2025 Tournament Rules
1. The 2025 Greater Indianapolis Fall Classic (hereinafter referred to as TGIF Classic) will be held August 16th and 17th, 2025. This tournament is open to USBC members and nonmembers by invitation. Award recognition will be automatically extended to USBC members; nonmembers may qualify for USBC awards at their option by paying a $5.00 participation fee. By completing this application, each bowler or their representative indicates that they are a member or supporter of the International Gay Bowlers Organization (IGBO). Any bowler holding PBA membership is ineligible for entry in the TGIF Classic. The TGIF Executive Board has the right to refuse any application for entry for this event. TGIF Classic 2025 will adhere to USBC tournament rules, except as noted in the rules below.
2. TGIF Classic 2025 will consist of handicapped singles, doubles and team events. Each bowler will bowl three games per event. Bowlers may bowl only once in each event. Doubles pairs must come from the same team. Teams will consist of four members of any combination of men and women. Men and women will compete on an equal basis.
3. Entries will only be accepted via the on-line registration and payment systems prescribed by the statistician and can be found at www.tgif-classic.org. Participant entry fee is $130.00. Entries must be accompanied by the full amount of fees due to be considered complete. The deadline to enter the tournament is August 3rd, 2025. The statistician reserves the right to accept late entries to fill positions as needed. The registration fee for non-participants is $60.00
4. All prize monies collected as a portion of the tournament entry fee will be returned 100% as tournament payouts. The prize to participant ratio will be a minimum 1 in 8. Total tournament winnings paid to an individual exceeding $600 will require us to submit a 1099 to the IRS and to the bowler.
5. Handicaps will be calculated at 90% of 230 less the bowler’s average, with no negative handicap. Entering league averages will be determined in descending order as follows:
A. Bowler’s highest 2024-2025 sanctioned league average as of May 31st, 2025 (minimum 21 games), if one does not exist, then…
B. Bowler’s highest 2023-2024 sanctioned league average as of May 31st, 2025 (minimum 21 games), if one does not exist, then…
C. IGBO member tournament average (TAD) as of May 31st, 2025 (minimum of 18 games), if one does not exist, then…
D. If none of the prior averages exist, the average from a sanctioned summer league from 2025 (minimum 21 games) may be used.
E. If none of the above applies, the bowler will enter with a 230 average.
F. Averages from USBC Sport Bowling leagues will not be accepted for tournament average calculations.
G. Sanctioned league average verification must be submitted with all entries. Average verification must be signed by the secretary or other league officer if the secretary is unavailable, and it must contain that officer’s area code and telephone number or email address. In accordance with USBC Rule 319a-3, the bowler is responsible for his/her own average verification.
6. Any bowler having participated in 18 or more tournament games within the 12 months prior to May 31st, 2025, must submit all tournament scores pursuant to USBC rule 319e. If a bowler’s IGBO tournament average for the 12 months immediately preceding May 31st, 2025 is at least ten (10) pins higher than any of the averages established in rule 5, and the number of games represented by that average is at least 18, the IGBO tournament average will be used. (USBC Rule 319e).
7. Bowlers are also required to report scores and winnings for any single tournament (not including side pots) in which the bowler qualified for monetary awards of $500 (USD) or more during the 12-month period preceding the start of TGIF (USBC Rule 319d). Failure to do so will result in the immediate disqualification of the bowler with scores of 0 entered with no refund given.
8. Ten minutes of practice will be permitted prior to the start of each event. Late bowlers will start bowling in the frame in which they arrive, with prior frames scored as zero. Substitutes will be allowed to participate at the discretion of the tournament committee.
9. Bowlers will not be allowed to bowl on their assigned lanes on their scheduled day of bowling. All games will be hosted at Royal Pin Western Bowl, 6441 West Washington St, Indianapolis IN. 46241,317-247-4426
10. All claims of error in scoring must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Manager within 1 hour after the bowler or team has completed bowling. In any matter of dispute, the tournament committee, guided by USBC rule 329, will have final judgment and jurisdiction.

2025 Scratch Masters Rules

1. The optional Scratch Masters event will be offered to all participants of the TGIF Classic, separating bowlers into divisions based on their entering average. All bowlers who wish to participate must sign up prior to the start of tournament play on Saturday August 16, 2025.
2. Each division shall have six (6) bowlers. If there are not enough entries to fill a division, each bowler that registered for that division will have the option to bump up to the next highest division and pay the difference in the entry fee or have their money refunded.
3. The six (6) game total scratch score from the Team and Doubles events on August 16, 2025, will be used to determine the six (6) qualifiers for each division. If one or more of the top six (6) qualifiers are unable to bowl, the next highest qualifier will replace that participant provided they are present at 12:30pm on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at the lanes. Tournament scores will not carry over to the Scratch Masters Event.
4. The games for all divisions will begin at 1:00 pm on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at Royal Pin Western Bowl. Participants must check in 30 minutes before the preliminary matches. A bowler who is not available to bowl at the scheduled time will be disqualified and will be replaced by alternate(s), if available.
5. Bowlers will be allowed ten (10) minutes of practice prior to the start of competition.
Divisions and entry fees:
1) Division A: (0 – 150)…………… $25.00
2) Division B: (151 – 175)…………$30.00
3) Division C: (176 – 200)……….. $40.00
4) Division D: (201+)………………. $50.00

6. Format: Step Ladder
Winner is defined as the winner of game 5
In the event of a tie for qualification position (including alternate), the higher position will be granted to the bowler that has the highest scratch score from the first game of the singles event.
In the event of a tie in any game of the stepladder competition, bowlers will have a two (2) frame roll off. In the case of no winner after three (3) roll offs, there will be a sudden death roll off. The person with the highest pin count will be declared the winner. In the case of a tie, bowlers will continue until a winner is declared.
Sudden death is defined as a throw-by-throw competition until one of the bowlers throws a higher count than the other.
Payout will be top 3 finishers in each division and will be 100%, less the lineage.
7. Any claims of error must be reported before the start of the next match. In case of any claims of error in the final match, the error must be reported within one (1) hour after the end of the match to the Tournament Director.