2018 USBC Open Championships

[vdubtx]

Who is going to Syracuse this year?

I am going early this year, bowling April 3&4.

My local team bailed out this year due to various reasons. Tried getting on pro shops team, they have group of 10 teams that go and was a day late before they filled their last spot. D'Oh!

I got lucky looking at sub boards on Facebook group and found a team out of Colorado.

Looking forward to my 6th year at the event. Also looking forward to bowling in the side events there as well. I have been successful the last couple years at the 40 Frame Game, cashing enough to pay my expenses each year.

[SAbowler]

Good luck!

[bdpeters]

Wish you the best, look forward to hearing how you did

[vdubtx]

Tournament ready...here I come Syracuse. Fresh surface on all balls.

Storm Sure Lock 1500 grit
Storm Drive 2000 grit
Roto Grip Idol 2000 grit
Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused 3000 grit
Roto Grip Haywire 1500 grit
Roto Grip Spare

http://i.imgur.com/IttSOEm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tZc75Zm.jpg

[manke]

Good Luck !!!!

[bdpeters]

so Vdub. do you fly with all of that equipment? if so it sounds pretty expensive. I wonder how it would compare if you sent them UPS.

[mx1alex]

so Vdub. do you fly with all of that equipment? if so it sounds pretty expensive. I wonder how it would compare if you sent them UPS.

Airlines usually don't charge a fee for weight unless it's over 50 lbs.

[Blacksox1]

2 bags fly free on Southwest :)per passenger.

[ALazySavage]

@VDub...who in Colorado did you end up bowling with? Curious if I know them out here.

@Blacksox1...That is usually what I do (when I don't drive) to nationals, but Southwest doesn't fly into Syracuse.

[bdpeters]

Airlines usually don't charge a fee for weight unless it's over 50 lbs.

had no Idea. it has been a long time since I flew. that is good to know for future reference.

[vdubtx]

so Vdub. do you fly with all of that equipment? if so it sounds pretty expensive. I wonder how it would compare if you sent them UPS.


@VDub...who in Colorado did you end up bowling with? Curious if I know them out here.

@Blacksox1...That is usually what I do (when I don't drive) to nationals, but Southwest doesn't fly into Syracuse.

Southwest is awesome about that. Two free bags that are exactly 50lbs each. Pack shows and accessories in a carry-on with clothes etc. Winning!!

Savage, the Angsteads from Longmont,CO. They own Centennial Lanes there. Really nice bowling family. They have been to 33 or 34 Open Championships. They were announced during the squad room meeting this morning. Pretty impressive. My doubles partner tomorrow has shot 300 at the Championships, not sure what year. :cool:

Team event today and did ok. The pattern is very tight as it usually is. Shot 567, with high game of 208. Happy with that, felt I shot really Welland was in pocket a high percentage, just not carrying. Got into brackets and doubled my money so can't be unhappy about that LOL!!

[vdubtx]

Airlines usually don't charge a fee for weight unless it's over 50 lbs.

Unless you are flying Southwest you can expect $50 per bag. That is how the airlines are so profitable right now. Nickel and dime you for everything these days.

That is why I prefer Southwest, convenient for me in their hub of Dallas.

[mx1alex]

Unless you are flying Southwest you can expect $50 per bag. That is how the airlines are so profitable right now. Nickel and dime you for everything these days.

That is why I prefer Southwest, convenient for me in their hub of Dallas.

Most airlines it's $25 for the first bag. I think I get two bags free when I fly but I fly a lot and have Gold status with American Airlines. I very rarely check a bag though. I do fly through DFW a lot. I love getting a bite at Cantina Loredo!

[vdubtx]

Well, I am back from Syracuse and nothing stellar to report.

Team event I felt I shot pretty well. My scores say otherwise. 567. 2 splits on the event which I think is pretty good. Spare shooting was respectable leaving only a 10 pin, 3-6-9-10 and a 4-6 on the day uncovered to go along with the 2 big fours I left. Doubled my money in brackets. Woohoo! :cool:

588 in doubles and could only manage 506 in Singles. Pretty disappointed about my performance. 1653 All Events score. My spare shooting decided to take the day off and I missed a bunch of makeable spares that are typically not even an issue with me. 3-6-10 converted only 28% of the ones I left, 2 of 7. 6-10 converting only 66% of ones I left, 4 of 6. 10 pin was only converted at 60%, 3 of 5.

Had a good shot and matched up pretty well with the Drive in Doubles/Singles event. The pattern is very playable which I think is why some scores are so high so far this tournament. I think with the tourney just getting started, there will be some much bigger numbers put up. Note to self for next year, go heavier in the brackets of team event and don't bother with Doubles/Singles. LOL!!

