Mastering Lane Transition: How to Handle the Cliff on Easier Bowling Patterns

Written By: Cortez Schenck | Written On: Thursday, December 26, 2024

Bowling on Easier Patterns

Have you ever bowled on an easier pattern, or a house shot where you bowled great the first two games but struggled the third game and/or later in the event? I have been in this situation before where I’m bowling on a house pattern or something on the easier side and come out of the gate's guns blazing. However, it always seems that the transition after a couple of games really starts to take a beating on my ball reaction and scores. What is most likely happening in these situations is what we call the cliff. The cliff is when the lanes begin transitioning and you have to start moving farther inside the lane to find more oil. When you do this your bowling ball will have an easier time getting through the front part of the lane to make it’s proper ball reaction down lane. What tends to happen on these easier patterns when you move in is that your misses become inverted in a way. Before when you missed out your ball would hook back and come to the pocket. Your bowling ball would also hold its line to the pocket when you missed inside. However, when the lanes begin getting “cliffed” your ball will start to over hook and go through the face when you miss out. When you miss inside the lane your ball holds too much and doesn’t get back to the pocket and ends up being too light. Most bowlers think that balling down into a weaker and more angular bowling ball is the answer to fixing these problems. I have found more success in changing balls into a stronger bowling ball in these circumstances. The weaker balls typically make the cliff even worse as they are even more responsive to the friction when you miss out and hook even less in the oil when you miss in. The stronger balls on the other hand will burn up when miss out and will help it from over hooking and being too responsive. When you miss inside with the stronger bowling ball your ball will hook in the oil instead of not hooking like a weaker ball would. I only recommend changing balls into stronger balls when they get “cliffed”. If the lanes are not “cliffed” and stay blended, then it would make sense to continue to go into weaker bowling balls that will be sharper down the lane.

What is the Cliff?

What is most likely happening in these situations is what we call the cliff. The cliff is when the lanes begin transitioning and you have to start moving farther inside the lane to find more oil. When you do this your bowling ball will have an easier time getting through the front part of the lane to make its proper ball reaction down lane. What tends to happen on these easier patterns when you move in is that your misses become inverted in a way. It is also referred to as over/under, blocked or walled conditions. Oddly, lanes are often done like this to help bowlers but ends up making the shot more difficult to play at times.

Impact of the Cliff on Ball Reaction

Before, when you missed out, your ball would hook back and come to the pocket. Your bowling ball would also hold its line to the pocket when you missed inside. However, when the lanes begin getting “cliffed” your ball will start to over-hook and go through the face when you miss out. When you miss inside the lane your ball holds too much and doesn’t get back to the pocket and ends up being too light.

Strategies for Managing the Cliff

Most bowlers think that balling down into a weaker and more angular bowling ball is the answer to fixing these problems. I have found more success in changing balls into a stronger bowling ball in these circumstances. The weaker balls typically make the cliff even worse as they are even more responsive to the friction when you miss out and hook even less in the oil when you miss in.

Benefits of Stronger Bowling Balls

The stronger balls, on the other hand, will burn up when you miss out and will help it from over-hooking and being too responsive. When you miss inside with the stronger bowling ball, your ball will hook in the oil instead of not hooking like a weaker ball would. I only recommend changing balls into stronger balls when they get “cliffed”.

When to Stick with Weaker Balls

If the lanes are not “cliffed” and stay blended, then it would make sense to continue to go into weaker bowling balls that will be sharper down the lane.