While some pairs do score higher than others, your sample size is entirely too small.  We could all list dozens (if not hundreds) of small factors that contribute to our bowling performance.  If you bowled a thousand games on each pair over the course of a few years, the scores would probably be pretty close to your average.

Definetley have pairs where our team can not carry as well as others and win/loss on that pair shows it. We have pairs as well where one lane hooks as much as 5 to 10 boards more on some nights and are always different. Those are also the pairs I try to practice on in an effort to figure out how to master the differences.

In a local house with 24 lanes (Duisburg, Germany), there is a recognizable difference between the lane sections.

Lower numbers are normally only used by social bowlers, and from lane 18 upwards, club training is conducted, seeing much more wear through reactive stuff and more frequent use. Esp. in tournaments, this difference can cause big trouble for players who do not know about it.

While the difference is not huge, the balls react differently and it is more or less impossible to take learnings from the lower pairs to the higher pairs, et. v.v. Esp. with fresh oil the difference is quite severe.

Besides, you often have lanes which are exposed to wind from the entrance or the airco - they tend to dry up faster and also play very different from the rest of the lanes.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

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The center that I bowl at on Tuesday nights has a couple of bad pairs, but 37 and 38 brings new definition to the word "bad".  The building got some water in the foundation about ten years ago and I think that it must have warped the pair.  The pin decks are also tilted I think.  If you shoot 650 on that pair, you had an awesome night.

I think there are pairs where I've not bowled as well, but I tend to blame myself. I'm human and don't always roll the ball the exact same every night. There are always other parts of the lane that may have scored better had I tried them, too.

Assuming the lane machine did its job reasonably well, I SHOULD be able to move around and find SOMETHING, even if it's not the line I'd prefer to play. For example, some lanes transition (break down) faster than others due to uneven wear on both lanes. Maybe the right lane "dries up" faster, or so it seems, due to more wear on the surface.

Last season I was bowling on some old, beat up, wood lanes that don't get maintained very well. In addition the center uses a lower viscosity (thin) oil because their lane machine is also ancient. First game I had literally moved 5 boards left with a pearl reactive ball. I ran out of slide area fast. I tried a solid reactive to tame the back end down, but it started hooking so early I was (seemingly) in deep trouble. The guys with absolutely no revs were having a great time.

Finally, out of desperation I took my newly drilled Groove Urethane "spare ball" and moved out to the track that everyone had vacated and "softened the hand" and the next 13 balls were strikes. No figjam intended, but LESSON LEARNED. LOUD AND CLEAR!!

Normally I would have never tried something that extreme, but it goes to show that every lane probably has a shot where SOMEONE will score if they will try it.

So again, I score better (or worse) on some pairs, but I generally blame myself if I didn't find the "shot" that night.

Just look around you. Is everyone struggling on that pair? If they are, is it because they've psyched themselves out with the negative "this pair is hard" talk, or is everyone playing the same area? Has anyone dared to make a big move left or right and played their "B" game? On any given night the "B" game could be your "A" game.

There's a statement about life that may apply here. "Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people refuse to do."  In other words, go ahead and try another part of the lane. What have you got to lose? The bad scores you've already got? I hope this long (but true) story helps someone out there. Good luck.


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Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Pro Shop Staff

www.brunswickbowling.com

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.