What is that one thing we all love about a medium-distance bowling pattern? The versatility! If the oil is applied finely (heavy on the inside and dry on the outside) then you’re most likely to play in different styles and have the flexibility of using different bowling balls. So is there any oil pattern that can ensure this? Yes! The Kegel Easy Street oil pattern is here to make your bowling easier. Imagine walking down the street on a nice summer day. Sounds easy, right? The pattern is just like that. So let’s get to know more about this pattern, alright?
What is Kegel Easy Street oil pattern?
The Kegel Navigation Patterns are created to educate and increase awareness among bowlers and bowling center proprietors about challenging, yet fun and quality oil patterns. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re going to enjoy the patterns from the Kegel Recreation Series. One of them is the Kegel Easy Street oil pattern which has 2 official versions.
The original Easy Street pattern (7938) is 38 feet with 50 uL of oil per board. The Total Volume Oil is 18.7 mL (Forward Oil Total is 7.25 mL and Reverse Oil Total is 11.45 mL). The Total Boards Crossed in the Easy Street are 374 Boards, where the Forward Boards Crossed are 145 boards and Reverse Boards Crossed are 229 boards. The oil ratio on the original version of Easy Street is 10:1.
The other version of this pattern is called Easy Street V2 (1239) which is 39 feet long with 50 uL of oil on every board. The Forward Oil total is 12.8 ml and the Reverse oil total is 9.6 ml, so you will find a total volume of 22.4 ml of oil on this pattern. The Total Boards Crossed in the Easy Street V2 are 448 Boards, where the Forward Boards Crossed are 256 boards and Reverse Boards Crossed are 192 boards. The oil ratio on this V2 version is 12:1.
How to attack on the Easy Street oil pattern?
The first thing I’d like to do is to have an idea about how to play the Easy street, and for that, I will use the ‘Rule of 31’. The formula goes like: Pattern Length – 31 = the number of boards where your breakpoint is going to be. So, 38 – 31 = 7. For the Easy Street V2, it is 39 – 31= 8. Therefore, you can expect your bowling ball’s exit point is going to be somewhere between the 5 to 10 board. I believe playing around the 1st arrow will keep you in the safe zone.
Like most medium oiled patterns, the Kegel Easy Street is gonna give you plenty of options to roll your bowling ball. A few years ago, my local bowling alley applied this lane pattern and I throw some shots, and believe it or not, you can throw from a variety of angles and the ball will still hook right on time on the targeted spot. Of course, your bowling style is going to be a factor to determine how the ball will hit the pockets.
The Rule of 31 is implying that your ball’s breakpoint is going to be around the 9 board. But if you want you can go as deep as 10 or 11 board or more on the right, let’s say, at the 4 or 5 board. To play inside, you’re gonna need an aggressive ball or you will be forced to use more hands to take advantage of this recreational oil pattern. As a high rev bowler, I’d love to have the freedom of swinging my ball easily and play more directly.
The Easy Street oil pattern is all about targeting right. It’s like when you know your destination, the journey gets easier. With a stronger ball, you should target something like 8-15. however, if that doesn’t work for you bring it in tighter and aim for 9-10 board with a weaker yet controlled bowling ball for the best reaction. So what if you want to play down and inside? Then you should bring the ball near the 10 board. Do keep in mind that if you miss left, you’re going to be deep in the oil. Oppositely, if you miss right, the pattern will seem a bit too dry.
To find the perfect entry angle and ball reaction, you should try different boards or lines across the Kegel Easy Street oil pattern. While you do that, watch out for the traffic on the lane in order to find the best scoring side. Some bowlers will feel comfortable playing on the outside while others may prefer playing towards the middle. Once you find that, the only thing to do is maintain consistency in your shots and for that practice is the key.
Another tip I’d like to share is that you can treat the pattern like a typical house pattern. Since the Easy Street is basically a modified version of THS, I believe you will do just fine if you’ve mastered in the house shots.
Which bowling ball is best for this pattern?
A perfect bowling ball for the Easy Street pattern would be something with a moderately with a sanded/matte finish and drilled for a strong arc. A ball like this will allow it to bounce outside the oil line without any overreaction. You’ll also have an adequately strong recovery to the pocket for the strong arch (when played from outside). this won’t destroy the pattern even if it has a lower volume of oil.
The most perfect ball I can imagine for the Kegel Easy Street is the Storm Phaze II. If you can’t get your hand on that, the Motiv Venom Shock would be a nice substitute. Some of the other alternatives I would highly recommend are— the Motiv Trident Abyss, Roto Grip Gem, Storm Proton Physix, 900 Global Zen, Motiv, Jackal Legacy, and Roto Grip RST X-2.
Conclusion
With that being said, the name of the pattern is justified! If you have never bowled on any recreation oil pattern, the Easy Street is a great way to start. All kinds of bowlers seem to enjoy this pattern whether it’s a fun match or a serious competition. So prepare yourself for what is ahead and good luck with your upcoming challenges!
