Compiling a list of High $ Amateur Tournaments.

Hey ALL,

As i used to do years ago, around this time of year i start looking and planning out a 'vacation' attacking all the amateur bowling tournaments with big money payouts. other tournaments are usually in the general vicinity of these tournaments making it all the more interesting to go.

here is the list i came up with so far and i need help compiling a 'to do / to go' list. I have listed tournaments that have at least 5000.00 first place per bowler prizes but, if the event is near a large long-format tournament then go ahead and list it. Now's the time to start planning going to these events for 2014. maybe also share if you plan on attending any of these or tournaments you add to this list and why you like the event. maybe we can even bowl team or doubles who knows?

List:

here are some links to tournaments i'm looking at. Unfortunately, we'll have to figure out how to get to them at the same time.

Hamtrammock Detroit:
http://www.hamtram.com/Hamtramck/leaderboard2013.html

Hoinke Classic:
http://hoinke.com/Hoinke_Classic/Hoinke_Home.html

HighRoller:
http://www.high-roller.com/

Petersen Classic:
http://www.thepetersen.com
http://www.thepetersen.com/2013_Final_Standings.html

Lilac City (Upper NY State):
http://www.lilactour.com/

Wild Irish Rose bowling tournament (Upper NY)
http://www.wirbowling.com/index.html

Inside Bowling Open
http://insidebowling.com/ibevents/ibOpen

Lebannon Duchman:
http://dutchmantourney.com/index.php/2- ... chman-home

USBC Open Championships:
http://www.bowl.com

I've been to all or most of these tournaments once or more. they are really worth it!
I'm trying to find other tournaments with decent payout/prize funds to add to this list.
High roller type events and any high payout event. even running jackpots like heavy pin tournaments. I have no affiliation with any of these tournaments other than being a competitor.

RR

I don't know if the High Roller is going to be run again, but there is a megabuck tournament in Vegas named the True Amateur Tournament at the Orleans w/ a $20K check for the champion. They have the nationals in February and also a tournament in the summer (usually late June or early July). Details at http://www.trueamateurtournaments.com

if you make the Hamtramck, let me know. its a few miles from my house.
we could...bowl the same squad...enter the doubles (that just requires filling out a form at the lanes right before bowling)...grab some lunch...

just depends when you're here, and when you're bowling.
PM me for phone number, or any info on the area.

Mark

And I saw yesterday after I posted that they're rebooting the High Roller in July...good luck if you enter that, but I know one of the bowlers that has won that twice (Ed Roberts).

that is exactly what i'll do! I just can't give you a date at this time, but, i'll be making a trip to Michigan in 2014 and that is when i plan on hitting the Hamtramck, Hoinke, and Lilac City. i maybe will have to wait around to pick up a team and doubles but sounds like i'm set for Detroit! Thanks.

RR

Hey,
Gonna post an update to my tournament itinerary but, looks like I may be at the Hamtrammk the week of May 25th. I dont think they bowl weekdays right? That would put me there on the 30th of May. If not, i'll have to wait until the following Friday, june 6th. My weekends will be taken so i'll have to shoot on Fridays if i bowl. maybe i'll bowl one set on the 29th and one on the 6th depending on how i'm bowling. i should be rested enough as the previous week i'll be in the Petersen. If you want to bowl that let me know and we can do doubles in that too.

Also, any info on when to bowl (1st squad on fresh, etc.) is appreciated. When is the best time the high scores are being shot. i'll only be able to bowl twice looks like unless i get there early. i dont have the forms in front of me. if you have any suggestions any help will be appreciated.

talk soon,

RayRay

I have approximate dates for my tournament itinerary this summer. Here goes....

May 18-23rd
Hoinke Classic:
http://hoinke.com/Hoinke_Classic/Hoinke_Home.html
I have to talk to them because I only have one league average from this winter. Their rules word like you have to have 2 consecutive years averages to even enter. May have to skip this one if they do not accept my current average. If anyone knows i can enter with current average only, let me know. I just started bowling last year so don't have composite averages, etc...

