<vent>

There. I said it. $@%#%@ all of it. I'm done bowling handicap tournaments and would love to never bowl on another THS again. After hardly bowling for 3 months, I walk in, shoot 690 for the first 3 games of a 4 game qualifier, and am still 100 out of the cut? So I should walk in and shoot 790 to stay in the hunt? Really? Glad the guy on top is getting 20/game and is shooting 260's all over the place.

That's fair. I promise.

Fry.

</vent>

I know the caught in the middle feeling.  I quit bowling tournaments some years ago.  I am generally pretty consistent wherever I go, on whatever conditions.  Averaged in mid-200's in league.  Could do that or a little better in tournaments. Handicapped tournaments I had no chance.  Unless conditions were very difficult in scratch tournaments and 50 to 100 over would qualify, again had no chance against  competitors averaging 230 +.  In either case I would have needed to average in the 230's and I can't do that for the number of games it required to be competitive. 

Back when there were enough bowlers in tournaments to have stratified squads with no handicap within squads (e.g. Open for 215 or higher averages, 190 - 214 Class A, 170 - 189 Class B, 169 & Below, Class C.) I could compete well.  I won all events in the Houston City tournament Class A division back in the day and there were about 400 in that division.   Today, its tough to find a tournament with even half that number of total entries. 

I still go to Nats, though.  I usually am high all events on our two teams because i am consistent, keep the ball in play and make spares.  Its fun to watch the 220 + THS bowlers have a 490 team, 680 doubles, 510 singles type tournament, or the first time house hot shots have sub 1500 AE as they find they can't spray n' pray and the guy with the most revs is not the guy who scores. 

I have always been caught in the middle like some of you. Average 205-210, can't keep up with the 180+handicap, and can't keep up with the 220+. Unless you really want to devote your life to being that 220-230 bowler, we will never be that and i realized this a year or two ago.

Now i bowl 2 nights a week. No practice. Just bowl. I go to nats every year for fun and maybe get hot for a stretch. And now this year without all the expectations i am at 218. I don't know what the hell is happening. I am more consistent and having more fun.

It is a sad state of affairs that the "sandbagger" has totally ruined any kind of handicap tournaments. IMHO these houses/clubs shound make the tournaments scratch only. Then maybe we can slowly git rid of these guys who ruin the game. Is it really fair that they average 160 in league then shoot lights out in the tournament? This is why I stopped because it is a no win situation!

... but sandbagging is hardly new. It has been around for a long time. But nowadays, it would be even easier to sandbag because who knows what a bowler's true average is in the modern-day scoring environment?

There are good bowlers who bowl in easy houses, good bowlers who bowl in tougher-scoring houses, mediocre bowlers in both easy and tough-scoring houses ... and that's not even considering the so-called "maverick leagues" that put out a Sport-type shot but don't sanction as a Sport league, therefore allowing a sandbagger the "luxury" of establishing a low average on a tough shot (without having to declare it as a Sport average).

How many games?  I personally don't think it sounds that cheap.  The one I am thinking of running would be five games.  IMHO you have money going in too many different areas.  It's not all that cheap when you add it all up.  You're at $30 with the high game pot and then there's brackets.  Can a 190-210 bowler get into BOTH the high game pots?  The 211+ bowlers wouldn't like that.  What about bowlers below 190?  You appear to have a 190-210 pot that doesn't include them.

If I run mine on Sunday mornings I would only do it if the house agrees to $5 for lineage.  You can bowl for a buck a game anyway on Sunday mornings so they shouldn't have a problem with that. As the director I'm good at only $1 per bowler for myself as long as it isn't sanctioned and therefore isn't much work for me.

So a $25 entry would be $19 to the prize fund, $5 for lineage, $1 for fees.  No pots of any kind.  Payback would be 1 to 4.  I'm not sure if I would have a top four stepladder.  The reason against it so people can go home.  The reason for it is to give an additional chance to move up.

A sample prize list for 32 bowlers would look something like this:
1st: $188
2nd: $125
3rd: $85
4th: $60
5th: $45
6th: $40
7th: $35
8th: $30

I'm getting ready to run a cheap tournament this coming Saturday.  $20 Entry for a 80% of 220.  10 to prize fund, 10 to lineage.   I also have an additional $10 scratch pot, and a 190-210 only $5 scratch pot.   Trying to get everyone something to shoot for.

To help the prize fund grow too, brackets are paying 25/10 and 5 goes to main prize fund.

Where are you having the tournament?  And at what time?