My wife and I just started bowling at the beginning of the current season. We're in a senior couples league and are having a blast! As much fun as this is, though, it has caused me to wonder about the possibility of a few innovations.
I suspect that what I suggest is possible but, since I don't see this happening anywhere, I wonder if there are not problems I am overlooking. This is what I think would be good ideas:
Singles/Individuals (as opposed to teams). This stems from our own concern that if we were on teams consisting of any one other than each other, we would feel pressure to perform well and guilt when we did not. Of course, we do always try our best and practice for two hours each week to improve our skills. I just don't see why a league couldn't be made up of individuals. Comraderie could still exist. After all, there would still be 4 bowlers on each lane (which could be different each week). Just competing for yourself instead of a team.
Second thing! Averages. In our league (and most others as well I guess), we will have well over 100 games bowled by league's end. My experience has beeen that most all of us tend to get hot and cold; tend to get better over all as the season progresses. For whatever reason, would there be anything wrong with using one's "current" average for handicapping purposes each week. I would suggest something on the order of an average of scores from the latest 5 or 6 weeks. Of course, all scores bowled would be recorded and piped in to the ABC so that, nationwide, we would all be on the same page so to speak.

Whaddayathink? Am I overlooking problems? Are these ideas used anywhere that you know of?
Thanx!
Russ

Hi Russ,

I'll reply to the second point first, since it's more straight-forward.

There are leagues that do this, basically maintaining two sets of averages, one of which is used to calculate your current handicap. I think the last 7 weeks is pretty typical.

As for leagues vs. individuals, well... I understand how you feel about the pressure and the guilt when you bowl poorly, but it's part of the "team" experience. Good teammates understand that you will all have good nights and bad nights, and you have to hope that someone else is "on" when you are "off". If you find yourself on a team where your teammates get down on you every time you bowl poorly, I'd look for a new team.

I'm not aware of any in my area, but you may also be able to find a single couple league (two people, rather than four). That way, you're still a team, but it's just you and your wife against the other couples.

I was reading up on the "best scores" rule and thought scoring that way would be fun. Take a say...6 man team or 5 man everyone bowls but only the "best 4 scores" apply to team totals. That way you are not hurting the team by bowling poorly and could be a big asset if you bowl well. A rule like this would also allow low average bowlers like you and I Russ to bowl on a scratch or more competitive league without hurting the team. I always bowl better when bowling with/against better bowlers than myself. Keep in mind I am a beginner and may not know what the h*** I'm talking about!

We have an adult-junior league that bowls every Sunday at 5. Because of the 2-bowler format (one adult/one junior), the league finishes in less than 90 minutes each week, which doesn't leave much time for socializing or getting to know the other teams.

In order to build a community, we've done several things.

First, every week, after practice, before league starts, we have a mini "contest." We alternate weeks between the adult and the junior bowler (although in any league you could do the same by calling out the bowler's position on the team), and we ask the bowler to get on the approach and
A) get a strike, or B) get a split, or C) get the lowest count possible. The house gives away free games to the winner, but it keeps everyone active (and doesn't favor just the higher bowlers).

I've seen some centers do something similar by having each team pick a bowler to throw a strike, and they keep having the bowlers throw strikes til there is only one bowler standing, and that team gets a free round of sodas. It doesn't cost the house much, and it definitely builds league loyalty.

Also we save all our awards til the end of the year, and we have a pizza party on the sweeper night. We either turn up the music, or turn on the black lights (we let the kids vote), and everyone bowls no-tap. The center throws in a few small prizes for the kids (leftover promotions--backpacks, ball bags, fanny packs, a few free games). After bowling, we present all the awards earned all season. Even for 20 teams, the pizza party doesn't take much out of the prize fund, and everyone has a great time.