First Tournament in 8 Days

[Sourtower]

Hey all,

I'm nervous and excited about bowling in my first tournament next weekend. Its a 9 pin no tap tournament with first place getting up to $1500 depending on the number of entrants. My only concern is that since I don't have a USBC average yet (I will be bowling in my first league starting May 27), they will count me in at 220 which is probably about 40 pins under my average. I'm gonna join anyway to get some experience and hopefully I can do well enough to win something. I believe that based on the number of entrants, 1 in 6 will cash out. The tournament is the first annual at that bowling alley, and it will be bowled on THS which helps with my confidence. Hope to do well, but even if I don't, I look forward to the experience in my first competitive bowling stint.

[Mike White]

Hey all,

I'm nervous and excited about bowling in my first tournament next weekend. Its a 9 pin no tap tournament with first place getting up to $1500 depending on the number of entrants. My only concern is that since I don't have a USBC average yet (I will be bowling in my first league starting May 27), they will count me in at 220 which is probably about 40 pins under my average. I'm gonna join anyway to get some experience and hopefully I can do well enough to win something. I believe that based on the number of entrants, 1 in 6 will cash out. The tournament is the first annual at that bowling alley, and it will be bowled on THS which helps with my confidence. Hope to do well, but even if I don't, I look forward to the experience in my first competitive bowling stint.


Ok you don't have a USBC average, but 220 is 40 under your average? You average 260?, or did you mean 40 above (180).

With potentially $1500 for first, the sandbaggers will flock.

If you get 0 handicap (normal with 220 avg) it's quite possible to shoot 900 scratch, and still not cash.

I see 160-180 bowlers shooting 300 no-tap quite a bit. They hit the pocket all day, but suck at spares.

[vdubtx]

With potentially $1500 for first, the sandbaggers will flock.

If you get 0 handicap (normal with 220 avg) it's quite possible to shoot 900 scratch, and still not cash.

I see 160-180 bowlers shooting 300 no-tap quite a bit. They hit the pocket all day, but suck at spares.

Exactly this. 9 pin no tap is good for those with under 200 average. On my Thursday league they like to do a 9 pin no tap on sweeper. They have extras where you can get into Singles and Cross over doubles. Even bowling a 850+ you never win because inevitably someone with 160 average that gets 150 pin handicap will shoot an 800 and go over 900 total pins. I just don't bother to get into it as I never have a chance due to handicap on top of their score.

Good luck by the way, Sourtower

[SouthpawTRK]

Good luck with the tournament; have fun and use it as a learning experience.

[Sourtower]

Ok you don't have a USBC average, but 220 is 40 under your average? You average 260?, or did you mean 40 above (180).

With potentially $1500 for first, the sandbaggers will flock.

If you get 0 handicap (normal with 220 avg) it's quite possible to shoot 900 scratch, and still not cash.

I see 160-180 bowlers shooting 300 no-tap quite a bit. They hit the pocket all day, but suck at spares.

Sorry. I meant 40 over my average. Anyways, I see it more as a learning tool for my upcoming first league and future tournaments. Thanks for the well wishes.

[Hampe]

Not sure how they do it there, but here, bowling without an official handicap was a fairly big hurdle to overcome. They always set your handicap during the first few games (say if it was 6 games, the first 4 games would determine your avg/hcp). If they automatically give you 0 handicap, that's going to be pretty rough. You could have your best day ever and still not cash :/.

Good luck anyway though. Any tournament is good as a learning tool / getting experience. You don't always have to win :).

[Sourtower]

The tournament is a 4 day tournament over the span of 21 weekends. Currently I am in 2nd place after 2 days of tournament scores. I still have to wait for next Saturday's slots (12 pm and 3 pm) and next Sunday's time slots (12 pm and 3 pm). Hopefully I can at least stay in the top 10 because I'd still get at least $200. We'll see how it goes.

[Aslan]

I was going to offer advice…but realized it was no-tap. Which is like offering advice on NFL football and then finding out it's Canadian rules football.

[Sourtower]

I was going to offer advice…but realized it was no-tap. Which is like offering advice on NFL football and then finding out it's Canadian rules football.

I'm curious as to what your advice would've been had it not been a no-tap tournament? Any help for future tournaments would be greatly appreciated.

[Aslan]

I'm curious as to what your advice would've been had it not been a no-tap tournament? Any help for future tournaments would be greatly appreciated.

My advice would have been; from when I went to my first tournament...realize there will likely be "brackets" going on. I did not know what "brackets" were and just assumed that since I was entered into the sidepot I was entered into the "brackets". The brackets are usually seperate. Had I known that, I'd have entered and probably won at least $20.