Creating Your First Tournament

This guide walks you through creating and running your first bowling tournament with Tournament Doctor.

Step 1: Click "New Tournament"

From your dashboard, click the "New Tournament" button to open the tournament setup wizard.

Step 2: Basic Information

Enter the essential tournament details:

  • Tournament Name: Give your tournament a descriptive name
  • Tournament Date: Select the date of your event
  • Tournament Type: Choose Singles or Doubles
  • Bowling Center: Select from your saved centers or add a new one

Step 3: Entry Fee Configuration

Set up your entry fee structure:

  • Base entry fee amount
  • Lineage fee (goes to bowling center)
  • Prize fund contribution
  • Optional add-ons

Step 4: Optional Features

Enable additional features as needed:

  • Handicap Sidepots: Side competitions based on handicap scores
  • Scratch Sidepots: Side competitions based on scratch scores
  • Eliminators: Elimination rounds with progressive cuts
  • Brackets: Forward or reverse bracket competitions
  • Stepladder Finals: Professional-style stepladder format

Step 5: Register Bowlers

Once your tournament is created, register your bowlers:

  1. Click "Register Bowlers" from the tournament actions
  2. Search for existing bowlers or add new ones
  3. Select their entry options (sidepots, brackets, etc.)
  4. Confirm registration

Step 6: Enter Scores

During the tournament, enter scores using the Score Entry page. Standings update automatically as scores are entered.

Step 7: Generate Reports

After the tournament, generate and print:

  • Final standings report
  • Payout sheet with all winnings
  • Financial summary