In bowling, handicap is extra pins given to bowlers with lower averages in order to make the competitive balance more even. If you have a 225 average, and are bowling a 150 average, how often would the 225 average win? Probably almost always. Sure, the 150 could get hot, and the 225 be off, but the odds are pretty small. So, handicap evens the playing field.

1. This league will utilize individual handicapping where each player will have their own handicap.
2. Bowlers with existing averages will have their existing or previous season averages entered.
3. Bowlers who do not have a qualifying average will establish their average the first session they bowl. We will do it for them, so they shouldn’t worry.
4. The individual handicap for this league will be 90% of 210. So if Joe bowls 180, he will get an extra 27 pins (90% of 30 pins) for a score of 207. If Bob bowls 210, he will get 0 pins (90% of 0) added, for a final score of 210. Bob would win by 3 pins, but it would have been a very close game.
5. Teams without full rosters will receive a vacancy score of 120. The weekly fee for the vacant player must be paid by the team that night.
6. Every league needs extra players to minimize absentee and vacancy scores, so if a team member cannot make it, they are encouraged to keep an ongoing list of substitute
• If a substitute cannot be found, the absentee score will be the absent member’s current average minus 10 pins.
7. Tardy players use one-tenth of the absentee score for each frame missed.
8. Management reserves the right to make changes as needed, and may apply standard USBC rules for subjects not covered above.