I had a guy with a lot of hand shoot 225.. for 2 on my pair. Dude went 105 120. Average? 215.
Seems legit.
-
The thing people don't understand about house patterns is that they do not reward inconsistent shots. Rather they reward extreme styles that are often not adaptable to flatter patterns because they are either speed or rev dominant to too great a degree. Somebody mentioned tweener hell, and that is kind of the problem on house shots. High reving strong axis rotation shots work well, but so do very low rev release that guys can use to stay in the dirt. So called tweeners need to play too much out angle, and their rev rate is inadequate to carry consistently like the boomer.
Flatter patterns tend to reward releases that are well matched in speed and revs, allowing a person to play more direct.
-
It's absolutely legal and I have bowled in some sweepers with it before. In my cases, it was not a true reverse block, but more of a flatter pattern. The thing I like about it is that it emphasizes shot making. Strikes will be at a premium due to the flatter pattern, so make sure that you make your spares to stay in the game.