How do your leagues set your average/handicap?

[NYMIKE]

The higher the % of handicap (assuming the base is higher than the highest average in the league) the close it is to a coin flip on who should win each game.

No matter how good you are at bowling, it doesn't make you above average at coin flipping.

All our games are extremely close, 3 times in 8 or 9 weeks in my matches we had one team winning 2 out of 3 yet the other team took the wood, our league I believe is 90 percent of total differential, since I see we were getting 32 points this week, while our averages were minus 36.

[Tony]

The higher the % of handicap (assuming the base is higher than the highest average in the league) the close it is to a coin flip on who should win each game.

No matter how good you are at bowling, it doesn't make you above average at coin flipping.

We have a number of bowlers that average more than the 220 base, that's why it was raised from 210 a couple of years ago because we had quite a large number of guys with averages above 210.

[J Anderson]

We have a number of bowlers that average more than the 220 base, that's why it was raised from 210 a couple of years ago because we had quite a large number of guys with averages above 210.

Looks like it's time to raise it again or put in negative handicaps for anyone over the base.

In my experience it's very hard to convince lower average bowlers to raise the base because all they see is that the best bowlers will now be getting a few pins. They have a hard time grasping the fact that the previous base was not leveling the playing field as much as it should have.

[Jessiewoodard57]

Our bowling center uses 100% of 200. the first week they set the average and handicap then update as the season proceeds

[Mike White]

Looks like it's time to raise it again or put in negative handicaps for anyone over the base.

In my experience it's very hard to convince lower average bowlers to raise the base because all they see is that the best bowlers will now be getting a few pins. They have a hard time grasping the fact that the previous base was not leveling the playing field as much as it should have.

Just remind those lower average bowlers that while the best bowlers would be getting a few pins, the lower average bowlers would be increasing their handicap by more than those few.

Example: in a 90% of 220 league.
225 bowler gets 0 pins HDCP,
170 bowler gets 45 pins HDCP.

in a 90% of 230 league.
225 bowler gets 4 pins HDCP. 4 more then previous.
170 bowler gets 54 pins HDCP. 9 more.

[Amyers]

Just remind those lower average bowlers that while the best bowlers would be getting a few pins, the lower average bowlers would be increasing their handicap by more than those few.

Example: in a 90% of 220 league.
225 bowler gets 0 pins HDCP,
170 bowler gets 45 pins HDCP.

in a 90% of 230 league.
225 bowler gets 4 pins HDCP. 4 more then previous.
170 bowler gets 54 pins HDCP. 9 more.

Now your asking for trouble expecting bowlers to do math and think logically. Good Luck with that

[Mike White]

Now your asking for trouble expecting bowlers to do math and think logically. Good Luck with that

If they can't be troubled to think, then they deserve all of the abuse (via rules) the higher average bowlers heap on them during the league meeting.

[Tony]

Looks like it's time to raise it again or put in negative handicaps for anyone over the base.

In my experience it's very hard to convince lower average bowlers to raise the base because all they see is that the best bowlers will now be getting a few pins. They have a hard time grasping the fact that the previous base was not leveling the playing field as much as it should have.

We might be the exception to that rule, some of our bowlers want to raise the base to 100% of 225 and some of us want to go to 100% of 230 where we would have zero bowlers over the base. We will see what carries at the league meeting in a few weeks.

[Tony]

If they can't be troubled to think, then they deserve all of the abuse (via rules) the higher average bowlers heap on them during the league meeting.

I don't see that the high average bowlers in the league I'm in, have any advantage in deductive reasoning or comprehension of mathematical calculations, that would allow them to heap abuse on anyone during the league meeting.... there are a couple that might be slightly more arrogant, but I am doubtful that will help them. Most of them are just regular guys, who are more skilled at bowling than the average guy.

[vdubtx]

Tuesday uses 90% of 230, Thursday uses 90% of 220.