I missed this year but had gone the previous 4 years.  Things to know.  singles is 4 games, doubles and team are 3.  Center is a bit on the old side but, the food is fair.  I am not sure about the area around the center since my group always stays downtown near the casino.  It is a lot of fun but, a very challenging shot.  It seemed to me to play a bit differently each year I went.

It is a reverse block.  Wet outside drier inside.  It does vary a little each year not huge but enough to make you have to try and figure it out each year.

I actually love that kind of challenging condition. We used to take teams up there every year, since we had a league that bowled on a similar condition. About 7 years ago we took 5 teams up there. One of our teams broke the house record, however, the powers that be, running the tourney, did everything they could to find a way to disqualify us, so we never went back again.

Ideally, it's a great tournament. You should give it a whirl!

Best part of the trip is throwing at the "logs".  I saw grown men almost cry over them.   Leave there and go on to the Peterson if it still operates.  After that you'll come home and swear never to gripe about lane conditions again.

If you are looking for a "gimme" shot at either place, stay home.  Hoinke not brutal, just a bit challenging.  "Logs" I'm referring to is a side event, you don't have to take part.  Peterson is a  "mental"  thing.  Lane condition is "ugly".   Nothing like the old Peterson in Chicago though.   In the old Peterson, if you could average 160, you were tough.   Probably win some money also.

Lane condition seems to mysteriously get better when the locals bowl. They take out a TON in "expenses". Total rip-off tournament.

Urethane Game,

I don't know all of the tournaments around the country, but I do know it would be difficult to make that calculation. What I do know is that the amount the Hoinke takes from each entry for "expenses" is beyond absurd, see here: http://www.hoinke.com/Hoinke_Classic/Hoinke_Home_files/2014%20Hoinke%20Entry%20Form%281%29.pdf

Singles is 4 games. Let's say they take $4/game for lineage (high). That leaves $16.30 for expenses for one entry??? That is a rip off.

Urethane Game,

Your statement "when lane conditions are favorable you will see an increase in local entries" supports my observation that the conditions are variable. How do they know when the "conditions are favorable"? Cincinnati does have (and has had) many great bowlers. If they have that knowledge, how can out-of-town bowlers expect to compete?

Urethane Game,

I have a very good handle on my ability - there isn't much! I also know what good bowling is and how easily lane conditions can be manipulated. When a good bowler on one weekend has OB right of 10, and a bowler with similar speed/revs/equipment can easily get it back from right of 10 on another weekend, the tournament is not legitimate.