If not, i will just go to the Petersen Classic and the Lumberjack challenge in Hoffman Estates, IL on May 23rd arriving on the 22nd.
Petersen Classic:
http://www.thepetersen.com
http://www.thepetersen.com/2013_Final_Standings.html

May 30th or June 6th
Hamtrammock Detroit:
http://www.hamtram.com/Hamtramck/leaderboard2013.html
I will be searching out any local tournaments and sweepers in the Detroit area for the 2 weeks i'll be staying for kids HS graduation on the Last 2 weekends in May. I have to find out if they bowl every day or just weekends.

June 12th-15th
Lilac City (Upper NY State):
http://www.lilactour.com/
if it times out ok i'll stop by the Wild Irish Rose tourney in Canadaugua, NY too plus hit the big No-Tap Lilac hosts each year. Should be a good bowling weekend here.

Wild Irish Rose bowling tournament (Upper NY)
http://www.wirbowling.com/index.html

Next stop Lebannon Dutchman in Lebannon and Palmyra, PA. I'll know of other events by this time and try and hit a few more on the way to this one. Hopefully i'll be rackin up the cash by this time....
Lebannon Duchman:
http://dutchmantourney.com/index.php/2- ... chman-home

DC/MD/VA areas. I'll have a good idea what to hit around this area before i get there. gonna look up some old bowling buddies and hopefully take some of their money ;), buy them dinner and head south toward home hitting whatever i can on the way back through VA, NC, SC, GA and FL.

If all goes well (and why not?), i'll try and hit the Open Championships in a couple weeks after the big trip. It would be nice to top off everything with a good showing out west.

USBC Open Championships:
http://www.bowl.com


Well, so far that's my plan. If i have to adjust dates i'll have to remain flexible. hopefully, some of these events run every day of the week. The Hoinke used to back in the day, but, i see they only bowl Fri-Sunday now.

Wish me luck and i'll update any changes if the dates have to be adjusted.

RR

RayRay
Hey!! How goes it?

My family calendar isn't showing anything major for the end of May, so we're looking pretty good.

You have the same link to the website that I do, but it doesn't show any firm info about squads that far out. I do, however know Joanne, and can call her any time. At the very least she'll know when the squad time/dates are for the entire tournament. A lot of times you can just walk into Hazel Park on a weekend, and find a squad to bowl on...but it certainly doesn't hurt to sign up early.

I'd be willing to bowl 2, 3, 4...times. It doesn't really cost very much (unless you want to go nuts with all the jackpots and brackets). It takes monster scores to hit for big money (I'm talking scores that you do three or four times with a calculator...just to confirm that you do actually have to score THAT high), but, if you bowl over average you usually get money back...and solidly over average to show a profit.
As about a 225 bowler, I usually don't bowl in stuff like that...since my averages are 'legit', and there are a lot of 'baggers' that bowl, that are better than I am...and have averages in the 180s and 190s.
But...I've been bowling hurt, in tough houses, for a few years...and now I have 'bagger' averages without even being a 'bagger'. I'm about 100% bowling healthy now, and have been lighting 'em up for a couple months (235+)...so now is the time I should be bowling in these long-running, big-money things. I also know about any scratch sweepers going on in the area, and can find out if there are any handicap 1-day tournaments going on while you're here.
I'm a bowling lunatic...I'd bowl all day every day if I could, and sometimes it seems like I do...but I still have a wife (who works 50-75 hours a week) and two little kids (6 and 9) to work around.

I don't know if the Hamtramzck (if i live to be 200, i'll never memorize how to spell that) bowls at all on weekdays...but they might have some squads at some times on some weekdays.
We have some time, but whenever you can, get me some specific info...exactly when you'll be in the area, when you can bowl, when you want to bowl, when you can't bowl, where you'll be staying (Detroit doesn't really exist...[sorry Detroiters], it's pretty much all suburbs, and they are sprawling (large area)...and anything else you know for sure, or might need some help with.

(oh...bring some ear plugs...the Hamtramyck is some loud, exuberant, high energy bowling. just kidding about the ear plugs, but just a little. Hazel Park is a safe, fun place to bowl)

lemme know...
Mark F.
[email protected]
(or PM here)

I would have posted if I had seen this thread earlier.

Starting this week, the Champlain International Tournament, 3 miles down from my house. $50,000 in price money.
50 years this year.

http://champlainlanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/2014_TournamentCL.pdf