My league is about half-filled with seniors. Their average is their average. They either don't have the skills to improve much or they just physically can't change what they're doing.

That being said, it's also a mixed league, so there's a wide range of bowlers and averages, mostly south of the 150 mark. It's very difficult for them to compete with someone bowling 230's and up on a regular basis (they won the league last year by a HUGE margin).

With all THAT being said, no one really understood how to work the handicap system (I'm still new so I don't understand it all that well either). The 100% was apparently the best that they could come up with.

[quote]But a 210 bowler can do things to adjust that a true 91 average bowler has no concept of. [/quote}

Angel,

We bowled last night. The lanes were tough. Our second place team bowled the third place team. That team averages 200 per man.

In mid first game, I asked our 88 average bowler if he needed some help. He said, SURE!!

He finished with 95 in the first game, 112 second and 153 in the third. With his handicap, we killed the third place team.

And on your comment that a 210 bowler can make adjustments, there were plenty of those being made last night, as well as ball changes. I struggled for average, as did the other team members. So, I guess we all made adjustments.

But, none of us bowled 65 pins over average in any game as my 88 bowler did. In a 100% handicap league, he totaled higher than all the rest.

Just to check in and report back on this - I've been bowling in this 100% handicap league for 6 or 7 weeks now. I was concerned at the beginning about the 100% handicap, because I was not aware going in it was 100% and I had never bowled before in a 100% handicap league.

After the 6 or 7 weeks, I can say this league has been a ton of fun and may be one of the best leagues I've ever been in.

We are one of the highest average teams. We're not in first, not in last. We won all our games this past week and we're either 3rd or 4th. We win some, we lose some. But I can say that when we all do make our averages, we usually still win, regardless of the 100% handicap.

The people in the league are all great. There are some people bowling in this league who would not be bowling at all if this were not 100% handicap. The low averages really are low averages. Some of the seniors are real characters - just a riot, so much fun to be with and around. Most of the games are exciting, coming down to a few pins at the end. So its been both fun and competitive. And I've been one of those people in the past who forgets bowling is supposed to be fun.

At this point, I'd have to say this is a great league, and my concerns about 100% handicap were way off base. I'd recommend trying it before just writing it off. Maybe there are situaions where people can work the system, but this league does not appear to have that problem. As I said, it may be one of the best times I've enjoyed in any league I've been in.

%100 handicap leagues have their place, I just don't don't think they work for bowlers who want to be competitive. The reason is, it doesn't give a bowler any incentive to improve. Every time their average goes up a pin, their handicap goes down a pin. Becomming a better bowler doesn't actually get you anything. But when you have %90 handicap, the better bowlers will tend to rise to the top, but the handicap still keeps it close.

But for social leagues that aren't interested in the competition, %100 handicap is probably the way to go.

We have 100% handicap leagues... they're mostly full of people who are 12 and below, the league I bowl most is 60& handicapped, so averaging 200+ you will still beat most teams easily (unless they average higher). That said we played a team with over 500 points in handicap in our 5's leagues and thoroughly thrashed them only to realise we'd been beaten due to their throwing 120ish, which was a 40+ improvement to average, which in that league for me would mean throwing 260! Which kinda sucked, luckily tournaments are usually scratch so real bowlers win!

Edit: Also, when I was 12 I shot 320, 280 pre handicap, felt pretty cheeky!

The 100% handicap is on the verge of hurting my team. 2 of us are roughly 180 avg bowlers (myself and one other, though I've been averaging around 190-200 lately), a 160 avg female, and our anchor who is USUALLY around 220.

Fortunately, he's not too far above the handicap, but it still hurts when he has a 699 night and doesn't get to add any handicap to it.

This is our standing sheet as of last week (the one that was handed out Friday night).
http://www.leaguesecretary.com/Includes/...1&PageNum=1

We're team 8. We have high scratch game and series, but aren't even close for handicap anything.

In total pin count, we're roughly 1000 pins ahead of the next highest team. It just goes to show that handicap is a good thing.

Your leading team has no one over 130 on it. Why should they bother to get better? The handicap system gives them all they need.

Normally in a handicap league the team that improves the most ends up winning the league. However, in your league's case it'll probably be the team that drops average the most, will have the best chance to win. Seems kind of backwards doesn't it?

Erin

The league is 100% of 210, and your anchor is carrying a 218. This means he actually has 8 pins handicap, believe it or not. How is this possible? Check this out:

A 150 average bowler has a handicap of 60. If that bowler throws 10 pins over his/her average each game (160, 160, 160), for a 480, and add that 180 total pins of handicap they have (60x3), they have a 660 with handicap for the night. Ok, now, say your 218 average anchor bowls 10 pins over his average (228) all three games. That gives him a 684, which is 24 pins higher that the 150 average bowler who shot 10 pins over his/her average each game. The 24 total pins difference is 8 pins per game - exactly the amount of pins over the base average your anchor is. So technically, if he hits his average in a game, you have to hit 8 pins higher over yours to tie him with handicap.

Your team has an advantage that you didn't even think you had.

All I know is that I bowl the best that I can. If we win, great. If not, oh well. I'm there to have fun. Anything past that is all the better. We finished 3rd last year, and we've got a long way to go this season. Sitting just over .500 isn't too bad right now.

And that's the type of aditude %100 handicap works for.