I was wondering what the difference was between team handicap and individual handicap? I was told at my last job, by a very good bowler, that, individual handicap helps weed out the sandbaggers a lot better.

The league setup is 5 person team with atleast 2 men and 2 women. We use team handicap 85% of 950. 17 of the 55 bowlers avg 190+.

Just trying to get an idea of something new to introduce to the league come the august meeting.

The first thing I would look at is if any of the teams have entering averages (combined) of 950+. You should be handicapping to cover the highest participant. For example if you are doing individual handicapping, and someone averages 210, you should not handicap X% of 200. You need to do X% of 210. If not then you are giving that high average bowler or team an undue advantage.

I don't think it makes a huge difference how you do it, as long as you cover everyone in handicap. I've bowled with individual, team based and percentage of the difference between the two teams bowling. In that last case, one team on the pair always gets zero handicap.

As long as the league is consistenct throughout the year, there are multiple ways to handicap. I don't think anyone has a big advantage over another.

Erin

The first thing I would look at is if any of the teams have entering averages (combined) of 950+. You should be handicapping to cover the highest participant. For example if you are doing individual handicapping, and someone averages 210, you should not handicap X% of 200. You need to do X% of 210. If not then you are giving that high average bowler or team an undue advantage.

I don't think it makes a huge difference how you do it, as long as you cover everyone in handicap. I've bowled with individual, team based and percentage of the difference between the two teams bowling. In that last case, one team on the pair always gets zero handicap.

As long as the league is consistenct throughout the year, there are multiple ways to handicap. I don't think anyone has a big advantage over another.

Erin

I moved back to Tucson three years ago, got into a friendly handicap league. The league was supposed to be 90% of 200 for five people, and I agreed to set my handicap the first week so they wouldn't have to drag my average from my previous league in NC.

It turned out that I bowled my best series of the year the first week--a 735. I wasn't expecting to get more than a pin or two of handicap anyway, so I didn't think anything of it until the next week, which is when I found out they actually calculated handicap by team (90% of 1000).

My team didn't win very many points in the first segment that year.

All forms of handicapping lead to sandbagging. Using one as opposed to the other won't get rid of those that do it. Short of becoming a scratch league nothing is going to get rid of sandbagging, and then some would still do it for handicap tournaments.

The majority of the leagues in my area use handicap based off the difference of the two teams. This form of handicapping sometimes leads to someone complaining about how much they have to give up on a weekly basis. I find even at 100% the higher average teams tend to end up towards the top half after half and season after season. Sometimes a lower team can take a half or be near the top.

Basing handicap as a percentage of a preset number, either team or individual at least all teams/bowlers have a chance at handicap every week, but still one can be "giving up pins" as one team is bound to get more than the other and you will find someone in the league that complains.