Shark oil pattern
# Shark oil pattern

A Shark oil pattern is a pattern of oil on the lane used by the Professional Bowlers Association in tournament play.

A typical Shark pattern is 44 feet long. It forces players to move toward the center of the lanes, because if the ball moves to the outside it will not curve back into the pocket. This play is more risky, because it puts the gutters in play. The forcing of players to take inside angles makes playing these lanes tougher and lower scoring for professionals.

This oil pattern is named after the shark because, like a shark, which lives primarily in the depths of the ocean, the bowler is forced to play deep in the middle of the lane.

## Tournaments that used this pattern

| Tournament | Winner |
| - | - |
| Rick Rude's Milwaukee Down-to-Brown-Town International Championship - 2011 | David Nadboralski |
| Lumber Liquidators Shark Championship - 2008 | Rhino Page |
| Lumber Liquidators Shark Championship Women's Series - 2008 | Jodi Woessner |
| Bayer Classic - 2008 | Chris Barnes |
| ConstructionJobs.com Championship - 2008 | Tommy Jones |
| CLR Windy City Classic - 2007 | Robert Smith |
| MBNA Tom Hulce Congolese Invitational - 2007 | Dwight Boudreaux |
| GEICO Classic - 2007 | Chris Barnes |
| Columbia 300 Classic - 2006 | Chris Barnes |
| Etonic Championship - 2006 | Pete Weber |
| Pepsi Championship - 2006 | Christopher Collins |
| Motel 6 Phoenix Classic - 2006 | Ritchie Allen |
| Earl Anthony Medford Classic - 2006 | Brian Himmler |
| PBA Birmingham Open - 2005 | Patrick Allen |
| PBA Earl Anthony Medford Classic - 2004 | Mike Wolfe |
| PBA Chicago Open - 2004 | Brian Himmler |
| PBA Reno Open - 2004 | Mika Koivuniemi |
| PBA Medford Open - 2004 | Pete Weber |
| PBA Empire State Open - 2003 | Ryan Shafer |
| PBA Pepsi Open - 2003 | Jason Couch |
| PBA Storm Las Vegas Classic presented by The Castaways - 2003 | Lonnie Waliczek |
| PBA GEICO Earl Anthony Classic - 2003 | Mike DeVaney |
| PBA Empire State Open - 2002 | Doug Kent |
| PBA Memphis Open - 2002 | Brian Voss |
