If You’re a Serious Bowler, You Need to Know About Bowling Lane Oil
Professional bowlers like EJ Tackett consider lane oil patterns a critical factor in performance, requiring constant adaptation during matches. Modern technology has standardized and automated oil application, transforming it from a protective measure into a strategic element of the game. While amateur lanes use consistent high-ratio oil patterns, pros face varying and deliberately altered patterns to test skill and adaptability.
- ▪Lane oil reduces friction on specific parts of the lane, influencing how the ball slides and curls during a throw.
- ▪Oil patterns are intentionally changed in PBA events, forcing professional bowlers to adjust their strategies in real time.
- ▪Kegel and Brunswick use advanced machines resembling inkjet printers to precisely apply oil in customizable, repeatable patterns.
- ▪Early lane oil application was inconsistent due to manual methods, prompting the development of automated systems like Kegel's Sanction technology.
- ▪Modern lane machines are now battery-powered and fully automated, handling both cleaning and oiling without human intervention.
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Ben DowsettGearMay 17, 2026 6:00 AMIf You’re a Serious Bowler, You Need to Know About Bowling Lane OilBowling centers apply oil to their lanes using a machine that works like a giant inkjet printer. The pattern in which it’s applied can change everything about how the ball travels.Photograph: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyEach time EJ Tackett steps to his lane to throw a shot in the upcoming Professional Bowlers Association World Championships, he’ll be thinking about more than just ball spin or angle.Tackett has won the last three world titles, and there’s a convincing case that he’s currently the best bowler on Earth.
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