Key points
- Average = total pinfall ÷ number of games, dropping any decimals.
- Handicap = (base – average) × percentage; the base is often between 200 and 230, the percentage between 80 and 100%.
- Handicap is also rounded down and added to every game.
- In scratch play only raw scores count; in handicap play it's the raw score + handicap.
- The exact parameters (base, percentage, number of games used to establish an average) are set by each league's rules.
What is a bowling average?
Your average is your mean score over a set of games: it is bowling's universal measure of skill. It is used to compare bowlers, to put together balanced teams and to calculate handicap in leagues.
Unlike your best score, which is often flattering, your average reflects consistency. A bowler averaging 160 will regularly bowl games between 140 and 180, with the occasional peak above 200. To give you an idea of levels:
| Average | Approximate level |
|---|---|
| Under 120 | Beginner or occasional bowler |
| 120 to 150 | Regular casual bowler, new league bowler |
| 150 to 180 | Experienced league bowler |
| 180 to 210 | Very good bowler, competitor |
| Over 210 | Elite level |
How do you calculate your bowling average?
You calculate your average by dividing your total pinfall (the sum of your scores) by the number of games bowled, then dropping the decimals. You don't round to the nearest number: 157.9 gives an average of 157.
Example: over four weeks of league play at three games a week, a bowler rolls the following series.
| Week | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 142 | 158 | 131 | 431 |
| Week 2 | 165 | 149 | 172 | 486 |
| Week 3 | 138 | 181 | 155 | 474 |
| Week 4 | 160 | 147 | 169 | 476 |
| Total | 1,867 |
Average: 1,867 ÷ 12 games = 155.58, which gives an average of 155. It is recalculated after every league night, adding in the new games.
In a league, only games bowled as part of official league play count towards your average. Practice or casual games are not included. To check the score of a game, use our bowling score calculator.
What is handicap in bowling?
Handicap is a number of pins added to the actual score of bowlers with lower averages, so that bowlers of different levels can compete on roughly equal terms. It is calculated from your average, and it goes down as you improve.
The principle is simple: the bigger the gap between your average and a reference score (the “base”), the higher your handicap. A bowler averaging 130 can therefore compete with a bowler averaging 190, because they receive more bonus pins. To win, each bowler simply has to bowl above their own average: that's what makes handicap leagues so appealing to improving bowlers.
How do you calculate your handicap?
The most common formula is: handicap = (base – average) × percentage, with the result rounded down. The base and the percentage are set by the rules of each league or tournament.
Calculate your handicap online and compare the possible systems for your league with our bowling handicap calculator. For your average, use the average calculator.
- The base is a reference score, often 200, 210, 220 or 230. It is usually set above the average of the best bowler in the league.
- The percentage is usually between 80 and 100%. At 100%, the handicap makes up the whole gap; at 80%, it makes up only part of it, which leaves an edge to the best bowlers.
| Average | Calculation (base 220, 90%) | Handicap | Calculation (base 200, 80%) | Handicap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | (220 – 120) × 0.9 = 90 | 90 | (200 – 120) × 0.8 = 64 | 64 |
| 150 | (220 – 150) × 0.9 = 63 | 63 | (200 – 150) × 0.8 = 40 | 40 |
| 155 | (220 – 155) × 0.9 = 58.5 | 58 | (200 – 155) × 0.8 = 36 | 36 |
| 175 | (220 – 175) × 0.9 = 40.5 | 40 | (200 – 175) × 0.8 = 20 | 20 |
| 205 | (220 – 205) × 0.9 = 13.5 | 13 | average above the base | 0 |
A bowler whose average is higher than the base has a handicap of 0. Some rules also cap the maximum handicap, or set a maximum score including handicap (for example, no more than 300 for a game).
Scratch vs handicap: what's the difference?
In scratch competition, only the raw score counts; in handicap competition, bowlers are ranked on their raw score plus their handicap. The two formats often exist side by side in the same league, with two separate standings.
| Scratch | Handicap | |
|---|---|---|
| Score used | Actual score | Actual score + handicap |
| Favours | The best bowlers | Bowlers who beat their average |
| Used for | Championships, selection events, elite tournaments | Recreational leagues, open tournaments, corporate events |
| Benefit | Measures absolute level | Evens out the chances between levels |
Example: Samir (average 190, handicap 27) bowls 198, or 225 with handicap. Leïla (average 140, handicap 72) bowls 162, or 234 with handicap. In scratch, Samir wins; with handicap, Leïla wins, because she beat her average by more.
How does team handicap work in a league?
In team leagues, a team's handicap is usually the sum of its bowlers' individual handicaps, added to the team total for each game. Some leagues instead calculate it from the sum of the team's averages, applying the formula to a team base.
A typical league night consists of three games. Match points are often awarded game by game (the team with the higher total wins a point) and for the total series. League rules also specify:
- the starting average of a new bowler: the previous season's average, or an average established over the first few games;
- the minimum number of games before an average is considered established;
- how often the handicap is updated, usually every week;
- the score given to an absent bowler (the “blind”), often their average minus a few pins.
A new bowler who doesn't yet have an established average is often given a handicap based on their first few games. Bowl them normally: deliberately trying to “lower” your average goes against the spirit of the game and is penalised under league rules.
How can you raise your average?
The quickest way to raise your average is to cut down on open frames, far more than chasing extra strikes. Each missed spare usually costs you between 10 and 20 points in the game, because you lose both the pins and the bonus from the next delivery.
- Convert single pins, especially the 7 and 10 pins: that's often worth 10 to 20 points of average over a season.
- Bowl regularly, at least once a week, at the same centre: repetition makes your delivery more consistent.
- Use a suitable ball and, eventually, a ball drilled for your hand.
- Keep a record of your games to spot your weak points: left-side spares, splits, the end of the game.
How do you join a bowling league in Morocco?
In Morocco, the go-to organisation for league bowling is the ASBM (Association Sportive du Bowling Marocain, the Moroccan Bowling Sports Association), founded in 2007 in Rabat. A pioneer of competitive bowling in Morocco, it runs a weekly league at the Megamall in Rabat, has a section in Tangier and organises the Intercity Strike Cup, which brings together bowlers from several cities.
The average and handicap system is precisely what lets new bowlers join in without feeling out of their depth: as soon as they have an average, they can beat far more experienced bowlers by bowling above their usual level. Find the other organisations on our bowling associations page, and to improve, read our guides on basic bowling technique and how to pick up spares, the quickest way to add points to your average.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate a bowling average?
Divide the total number of pins knocked down over all your games by the number of games bowled, then drop the decimals. For example, 1,867 pins over 12 games gives an average of 155.
How do you calculate your bowling handicap?
The usual formula is (base – average) × percentage, rounded down. With a base of 220 at 90% and an average of 150, the handicap is 63 pins.
What's the difference between scratch and handicap in bowling?
In scratch, only the actual score counts. In handicap, a bonus of pins calculated from your average is added to your actual score, to even out different levels.
What is a good bowling average?
An average of 150 to 180 is the mark of a good league bowler. Above 200 is a very high level; professionals often average over 220.
Can a bowling handicap be negative?
Not with the standard formula: a bowler whose average reaches or exceeds the base simply has a handicap of 0.
Sources and references
