How to Set Handicaps for a Bowling Tournament | The Formula from Averages, and Women's Handicaps

The basic handicap formula

A bowling handicap is a bonus added to each game. The most common way to set it is to take the gap between a bowler's average (their mean score per game) and a base score, and multiply it by a fixed percentage.

• Base average: 200 or 210, for example. Set it a little above your best bowler and almost everyone gets some handicap
• Percentage: 70–90% is common. At 100%, everyone ends up with the same score on average, so skill barely counts
• Cap: 50 or 60 pins, for example. This stops beginners with no known average from getting a huge handicap

The percentage is kept below 100% so that better bowlers are still rewarded a little for their skill. With a base of 200 at 80%, a bowler averaging 150 adds (200 − 150) × 0.8 = 40 pins every game, or 120 pins over three games.

Handicap chart by average

We worked out the handicap per game for each average under three common settings. Decimals are dropped.

With base 200, 80% and a cap of 50, everyone averaging 137 or less hits the cap of 50. If your event has lots of beginners and you want to spread them out more, raise the cap. If it has lots of experienced bowlers, raise the base to 220. Adjust to suit who is playing.

Handicaps for bowlers without an average

At company events and the like, most players don't have an established average. These are the usual workarounds.

• Ask players to declare the average of their recent games (152, 138 and 161 over three games average 150)
• Treat the first game of the event as practice and set handicaps from that score
• Use fixed handicaps by group, such as 0, 20 and 40 pins for experienced, intermediate and beginner
• Use only a women's handicap and otherwise compete on raw pinfall (scratch)

Self-declared averages can come in low, but a handicap cap limits the damage. Putting how handicaps are decided in the event notice makes arguments on the day much less likely.

Adding a women's handicap

At company and social events, it is common to give women around 10 extra pins per game. The idea is to allow for heavier balls being harder to throw and for less pin action. The amount is up to each event; there is no standard figure.

If you combine it with a handicap calculated from averages, add the women's handicap on top of the calculated one. Decide in advance whether it is also added for players already at the cap, or whether the cap applies to the combined total. More and more events now skip separate men's and women's handicaps and base everything on averages.

Worked example: standings on a 3-game total

Here six bowlers play three games each, with handicaps of base 200, 80% and a cap of 50, plus a 10-pin women's handicap for C and D.

On scratch, A is first with 518, but with handicaps C, who bowled a little above her average, comes out on top. Meanwhile B, D and F are stuck at the cap of 50, so their handicaps don't close the gap and they stay near the bottom. Bowlers who beat their own average finishing high is exactly what handicap events are designed to do.

• When totals are tied, the bowler with the higher high game (best single game) usually ranks higher
• If the high games are also equal, decide a second tie-break too, such as comparing the last game
• The booby prize goes to the second-to-last bowler. In the example above that is B (5th)
• Prizes such as high game and top woman keep things fun beyond the final standings

In the Bowling Score Calculator's "Tournament & handicap totals" section, you can enter scores for up to 40 bowlers and 6 games and get handicap standings using the base, percentage, cap and women's handicap, plus the booby prize and high game, automatically. The standings can be copied into a chat app or a spreadsheet. For organising the whole event, see the organiser's guide, and for splitting into teams, see the team split guide. For setting handicaps from the day's scores when players have no averages, as in a golf competition, see how to calculate New Peoria handicaps.

FAQ

How many pins is a normal bowling tournament handicap?

It is usually set by formula. With base 200 at 80%, a bowler averaging 150 gets 40 pins a game and one averaging 180 gets 16. Many events cap it at 50 to 60 pins. There is no fixed figure, so set it to suit the range of skill among your players.

How much should the women's handicap be?

At company and social events it is often around 10 pins per game. If you also use a handicap calculated from averages, add the women's handicap on top of it.

For three games, do you triple the handicap?

Yes. The handicap is per game, so multiply it by the number of games and add it to the total. A 40-pin handicap adds 120 pins to a three-game total.

How do you break a tie on total pins?

The usual rule is that the bowler with the higher high game (best single game) ranks higher. If that is also equal, compare the last game or share the place. Deciding before the event avoids arguments.