LONG ISLAND
PRIDE INVITATIONAL RULES

The Long Island Pride Invitational (“LIPI") is not a USBC certified tournament*. The Long Island Pride Invitational will adapt the USBC rule book as a guideline for all operational / bowling rules, however it will not follow their current stance against transgender athletes.  The Long Island Pride Invitational is an invitational mixed handicapped competition open to all adult bowlers, regardless of self-identification.  This aligns with IGBO’s mission:    

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IGBO seeks to promote the sport of bowling and enrich the lives of individuals through league building and tournaments around the world. IGBO is guided by the principles of community, inclusion, and solidarity as we: 

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• provide educational opportunities to local communities about bowling, LGBTQ+ history, and other topics of importance; 

• build communication avenues between member leagues, joining LGBTQ+ communities together in solidarity; 

• and plan social opportunities to promote the sport of bowling and to enrich the lives of individual athletes through leagues and tournaments

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IGBO recognizes access to sport as a human right. Community is a primary pillar of IGBO and cannot be fulfilled if any member of our community is intentionally or unintentionally excluded. We strive to continually listen, learn, and adapt to ensure every member of IGBO has a sense of belonging in our community. IGBO promotes gender inclusion by recognizing an individual player’s self-identified gender; and avoiding gender-based distinctions or divisions in sporting activities, while considering member countries’ cultures. IGBO is committed to celebrating each athlete’s accomplishments and skill, regardless of gender identity.

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*USBC Certification subject to change

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 1.  All participants must be a member of IGBO.

 2.  If the participant is not a IGBO member, they must pay for an associate membership which includes a fee of

      $25, payable through: IGBO Membership. Verification must be submitted to the tournament secretary for

      verification to: longislandprideinvitational@gmail.com.  LIPI permits the participation of associate membership

      bowlers, who shall use a minimum average of 130. Such bowlers shall be required to submit ALL league

      averages and tournament scores for possible re-rating. IGBO permits the tournament director to assign an

      average higher than the minimum average prior to participation.

 3.  Long Island Pride Invitational will consist of Team, Doubles and Singles competitions. Each set will consist of

      three (3) games. Team competition will consist of four (4) bowlers (any combination of people regardless of

      their self-identification). Each bowler may only participate once in each event.

 4.  All applications will be completed online through the tournament’s website. The entry fee is $135.00 which

      covers lineage, awards banquet, prize fund, and other tournament expenses.

      *Expenses include trophies, the $3 dollar per bowler IGBO fee, PayPal fees and supplies needed to run the

      tournament. Any unused expense funds will be added to the prize fund.

 5.  There will be additional optional events offered at LIPI with 100% of the costs paid back as prize funds

      at a ratio of at least 1 in 10 (more optional events can be included by discretion of the tournament committee):

                     Handicap Events   

A) Best 3 of 6: $10 (Best three handicapped games from the Saturday session)  

B) Best 3 of 9: $10 (Best three handicapped games from the entire event)

C) Optional Scratch

All Divisions are $20:

Division A: 210 and above,

Division B: 195 – 209

Division C: 180 – 194

Division D: 160 – 179

Division E: 140 – 159

Division F: up to 139

 6.  The trophies and prizes for the tournament will be announced at an awards banquet.  Please note that all

      monetary prizes will be calculated within the 30-day window following the conclusion of the tournament.  All

      participants and guests must select the awards banquet with tournament entry. Guests not participating in

      the tournament but attending the awards banquet must pay a fee ($50).

 7.  All cash prizes shall be based on the total pins with handicap for the All Events, Team, Doubles, and Singles

      events as well as the optional Best 3 of 6, and Best 3 of 9. The prize ratio is at least 1 in 10 for all tournament

      events unless otherwise noted.

 8.  This is a handicapped tournament. Handicap will be calculated at 90% of the difference between the bowler’s

      average and 250. If a bowler enters with an average of over 250, they will be assigned a handicap of ZERO.

      No negative handicap will apply.

 9.  Entering average will be determined by the following:

A:  Current IGBO Tournament Average: 18+ games (including scratch masters) between April 1st and

     March 31st of the preceding rolling year.

B:  If A does not apply, entering average will be the current season’s highest league average as

     of December 31, 2025. This includes ALL leagues, not just sanctioned leagues.

C:  If neither A or B apply, entering average will be the 2024/2025 season’s highest league average.

     This includes ALL leagues, not just sanctioned leagues.

D:  If neither A, B nor C applies, entering average of 250 will be assigned.

E:  Averages from Sport Condition leagues are not acceptable.

F:  Changes to a bowler’s entering average can be made at the discretion of the tournament director

10.  We will adapt USBC rules regarding each bowler’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of their submitted

      average, whether the average is submitted by the bowler, team captain, or another party. This requirement

      applies to all bowlers. All questions in finding a bowler’s IGBO Tournament average should be directed to their

      IGBO Representative. 

11.  Failure to report proper averages at the time of application or at the tournament registration period could

      lead to disqualification of the bowler if the submitted average is lower than the actual average as determined

      by rules above, thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap. Winnings will be based on the

      submitted average if it is higher than the correct average.

12.  The tournament management reserves the right to re-rate any entrant prior to bowling for reasons other

      than those set forth.

13.  Substitutes meeting IGBO requirements and Long Island Pride Invitational tournament rules may bowl at the

      discretion of the tournament’s executive committee.

14.  Bowlers will be given ten (10) minutes of practice before each event.

15.  Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready with prior frames scored a zero (0) up

      until the completion of the 5th frame. It is the bowler’s responsibility to be at the lanes when bowling begins.

      Special accommodations may be made by the tournament director’s discretion.

16.  The Long Island Pride Invitational strictly abides by the USBC guidelines regarding equipment specifications.

      Specifically noting the USBC rule book Chapter 8, rule 7: Drilling Requirements.

17.  No substitutions in the Doubles or Team event lineup can be made after a series has started without sufficient

      cause at the discretion of the tournament management. Changes to Doubles pairings must be made before

      the completion of the tournament registration period.

18.  All prize monies will be paid out within 30 days after the completion of the tournament. A tie in any position

      will result in an equal division of the prizes.

19.  Results will be posted to the tournament website within 30 days of the completion of the tournament. All

      scores will be reported as necessary to IGBO and any other governing body.

20.  After a score has been recorded, it cannot be changed unless there has been an obvious error in scoring or

      calculation. Obvious errors must be corrected by a tournament official immediately upon discovery.

      Questionable errors must be reported to a tournament official within two (2) hours of the error, and the     

      appropriate action will be decided by tournament management.

21.  All average verification documents, both league and tournament, should be emailed to

      LongIslandPrideInvitational@gmail.com for secretarial purposes. They should be received by the tournament

      secretary no later than March 1st.

22.  Adaption of all other USBC rules apply where needed.

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Protest Policy

1. Only current bowling participants may submit a protest, and only on their own behalf.

2. Protests related to eligibility or playing rules must be submitted within 48 hours after the completion of all bowled events.

3. All protests must be submitted in writing—either by email or letter—and must clearly state the nature of the protest and the specific rule being challenged.

4. The tournament’s organizing committee will oversee all protests and ensure they are addressed promptly and appropriately.

5. Appeals will be reviewed individually and are not guaranteed to be approved. To be considered, appeals must be submitted in writing—either by email or letter—within 72 hours of communication regarding the initial protest decision.

6. If an appeal is granted, it will be brought up to the Regional Rules Committee to review the case and provide guidance.

7. The decision of the appeals panel is final and binding on all parties involved.  Prizes for the positions affected cannot be distributed until the protest or appeal is resolved. (Adaption of USBC Rule 329)