For the side tournaments I did pretty well in the 40 frame game, but not good enough to finish up the way I did the last 2 years. The last 2 years I made enough from the 40 framer to pay expenses + some for my trip. Syracuse was a cheap trip in comparison to Reno though. I used miles from Southwest for a portion of my trip so airfare expense was minimal. I did end up getting a $150 credit from Southwest due to a delayed flight out of Rochester which made me miss my connection in Baltimore. I ended up staying in the airport that night and catching the 6am flight back home.

[Langdoj]

Tournament ready...here I come Syracuse. Fresh surface on all balls.

Storm Sure Lock 1500 grit
Storm Drive 2000 grit
Roto Grip Idol 2000 grit
Roto Grip Hyper Cell Fused 3000 grit
Roto Grip Haywire 1500 grit
Roto Grip Spare



Do you think the surface on the equipment worked well for you or did you feel you needed any more surface? I'm thinking of having my IQ tour nano at 2000 and storm Rocket at 4000. I'll have a mission x and I'm debating 1000 or 2000 on it.

[vdubtx]

Do you think the surface on the equipment worked well for you or did you feel you needed any more surface? I'm thinking of having my IQ tour nano at 2000 and storm Rocket at 4000. I'll have a mission x and I'm debating 1000 or 2000 on it.

I think the surface that I had my equipment at worked well. I took each balls out of box and added more surface to it. For instance, my Drive is 3000 out of box and I went to 2000 with it. Worked pretty well for me.

[vdubtx]

Got my USBC check this week. Made back 1/3 of my entry fee. LOL!! Thankfully I was ahead in brackets to pay for my trip. Still waiting to see how I ended up for the 40 Frame Game. Hoping for a bit more to come in from that one as well. :cool:

[mx1alex]

Got my USBC check this week. Made back 1/3 of my entry fee. LOL!! Thankfully I was ahead in brackets to pay for my trip. Still waiting to see how I ended up for the 40 Frame Game. Hoping for a bit more to come in from that one as well. :cool:

Drinks on vdubtx! 😁

[Outerlimits]

Congrats on cashing.....great job. Bowling the Nationals in Vegas for the first time next May.....got talked into it during a weak moment. Should be interesting. Bowling all three events.

[vdubtx]

Congrats on cashing.....great job. Bowling the Nationals in Vegas for the first time next May.....got talked into it during a weak moment. Should be interesting. Bowling all three events.

Thanks.

Excellent. I highly recommend it, it is a great event. Really challenging, but a lot of fun to see so many bowlers with the same passion as yourself in one place. :cool:

Our group of guys still has to make up their minds on when they want to go so we can get it booked. Otherwise, I will be stuck just getting into another random team so I can keep my attendance going.

[ALazySavage]

Congrats on cashing.....great job. Bowling the Nationals in Vegas for the first time next May.....got talked into it during a weak moment. Should be interesting. Bowling all three events.

For anyone who plans to go to nationals I also recommend bowling either the BJ or the BTM. The BJ is a good tournament to bowl since it is typically on the Singles/Doubles pattern and the BTM is a great experience on a flat pattern (warning, it doesn't get re-oiled so you will have some interesting breakdowns from lane to lane which makes it a great experience in learning to adjust quickly). The group I go with typically doesn't bowl the 40-frame game, but it is a cool and different experience (very good for team building).

[vdubtx]

Yes, Savage, the BJ is a must every year. Good practice for the D/S events. Good for a donation and a magazine subscription for the year, LOL!! Each year though, I found the BJ to not even be close to the actual event though. All depends on the surface of the lanes etc to replicate the same conditions.

I do the 40 framer every year and enjoy it a lot. None of my team mates this past year or last bowled it, more prize money for me I say!! Last few years have made quite a bit from the 40 Framer.

I haven't made it to the BTM tournaments the past couple years though. Went to it in Reno one time and it may have been day we were there, but was very poorly run.

[ALazySavage]

Vdubtx, would agree that the BJ doesn't necessarily play the same as the actual event but now that they don't release the pattern my team and I have been able to get a pretty good idea of what the pattern is (obviously you don't get the same lane surface and the breakdown won't be the same because you are shifting with other bowlers compared to breaking down a pair with your team) - essentially it just removes some of the unknown for S/D.

Sad to hear about the BTM, I personally haven't had issues with it but I could understand the frustration.

[mc_runner]

Looking to get a team together for Nationals this year. Have to make it out sometime!