Can someone explain how the USBC, PBA, ABT, and TNBA interact?

[Aslan]

More importantly, why is it that when I look at the standings for the USBC Open, I don't see PBA players listed? Do they play in a different tournament? I've heard they play in the USBC Masters. Does that mean they CANT play in the USBC Open?

I know the TNBA and ABT tend to be for amateurs...I think some of their tournaments you can't be in the PBA and need to have an average less than like 190 or 180.

But I can't figure out why the pro players don't win the USBC Open. Is the Open completely seperate from the Masters? I always thought those who won in the Open would play in the Masters. Yet all the Masters winners tend to be PBA pros and all the Open winners tend to be amateurs.

Also, for those that have played in the Open...from what I understand, you can't just play singles. You have to play doubles as well as singles. I wonder why that is? Living out west...if the tournament was in Vegas...it might be something fun to play in (entry is only like $55)...but if you have to do doubles as well, then I'd have to find a doubles partner...which sounds easy...but there are SO many bowlers...good bowlers...that if you approached them and said, "Hey, I was thinking of playing in the USBC Open and wondered if you want to be my doubles partner?"....they would flat out run. Not just because I'm not good enough...but it's just SO hard to get bowlers, even good league bowlers, to step outside that comfort zone of bowling in their own house on a THS. WAY too many guys with big egos that can't imagine getting on a bigger stage and bowling a 175.

So whats the deal with the USBC Open and Masters? I know a couple/few of you have made the trip.

[vdubtx]

USBC Open and the PBA eligibility.

http://www.11thframe.com/news/article/5355

[vdubtx]

Also, for those that have played in the Open...from what I understand, you can't just play singles. You have to play doubles as well as singles. I wonder why that is? Living out west...if the tournament was in Vegas...it might be something fun to play in (entry is only like $55)...but if you have to do doubles as well, then I'd have to find a doubles partner

At the USBC Open, the reason you can't just bowl singles or doubles is because you bowl both of those events on the same day on the same squad. On the squad day, you first bowl doubles and then immediately on same pair of lanes you bowl the singles event. You can bowl doubles/singles and not bowl team or bowl team and not bowl doubles/singles.

[Aslan]

USBC Open and the PBA eligibility.

http://www.11thframe.com/news/article/5355

Ahhh. So a PBA player finishing in the top 50 isn't eleigible? So the USBC Open is almost an amateur tournament? What about the Masters? Could an amateur bowl in the Open and the Masters? I checked the Masters eligibility and it seems to be open to anyone. Granted, it's 10x as expensive to enter than the Open...but still.

Thanks VDub! I knew you would likely know since you've done the Open...more than once right? What's your best finish? I assume you bowl in the regular division? Have you ever bowled in the Classics division?

[vdubtx]

Ahhh. So a PBA player finishing in the top 50 isn't eleigible? So the USBC Open is almost an amateur tournament? What about the Masters? Could an amateur bowl in the Open and the Masters? I checked the Masters eligibility and it seems to be open to anyone. Granted, it's 10x as expensive to enter than the Open...but still.

Thanks VDub! I knew you would likely know since you've done the Open...more than once right? What's your best finish? I assume you bowl in the regular division? Have you ever bowled in the Classics division?

An amateur could bowl in Masters. I will be going for my 2nd time(USBC Open) at the end of May. Last year for my first time I had a 1715 all events score, 190 average. Hoping for much better this year as my game has improved quite a bit in the year since going.

[J Anderson]

I know the TNBA and ABT tend to be for amateurs...I think some of their tournaments you can't be in the PBA and need to have an average less than like 190 or 180.

My only experience with either of these is bowling in a TNBA league last summer. USBC membership was required in addition to TNBA membership. There was also a team average cap to keep a team of high average bowlers from dominating the league.