See rules below and then use this link to register: REGISTRATION

     2025 Bluegrass Classic Bourbon Bowl Rules     

1)  The 2025 Bluegrass Classic Bourbon Bowl will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025 and Sunday, February 23, 2025, in accordance with the schedule of events to be published.

2)  The 2025 Bluegrass Classic Bourbon Bowl tournament is an invitational tournament and the tournament’s governing body has the right to deny entry to any individual for any reason.

3)  The Bluegrass Classic Bourbon Bowl is tentatively set for one shift with a maximum registration of 192 bowlers. The tournament committee will consider increasing the maximum registration with an additional shift provided there is sufficient interest and provided reasonable accommodations can be provided by the bowling house. 

4)  PBA member will not be accepted in the 2025 Bluegrass Classic Bourbon Bowl.

5)  The 2025 Bluegrass Classic Bourbon Bowl will be a United States Bowling Congress (USBC) sanctioned tournament, and the following shall apply concerning USBC membership, entering average and handicap:

  1. It is required that all participants hold a current season USBC membership card.  Non-USBC bowlers may qualify for entry by purchase of an associate membership; this membership may be purchased at www.bowl.com.  In the alternative, a bowler may qualify for entry by paying a five dollar ($5.00) USBC participation fee. Bowlers that opt for the USBC participation fee forfeit the right to qualify for USBC special awards and recognitions.
  2. Bowlers shall use their 2023-24 composite book average (with a minimum of twenty-one games).
  3. If no 2023-24 composite average is available, the bowler’s highest current average (with a minimum of twenty-one games) as of December 1, 2024, held in any league shall be used. 
  4. A bowler’s December 1, 2024, average will automatically be used if it is ten (10) or more pins higher than the bower’s 2023-24 composite book average.  USBC Rule 319a-2, the “ten pin rule,” shall apply in its entirety.
  5. Bowlers whose tournament average (with a minimum of twenty-one games) exceeds their book average or December 1, 2024, average by fifteen (15) or more pins shall use their accumulated tournament average for this tournament.  Tournament averages must be submitted prior to the first game of the tournament.  USBC Rule 319e shall apply in its entirety. 
  6. The average of any bowler may be adjusted by the tournament Director upon the recommendation of the tournament Statistician or of the local bowling association of the bowler in question.  Any adjustments must be made before the bowler bowls the first event.  If the assigned average is not accepted by the bowler, the entry fee shall be refunded.  See USBC Rule 319c.
  7. Bowlers without a verified average shall enter with an average of 230 for men and 200 for women.  See USBC Rule 319b.
  8. Handicap shall be based on ninety percent (90%) of the difference between the bowler’s entering average and two hundred thirty (230).
  9. International citizens may substitute verified averages from leagues utilizing American Ten-Pin rules for USBC averages.

6)  Bowlers are responsible for verifying their own average. If the submitted average is lower than required and results in lower classification, the bowler’s scores will be disqualified. If the submitted average is higher than required, prize winning will be based on the submitted average. Average corrections may made up until the end of the bowler’s first game of a series.  See USBC Rules 319a-3 and 319a-4.

7)  A bowler who has qualified for a cash and/or merchandise prize of six hundred dollars ($600.00) or more in any event, including “all-events", in a tournament within the past twelve-month period must provide the Statistician with notification as required by USBC Rule 319d to be used for possible re-rating of the bowler’s entering average. Failure to comply shall result in forfeiture of entry fee and prize winnings.

8)  The receipt of an entry and its acceptance by the statistician for one or more events shall regulate the number of players who shall participate. There will be no refunds after the Statistician’s acceptance of an entry. 

9)  Entries will only be accepted via the on-line registration and payment systems prescribed by the statistician. Entries must be accompanied by the full amount of fees due to be considered complete.  The deadline to enter the tournament is February 4, 2025.  The statistician reserves the right to accept late entries to fill positions as needed. 

10)  Bowlers may only bowl once in each event.  Each event consists of three games for a total of nine games. Team event and Doubles event will be bowled in tandem. 

11)  All protests or claims of error must be submitted in writing to the Director no later than one hour after the bowler or team has bowled. 

12)  Substitutes will be allowed to bowl at the Statistician’s discretion. Substitutes must register with the Statistician at least one hour before entering the event.

13)  A bowler may win only one special awards category. 

14)  Each event, including all-events, shall have its own prize list which will be based upon a minimum return ration of 1:8.  There will be a minimum one hundred percent (100%) return of all prize fees. 

15)  Late bowlers shall start bowling in the frame in which they are prepared to bowl. Missed frames shall be scored as zero (0). 

16)  Bowlers shall check in upon arrival at the bowling facility.

17)  Bowlers are not permitted to practice on their assigned lanes on their scheduled day of bowling.  All games will be conducted at Kingpin Lanes, 9525 Taylorsville Rd, Louisville, Ky.  502-719-5464

18)  All prize money shall be awarded within thirty (30) days of the tournament, unless a pending protest makes that deadline impossible to meet. 

19)  In all matters of dispute, the Director’s decision is final unless an appeal is made in accordance with USBC Rule 329.

USBC Rules of Note

USBC Rule 18 (Bowling Ball - Altering Surface) states: While bowling in USBC competition, a bowling ball cannot: a.) Have the surface altered by the use of an abrasive. b.)Be cleaned with any liquid substance or cleaning agent. c.) Have any foreign material on it including, but not limited to, powder, rosin, marker or paint.  All bowling balls so altered or cleaned must be removed from the competition.   ---  Note that as of August 1, 2022, USBC removed the pandemic exemption allowing the use of isopropyl alcohol.  --- Also note  there is no exception for balls being brought into play after after competition begins.

USBC Rule 12 (Approaches Must Not Be Defaced) states: Detracting from the possibility of other players having normal conditions is prohibited. This includes: a.) The application of any foreign substance on any part of the approach. b.) Improperly applying talcum powder, pumice, soap stone, rosin or any other foreign substance on the shoes causing the substance to be transferred to the approach.  c.) Soft rubber soles or heels that rub off on the approach.

USBC Chapter 8 Item 7 (Drilling Requirements) states in part: 1) Holes.  a) Holes or indentations for gripping purposes iii) Must be used on every delivery. b) Any secondary hole drilled inside of a gripping hole that is not intended for gripping purpose is considered a void and not allowed. c) No balance holes are allowed. d)Balls without a thumb hole must have a scribed or engraved cross-hair lines ("+") near the center of the palm to indicate the grip orientation. The ball must be delivered in the marked orientation. 

holidayinn.jpg

Our host hotel is the Holiday Inn East located close to the bowling alley and just off I-64.
The room rate is $129/night plus tax.
Reservations can be made by calling the hotel at 502-426-2600 and requesting the Bluegrass Classic room rate.

                     Entry Fee                    

Linage

$45.00

Prize Fund contribution

$40.00

Banquet contribution

$37.00

Trophies contribution

$1.00

IGBO Fee

$2.00

                       TOTAL

$125.00

 

 

Non-Participants

$65.00

                    Prize Fund                   

$1400

  1st Place Team

$700

  1st Place Doubles

$350

  1st Place Singles

$350

  1st Place All-Events

       $20 Optional Scratch Event      

Division A

avg 0-139

Division B

avg 140-159

Division C

avg 160-179

Division D

avg 180-199

Division E

avg 200 -300

           $20 Optional Women's          
                Handicap Event               

all-event series

$20 Optional Seniors' (55 and older)
                Handicap Event               

all-event series

             $5 Optional Brackets            

handicap and scratch divisions
limit 20 entries
per division per event

        $20 Optional Mystery Score       

payouts for 7 games