Ice Bowl
Rules & Regulations
Entry Requirements:
1) Non-refundable entry fee is one hundred twenty dollars ($120) if paid by January 31, 2020. Entry fee increases to one hundred forty dollars ($140) on February 1, 2020. All entries should be submitted and paid online at www.icebowlinvitational.org. Mailed entries must be paid by money order or certified check, payable to Ice Bowl Invitational Tournament. An additional fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) is required to enter the Optional Scratch divisions. Personal checks will be returned.
2) All mailed entries must be postmarked no later than January 31, 2020. Online entries must be submitted by February 14, 2020.
3) Entrants acceptance is based on the order in which received. Entry refunds will only be issued at the Tournament Director’s discretion.
4) Partial team entries will be accepted and the tournament management will make every effort to fill the vacancies.
5) Ice Bowl Invitational Tournament is an invitational tournament. Tournament Directors reserve the right to refuse entry for any individual into the tournament.
Sanctioning:
6) The Ice Bowl Invitational Tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to men and women by invitation only.
7) Ice Bowl Invitational is a USBC certified tournament. All participants must be members of USBC and are required to provide proof of membership at tournament check-in.
8) If a participant is not a member of USBC, he/she must pay the current USBC participation fee and concurrently become subject to USBC rules and jurisdiction for the tournament.
9) All participants must be a member of the IGBO organization. Non-members must pay a non-member participant fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to the Ice Bowl Invitational tournament.
Event Participation:
10) The tournament events shall be handicap events and are as follows: Singles, Doubles and Team. Optional Individual Scratch Divisions will also be offered
11) There will be six (6) divisions of competition in the optional scratch event: averages from 0 - 145, 146 - 160, 161 - 175, 176 - 190, 191 - 205 and 206 and above. Optional scratch event entries will be accepted only up to the beginning of the first scheduled bowling shift.
12) Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three events. Teams will consist of four (4) members comprising any combination of men and women. Men and women will compete on an equal basis. Doubles partners must come from the same team.
13) Each participant may only bowl once in each event.
14) Only one (1) professional bowler per team will be allowed. A professional bowler is defined as any person who has been a card-carrying member of a professional bowling association (PBA) within the past twelve months preceding the Ice Bowl Invitational Tournament.
15) A team average (4-person team) may not exceed 880.
Entering Averages:
16) Bowlers entering the tournament must use a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC. If competing in more than one (1)
league, the bowler must submit the highest sanctioned average of all leagues bowled. The following rules are used to determine entering average:
a. The highest 2018 – 2019 book average (minimum 21 games).
b. If “a” is not available, use the highest 2019 – 2020 league average as of December 31, 2019 (minimum 21 games).
c. If neither “a” or “b” is available, use the 2019 summer league average (minimum 21 games).
d. If neither “a”, “b” or “c” is available, a current season average (minimum 21 games) as of February 15, 2020 will be accepted.
e. If neither “a”, “b”, “c”, or “d” is available, the bowler’s IGBO TAD Average will be accepted, so long as the bowler has bowled a minimum of 21 games as of 30 days prior to the tournament start.
f. If none of the scenarios above are applicable, then the entering average shall be 240 (USBC rule 319E).
g. The above averages MUST be verified by the use of:
i. League standing sheet, signed and dated by League Officer, or
ii. Letter from League President or Secretary, or
iii. Photocopy of book average (with year noted), signed and dated by league officer if not available on bowl.com.
h. Averages from “Sports Condition” leagues are not permitted.
i. Handicap for the Tournament is based on ninety percent (90%) of the difference of a bowler’s entering average and 240. Negative handicaps will not apply.
j. USBC rules regarding the BOWLER’S responsibility to verify the accuracy of his/her entering average prior to the start of the tournament, whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain, or any other individual, applies to all bowlers. Failure to use proper average shall disqualify scores if the submitted average is lower than the actual average, thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap. Event placement and/or prize winnings shall be based on the higher average should the submitted average prove to be higher than the bowler’s actual average.
Average Adjustment:
17) If a bowler has a current IGBO tournament average (comprised of a minimum of 21 games bowled between February 1, 2019 and February 1, 2020 that is 1 (one) or more pins higher than their Entering Average (as outlined in Rule 16), they must use the higher tournament average as their entering average.
18) When the 2018-2019 bowl.com book average is used, and at the time of bowling an entrant has a current average for 21 or more games that is 10 pins or more higher than the 2018-2019 bowl.com book average, the current average must be used.
19) A bowler who has qualified for a cash prize of three hundred dollars ($300) or more in any single event in a tournament within the previous twelve (12) month period must report the actual scores, position and amount won to the tournament directors at the time of entry. If the particular tournament average is ten (10) pins greater, they must use the higher tournament average as their entering average.
20) The tournament management has the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler. Average adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules. All average adjustments will be completed prior to the start of each event. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund for that event.
Attendance and Substitutes:
21) It is solely and entirely the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling. Each bowler shall have the total responsibility to arrive in time to bowl. Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions and related reasons DO NOT alter the application of rules 21 and 22 below (USBC rules will apply). Tournament offered transportation and catastrophic events will be subject to Tournament Management discretion.
22) Complete Doubles and Team entrants must be present for bowling each event. If a team member is not present, the team may use an authorized substitute (Rule 23). If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the missing bowler or bowlers.
23) Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored as zero. No practice balls will be allowed.
24) Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the tournament management. Their entering average must comply with the rules previously stated.
25) Bowlers will be allowed two (2) practice balls on each lane for Singles and Team events.
Scoring Errors:
26) After a score has been recorded, it cannot be changed unless an obvious error in scoring or calculation has occurred. Obvious errors must be corrected by a tournament official immediately upon discovery. USBC Rule 328 applies.
Prize Fund:
27) Handicap entries for all cash awards shall be based on total pins plus handicap for each event, except for the Optional Scratch event, which will be based on scratch score for each division.
28) Fees for Optional Scratch event and Scratch Masters will remain 100% in each event.
29) A tie in any position will result in equal division of prizes. Prize fund will be based upon 100% participation. USBC rule 311 will apply.
Miscellaneous:
30) All other USBC rules will apply.
31) Participants authorize Ice Bowl Invitational to distribute, copy, post names and standing sheets on the Ice Bowl Invitational, Facebook and IGBO website. Payment and participation is proof of authorization. Participants hold Ice Bowl Invitational harmless of this distribution.
32) Lanes will be oiled once before the start of each singles shift. Fresh oil will not be provided for doubles shifts. Lanes will be oiled for the 8:30 a.m. Sunday team squad and 12:00 p.m. Sunday team squad.