Key points
- Formula: handicap = (base − average) × percentage, decimals dropped, never negative.
- Common settings: a base of 200 to 230, a percentage of 70 to 100%, sometimes a maximum handicap.
- The higher the percentage, the closer the levels: 100% = equal in theory.
- The assistant analyses your league's averages and recommends a setting based on your goal: competitive, balanced or recreational.
- A team's handicap is the sum of its players' handicaps.
How do you calculate a bowling handicap?
A handicap makes up for the difference in skill between players so that everyone has a chance to win. It is calculated from the player's average and two settings fixed by the league rules: the base (a reference score, often 200, 210, 220 or 230) and the percentage (often 80, 90 or 100%).
Handicap = (base − average) × percentage, rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Example with a base of 220 and 90%: a player averaging 158 gets (220 − 158) × 0.9 = 55.8, i.e. 55 pins per game. If they bowl 170, their handicap score is 225. A player averaging 205 gets (220 − 205) × 0.9 = 13.5, i.e. 13 pins. If the average is above the base, the handicap is 0: pins are never taken away.
| Average | 220 at 80% | 220 at 90% | 220 at 100% | 200 at 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 80 |
| 140 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 60 |
| 160 | 48 | 54 | 60 | 40 |
| 180 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 20 |
| 200 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 0 |
Which handicap system should your league use?
There is no one-size-fits-all setting: it all depends on the spirit of the league and the gap in skill between its players. Two simple rules guide the choice.
- The base should be at least equal to the highest average, rounded up to the next ten. Otherwise, the best players have a handicap of zero and the system no longer evens out the gaps at the top of the standings.
- The percentage sets the fairness. At 100%, two players who bowl their average post the same handicap score: only form on the day counts. At 80%, the better player keeps 20% of their lead, which rewards skill and improvement.
The “Choose a league system” tab does these calculations for you. Paste the list of averages: for each base from 200 to 250 and each percentage from 70 to 100%, the assistant shows the gap that remains between the strongest and weakest players once the handicap has been added. It recommends a setting based on the goal you choose:
- Competitive league: 80%. Gaps are narrowed without being wiped out.
- Balanced league: 90%. This is the most common compromise in organised recreational leagues.
- Recreational play or bringing in beginners: 100%. Everyone starts on an equal footing in theory.
If skill levels are very far apart (a beginner averaging 100 and an experienced bowler at 200), a maximum handicap stops a newcomer, whose average is rising quickly, from winning every night thanks to a handicap calculated on an average they have already outgrown.
Team handicap
In a team league, the team's handicap is the sum of the individual handicaps of the players in the line-up. Add the team name after the average (“Salma ; 145 ; Team B”) and the assistant automatically calculates each team's combined average and handicap.
Good to know
- The average used is the one set by the rules: usually the previous season's average at the start of the season, then the current average after a minimum number of games (often 9 to 21).
- Fractions are always dropped, for both the average and the handicap: 157.9 becomes 157.
- Federation tournaments apply their own rules, published each season: always check the rules of the competition.
To understand averages and handicaps in detail, read our guide to bowling average and handicap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the bowling handicap formula?
Handicap = (base − average) × percentage, dropping the decimals. With a base of 220 and 90%, a player averaging 150 gets (220 − 150) × 0.9 = 63 pins per game.
Which base and percentage should you choose?
Choose a base at least equal to the highest average in the league, rounded to the nearest ten (often 210 to 230), and a percentage of 80% for a competitive league, 90% for a balanced league and 100% for a recreational league. The assistant on this page works out the right setting for your players.
Can a handicap be negative?
No. If a player's average is above the base, their handicap is simply 0.
How do you calculate a bowling team's handicap?
Add up the individual handicaps of the team's players. A team of three players with 36, 54 and 72 pins has a team handicap of 162 pins per game.
Is the handicap added to every game?
Yes, the handicap is added to the score of each game. Over a 3-game series, a handicap of 40 is therefore worth 120 pins.