Rules

League Sponsor:  The summer handicap traveling league is sponsored by Miller Lite and its distributor, Alliance Beverage.  They're providing $2,500 toward our prize fund, so we encourage you to recognize them by purchasing Miller Lite and other Miller beers during league competition.

Fees:  The fee is $17.00 per person per week, and roster bowlers are responsible for paying the fees each week.

Schedule:  The traveling league will bowl 12 weeks, with the first night of bowling on May 7th, and the last night on July 30th.  We will not bowl on July 2.

The first week will be at Station 300.  House assignments for weeks 2 through 12 will be announced via e-mail, Facebook, and on our website (GRSummerLeague.com) as soon as possible.

The league will be split into four divisions, with divisional lineups and schedules to be determined based on the final number of teams in the league.  The regular season will comprise the first nine weeks of the schedule.  Weeks 10 and 11 will be playoff weeks.  On week 12, we will hold our season-ending tournament, which all teams are eligible for, and in which all teams will earn additional prize money.

Roster:  Any combination of 4 bowlers shall be a team.  A team may have up to 6 bowlers on its roster, and teams are encouraged to recruit a 5th (and possibly a 6th) team member.  Only your roster players are eligible for the roll-off weeks and tournament week.

Please set your rosters by the third week of bowling.  Any changes or additions to the team roster after the third week are subject to the approval of the league officers, and absolutely no changes to the roster should be made after week 8.

Entering Averages:  Bowlers will use their highest league average from the season just ended (2023-24) or the summer (2023), minimum 21 games.  If a bowler does not have an average from the last 12 months, we will instead use their fall averages from 2022-23.  Averages from seasons prior to that may be accepted at the discretion of league officers.

Entering averages will be used for a bowler's first two weeks (six games) in the league.

Bowlers without Entering Averages:  In order to allow us to fairly handicap a league with bowlers of all skill levels, we encourage teams to fill their roster with bowlers who have established USBC averages.  To that end, bowlers who do not have an entering average will be handicapped based on a minimum 200 average, or their average from the first three games they bowl, whichever is higher.  Once they attain six games in the league, they will use their league average.  Bowlers without an entering average may be re-rated to an average higher than 200, at the discretion of league officials.

Handicap:  Handicap shall be 90% from 230 scratch per bowler.

Average Cap:  The entering average of the four bowlers competing on any given week must not exceed 840.  It is your team’s responsibility to ensure that the lineup you use each week does not exceed the cap.  Remember, this is calculated using entering averages, not a bowler’s current average in the league.

If it is determined that a team has bowled with a lineup that does not comply with this rule, the games bowled by the substitute bowler will be replaced by a vacant score – 150, with a zero handicap – and points earned will be re‑calculated.  This is likely to result in a team loss, so we encourage you to make sure that you do not bring in a substitute that would put you over the cap.  Violating the cap a second time during the season will result in forfeit.

League Format:  The league shall use the Weber Cup format each week during the league schedule.  In this 7-point format, the first game is a team competition.  Whichever team has the highest score with handicap in the first game receives one point.   The second game is a doubles competition.  Each team sets their lineup with two pair of doubles teams.  Each doubles match is worth one point, making the second game worth two points.  The final game is singles, with each individual matchup worth one point – making the third game worth four points.  Whichever team ends up with four or more points wins the match.  If a match ends 3.5-3.5, it counts as a tie in the standings.

Each week, the team scheduled on the left lane will enter their lineup first.  Bowlers may change the order of their bowlers in the match at the beginning of each game, but they must stay with their same four bowlers unless there is an emergency, or legitimate reason to change bowlers.  Any substitutions during the match must be approved by league officers.

Pre-bowling:  Pre-bowling is generally not allowed.  In the case of a dire emergency, a pre-bowl or a makeup would be allowed subject to the league officers' approval.

Legal Lineup:  A legal lineup shall be a minimum of 2 roster players.  Substitutes may be used during weeks 1-9, but at least two bowlers must be roster players.

