About Us

The Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) was founded in September 1977.  It has grown to be the largest and best organized tournament club in the United States.  The Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) is the only tournament club that guarantee’s a minimum first place prize in the Classic Division and a minimum guaranteed prize fund in each and every Classic tournament.  This will vary in different branches based on its size and the number of bowlers and bowling centers in their area.

Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) started opening additional units in January 1978 when they opened a office in San Jose, California and began conducting tournaments.  Since we have not been active in soliciting new Franchisee’s, the majority of our Franchisee’s are developed from our membership in our Branch offices.

Originally the Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) was designed for bowlers with a maximum 189 average or less.  Bowlers are handicapped at 70% of the difference between their assigned tournament average and 195 with a maximum beginning handicap of 31 pins.  There is also a built in floating handicap system with up to 100% handicap after a bowler has established a tournament average (21 games or more) and they have failed to cash in three or more tournaments thereafter.

In March 1995 Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) opened it doors to the higher average bowlers, 190-220 by creating a new Division to known as the Masters Division.  The 189 and under Division was renamed the Classic Division. The new Masters Division is handicapped at 70% of the difference between a bowlers assigned tournament average and 220.  The maximum beginning handicap is 21 pins.  Both Divisions feature a floating handicap system with up to 100% handicap difference between their current tournament average and the maximum average for that Division.

In July 1998 due to higher scoring conditions due to lane conditions and new higher scoring bowling balls the Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) made some additional adjustment in the basic format.  The Masters Division was raised from 190-220 to 200 to 225 with the handicap percentage being changed to 80% of the difference between the bowler’s tournament average/entering average and 225.  With a maximum beginning handicap of twenty (20) pins.  The Classic Division was changed from 189 and under to 199 and under.  The handicap percentage was changed from 70% of 195 to 80% of 200 with a maximum beginning handicap of forty-eight (48) pins.

In just over twenty-three (23) years the Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) has paid out in excess of One hundred thirty four million dollars ($134,000,000.00).  More than any other club in the history of bowling.  Even more than the Professional Bowlers Assn. (PBA) which has been in business for over fifty (50) years.