If you’re a serious bowling fan, the World Series of Bowling should be on your bucket list.

I would love to be there for the entire GEICO World Series of Bowling IX from Nov. 4-19 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, but can’t spare that many days of vacation from my “real” job.

But for the third straight year, my girlfriend and photographer/videographer Susie “Fever” Dyhr and I will be there from more than half — Nov. 12-19 this year, which covers the cashers rounds of the PBA World Championship, all rounds of bracket matches of the animal pattern championships, and all TV finals. I will miss the qualifying rounds of the animal pattern events the first week.

It will be another great, extended stretch of watching and writing about the best bowlers in the world competing for the biggest prize money in bowling, mixed in with some good food and drink, seeing many old friends and making news ones, and a little gaming.

That’s heaven for a bowling junkie like me.

And fans can share in the experience again this year, as PBA this week announced that it again would offer Ultimate WSOB Fan Experience Packages for fans who would like to watch the world’s greatest bowlers compete for nationally-televised titles Nov. 17-19 at the Stadium.

Here are the details from this PBA news release:

The Ultimate Fan Experience Packages include a two-night “Strike” package and a three-night “300 Game” package. Prices depend on the accommodations each fan prefers, but the basics of each package include the following:

STRIKE PACKAGE (starting at $200)

• Two (2) nights’ accommodation at Silver Legacy Resort & Casino.
• Two VIP tickets to all ESPN shows including the PBA World Championship.
• Round trip transportation to and from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and Silver Legacy.

300 GAME PACKAGE (starting at $340)

• Three (3) nights’ accommodation at Silver Legacy Resort & Casino.
• Two VIP tickets to all ESPN shows including the PBA World Championship.
• Behind the scenes tour of PBA Player Services Trucks and ESPN Production Truck.
• Official autographed PBA Tour bowling pin.
• Official WSOB t-shirt.
• Round trip transportation to and from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and Silver Legacy.

GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling Ultimate Experience Fan packages are available at www.pba.com/tickets.

PBA also announced that members and others attending the World Series now can make standard room reservations at their choice of any of the three Eldorado Resorts Reno properties. Special room rates are available to players, news media representatives, family members, fans, manufacturers and any other interested parties.

Here is the information from PBA:

Silver Legacy: Room rates: $50 Sunday-Thursday, $70 Friday & Saturday. Silver Legacy code ISPBA17. Reservations phone number: 800-687-8733. Online reservations can be made here.  

Eldorado: Room rates $50 Sunday-Thursday; $80 Friday & Saturday. Eldorado code IEPBA17. Reservations phone number: 800-879-8879. Online reservations can be made here. 

Circus Circus: Room rates: $38 Sunday-Thursday; $60 Friday & Saturday. Circus Circus code ICPBA17. Reservations phone number: 800-648-5010. Online reservations can be made here. 

Entries into the World Series, which are available only to PBA Members, will be accepted beginning July 10. Players will be asked to confirm their hotel reservations at the time of entry.

PBA WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING IX
National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nevada, Nov. 7-19

Tuesday, Nov. 7
10 a.m. – PBA Chameleon and Shark practice session
1 p.m. – PBA Regional and PBA50 Challenge finals, 8 games round robin match play
4:15 p.m. – PBA50 Challenge Finals (Xtra Frame)
5 p.m. – PBA Regional Challenge Finals (Xtra Frame)
6:30 p.m. – Players meeting

Wednesday, Nov. 8
11 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship qualifying, 5 games
            Top 16 after 10 games advance to Cheetah Round of 16 match play on Nov. 15

Thursday, Nov. 9
11 a.m. – PBA Shark Championship qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship qualifying, 5 games
            Top 16 after 10 games advance to Chameleon Round of 16 match play on Nov. 15

Friday, Nov. 10
Noon – PBA Cheetah and Scorpion practice session

Saturday, Nov. 11
11 a.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship qualifying, 5 games
            Top 16 after 10 games advance to Scorpion Round of 16 match play on Nov. 16

Sunday, Nov. 12
11 a.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship qualifying, 5 games
5 p.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship qualifying, 5 games
            Top 16 after 10 games advance to Shark Round of 16 match play on Nov. 16
            Top 25 percent of field after 40 combined qualifying games on Cheetah, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark patterns advance to PBA World Championship cashers’ round on Nov. 13

Monday, Nov. 13
1 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Chameleon pattern
5 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Shark pattern

Tuesday, Nov. 14
1 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Cheetah pattern
5 p.m. – PBA World Championship cashers’ round, five games, Scorpion pattern
            Top five after 60 combined qualifying games on Cheetah, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark patterns advance to PBA World Championship stepladder finals)

Wednesday, Nov. 15
11 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
1:30 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
            Four winners advance to ESPN Cheetah Championship finals

3:30 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
6 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
            Four winners advance to ESPN Chameleon Championship finals

Thursday, Nov. 16
11 a.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
1:30 p.m. – PBA Cheetah Championship Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
            Four winners advance to ESPN Scorpion Championship finals

3:30 p.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship Round of 16, best of five games single-elimination match play
6 p.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship Round of 8, best of three games single-elimination match play
            Four winners advance to ESPN Shark Championship finals

Friday, Nov. 17
6 p.m. – USA vs The World (ESPN finals taped, live streamed on ESPN3/Watch ESPN app)
7:30 p.m. – National Bowling Stadium pro-am

Saturday, Nov. 18
(ESPN finals taped, live streamed on ESPN3/Watch ESPN app)
PBA Chameleon Championship noon-1 p.m.
PBA Shark Championship 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
PBA Cheetah Championship 4:15 p.m.- 5:15 p.m.
PBA Scorpion Championship 6-7 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 19
(ESPN finals taped, live streamed on ESPN3/Watch ESPN app)
PBA World Championship noon-2 p.m.
World Bowling Tour Finals 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.