I am running a squad at the Petersen Classic this year, and I have a couple spots left to fill.  It is next Thursday, July 13 at 7:00 PM.  The squad is made up of men and women bowlers ranging in average from 116 to 216, and everything in between.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Pete is a scratch tournament, held at AMF Hoffman Lanes in Hoffman Estates, IL, a northwest suburb of Chicago.  It consists of eight games, across eight pairs of lanes.  The lane conditions are, to say the least, different.  The scoring pace is always low.  I have seen bowlers such as Pete Weber and Brian Himmler average 180-190 at this tournament.  This year, the current leader has 1560 - yes, an average of 195.  Average 200 (easier said than done), and you will get a big check ($25,000 is the first prize).

The cost for the squad will be $130, which includes the $85 entry fee plus $45 for some non-optional pots as follows:
- One mystery pot per game (eight total), paying $25 each
- Top four high games for each of the eight pairs of lanes ($40, $30, $20, $10)*
- Top four "best three of eight" ($50, $30, $20, $10)*
- Top six on the squad overall ($100, $70, $50, $30, $20, $10)*
- High low game ($25)*
- High game out of the money ($25)*
*  Due to the diverse nature of the bowlers on the squad, these pots will be run using handicap based on the Petersen entering average (three year composite of 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005).  Handicap will be 90% of 200.  All dollar figures above are based on a full squad of 32 bowlers.

We will also be running brackets (by pair), high game side pots, doubles (by pair), and 2 survivors (by pairs).  These optional pots will also be run using handicap.

BTW, all of the non-optional and optional pots mentioned here are run by me, not the Petersen Classic.  They have their own optionals.  In addition, they pay squad prizes to the top five or six (I forget which) bowlers on the squad.  Those squad prizes are scratch.

If you would be interested in participating on my squad, please let me know via PM.
--------------------
RW (THB)

Edited on 7/6/2006 3:22 PM

Edited on 7/12/2006 8:38 AM

I am looking forward to being there.  This will be my 3rd.  Humbling yes, but a ton of fun!
--------------------
"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean

I bowled for the 1st time this past year.... Words cant explain how different this tournament is.  People told me about it, but it is just something you need to experience...

My games ranged from 153 - 210   So I guess that isnt too bad

To all,
Thanks for your replies.  As of this exact moment in time, I have filled the squad (knock on wood!).

Glen,
I'm sorry you missed my post last week, but I will be running again next year, right around the same day/time.  This is the first time I have run my own Pete squad, so I am actually going to pass out a questionnaire to my bowlers on Thursday.  One of the things I'm asking them is what the best day and time would be for next year's squad.  With a year under my belt, I'd like to get the whole process of filling the squad started and completed earlier next year, so I'll keep you posted on what I plan to do.

Mycroft,
Thanks for your input on my pots.  That is another one of the things that is included on my questionnaire to the bowlers - i.e.  How do you like the pots and should I be doing anything differently?

Brinen,
You hit the nail on the head.  No matter how hard you try to explain this tournament to people, they will not get it until they actually experience it themselves.  I have been doing a lot of that over the past few days, since I have a few first timers on my squad.  It will be interesting to see how they react once they have done it themselves.  BTW, by the looks of the range of your scores, I would guess that you cashed.
--------------------
RW (THB)

Edited on 7/12/2006 8:45 AM

Over the 3 years I have bowled the Pete I have 2 or 3 sub 100s.  My first year I know I shot a 95 and might have shot a 91, not sure and a high of 175.  Last year my low was a 105, but my high was only in the 160s.

This year I shot a 97 in game 4 on lanes 9 -10.  I had 2 strikes and 8 opens.  The plastic wouldn't get across the lane and the urethane flew right past the pins. I had a high of 176.  This year I started on 3-4 and my scores were:
 144-176-139-97-127-163-150-137=1133 for a 141 average for the 8.  Nothing spectacular, but my best effort so far.

Rick ran a fantastic squad with some great people.  I'll be back next year.  I look forward to meeting Glen and anyone else up for a good, challenging, and humbling experience.

The sign on the wall next to the "Golden Doors"  Next year is the next to last time I bowl this (or something close to that) says it all!
--------------------
"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean


Edited on 7/15/2006 11:16 AM

I wanted to bowl this year but broke my thumb.
Keep me in mind for next year.  I'd love to go.

These are my scores from 1978...Looking through my sheets.

Best I ever shot:
183, 151, 176, 167, 223, 185, 137, 149.

Thought I'd throw them out there.
I won 3 high game pots with the 183, 223, 185.
--------------------
Duke Harding



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bowling Coaches Web Site Link

OK, I have sufficiently recovered from my latest Pete experience, and I'm reluctantly reporting my scores:

1&2   - 153
3&4   - 174
5&6   - 145
7&8   - 164
9&10  - 174
11&12 - 149
13&14 - 173
15&15 - 194

Not my best, but not my worst, either.  I think that my 145 low game may be my highest low game in my nine years of bowling the Pete.  Usually, I manage to sneak in at least one 120-something game.  I ended up sixth on my squad, which was enough for a Petersen squad prize.  Andy finished second on the squad, if I recall correctly.

As near as I can tell, the squad was a success, and I'll be running again next year.

One thing I'm going to have to change is the handicap system I used for the pots that I mentioned in my first post.  The scratch bowlers were virtually shut out, and the (really) low average bowlers cleaned up.  Once I have all the numbers from the squad, I'll do some number crunching to come up with a more equitable system.  It may end up with me leaving the handicap the same and running some scratch pots, as well.

Thanks to Colleen, Andy, and of course, the rest of my bowlers for making my first squad as a squad sponsor a success.  I'm looking forward to seeing all of you next year, as well.
--------------------
RW (THB)