Has anyone ever bowling in the TAT - True Amateur Tournament? It seems like a high paying tournament held in Vegas twice a year. Next event comes up in July 4-9, 2016.

http://www.trueamateurtournaments.com/

Thanks

Bill

No I havn't but it looks like a great tourney.

Yeah, I've heard of it, Bill. Alex Aguiar, one of the best amateurs in New England, won it two years ago and I know a bowler in the Coke league who finished 2nd in it before that. I'm guessing it's pretty much replaced the High Roller as the big annual (or semi-annual) Vegas tournament.

Yes, it did replace the High Roller tournament that used to held in Vegas.

I find it interesting that you know two people who did very well in it. A bowler in the under 189 bracket won it this past Feb, which probably gives a lot of hope to recreational oriented bowlers.

Are these two guys you know, the type of bowler you would expect to do well in this tournaments? (very precise, very repeatable and with great ball movement and action)

Did they talk about the tournament, the lane patterns used and their experience in it?

As with the High Roller, I expect there is a lot of money to made in brackets but I didn't read much about brackets

I'm giving this tournament some consideration.

Thanks Bill

Bill, I know Alex, as well, and he's done well on all kinds of lane conditions, including top 40 and higher finishes at nationals. The bowler in the Coke league I know bowls with Shannon O'Keefe's group at nationals, too.

I bowled this tournament once. I did not do well. I thought it was absurd how they oiled. I remember bowling 1 squad where the back end was REAL strong, at the start of bowling, but after only 6 frames, the oil carried down an there was NO shot at all. Now I bowled it prolly 10 years ago, so maybe its changed? I preferred High Roller since at least their lane condition was consistent an at least I cashed a few times. All I got from the TAT was a ball. I still get offers from them in the mail and 'maybe' 1 day i'll go back and try it again. It's not like I'm bad bowler, I mean I've beat some good bowlers in the High Roller match play, I just found the lane conditions in TAT to be too variable. Even the National Open has at least a consistent shot. But again, my opinion could be skewed based only attempting the TAT once.

Gonna be interesting next year @nationals when the new sport adjustment goes into effect. With my 185 avg @nationals, i'll be adjusted to 211.

I'm interested in bowling this. Can someone explain what all this "VIP" stuff is about?

the VIP squads are just side tournaments. Its basically multiple tournaments in one. U got the main event, or qualifying squad, which I think is the larger prize fund, then each VIP squad, if u bowl well u can cash $. There is also "Optional" sweeper squads where u can also win $$. So multiple squads, lots of bowling. I "think" the VIP's are 2 games and the sweeper is 3 games. Can't recall if the main event was 2 or 3 games. Now this is just going from memory, without actually looking at their website/entry form, an I last bowled 12 or 13 years ago.

It may be that all the VIP squads are tied to 1 prize fund and if u do well in one, u really don't need the others. The others are just to better u'r score? But I can't recall if that's how its set up or not.

1 of our bowlers bowled it last year, so lemme ask him what his opinion is.

Hm, if I reserve by today, there is an extra VIP entry. It sounds like from your description the extra VIPs are reentries since they are tied to the same prize fund.