Today, we’re going to talk about another medium-distance pattern. Let me introduce to you the Kegel Wall Street oil pattern. The pattern is mostly popular in bowling centers. Many use this as their house shots. So if you’re here reading this article, I’m guessing your local bowling alley has recently changed the pattern to Wall Street or you’ll soon bowl in a competition where they will be using this pattern from Kegel’s Recreation Series. So without further ado, let’s get right into in-depth analysis and the playing method of Wall Street.
What is Kegel Wall Street oil pattern?
What I love about the Kegel Navigation Patterns is everyone can enjoy them. Whether you’re a title-winning pro or a seasonal beginner, the recreation patterns really do bring the challenge and fun to bowling. The Kegel Wall Street is one of those oil patterns that every bowler love playing. The Wall Street pattern also has 2 official versions.
The first one is the Wall Street pattern (7240) that stretches to 40 feet and has 50 uL of oil per board (oil per board can be customized). The Forward Oil Total is 8.8 mL and the Reverse Oil Total is 10.9 mL, so you get a 19.7 mL of Total Volume Oil. On this pattern, the Total Boards Crossed are 394 Boards, (Forward Boards Crossed- 176 boards and Reverse Boards Crossed- 218 boards). The oil ratio on the Wall Street oil pattern is 9:1.
Then there is the Wall Street V2 (1140) that runs 40 feet and also has 50 uL of oil on every board. The Total Forward Oil is 13.6 ml and the Total Reverse oil is 10 ml, so you get a total volume of 23.6 ml of oil on this pattern. The oil ratio on this V2 version of Wall Street is 11:1.
How to attack on Wall Street oil pattern?
The bowling center I used to go to 3 years back had the Wall Street as their house pattern. When I first played on it I didn’t know what was applied there and threw my bowling ball as I did on the THS. After my 3rd game, my coach mentioned, “Hey you’re stomping the Wall Street!” I was like, “Hey, I don’t work in Wall Street!” This is when he told me it is the new Kegel recreation pattern. Now, I’m gonna tell you how You can play on this pattern!
As a smart bowler, the first thing you should do is use the ‘Rule of 31’ formula to calculate your expected breakpoint. So, Pattern Length – 31, 40-31 = 9 which is the number of the board where your ball’s breakpoint is going to be. So targeting a little left from the 2nd arrow is a great place to start to roll your ball on the 9 board. What I’m trying to tell is you have to play a little inside instead of outside or in-between. But playing around the 2nd arrow is definitely a safe zone.
When you’re bowling on this pattern, position yourself near the big dot. Doing that will make it easier to roll your ball over the second arrow on the lane. Like most medium oiled high-ratio patterns, the Kegel Wall Street will widen up your options to roll your ball. Your options to choose the right bowling ball are also vast. As long you can control the speed of your bowling ball, you can use almost all kinds of bowling balls on this pattern. Of course, the way you bowl is going to be an important factor to determine how it will hit the pockets.
Although the Rule of 31 is indicating your ball’s breakpoint close to the 9 board, you can go as deep as 11 board or a little on the right. Don’t attempt to play close to the 1st arrow. If playing like this seems easy and you’re getting good strikes and spares, it’s time to maintain consistency and you’ll be good to continue.
If your target is 2nd arrow, you’re gonna need a moderately strong ball. If you go for a weaker ball, you will have to put your strength into the ball. The more inside you migrate to, the more aggressive your ball should be. If you’re a high rev bowler, you’re gonna love this pattern for the freedom it will provide. You will love the flexibility of swinging your ball as you normally do play direct.
You know what the legends say, the journey is easier when you know your destination. With an adequately strong ball, your target board should be 8-11. If you’re forced to move a bit outside, make sure you’re using a ball that doesn’t hook too aggressively. A bowling ball with a good backend reaction and controllable speed is the way to go. If you miss left on this pattern, you’re going to be deep in the oil and your ball will hit the headpin in the face. Oppositely, if you miss right, your ball will struggle on the dry part and hit the 6-pin in the face.
Which bowling ball is best for this pattern?
The best thing about playing this pattern is its versatility. From Urethane to Hybrid, you can use almost every coverstock on this pattern. And the finish? Nothing too sanded because it will chew up the oil, or too shiny because it may start wiggling in the middle part of the lane. So here are some of my favorite bowling balls recommendations for the Wall Street oil pattern.
The Hammer Purple pearl urethane would be a great ball for beginners as well as pros not to face any overreaction down lane, The Storm Phaze III is an amazing ball for this pattern. After a few games, you can use something like the Storm Axiom or Axiom Pearl. Some of the alternatives are— the Storm Dark Code, Hammer Black Widow Pink, Hammer Web Pearl Jade/Smoke, Roto Grip RST X-2, and Motiv Jackal Ghost.
Conclusion
To conclude, the pattern is easy but there are a few catches. At first, keep your angles tight, and after a few games start to open that up. Don’t worry too much! Kegel did not formulate these recreation patterns to make bowling impossible. So the wise thing to do now is practice till you’re satisfied. So, looks like you know your destination now. Be ready for what is ahead of you and good luck with your future challenges!
