4 Reasons Why The "Rule of 31" Does Not Work on a House Shot 

As a 1st year bowler I really appreciate these instruction videos. I learn so much from watching them and Nick does an excellent job of helping to visualize what's happening on the lane with clear and knowledgeable commentary.

It all depends on where the oil is and the zone you want to play. I can play almost anywhere on synthetic lanes and a house shot, when need be. I don't mind changing up hand positions to send it up 5, or cross 5 out to 2, or later down at 5 and hook it as it's hitting the pocket, or loft the gutter out to 8, 12 or 15. It all depends on how flat each section of the lane is and for how long. So if it's done in 3 loads in a 42' pattern and you started with 2:1 for the first load, then 2nd load you do 6:1 and the last 12:1 you will have 3 good zones to the pocket. Low speed low revs can go straight up 5, medium folks can play up 10 and the high speed high rev folks would be between 20 and 15 at the arrows. Modern patterns have many more loads and the ratios of a house shot change quite a bit in some cases, pretty much affording a shot to every player. This does not mean bowling is easier. Every player still has to make good shots for their style.

I've seen the rule of 31 taught a lot, but I'm with you, it doesn't work on a league shot. I don't use the word , "area shot", but it's one way of saying what to do on a league shot. To my bowlers, I use the words, " look for the forgiving shot" on the lanes that will give you the most carry. I've watch bowlers that won't take advantage of that sweet spot on the lanes and I just shake my head watching them. Great lessen, keep it up.

I've always had the experience that playing closer to the pocket in the middle lane has led to the best results for me, the most flush strikes and the most reliable hits.

Great video demonstrating where the rule of 31 is more of a general guideline than an actual written in stone rule. Looking forward to more like it!

Thanks Nick. Greatly appreciate insight.

Great video Nick’ I’ve heard the rule of 31, and a friend Palmer Fallgren showed me and how to go about it’ so I did try several times on league about 5 years ago and I did not get to the pocket with the pattern that they would put on the lane, every league nite it would be different by 5 boards of short or longer length. Always dig your videos.

Great video, as always. I, too, had some issues with this on the longer patterns. The rule of 31 would put you left of the head pin at the breakpoint, and it didn't make any sense.

Nice vintage zone shirt 🔥🔥

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I thought the rule of 31 relates to the board the ball exits the pattern, not necessarily your breakpoint. The ball will still skid a couple of feet after exiting the pattern before starting to hook

What about the rule of “just throw it?” Cause that’s what house shots are

Can you do a video like Darren Tang rating and describing all the ball releases from this year from all the brunswick companies? Would be interesting to see all of them compared to eachother.

I've got a suggestion for a ball comparison video. Fireball vs Fire vs Ocean vibe.

Now that's how to end a video. 9-10!

Our house shot is 44. I stand on 21, roll over 14 (rule of 7) aim at 12 (rule of 31) enters at 17.5 board.. strike. But that's just me. I don't need a lot of hook. Just enough to hit the pocket at the rigth angle. Ball speed 16.55, revs 310, entry board 17.3 according to specto.

Bowled on shark today -31 rule should be 17 board shark is 48-31=17 but if you do get to around 8 I was gone, so most people ball speed has a lot to do with it

The rule of 31 has been debunked in so many ways. Board 12 breakpoint is like a high volume 48-50ft pattern for most good bowlers with decent revs. There are so many variables. Bowlers delivery specs. Pattern ratio and volume. Topography. How old the surface is, what kind of surface it is. What ball and surface is on the ball. What we are looking for is recovery on misses out, and hold on misses in. That is going to be so incredibly different for everyone based on the info mentioned above.

Cool video talk tech bowling bowling ball Brunsnick

I have also seen the rule of 31 not work on longer patterns with lower volumes.

Rule of 31 is kind of like BMI for weight loss. It tells you something, but shouldn't be the stat you focus on.

Rule 31 can also vary based on how the bowler releases the ball. An ultra low rev low speed bowler will not be expected to play a pattern the same way a high rev high speed bowler does. They will get to the pocket in different ways that are suitable to their games.

Oil patterns have always been about VOLUME, not length. A 35' pattern could have 75mL of oil (with like 50mL of it being forward) and you'd think that you'd want to feed the ball to the 4 board if you follow the rule of 31 (or 30, which is what I like to use instead of 31). Do that and you're in the channel. But a pattern could also be 48' with like 20mL of oil (and with 15mL of it being reverse oil) and if you subtract that from 30 you'll be feeding the ball to...the 18 board? Why? On a pattern that light, I'm going up the gutter with the most aggressive ball in my bag.

Noice!!

The rule of 31 doesn't apply at my house shot either. And week to week it can be different based on other variables such as what conditioner they ran out of. Sometimes boards 2 - 10 feel like a flat sport pattern. And the morning leagues they put out way more oil than the night leagues. Lanes on the right side of the house have back ends that hook a lot more than the left. Point is its always different, one league I have to bring a big solid asym and play the 1st arrow to the 2 board. Another league, I'm playing the 3rd arrow with a hybrid.

How to determine house shot and sports shot pattern?

Has anyone actually claimed using the rule of 31 on a house shot? In between 10 - 5 at the breakpoint has always been my thoughts when dealing with a THS.

I thought it was where the bowl exits the pattern, not t h e breakpoint?

I was always under the impression that “the rule of 31” tells you what board you want your ball to exit the pattern. Not what board you want your break point to be. 🤷🏻‍♂️

From what I understood, the rule of 31 is for the EXIT point of the ball from the oil, not the breakpoint.

Brunsnick, why use such an aggressive ball? I've been taught if you can't make the bowling ball do justice after you have gone through all the tricks in you pocket with your hand, speed etc, CHANGE bowling ball! Try something that isn't hooking that much, or something less aggressive. You could probably hit that 12th board with something less reactive, I do it all the time on house shoots in my league bowling.

The Rule of 31, to me, is not an absolute, but a starting point. Adjustments are made off of this.

I don't think it works period. I'm on 45' Shark (a few years ago)... ain't no way I'm breaking at 14. I'm seeing one of the elite players going straight up 7... Rule of 31 just seems like the ever so slightest guideline

My house shot is 42. Most of us have to get it to the rail

I practiced this morning on Kegal Arsonic and got my ass kicked!!!!!

Rule of 31 is with exit point, not with break point and doesn't work at all.

Is it me or do most of us who love sport patterns hate house shots. Free hook sucks!

Rule of 31 doesn’t really work on anything. It can be right sometimes but not often

Rule of 31 is for EXIT point, not breakpoint….come on BrunsNick!!! Lol

Rule of 31 is "EXIT POINT" not break point. If your going to shoot a video on a topic you should know what your talking about.

The problem with your video here is that you are throwing a high rev rate and higher speed rate than your average league bowler throws. What you should be trying to do is come up with some kind of formula based on speed, rev rate and oil length so where you want to aim on the lane. So I hit board 'X', it also matters where I stand as well based on speed and rev rate. Then again you really know nothing about mechanical physics.

I’d always heard the rule of 31 was a guideline for sport shots as trying to play outside that on a flatter pattern left little margin for error. As with any guide, it’s tempered by other factors. TY for the visual demo. Can we talk about the adjustment to avoid another 9-10 ? 🎳 😁 In umpteen years around bowling…I don’t think I’ve seen that on a other than a runaway Brooklyn hit.