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Mid-Southeastern Deaf Bowling Association / Basic Rules 2026
(We reserve our right to schedule each team and individual and make necessary changes and/or refuse any entries)
Bowling Events:
1. The bowler’s handicap shall be based on 80% of 220.
2. No Individual handicap shall exceed 64 pins per game, 192 per event. The minimum average is 140. Excluding Robert Kolb and Ethridge Senior Masters.
3. To participate the bowler must bowl Team, Single and Double events.
4. Child of Deaf Adults (C.O.D.A.) may be allowed one per team and one per double event. Sibling of Deaf Adult (S.O.D.A.) may be allowed one per team and one per double events.
Bowlers:
1. Must be deaf or hard of hearing and member of USBC. If not, you must pay USBC membership fee to the Tournament Director and provide the true highest average from any certified leagues (USBC Rule 319A)
2. Entrants shall use their USBC previous season’s winter league average, 21 games or more. If there is no winter league average, an entrant may use the highest current average on April 4 of this year with 21 games or more.
3. The NEW bowler must have League or Local Secretary’s signature of his average for this year with 21 games or more. A copy of the League Standing sheet required.
4. Cannot complete more than once in Team, Single and Double events.
5. No PBA allowed to complete. If PBA has more than a year, he may bowl scratch for three years before starting use the handicap if any.
6. No High School can complete. Only 18 years old nonstudent can complete.
7. If the bowler doesn’t have an acceptable entering average of last year, 21 games or more or this year, 21 games or more, the bowler shall bowl scratch according to tournament rules, USBC 319A.
8. Dress Code: Must wear proper attire during the tournament events i.e., shirts with collars or bowling shirts without collars, clean and presentable pants, or Bermuda shorts. Denim may be permissible, no holes, dirty or fading. Cargo pants, sleeveless shirts, tank tops, collars shirts, T-shirts, caps, hats, headbands, and shorts (jogging, walking, cutoffs, or any others) are not allowed.
See MSDBA officers if you are not sure, MSDBA officers have the right to make any last-minute decision, rules and so forth not listed above. If you fail, you will be fined $50.00 dollars, or he will be disqualified.
9. Captains, please advise and see that your teammates are following the dress code.
10. Be on time. All bowlers entering the tournament must be ready to bowl when scheduled. The event will not be delayed for any reason such as non-appearance participants. Any bowler who is late will be penalized with zero until they show up. Catch up will not permitted, USBC Rule 322a.
11. Substitutes or any other changes to the original schedule must be given to the Tournament Director one (1) hour prior to the scheduled time of bowling.
Robert Kolb Master:
1. To be eligible, the bowler must bowl Team, Single, Double of the tournament, NO exceptions.
2. The handicap shall be 80% of 220. The maximum is 36 pins per game. Format is carried over until step ladder elimination.
3. At the start of the qualifying round, all participants will bowl 3 games across 6 lanes to be qualified for first round.
4. The top 25% of the bowlers will enter the qualifying to bowl two (2) games to add to the three (3) games.
5. A total of eight (8) highest five-games qualifiers will advance to the next step and bowl one (1) game with the total of the previous five games.
6. The four (4) highest qualifiers will advance into the final round using the position, fourth (4th) against third (3rd), third (3rd) against second (2nd), second (2nd) against first (1st) using the step ladder system with the clean slate.
7. Prizes are based on 1/3 of all qualifying round entries.
8. Each round must be an even number, either add or remove to make it an even.
9. In case of tie in top 4 or cutoff bowlers. The tied bowlers will bowl a full game to break the tie.
10. It shall be the responsibility of each bowler to check the line up board for start time and lane assignment.
11. Re-entry – Bowlers may bowl more than one but only cash prize once. Cost Re-entry shall be $65.00. If Combo, $110.00.
Ethridge Senior Citizen Classic:
1. Any entrants, 55 years old or later, can bowl in Senior Citizens Classic. Required to bowl in Team, Single and Double events to qualify.
2. The handicap is 80% of 220. The maximum handicap is 56 pins per game. 70 yrs old -up add 5 hcp and 80 yrs old-up add 10 hcp.
3. Re-entry - Bowlers may bowl more than one but only cash prize once. Cost Re-entry shall be $60.00. If Combo, $110.00.
Note: Please read the rules. You do not need to send back the rule page to the Tournament Director.