USBC Open Nationals changes to come for 2017 in Las Vegas

[vdubtx]

USBC just released some news about upcoming changes to the 2017 Open Nationals:

http://bowl.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?id=23622325499

FAQ's (http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/tournaments/pdfs/usbcopenchamp/2017/2017OCFAQ.pdf)


Highlights are:

1. There will now be 3 divisions. Classified, Standard and Regular. Aslan, you should be happy about this as you have brought this up in the past.

2. No live streams or lane oil pattern publications until after the event.

3. All balls will be weighed and checked for all events. Previously it was just for Team.

4. PBA members are allowed to bowl with some restrictions.

Very interested in these changes and also the recent changes about USBC employees not being able to win cash from the tournament or be on bowling ball companies staff's.

[fortheloveofbowling]

USBC just released some news about upcoming changes to the 2017 Open Nationals:

http://bowl.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?id=23622325499

FAQ's (http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/tournaments/pdfs/usbcopenchamp/2017/2017OCFAQ.pdf)


Highlights are:

1. There will now be 3 divisions. Classified, Standard and Regular. Aslan, you should be happy about this as you have brought this up in the past.

2. No live streams or lane oil pattern publications until after the event.

3. All balls will be weighed and checked for all events. Previously it was just for Team.

4. PBA members are allowed to bowl with some restrictions.

Very interested in these changes and also the recent changes about USBC employees not being able to win cash from the tournament or be on bowling ball companies staff's.

1) Good idea. Those divisions have been outdated for some time now. Even pretty good players at around 205-210 had no shot really.

2) This really is for the benefit of the teams that are very near but not the top. I wonder about the lanes made available for practice on one of the patterns as well as the bowlers journal which utilized the other.

3) Not sure why they ever stopped checking both times.

4) Pba members have been able to bowl just a limit of 2 per team and 1 per doubles. There was a time frame restriction in regards to national titles before. If they allow recent national event winners they should just go back to the old classic division they used in the 60's and 70's. This would allow everyone to bowl.

As far as i know the only guy working for the usbc at the time and doing really well was Chip Aki winning singles one year. Kind of dumb rules there fir usbc employees.

[Aslan]

Awesome! They even created a division for me!!

Assuming I don't raise my 207 to 210+ over the coming season.

The only thing I'd like to see in addition to these changes would be even more divisions, so that participants can bowl scratch (take handicap out of it altogether). The USBC already does this for their National BVL tournaments so it's not a big deal. If NOT...and they stick with the handicap format....I'd like to see them use composite averages instead of "highest average over the last 3 seasons". The reasoning is that a person really shouldn't be overly penalized for bowling at a house that has very easy conditions. Especially when they then get stuck with that average for 3 years. I'm a 170s bowler at most houses but because of ONE CENTER that I don't even plan on bowling at anymore after this season concludes...if I enter the Open in 2016, 2017, or 2018....I'm a 190-207 bowler. Even though at every house I've bowled at OTHER THAN that one...174 is my highest average.

[vdubtx]

Awesome! They even created a division for me!!

Assuming I don't raise my 207 to 210+ over the coming season.

The only thing I'd like to see in addition to these changes would be even more divisions, so that participants can bowl scratch (take handicap out of it altogether). The USBC already does this for their National BVL tournaments so it's not a big deal.

USBC Open Championships are not based on handicap scores. Your scores are all scratch regardless of division.

[Mike White]

Awesome! They even created a division for me!!

Assuming I don't raise my 207 to 210+ over the coming season.

The only thing I'd like to see in addition to these changes would be even more divisions, so that participants can bowl scratch (take handicap out of it altogether). The USBC already does this for their National BVL tournaments so it's not a big deal. If NOT...and they stick with the handicap format....I'd like to see them use composite averages instead of "highest average over the last 3 seasons". The reasoning is that a person really shouldn't be overly penalized for bowling at a house that has very easy conditions. Especially when they then get stuck with that average for 3 years. I'm a 170s bowler at most houses but because of ONE CENTER that I don't even plan on bowling at anymore after this season concludes...if I enter the Open in 2016, 2017, or 2018....I'm a 190-207 bowler. Even though at every house I've bowled at OTHER THAN that one...174 is my highest average.

This tournament claims to use a sport compliant pattern.

So maybe you're back to 140's

[vdubtx]

This tournament claims to use a sport compliant pattern.

So maybe you're back to 140's

No claims, it is Sport compliant.

[Perrin]

About time. This has been an issue for years..

I agree on the composite average also. I had a lights out year 2 years ago and never before or since have I averaged that high but that is the average I am stuck using.

oh well. I go to this tourney as more of a fun thing rather than to win anyway :) Next year will be my first time to Reno and the year after will most likely be the first time I go to Vegas :)

[Aslan]

This tournament claims to use a sport compliant pattern.

So maybe you're back to 140's

Good point. Since it's a sport pattern, can I use my sport average??

[vdubtx]

Good point. Since it's a sport pattern, can I use my sport average??

You can, but it will be adjusted using the Average scale. Then they use whatever is highest.


Bowlers who have both a USBC SPORT average and a STANDARD average from
the same season shall use the higher of their Sport average (unadjusted) and
Standard league average.
• Any bowler who has only a SPORT average must use the adjusted Sport average,
utilizing the USBC Average Adjustment Scale.

[Blacksox1]

Read over the FAQ. Thanks for posting vdubtx. May return to nationals in Vegas.

[foreverincamo]

I like the average break down, but why not post the oil pattern?