2026 Executive Board Members
Jason Bussinger, Co-Director
Martin Erbele, Co-Director
directors@dogwoodbowl.org
Robert Thompson, Secretary
secretary@dogwoodbowl.org
Gary Martyn, Treasurer
treasurer@dogwoodbowl.org
The Dogwood Invitational Bowling Classic was founded in 1980 as the Dixie Invitational Bowling Tournament. The first Dixie tournament was held on Easter weekend 1981 in Atlanta, GA. Dixie followed Milwaukee, WI, as the second IGBO-affiliated gay bowling tournament formed in the US.
Held annually over Easter weekend in Atlanta, GA, the Dogwood tournament will celebrate 44 years in 2025 with its 42nd annual tournament. Non-tournament years included Atlanta hosting the IGBO Annual tournament in 1993 and 2008. The 2020 tournament was forced to cancel due to COVID-19.
Dogwood is affiliated with the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO). IGBO is an international gay bowling organization reflecting the ideals of Unity, Fellowship, and Communication. They provide educational services, communication avenues, and social opportunities to promote the sport of bowling and to enrich the lives of individuals through leagues and tournaments worldwide. Learn more about IGBO and member tournaments at www.igbo.org.
Originally known as the Dixie Invitational Bowling Tournament, the tournament adopted its current Dogwood name in January 2021 to promote inclusivity among all people. The term Dixie has a history that many felt didn’t accurately portray the spirit of acceptance. The Dogwood name was chosen as it is a prevalent tree throughout GA and has been part of the tournament logo for many years. The Dogwood flower is also a symbol of rebirth.
Dogwood is conducted in accordance with United States Bowling Congress (USBC) rules and is open to all eligible bowlers, regardless of sexual orientation, and features a handicap scoring process.