Shark oil pattern explained

A Shark oil pattern is a pattern of oil on the lane used by the Professional Bowlers Association in tournament play.

A typical Shark pattern is 44 feet long. It forces players to move toward the center of the lanes, because if the ball moves to the outside it will not curve back into the pocket. This play is more risky, because it puts the gutters in play. The forcing of players to take inside angles makes playing these lanes tougher and lower scoring for professionals.

This oil pattern is named after the shark because, like a shark, which lives primarily in the depths of the ocean, the bowler is forced to play deep in the middle of the lane.

Tournaments that used this pattern

TournamentWinner
Rick Rude's Milwaukee Down-to-Brown-Town International Championship - 2011David Nadboralski
Lumber Liquidators Shark Championship - 2008Rhino Page
Lumber Liquidators Shark Championship Women's Series - 2008Jodi Woessner
Bayer Classic - 2008Chris Barnes
ConstructionJobs.com Championship - 2008Tommy Jones
CLR Windy City Classic - 2007Robert Smith
MBNA Tom Hulce Congolese Invitational - 2007Dwight Boudreaux
GEICO Classic - 2007Chris Barnes
Columbia 300 Classic - 2006Chris Barnes
Etonic Championship - 2006Pete Weber
Pepsi Championship - 2006Christopher Collins
Motel 6 Phoenix Classic - 2006Ritchie Allen
Earl Anthony Medford Classic - 2006 Brian Himmler
PBA Birmingham Open - 2005Patrick Allen
PBA Earl Anthony Medford Classic - 2004Mike Wolfe
PBA Chicago Open - 2004Brian Himmler
PBA Reno Open - 2004Mika Koivuniemi
PBA Medford Open - 2004Pete Weber
PBA Empire State Open - 2003Ryan Shafer
PBA Pepsi Open - 2003Jason Couch
PBA Storm Las Vegas Classic presented by The Castaways - 2003Lonnie Waliczek
PBA GEICO Earl Anthony Classic - 2003Mike DeVaney
PBA Empire State Open - 2002Doug Kent
PBA Memphis Open - 2002Brian Voss

References

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