How to read lanes. This is probably the most frequently asked question by aspiring bowlers. Should I buy a new ball; where should I stand; why does my ball roll out? There are many aspects to "reading" lanes and we will share with you our simple method of tackling this problem. If you can learn to read lanes faster you will enjoy your bowling more and be more competitive against those that don't have this skill.
Firstly, ask look at the lane: how can you read it? If you really know your bowling you may be able to see a little oil, or identify the type of lane surface but most people can't see the oil in the heads, let alone at 30,40 or 50 feet down the lane, or the small variations in crosswise tilt which are also important. What matters for you, the bowler, is not the lane itself, but the ball reaction. Human senses provide feedback and in bowling we use our sight: we can see what the ball does - so it is ball reaction that we learn to read, not the lanes themselves.
Through a process of Pattern Recognition you developed an awareness of good and bad ball reaction. Muscle memory is important because it is automatic, you don't need to think about the mechanics skills, they just happen - after you have trained your body through repetition. The same with reading ball reaction: it's hard at first, but you learn to "see" the shot and will immediately know, without thinking, when the pattern changes: your brain is happy in it's comfort zone and any variation will signal it fast.
Both hook and spinner bowlers can read the ball reaction through the breakpoint. These styles and straight bowlers can also learn to "read" the signals that the pins give us too: e.g. 4 pin, 10 pin, 5 pin etc. etc.
This is where you need to learn to read the lanes, or as I prefer to say, read the reaction. There is no one single solution. Firstly I can't see you bowl to see the reaction you get but, even if I could, the center could oil the lanes different tomorrow and you would get a different reaction.
There are many variables: oil pattern, games played (and their affect on the oil), your style, the weather (hot, cold), condition of the lane (each lane is different, esp on wood), consistency of your release etc. etc.
If you are using a wrist guard I assume you are playing hook style. If your ball does not flare watch the finger tips as the ball rolls down the lane and learn to get a feel for when the ball hooks (the breakpoint - watch the video of the soccer ball on my site to see this in action). Then when you can see that (it takes time to learn this skill) you will "see" (without thinking) the breakpoint - you can then judge whether the ball is hooking too early, too late or just right.
If the ball flare it gets a little harder to judge, but you can still develop this feel, based on ball reaction. Note this is not reading lanes, but watching ball reaction - get the idea? Your feedback comes from what you can see the ball doing, you can't see the oil on the lanes (especially 40-50-60 feet away). <[>The adjustments you make are based on this breakpoint: if the ball hooks too early it uses the energy up too soon and rolls out - you need more speed, a shinier less aggressive ball, more oil, more axis rotation/tilt. If the ball skids too much, hooks too late and isn't rolling at the pins you need an earlier reaction (simple, yeh?) so use less speed, less rotation, more ball surface (duller, more aggressive) and move to find less oil.
All these adjustments are summarised in the simple phrase: ARSE, Angle, Rotation, Speed and Equipment. If the ball doesn't react as best it the usual adjustments are a) to change Angle, moving in usually gets a little more oil and more skid/distance b) change Equipment, use duller higher friction surface for earlier roll. Better bowlers can change the speed and rotation too.
So, how do you play wood? Watch, look, observe and get a feel for the ball reaction: when it's good remember it, when it's bad ask yourself how it's different - does the ball break too soon or too late. Then use ARSE to make the adjustment which will best affect the reaction.
Does that help a little?