Optimal League Bowling Lineup

[DukeDi]

What is the optimal League bowling Lineup? The averages of the guys on the team are as follows.

2 Guys 185-195
3 Guys 205-215

Thanks in advance.

[Mike White]

What is the optimal League bowling Lineup? The averages of the guys on the team are as follows.

2 Guys 185-195
3 Guys 205-215

Thanks in advance.

My experience is start with one of the 200+ guys, then the two lower, then another 200+, and finally the 200+ guy that is the most reliable under pressure.

Lead off guy creates a frame of mind that the team is doing well.

That removes a lot of pressure from the lower avg bowlers.

[bowl1820]

What is the optimal League bowling Lineup? The averages of the guys on the team are as follows.

2 Guys 185-195
3 Guys 205-215

Thanks in advance.

The Leadoff would be the person who the rest of the team could get a really good read off of lane condition wise and was ultra consistent.

2 Place would be either a lefty with the same quality or a guy who was for lack of a better term the weak link.

3 Would be the guy who could make sure to put together a strong game and set things up for the set up and anchor bowlers. Also must be a good spare shooter.

4 would be the second strongest bowler and a bowler who could really put up some numbers. Great spare shooter an and clutch bowler for the 9th frame.

5 The most consistent and talented player who could make shots under pressure and also read what the other guys are doing and make quick adjustments.

[dnhoffman]

The Leadoff would be the person who the rest of the team could get a really good read off of lane condition wise and was ultra consistent.

2 Place would be either a lefty with the same quality or a guy who was for lack of a better term the weak link.

3 Would be the guy who could make sure to put together a strong game and set things up for the set up and anchor bowlers. Also must be a good spare shooter.

4 would be the second strongest bowler and a bowler who could really put up some numbers. Great spare shooter an and clutch bowler for the 9th frame.

5 The most consistent and talented player who could make shots under pressure and also read what the other guys are doing and make quick adjustments.

I dunno, this assumes that those 185 guys would be good enough to read the lane/line as you're saying. I've found most people who average 210'ish really can't do this. Of course, I don't exactly bowl with the most elite people in the area (myself included...)

[bowl1820]

I dunno, this assumes that those 185 guys would be good enough to read the lane/line as you're saying. I've found most people who average 210'ish really can't do this. Of course, I don't exactly bowl with the most elite people in the area (myself included...)

That was just looking at it from a optimum stand point of a team wanting to work as team.

Of course you have to take the abilities of your bowlers into consideration

But it all works out about the same, you put a good bowler first, good bowlers at bottom and the rest inbetween.

[J Anderson]

My experience is start with one of the 200+ guys, then the two lower, then another 200+, and finally the 200+ guy that is the most reliable under pressure.

Lead off guy creates a frame of mind that the team is doing well.

That removes a lot of pressure from the lower avg bowlers.

I basically agree with Mike. When I started bowling, our lead bowler had the highest average on the team, but was almost as as likely to throw a 140 as he was to throw a 210. The lowest average bowler went second, next lowest went third, our token lefty, who was much steadier than his brother the lead off man, fourth. Our anchor was our best spare shooter who averaged about the same as our lefty. When the first bowler is racking up strings of strikes it really gives the team a lift as well as sometimes making the other team worry. If he throws a few bad shots you're still thinking that 4 and 5 are going to come through in the clutch.

I will however share something I heard from Ron Hatfield. Ron said that in choosing a line up, average is not important. Communication trumps average. The first bowler should be able to clearly and concisely tell the next bowler how the lane has changed since the last time. The second bowler should be able to do the same and so on down the line. The anchor is the only one who doesn't need to share info with his teammates. This agrees with Bowl 1820's line up suggestion.

[Tony]

We would start with a high average bowler and fill lower averages in between until one time we had a guy who was a mid average bowler but had an incredible knack for ending up the 10th with 3 strikes so we would use him in the last spot quite often and it paid off, with his ability to finish strong we were able to come back and take a few games it looked like were out of reach.

[Mike White]

I dunno, this assumes that those 185 guys would be good enough to read the lane/line as you're saying. I've found most people who average 210'ish really can't do this. Of course, I don't exactly bowl with the most elite people in the area (myself included...)

Having 5 guys work together like that sounds more like a tournament team, or an open scratch league where in both cases you get the best 5 people possible.


In a handicap league, you fill those two spots with people who are fairly new to the game, then during the season, you teach them the fundamentals to make their average increase as the league progresses.

In a capped scratch league, you find those same bowlers kind of bowlers, but you work with them during the summer, so they are better than book average right from the start of the league.

[Stormed1]

I have always used the best spare shooter in the anchor position as I fell more game are won/lost by spares under pressure versus strikes. Usually we put our most prolific striker in lead off to demoralize the competition and your 2 weakest in 2-3