I agree, 90% seems to work better than any other system, and you just set the basis so that only the top one or two bowlers receive NO handicap. I usually fall into that range, or close to it. My Monday league has a 90/220 system, and my average hovered between 218 and 222 all season, essentially giving me no handicap. My teammates average about 210(9), 220, 210(9), 185(31)...giving us about 48 pins per game.
The next lowest handicap in the league was 70 or so, highest was 240+. Even though we decidedly had the highest average team in the league...we did NOT lead it in wins, just won the title in a playoff. BUT, this was a men's league, lowest average being 160 or so....admittedly it doesn't work as well in a mixed league when there are averages in the low 100's.
When 100 average bowlers compete with 220 average bowlers, the 100's simply lose too many pins (24) in a 80/220 system to win half the time. 90/220 helps, but it's still 12 pins.
Whenever I see that type of disparity in averages in leagues AND hear the higher average bowlers complaining about it...I always have the same thought: Weren't YOU the lower average bowler once?
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