Only roster players may compete in weeks 10 through 12.  A team's extra roster players may sub for another team on weeks 1-9, as long as they are not competing against their own team.

Blind Score:  If a bowler is absent, they will receive a blind score of 150, with zero handicap.  This is a big disadvantage for a team using the blind score, so teams are strongly encouraged to ensure that they have a four-person lineup bowling every week.

Late Bowlers:  Late bowlers are allowed to enter a game, and make up frames, subject to the third frame rule.  Any bowlers arriving after the third frame may either take a blind score, or may join the game – but will receive zeroes for any missed frames, and a pro-rated handicap based on the number of frames bowled.

Substitutions:  Except in the case of injury, substitutions are not allowed during the course of a match.  Four bowlers from each team may bowl in practice, and those four bowlers should bowl all three games.

In the case of an injury, an injured bowler may be removed from the match, and shall receive zeroes for all remaining frames.  They will receive pinfall for all frames bowled, as well as their handicap.  With the permission of league officers, an injured bowler may be replaced with a substitute bowler upon the beginning of the following game, or the team may elect to use a blind score for remaining games.  The injured bowler will not be allowed to return to the match, and a substitute, if used, must finish the match.

Forfeits:  In a forfeit situation, where a team does not have two or more bowlers, the opposing team must earn their points.  In order to win the team game, they must finish within 40 pins of their team average; for the doubles matches, they must finish within 20 pins; and for singles matches, within 10 pins.

If a team does not have a legal lineup, any bowlers who are present may bowl as a pacer, and will be eligible for high game/series awards, but their scores will not be counted toward their league average.

Dress code:  Reasonable attire is expected.  Tank tops and strapless shirts or blouses are not allowed.  T-shirts with sleeves are allowed, as long as they are clean and not tattered. Dress shorts, cargo shorts, jeans and jean shorts are allowed, as long as they are clean and not ripped/tattered.  Questionable or explicit language or images are not allowed on any shirts or other clothing.  Hats are allowed.

If a bowler is in violation of the dress code, they will not be able to bowl until they change into proper attire.

Tie-Breakers:  Should two teams be tied in the standings, tie-breakers are as follows:

1. Match points won.
2. Head-to-head record between the teams, if applicable.
3. For ties within a division, W-L record in games within the division.
4. Total pinfall.

During the regular season, a 3.5-3.5 tie counts as a tie in the standings; however, in the playoffs, a 3.5-3.5 tie must be broken to determine a team’s final place in the prize list.  The tie‑breaker format will be a two-frame team rolloff, with all four bowlers from each team participating.  Handicaps will be pro-rated.  If the teams remain tied, two-frame rolloffs will continue until one team emerges victorious.

Playoffs:  The playoffs will occur in weeks 10-11.  The exact format of the playoffs may vary slightly based on the number of teams in the league; typically, teams will be matched up against each other based on how they finished in their divisions.  For example, the four first-place teams will play each other in Week 10.  The winners of those two matches will play each other in week 11; the losers of those matches will play each other in week 11 as well.

Tournament:  On Week 12, we will hold our season-ending Baker Tournament.  Instead of the Weber Cup format, this tournament uses Baker games.  Prize money is awarded to all teams.

League Awards:  League cash awards – both team and individual – will be given out on the final week of bowling:

• Team:  Actual Game, Actual Series, Handicap Game, Handicap Series
• Individual:  Actual Game, Actual Series, Handicap Game, Handicap Series, High Average

Any roster player is eligible to win individual awards.  A bowler/team is limited to winning one game award; one series award; and, bowlers/teams cannot win both handicap awards.  To be eligible for the high average award, bowlers must have bowled a minimum of 2/3 of the games throughout the season.

Sportsmanship:  Having fun and cheering for your teammates is expected, but we ask that everyone be good sports.  Excessively loud cheering or chanting, at the level where it would be a distraction to other bowlers, is not allowed.  Teams will be warned if this becomes an issue, and if it continues to be an issue even after warning, a team may be asked to leave and forfeit the match.