SEMBA is a non-profit private membership organization open to members only to conduct SCRATCH bowling tournaments for bowlers age 50 and over, who are interested in improving their game while enjoying a friendly, competitive bowling atmosphere. Age qualification is determined by birth year, for those born in 1975, you will be eligible and be in the Senior division (50-59), and for those born in 1965 or earlier, you will be in the Super Senior Division (60 and over). Female bowlers, however, will have a choice to bowl in either divisions, but must declare before bowling their first tournament. Any NEBA champion must bowl in their age division. Lane conditions will be changed for each tournament, giving players a chance to compete on a variety of conditions. House shots will not be used. SEMBA is open to any bowler age 50 and older (including PBA members) and there is no minimum average requirement.
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The annual membership fee is $20 which will go to the annual year end prize fund. The monthly tournament entry fee is $90, which includes a drawing of a brand new bowling ball, made possible by one of our newest sponsors, islandbowlingsupply.com. $18 per bowler will go to lineage. $5 per bowler will go to the tournament event expenses. $12 from each entry on every tournament will also go to the annual year end tournament prize fund. Bowlers will also earn a $5 credit toward the year end tournament entry fee for every tournament bowled prior to the year end.
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Although SEMBA is not USBC certified, USBC rules are followed unless specifically stated otherwise. Any USBC approved balls are OK. Plugged balls are OK. SEMBA reserves the right to check any ball. Penalty for using a ball not on the USBC approved list is immediate disqualification with no refund of entry fee. Sanding or polishing balls after play has started is not allowed. It is allowed during the practice session. Cleaning balls during competition is allowed as long as USBC certified cleaners are used. The tournament director has the final say on all questionable circumstances.
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Rules for : Reservation/Cancellation/Waiting List :
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1) No reservation shall be made after 9PM on the Friday preceding a tournament.
2) Bowlers who need to cancel their reservations must notify tournament officials ASAP. On the day of the tournament, bowlers who fail to claim their reservations without notifying tournament officials at least 2 hours before the squad starts shall have their reservation privilege suspended 1x in any future tournaments.
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3) Bowlers on the waiting list must respond within 12 hours of notification of any cancelled reservations, otherwise the open spot will go to the next bowler on the list.​​
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Tournament Officials reserve the right to reassign lane assignments or decline entry for any bowler who does not report and pay the entry fee at least thirty (30) minutes prior to start time of any tournament.
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All bowlers must wear suitable attire. Collared shirts are preferred, name on the back of shirts is optional. No ripped jeans, gym shorts, warm up pants, tank tops or basketball shorts will be allowed. No headphones will be allowed. Female bowlers are allowed to wear slacks, walking shorts, Capri pants or skirts.
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If any qualified bowler or bowlers that are not present during roll call for any given tournament, the bowler or bowlers with the next highest scores will claim their spots.
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Any tournament format is subject to change in the event of unexpected factors that surface which TD and/or Board of Directors deemed necessary.
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Be ready to bowl when its your turn. TWO lanes courtesy.
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All entries are CASH only and all prizes will be paid in CASH on the completion of the tournament. No checks or credit cards will be accepted.
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SEMBA members are the greatest. We are having fun! After the age of 50, it is great to have a sporting event on a world-class level in which we can compete. Come and bowl a tournament, we are sure you will have a great time. Keep making those spares !!!
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SEMBA has a better than 1 out of 3 cashing ratio.
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Members must bowl 4 tournaments during the year, in order to qualify for the Year End Tournament in December. There will be no exceptions. All year end participants will cash.
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Champions of 2025
Jan - Greg Flamand
Feb - Michael Lichstein
Mar - Dan Levesque
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Top Five Money Leaders 2025
1. Greg Flamand
2. Michael Lichstein
3. Chris Monroy
4. Ed Roberts
5. Dan Levesque
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Current Mystery Score Jackpot
Jan Winners - Darrell Guertin, Angel Hernandez, Robert Toth
Feb no winner - Consolation - Rich Brooks
Mar Winner - Efrem Goldman
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2025 Ball Give Away Winners
Jan - Efrem Goldman
Feb - Steve LeClerc
Mar - Wayne Howe
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Tournament Formats
REGULAR SINGLES: All bowlers will bowl a 4 game qualifying round. One Out of Three from the Senior Division (50 to 59) and One Out of Three from the Super Senior Division (60 and over) will make the finals.
After each game, bowlers who started on an odd lane will move one pair to the left and bowlers who started on an even lane will move one pair to the right.
In the singles tournaments there will always be an even number of finalists. Extra bowlers added will come from the division with the largest number of entries. In the event of a tie for the last qualifying position, bowler with the higher score on the last game will claim the position.
The finals will consist of 4 games of match play with each round being a position round. Bowlers will carry their qualifying pins into the finals, Thirty (30) bonus pins will be awarded for each win and 15 bonus pins for a tie. The order of finish for the finalists is determined by total pins in qualifying and match play (eight game total) plus bonus pins for each match play wins. The first round of match play will be 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4, 5 vs 6 etc using qualifying pin-fall. Each succeeding round will be a position round based on total accumulated pins plus bonus pins. With only 4 finalists it will be a round robin finals playing each finalist 1 game with the 4th game being a position round. If there is a tie for 1st and 2nd positions at the end of 8 games there will be a 9th and 10 frame roll off to determine the winner.
Ties for all other positions split the prize money equally.
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MATCH PLAY: All bowlers will bowl 6 games within their age division, final grouping will be based on ages, 30 bonus pins with each win, 15 for a tie, top 2 bowlers from each division will bowl a one game roll off (no carryover of their qualifying pins), winners will then bowl one final game for the title. In the event of any bowler who is not able to finish the tournament, the scheduled opponent will get rewarded the 30 bonus pins.
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3 PERSON MATCH PLAY: There will be 3 bowlers on a pair with no divisions in the sorting of lane assignments. The standings, however, will be in 2 divisions (50’s, 60’s).
Bowlers will bowl 6 games against 2 different opponents each game. Each pair of lanes will have 60 bonus pins awarded, with 40 being given to the high game on the pair and 20 to the second high game on the pair. Ties will split the bonus pins (low score on the pair gets 0 bonus pins).
The finals will be a 1 game shoot out between the high 50; the high 60, In the event of a tie for any finalist position, bowler with the highest last game will prevail.
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ELIMINATOR: All bowlers will bowl 4 games of qualifying within their age division, with 2/3 of the field making the semi finals. (Pins do not carry over) In the Semi finals, bowlers will bowl 2 more games, cutting the field in half, based on the 2 game totals. Bowlers making the second cut will make the finals, and will cash. All rounds in the finals will be 1 game rounds, cutting the field in half each round, until a champion is crowned. Any ties will be determined by a 9th and 10th frame roll off. In the event of a tie for any advancing rounds, bowler with the highest last game will prevail.
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CENTURY DOUBLES: The combined ages of the 2 bowlers must total at least 100 years. Age will be determined by birth year only. Teams cannot consist of two SEMBA members.
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OVER/UNDER DOUBLES: One Bowler must be age 50 and over and the second bowler must be age 49 and under.
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SWISS TRIO:
This tournament format requires 3 bowlers per team; 1 bowler age 60 and over, 1 bowler 50-59, and 1 bowler age 49 and under. Only 1 SEMBA champion is allowed per team. Points are awarded each game with 60 vs 60; 50 vs 50; under vs under and team pin-fall vs team pin-fall.
This is a 6 game tournament with each round after the first round being a position round. Standings will be based on the total number of team points won with the tie breaker being the teams total pin-fall.