Actually I currently run a tournament. The format on my current is basically the same as the local association or nationals. The only difference is I run a Men's and Women's at the same time. Totally seperate and no women in the Men's division. That is what I run now. What I have thought about on several occasions is going to an open format. My Women's division is never that large and because of that their money is much smaller than the Men's. I know that some of my ladies would jump at the chance to  bowl for the bigger money, but I think I would lose most of the Women's teams and am not sure the extra teams from open teams would come close to making up the difference. The question that could be asked is why not an Open division and a seperate Women's? If I lost the dozen or so teams from the current that would move over, the Women's is then not worth the money for the others to come back. I already offer optional scratch in both divisions for every event, an effort to bring in a mix of high and lower average teams. Mixed results from that addition.

I would ask the tournament bowlers or maybe future tournament bowlers. Would you bowl in an open team tournament? Would it make a difference if only team and doubles were open and singles/all-events were seperated? This would allow mixed or all Men or all Women teams/doubles to bowl against each other, but keep the individual competition seperated. Oh, the teams are five person and the main tournament is handicapped 80% from 220.

Edited on 11/25/2004 8:38 PM

I would love to take over the ABT (Amateur Bowlers Tour) in Calif. When it first came out it was a great tournament club. It was affordable and it would fill the house many times over. Would have squads all through out the day. It was a great family atmosphere. Everyone liked everyone. You could even go to different divisions. It was alot of fun. But now it is much different. First of all it's very cold. The entry is twice as much as it was before. And it does not fill the house any more. The last time I bowled it was a 2:00 squad and there was only 8 lanes. That's 16 bowlers. Squads are only half the day instead of all day and all night like it used to be.
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Just Stormin' through!

If i had the chance to run a tournament, it would go like this.

Scratch  or if it was handicap 80% of 220.

1st-3000, 2nd 2000, 3rd 1250, 4th 800, 5th-10th 500, 12th-16th 250

entry fee $100  

First day would be two 5 game sets, then cut to top 32.

Next day  top 32 put into a bracket format.  Total for 3 games wins the match.  Moving to a new lane every game.  

Lane conditions would be a variety for every pair.  like lanes 1-2 long oil, 2-3 house shot, 4-5 short oil. something like that.

Now i would do this so you obviously dont have those guys who come in and bowl 3 games and get lucky and shoot something monsterous.  

It would be to show that you can handle doing a long tournament and adjust to different oil patterns n stuff.

The only tournament in this area that isnt a team tournament and is big  is the 9pin no tap ( 3 games ) tournament at Century lanes.

It costs like 20 or 30$ to get in, enter as many times as you want, its a sport shot, 1500$ first place guaranteed and runs for a month on Sat/Sun two shift each day i think.  

its like 90% of 220 for handicap.   I stopped doing it because first yr it was long oil like 50ft, reverse block.  

2nd yr they oil'd 28ft.    

3rd yr i didnt care lol didnt bowl it.

first two yrs it was some oil lady with a 130avg that won  shooting 850+ with handicap.

the last yr some guy with a 120avg shoots 899 lol.  how r u suppose to beat that
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" Lift Your Skirt Grab Your Balls and Learn How to Bowl "

Edited on 11/25/2004 10:51 PM