What is a bowling handicap?

A bowling handicap is a scoring system used in the sport of bowling to provide a fair competition among players of different skill levels.

The purpose of the handicap is to level the playing field so that bowlers of varying skill levels have an equal chance to win. It takes into account the average score of each bowler and adjusts their total score by adding a certain number of pins, known as the handicap, to their actual score.

Handicap systems vary depending on the league or tournament, but they typically calculate the handicap based on a bowler's average score. The average can be either a current average or a historical average over a specified number of games.

The handicap is usually a percentage of the difference between a bowler's average score and a predetermined "basis score" or "scratch score", which is typically set at 200 or 220 pins. The percentage used to calculate the handicap is determined by the league or tournament.

For example, let's say a bowler has an average score of 160, and the basis score is set at 200. If the league uses a 90% handicap, the bowler's handicap would be calculated as (200-160) x 0.90 = 36. This means that the bowler would have 36 pins added to their actual score.

The handicap can be applied to both individual games and the overall series. It allows lower average bowlers to compete on an even playing field against higher average bowlers, making the competition more inclusive and exciting for all participants.

It's important to note that the handicap is not used in professional bowling tournaments, where all participants compete based on their actual scores without any adjustments. Handicap scoring is primarily used in recreational and league bowling to encourage participation across a wide range of skill levels.