Denver International Gay and Lesbian Invitational Tournament

Tournament Rules

DIGLIT 2024 Rules

Certification 

  1. The Denver International Gay and Lesbian Invitational Tournament (DIGLIT) is a USBC-certified tournament and maintains a Moral Support Certification for non-members of USBC. In part, the Moral Support Certification permits the use of FIQ-recognized league averages and tournament scores to determine a bowler’s entering average for the tournament. All participants are subject to the USBC rules and jurisdiction for the event. The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to individuals 21 and older by invitation only.
  2. All participants must be a member of USBC or qualify under the USBC Moral Support Certification. If the participant is not a member of USBC he/she/they must pay the appropriate participation fee.
  3. If the participant is not a member of IGBO, in any of its membership classes, he/she/they must become an IGBO Associate Member and pay the appropriate Associate membership fee. The participant shall have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership at the time of registration.
  4. All participants must be a member of USBC to be eligible for USBC honor score awards. Participants that only pay the participation fee (Rule 2) are not eligible for USBC honor scores.

Event Participation 

  1. The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open by invitation only. The tournament events shall be handicap events consisting of three games each of Singles, Doubles, and Team.
  2. Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three events. Teams will consist of four (4) bowlers with doubles partners being members of the team. All participants will compete on an equal basis.
  3. There will be ten (10) minutes of practice bowling on each assigned pair of lanes per event.
  4. You may enter each event only once.
  5. A professional bowler that is not a current IGBO league member with a minimum of 21 games in that IGBO league may not bowl in DIGLIT. Only one person with current “pro bowler” status per team will be allowed. Current “pro bowler” status is someone who is or has been a card-carrying member within the past 12 months preceding the tournament. “Pro bowler” status must be identified during the registration process. If status is not declared, the tournament director or tournament operations director reserves the right to disqualify said bowler.

Optional Individual Scratch Divisions 

  1. DIGLIT will offer both Optional Scratch and Scratch Masters Events to all participants using six (6) Divisions for Optional Scratch and five (5) Divisions for Scratch Masters which will be based on entering averages. The average divisions will be as follows:
  1. The Optional Scratch event shall use the scratch scores (without handicap) from the regular events (Singles, Doubles, and Team) to determine winners in each division. Prizes will be awarded in three categories within each division:
  1. The Scratch Masters event shall use Scratch All-Events score (without handicap) of the regular events (the 9-game scratch total from all regular events). Detailed Scratch Masters event rules are provided on the Optional Events – Scratch Masters page.

Awards and Prizes 

  1. All cash awards shall be based on the Total Pins PLUS assigned handicap for each event (except for the Optional Scratch Events).
  2. In the Handicap Division, awards will be given for the best Singles, Doubles, Team, and Individual All Events. Individual All Events is defined as the nine-game total plus handicap of an individual bowler.
  3. The award ratio for Singles, Doubles and Team shall be 1:8 and Individual All Events shall be 1:20.
  4. Additional awards will be given in each division for high scratch game, high handicap game, high scratch series, and high handicap series. A bowler may not win more than once in the special awards category. Scratch scores will take precedence over handicap and individual game over series.
  5. Prize money will be distributed via check payable in U.S. currency within 30 days of the completion of the tournament, pending any protests. A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated for the tied position and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing. Prize funds will be based on 100% participation.

