Cheetah Oil Pattern

    ​The Cheetah Oil Pattern is the fourth of the professional oil patterns I'll be discussing. It is 36 feet long and can yield low to high scoring depending on how quickly you can figure things out. A urethane ball works best here and you shouldn't have to make any large adjustments. Remember that sometimes an adjustment can mean changing the ball you are using, not just your target or where you are standing.

    Most bowlers, disregarding their style, should use an outside line on this Cheetah pattern and use a target around the first arrow. Using straighter angles into the pocket area will be wise because the ball will have more hook on the back end until the pattern starts to break down which may be fairly quickly since most bowlers will be using a similar line. The pattern looks like this:

Cheetah Oil Pattern

    Strokers:
    Begin with a target between boards 4-6, and use a ball with a more gradual hook to start so it doesn't take off on the back end.

Tweeners:
    Also use the outside line and play around the first arrow (5th board) and use a ball with a little less surface. If you throw your ball a little fast than most, you can try playing between the 2nd and 3rd arrows which will give you more room for error.

Crankers:
    Can start between the first and 2nd arrow. Try to be as accurate as possible in hitting your mark, especially on a fresh pattern or the ball may take off on the back end and come up too high on the headpin. Getting your ball into the rolling phase as soon as possible will be helpful early on so it can lose some of it's power on the back end which will give you a little more room for error in case you miss your mark slightly. If the ball is hooking too much, you can use a slightly weaker ball if you have one.


    You can check out my blog post from 4/4/22 on how to maintain a bowling ball. I discuss using Abralon pads to scratch the surface of the bowling ball which you can do before the tournament or league play begins. You must do the whole surface of the ball and a 500 grit pad will cause the ball to hook earlier on the lane than a 2000 grit pad which would cause the ball to hook later.

    Remember to use these suggestions as a starting point. You will have to adjust from here because of the amount your ball hooks and speed in which you throw it at.

​    Please join me back here next week when I'll be discussing "How do you build consistency in bowling"?-Part 1.

    Good Luck and High Scoring!!