Rules

2026 Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament (PRIT) Rules

As of 13 September 2025

Eligibility

  1. The Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament will be a mixed handicap by invitation only.
  2. PRIT is a gender neutral handicap bowling tournament competition.  All entrants are in competition against their peer bowlers regardless of gender and identity.
  3. This tournament will be a USBC certified event and will be held in accordance with USBC rules and regulations.
  4. This tournament is an IGBO affiliated tournament.
  5. All entrants are required to hold a current a 2025/2026 USBC membership card (Rule 300c). Participants who are not members of USBC can qualify for an entry by paying a participation fee of $15.00. Participants paying the participation fee are not eligible for USBC awards, per USBC rule 300c1(b).
  6. You must be 21 years of age or older by the date of the tournament to be eligible to bowl.
  7. This is an Invitational Tournament.  The Tournament Executive Directorship have the right to refuse entrance to any bowler.

Entering Average

Any bowler entering PRIT 2026 must have established a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC. The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average:

  1. Bowlers will use the highest of the following:
    1. The bowler’s 2024/2025 composite average, if none, the 2023/2024 composite average.
    2. The bowler’s highest league average, 21 games or more, as of 12/31/2025 (A 12/31/2025 standing sheet must be provided).
    3. The bowlers IGBO TAD average with a minimum of 21 games (one year preceding 02/01/2026).
    4. If none of the above is available, an entering average of 230 or an average established by the tournament director(s) shall be used.
  2. Entries without proper average verification will not be accepted.
  3. The tournament director reserves the right to adjust a bowler’s average if just cause is presented.
  4. Sport League Averages will follow USBC conversion rates.
  5. Failure to provide proper documentation of the correct average when required shall disqualify tournament scores if submitted average is lower than the actual average.
  6. The TAD average will be the actual average that is in the database on 2/1/2026. Tournament scores that were bowled prior to that date, but not entered into the database, will not be considered.
  7. All average challenges must be made to the Tournament Directors and/or Statistician prior to the start of the first event.

Tournament Handicap

  1. Bowler’s tournament handicap shall be 90% of the difference between the bowler’s entering average and the highest attendee bowler’s entering average.
    1. For Example:  If the highest entering average is 245 your entering average is 195, your per game handicap will be calculated as follows:
      1. (245 (highest entering average) – 195 (your entering average) = 50.  50 (difference calculated previously) x 90% = 45.  45 will be your per game handicap.

General

  1. Substitutes may be used with the Tournament Director’s approval. Any substitute that replaces a bowler for the entire tournament and cashes in singles, doubles, or team events will receive payment only in excess of the entry fee. The original bowling entry fee will be returned to the paying entrant. Substitute average will follow the same rules for entering average.  See Entering Averages rules 1 – 7.
  1. Late bowlers will start in the frame in which they are ready to bowl with all prior frames being scored as zero (0).
  1. Bowlers are permitted to bowl only once in each event.
  1. Teams shall consist of four bowlers.
  1. A team may not have more than one PBA card holder.
  1. Full team entries will be given priority in squad time preferences. Partial Entries will be accepted and every effort will be made to grant the requested squad times.
  2. Bowlers will be given 10 minutes of practice before each squad.
  3. Lane courtesy rule is 1 (one) lane.
  4. The Tournament Director(s) reserve the right to deny entry, disqualify, or remove from competition any bowler who is found to be in violation of any tournament rules.  Excessive intoxication, disruptive, harassing, intimidating or threatening behavior will not be tolerated and will be grounds for immediate disqualification without a refund.

Scoring Errors and Protests

  1. 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. Questionable errors must be reported to a tournament official within one (1) hour of the error and will be decided by Tournament Management. (USBC Rule 328).
  2. Protests and appeals must be in writing, stating the grounds for the protest and/or appeal. All protests or appeals must be received within 48 hours of completion of the final scheduled event.
    1. The decision of the tournament management shall be final unless a written appeal is filed with the local association or USBC Headquarters prior to tournament prizes being awarded/paid. Upon notification of a protest or appeal, tournament management must withhold all affected prizes until the protest or appeal is resolved.

Financial

  1. No entries will be accepted without full payment.
  2. Payments will be accepted until the entry deadline.
  3. All prize fees collected in an event will be returned 100% and will be paid at a minimum of a 1:8 ratio for the participants in that event.
  4. Entry fees will be broken down as follows:
    Lineage $30.00/bowler
    Prize Fund $30.00/bowler
    IGBO $2.00/bowler
    Banquet / Hosp $50.00/bowler
    Trophies/Admin $13.00/bowler
    Total Entry Fee $125.00
  5. The Tournament Director(s) will resolve any issues that may arise which are not clearly covered in these rules.
  1. All prize money will be paid by check after verification of all averages and scores and within 30 days after completion of the tournament in compliance with USBC rules.
  2. Entries must be received by 1/31/26. Entries received after 1/31/26 will be accepted at sole discretion of the Tournament Director(s). Please note: missing data on entry forms or entries received without payment will result in delayed processing, which could potentially affect our ability to grant requested squad times.

Optional Scratch Roll Off

  1. The Optional Scratch Roll Off competition is open to PRIT 2026 bowlers only.
  2. Divisions will be as follows:
    1. Division A – 200 and higher
    2. Division B – 180-199
    3. Division C – 160-179
    4. Division D – 159 and below
  1. The prize fund for the Scratch Roll Off event is based solely on the number of participants less lineage fees for each division. The award ratio by division shall be at a minimum of 1 in 2 entries, with a maximum of six (6) places paid in each division.
  1. The nine (9) game scratch totals from the bowler’s singles, doubles and team events are used to determine the six (6) qualifiers and two (2) alternates for the Scratch Roll Off competition. If a tie exists for 6th place, the bowler with the highest scratch 3 game singles series will qualify. If a tie exists on singles, then doubles series will qualify. If a tie exits on doubles series, then team series will qualify.
  1. The competition will consist of three (3) games. All six (6) competitors of each Division will bowl game one (1) with the two (2) bowlers having the lowest scores eliminated from the competition. The remaining four (4) bowlers will bowl game two (2) with the two (2) bowlers having the lowest scores eliminated from the competition. The remaining two (2) bowlers will bowl game three (3), the bowler with the highest score will be the Scratch Roll Off winner for their respective Division.
  1. When determining advancing competitors or Roll Off winner, if a TIE exists during any game of the Scratch Roll Off competition, a 3 frame roll off will determine the winner.
  1. A lane schedule will be posted before the squad begins. This will list the lane that each bowler is to bowl on.
  1. Qualifying bowlers and alternates must physically sign in at the bowling center at least fifteen (15) minutes before the Roll Off competition is scheduled to begin (prior to 8:45 am). The scheduled Scratch Roll Off competition will begin promptly at 9:00 am. A bowler that has not signed in by 8:45 am will be disqualified and the alternate will be used.  A disqualified bowler will forfeit their entry fee.
  1. A bowler that is unable to continue during any portion of the Scratch Roll Off will receive a score of zero for any remaining frames or games. The opposing bowler will bowl the game as if in competition.
  1. Bowlers will be allowed 10 minutes practice, on the lanes assigned to that division, before the first Roll Off game only. No other practice is allowed.