Entering Averages and Handicap 

  1. Any bowler entering DIGLIT must have an established ten-pin average acceptable to USBC or be eligible under the Moral Support Certification. The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average:
    1. 1. The highest of either the bowlers Fall/Winter/Summer 2023/2024 composite average (21 games or more) or the IGBO TAD average (10/01/23 – 09/30/24) of 21 games or more.
    2. 2. If “18.1” is not available, use the 2022/2023 composite book average with a minimum of 21 games.
    3. 3. If neither “18.1” or “18.2” is available, use the highest 2021/2022 composite book average with a minimum of 21 games.
      4. If none of the above are applicable, the entering average shall be 225.
    4. 5. Non-USBC certified bowlers shall use a minimum average of 130 and shall be required to submit all league averages and tournament scores for possible average adjustment.
  2. The bowlers entering average as outlined in the section above, will be verified using the USBC website, www.bowl.com. If all averages are not on bowl.com, the following must be provided for ALL leagues that are not on the site:
    • League standing sheet, signed, and dated by League Officer, or
    • Letter from League President or Secretary.
  3. Averages from “sports condition” leagues are not acceptable.
  4. The handicap for the tournament shall be based on 90% of the difference between the bowler’s average and a scratch score of 225.
  5. It shall be the responsibility of each bowler to verify the accuracy of his/her own league and tournament average. Failure to use the correct average or not making a correction prior to the completion of the first game of bowler’s first series may cause disqualification. Prize winnings will be based on the submitted average if it is higher than the correct average.
  6. If a bowler has won more than $600 in a single event over the past year (10/19/23 – 10/18/2024), the bowler must note this in the comment section of the online entry or by emailing operations@bowldiglit.org. If a bowler has been RE-RATED to a higher average by ANY other tournament, the bowler must note this in the comment section of the online entry or by emailing operations@bowldiglit.org. Failure to do so could result in disqualification and forfeiture of all winnings.

Average Adjustment 

  1. Tournament Management has the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler. Average adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules. All average adjustments will be completed prior to the start of each event. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund for that event.

Attendance and Substitutes 

  1. It is solely and entirely the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the start of the event. Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions, and related reasons DO NOT alter the application of rules below.
    1. 1. Complete Doubles and Team entrants must be present for bowling each event as scheduled. If a team member is not present, the team may use an authorized substitute. If no substitute is available, a zero score will be recorded for the missing bowler or bowlers.
    2. 2. Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready with prior frames being scored as zero. No practice balls will be allowed for late bowlers.
    3. 3. Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the Tournament Management. An authorized substitute’s entering average must comply with the rules previously stated. Substitutes must complete an entry form.

Entry Requirements 

  1. Entry fees are payable by credit or debit card through Stripe prior to tournament registration. Please reach out to operations@bowldiglit.org with any questions regarding the use of Stripe. Entries are not considered valid until payment has been received.
  2. All electronic entries must be time stamped no later than 11:59 p.m., on October 14, 2024.
  3. Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 200 bowlers. Once this maximum has been reached, no additional entries will be accepted unless authorized by Tournament Management. Entries are accepted on a ‘first come – first served’ basis, based on time stamp. Once an entry has been accepted, refunds will only be issued at the discretion of Tournament Management.
  4. Partial team entries will be accepted, and the Tournament Management will make every effort to fill all vacancies.
  5. There will be an additional fee of $30 on all returned checks or declined payments.

Scoring Errors 

  1. After a score has been recorded, it cannot be changed unless there has been 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 30 minutes of the error and a potential resolution will be decided by Tournament Management.

Protests 

  1. Protests and appeals must be made in writing, stating the grounds for the protest and/or appeal.
    1. 1.  A protest involving eligibility or playing rules must be filed with the Tournament Management before tournament prizes are paid.2.  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.

Miscellaneous 

  1. Test and unreleased equipment cannot be used in this tournament. Failure to adhere to this rule is cause for disqualification.
  2. All other USBC rules will apply.
  3. Any person attending DIGLIT requiring special needs MUST notify the Tournament Management in writing.
  4. The Team Captain MUST electronically sign the entry form acknowledging that he/she/they has read the rules (a checkbox and time stamp will be considered the team captain’s acknowledgement).
  5. All registration material (average verification, etc.) should be sent to: operations@bowldiglit.org.

It is the bowler’s responsibility to report ALL Tournament Scores that are relevant in calculating their Current Tournament Average. Failure to report this information may result in AUTOMATIC disqualification and loss of all prize winnings, subject to Tournament Management discretion.

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