May 31, 2023 Nolan Hughes

In a matter of days, the world’s finest gray-haired players embark on Las Vegas for the 2023 PBA50 Tour. Players aged 50 and over will be able to compete in 12 PBA50 title events, including five major championships, and pursue over $1 million in total prize money this summer.

Two PBA60 events, including the USBC Super Senior Classic beginning June 1, round out the schedule.

The PBA50 Tour begins in Sin City with a pair of major championships: the Super Senior Classic and the USBC Senior Masters.

The second PBA50 Tour stop near Denver, Colo. marks the second major of the season, the Senior U.S. Open.

The Tour then begins its midwest circuit in July, highlighted by the PBA50 World Series of Bowling at JAX60 in Jackson, Mich. Three standard titles named in honor of three PBA legends — Del Ballard Jr., Amleto Monacelli and Johnny Petraglia — will be awarded, along with the third major of the season at the PBA50 World Championship.

Following a pitstop in West Virginia, the PBA50 Tour heads to Sterling, Va. for the fourth major championship and an exclusive championship venue. The lanes installed at Bill Moore’s home will be used for the stepladder finals of the Bud Moore PBA50 Players Championship, where a record $20,000 top prize will be awarded.

Finally, the Tour heads south as Florida will host the final three events of the season, including the season finale PBA50 Tournament of Champions in Lakeland, Fla.

Fans can watch every PBA50 tournament on BowlTV.

Players to Watch

Parker Bohn III

Parker Bohn III won one-third of the events he bowled last season, capturing four titles with two majors in 12 events en route to PBA50 Player of the Year honors. He led all players in titles, earnings and points. 

The Father Time-defying lefty reached the television finals at the USBC Masters earlier this year and will look to take home the Senior Masters title to kickstart another POY campaign.

Dino Castillo

Can a soon-to-be 52-year-old have a sophomore slump? Last season’s PBA50 Rookie of the Year, Dino Castillo, will put that to the test.

Castillo finished fifth overall in points last season, racking up nine top-10 finishes in 12 events. His season begins with a title defense at the USBC Senior Masters.

Chris Barnes

Despite Bohn’s four titles, there is an argument to be made that Chris Barnes, who won three titles, engineered a superior PBA50 season.

Barnes produced 2023 Anthony Simonsen-levels of consistency — or perhaps Simonsen produced 2022 PBA50 Chris Barnes levels of consistency — with 12 top-10 finishes in 13 events; Barnes finished 11th in the other tournament, which happened to be Bohn’s second major title.

Among players who competed in multiple events, Barnes led the senior Tour with a 229.31 average in 2022.

John Janawicz

Fresh off representing Team USA at the 2023 PANAM Bowling Male Championships and winning a pair of gold medals with Parker Bohn III’s protégés (Brandon Bohn and Matt Russo), John Janawicz seeks to dethrone the elder Bohn in Janawicz's freshman campaign on the PBA50 Tour.

Janawicz won his first senior regional back in earlier this month, which made him eligible for the season-ending Tournament of Champions. But he just might add a national title to his résumé by August.

Tom Hess

After a historic 2021 campaign, in which he captured Player and Rookie of the Year honors, Tom Hess sustained his excellence into 2022. He earned 10 top-11 finishes in the first 10 events, compiling a win and two runner-up finishes as well. His season ended on an injury-plagued sour note, but the big teddy bear is aiming to return to 2021 form for the duration of 2023.

Additional PBA50 stalwarts scheduled to compete this season include Brad Angelo, Lennie Boresch Jr., Jason Couch, Bob Learn Jr., Johnny Petraglia, Ryan Shafer, Pete Weber and, of course, Walter Ray Williams Jr.

PBA50 Tour Schedule

PBA50 majors are bolded
PBA60 majors are italicized

May 31-June 4: USBC Super Senior Classic, Sam’s Town, Las Vegas (PBA60)
June 5-11: USBC Senior Masters, Sam’s Town, Las Vegas
June 14-19: PBA Senior U.S. Open, Highland Park Lanes, Greeley, Colo.
July 2-5: PBA60 Tristan’s T.A.P.S. Memorial Tournament, Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl, Columbus, Ohio (PBA60)
July 10-13: PBA50 South Shore Classic, Olympia Lanes, Hammond, Ind.
July 15-23: PBA50 World Series of Bowling, JAX60, Jackson, Mich.
    July 16, 19: PBA50 Ballard Championship
    July 17, 20: PBA50 Monacelli Championship
    July 18, 21: PBA50 Petraglia Championship
    July 16-23: PBA50 World Championship
July 31-August 3: PBA50 Morgantown Classic, Suburban Lanes, Morgantown, W.Va.
Aug. 6-10: Bud Moore PBA50 Players Championship, Bowl America Dranesville, Sterling, Va.
Aug. 14-18: PBA50 The Villages Classic, Spanish Springs Lanes, The Villages, Fla.
Aug. 20-23: PBA50 Fort Myers Lightning Strikes Lanes Classic, Lightning Strikes Bowling Lanes, Fort Myers, Fla.
Aug. 26-30: PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Tournament of Champions, Orange Bowl Lanes, Lakeland, Fla.