Questions About the US Open Experience

[Aslan]

Okay...I know this is a bit of a ways off...but I was thinking about "maybe/probably" bowling in the USBC Open (Classified Division < 180 average) in 2015.

BUT...it's a bit confusing...so here are some questions for those of you that have done it in the past. All help appreciated.

1) Do you NEED a team? Do you NEED a doubles partner?
I mean, I'm just a regular old bowler...I don't have Storm putting together a super team of sponsored individuals from Team USA. I can barely scrounge up 4 people from work to join a beer league...I sure as **** can't put together a team of 4 people wanting to go to Texas for the USBC Open.

If you MUST compete in doubles/team....and you have to use the "sub" list...what happens if nobody wants you? What happens if people pick you but they want to bowl in June and you want to bowl in April? How does the sub list even work?

2) The "trick" is COST. What does it COST? Granted...entry fees, etc... can be found on the website...but for those that have done it...what are the REAL costs? Did you drive or fly?

I figure DRIVING to El Paso...stay a night in a hotel in Phoenix...thats $300 in gas and $200 in hotel/food (minimum).
I figure FLYING...even if I don't get a rental car....thats $300 (minimum) for the plane, $100 in cab fees (to avoid airport parking fees), and $75? to ship your bowling balls?

3) How long do you stay there? 2 days? A week?
I mean, assuminng the travel costs (car or plane) are $500 and the hotel runs you $85 a night...add in another $30/day for food...on top of the $200 in entry fees...even if you're just there for 2 days...you're out about $650 bare minimum and each additional day adds another $115 to the total.

So does that (above) sound right? So individual bowlers with no teams/doubles partners can't really participate? And even if ya CAN find a team/partner it's $650+ in travel/lodging/food/fees?

It's kinda like bowling a 300 game. I really WANT to...but if I bowl a 300 game...my FIRST...I'm gonna want to go ALL OUT on the ring...which means $475, real gold, etc... Which I don't have. Same thing with the USBC Open. It would be REALLY FUN and a great experience! But it's likely to cost $1000. So do I do the USBC Open Classified division and lose $1000 on the experience or spend about $1750 and do Camp Bakes instead??

See...hitting the Powerball solves ALL these problems. Even the team/doubles thing because I'd be wealthy enough to just PAY someone (and their expenses) to be on my team/doubles with me. I could even give it away as a prize to the VBT winner. But nope...still no powerball victory.

[Amyers]

I would think you would want to bowl all the events to make it worth your trip

[vdubtx]

1) To bowl in Team event, you need a team, or you can substitute on a team. Also, you do need a doubles partner or sub with someone that needs one. The Team event is done on one day and the Doubles/Singles event is done on one day. You do need to bowl Doubles and Singles, can't bowl one or the other since you bowl the 6 games in one block.

2) My cost this past trip to Reno were actually pretty low.

a) entry fees $180 for Team, Doubles, Singles, All Events. $55 each event +$15 All Events.
b)Flight was covered using Southwest airlines miles. Paid $10 for government fees and $25 for early bird check in. No baggage fees.
c) Hotel was a low rate of $25 per night plus tax, so $60 and change total for 2 nights.
d) Rental car was $100 for 3 days total. I don't plan on renting a car in 2 years when they are back in Reno. Plan on staying at Silver Legacy which is pretty nice and just a block away from the stadium.
e) Food, I actually used a couple comps for buffets for lunch 2 days, paid for breakfast roughly $10 per day. Dinner one night had some fast food chicken $10, Day 2 had pizza at the hotel $10. Last day had some great Pho soup $7.50. Total food spent $60 including tips at buffets and Pho restaurant.
f) Parking at airport $25.00
g) Side tournaments = $70 each for Bowlers Journal and 40 Frame game

All told, $600.00 +/- a few snacks etc.

Now, to see if I win anything back from it. I know it won't be enough to cover the entire trip. But hopefully cover my entry fees into the tournaments.

[Aslan]

Now, to see if I win anything back from it. I know it won't be enough to cover the entire trip. But hopefully cover my entry fees into the tournaments.

Questions:

1) So do you have any experience with the sub board and how that works? It seems like if you planned on going in the beginning of June…and didn't have a team or doubles partner…you'd have to just hope that someone picks you up or otherwise couldn't go???

2) You mention waiting to see if you won money. I take it there is not "stepladder finals"? So it's not like the Senior Masters where the top 80-160 or so go into some double elimination tournament or anything??

3) Can you win money in the Classified division as well?

Thanks.

[vdubtx]

No experience with sub board. Thee is a Facebook group that deals with subs etc, also you can log in to their web page dedicated to subs etc.

The tournament is setup in that you bowl your set(s) and whatever your score is it puts you in a ranking. Go here and check out the scores on the leaderboard for this year. Can see both regular and classified. Usbc Open Leaderboard