About the Montana Scratch BowlerS Club
The Montana Scratch Bowlers Club (MSBC) is a grass root effort created by Mike Reed from the Helena/Butte area to share information about and promote scratch bowling in Montana.
It will take some time to build up the site to the vision I have for it, but I do plan to share information about scratch bowling tournaments available in Montana, as well as the Northwest and the Alberta Canada region. I also plan to promote scratch leagues in the western half of Montana.
Scratch Tournaments (Men & Ladies):
For adult men and ladies bowlers, there are several fun and well run scratch tournaments available in just Montana alone. The season typically kicks off with the John Willey Memorial Open at Little’s Lanes in Great Falls (typically in October). If you are up to a trip to Calgary, the Dick Wolff Memorial tournament at Let’s Bowl in Calgary is a great tournament to take in. That tournament is usually held in early November.
Next up on the schedule is the Miller Masters tournament at Sleeping Giant Lanes in Helena. That tournament is usually held in January. This tournament is a double elimination match play tournament for the qualifiers. After that, the new Ronan scratch tournament and US Open Qualifier tournament in February. The Ronan scratch tournament is a limited entry tournament, with invitations going out first to the bowlers that participated last year, After a certain date, the entries will be open to everyone. Points will be doubled to closely match the points available at the Gerhardt in March. The US Open Qualifier is only open to Montana resident bowlers, so it's a great way to see Montana's top bowlers in action - as well as some up-and-comers.
Next up on the schedule is one of my personal favorites, the Gary Gerhardt Memorial tournament at the Bowl in Bozeman in March. This tournament has a 3-man team event on Saturdays, followed by a great 4 game qualifying, then double elimination match play tournament on Sunday. Entry fees are very reasonable, and the tournament is typically filled up well before it starts.
To wrap up the Montana tournaments, we have the crown jewel of the Montana scratch tournaments – the Ringin’ 10 scratch classic at Star Lanes in Butte in late March. This tournament typically has 175 entries or more – even reaching into the 200+ range at times. 48 bowlers make the cut at this tournament.
Back by popular demand is the Storm Montana Cup tournament. This tournament is a tournament within the tournaments listed above, with the tournament only open to Montana bowlers. For an entry fee of $100, bowlers will compete in any of the tournaments listed above, and will earn points on how well they perform in each tournament. 4 tournaments (or less, if you can’t make 4) with the highest points will be used to determine the Storm Montana Cup tournament winner, who will have their name engraved on the cup as well as take home winnings from the entry fees - as well as a certificate for a Storm ball of their choice.. Other positions will be paid as well, based on the number of entries. More information can be found on the STORM Montana Cup page (link above)
Scratch Tournaments (Ladies only):
In addition to the tournaments listed above, the ladies also have a Ladies Scratch Classic tournament they can participate in at Little’s Lanes in Great Falls, typically in early November. Butte also hosts the Jeanette Martinich Classic at Star Lanes in March.
Scratch Tournaments (over 40 – men and ladies):
For those bowlers over 40, Little’s Lanes in Great Falls hosts the 40/90 classic in early January. This tournament has a single bowler format on Saturday for any bowler over 40 years of age, and a doubles format on Sunday for any two-person team whose ages add up to be 90 or higher (with each having to be at least 40). Another great tournament that fills up early.
I plan to post tournament information on the tournaments link as the information becomes available.
Scratch Leagues:
Under Construction
It will take some time to build up the site to the vision I have for it, but I do plan to share information about scratch bowling tournaments available in Montana, as well as the Northwest and the Alberta Canada region. I also plan to promote scratch leagues in the western half of Montana.
Scratch Tournaments (Men & Ladies):
For adult men and ladies bowlers, there are several fun and well run scratch tournaments available in just Montana alone. The season typically kicks off with the John Willey Memorial Open at Little’s Lanes in Great Falls (typically in October). If you are up to a trip to Calgary, the Dick Wolff Memorial tournament at Let’s Bowl in Calgary is a great tournament to take in. That tournament is usually held in early November.
Next up on the schedule is the Miller Masters tournament at Sleeping Giant Lanes in Helena. That tournament is usually held in January. This tournament is a double elimination match play tournament for the qualifiers. After that, the new Ronan scratch tournament and US Open Qualifier tournament in February. The Ronan scratch tournament is a limited entry tournament, with invitations going out first to the bowlers that participated last year, After a certain date, the entries will be open to everyone. Points will be doubled to closely match the points available at the Gerhardt in March. The US Open Qualifier is only open to Montana resident bowlers, so it's a great way to see Montana's top bowlers in action - as well as some up-and-comers.
Next up on the schedule is one of my personal favorites, the Gary Gerhardt Memorial tournament at the Bowl in Bozeman in March. This tournament has a 3-man team event on Saturdays, followed by a great 4 game qualifying, then double elimination match play tournament on Sunday. Entry fees are very reasonable, and the tournament is typically filled up well before it starts.
To wrap up the Montana tournaments, we have the crown jewel of the Montana scratch tournaments – the Ringin’ 10 scratch classic at Star Lanes in Butte in late March. This tournament typically has 175 entries or more – even reaching into the 200+ range at times. 48 bowlers make the cut at this tournament.
Back by popular demand is the Storm Montana Cup tournament. This tournament is a tournament within the tournaments listed above, with the tournament only open to Montana bowlers. For an entry fee of $100, bowlers will compete in any of the tournaments listed above, and will earn points on how well they perform in each tournament. 4 tournaments (or less, if you can’t make 4) with the highest points will be used to determine the Storm Montana Cup tournament winner, who will have their name engraved on the cup as well as take home winnings from the entry fees - as well as a certificate for a Storm ball of their choice.. Other positions will be paid as well, based on the number of entries. More information can be found on the STORM Montana Cup page (link above)
Scratch Tournaments (Ladies only):
In addition to the tournaments listed above, the ladies also have a Ladies Scratch Classic tournament they can participate in at Little’s Lanes in Great Falls, typically in early November. Butte also hosts the Jeanette Martinich Classic at Star Lanes in March.
Scratch Tournaments (over 40 – men and ladies):
For those bowlers over 40, Little’s Lanes in Great Falls hosts the 40/90 classic in early January. This tournament has a single bowler format on Saturday for any bowler over 40 years of age, and a doubles format on Sunday for any two-person team whose ages add up to be 90 or higher (with each having to be at least 40). Another great tournament that fills up early.
I plan to post tournament information on the tournaments link as the information becomes available.
Scratch Leagues:
Under Construction