This question will be familiar to some because I posted it on the AOL board, but no one answered it.
When Greg was in the bowling tournament his score was 666 (not ONE WORD about that number! :)). The scores of other bowlers averaged 600 and more. They only bowled 3 games, so how can this be? I was told that they score with a handicap but no one could tell me how they figure it out. Does anybody here know?
MaryAnn
No, stupid, it’s a boat!
Hmmm, what’s hard to figure out? 300 is a perfect game, 666 in three games, averages 222 per game. A very good score, lot’s better than I’ve ever managed, but very posible.
Here’s how they tabulated the handicap when I was in a league; I’m sure there are local variations.
On the first night of the league, everybody bowls three games. Say old Uncle Rasta bowls a 175, a 185, and a 180. That averages out to… 180. Now, when I signed up for the league, I know that the “standard” for this league was 200. Since my average on Night One was 20 less than the standard, my handicap was +20, meaning that 20 points were added to my score each game for the rest of the season.
I worked in a bowling center for 10 years and I’ve never seen it done that way. Too easy to sandbag.
The usual way is:
You use your Average from last year’s league.
If you don’t have an Average, your first week’s scores (averaged) become your Average.
All subsequent scores are also averaged in (for a new Average each week).
Handicap is then a percentage (usually 80% or 95%)of the difference between your Average and some preset score (usually 200, sometimes 220).
Some leagues also have a “minimum Average” (often 140 or 160). If your Average is below the minimum, it is assumed to be the minimum for the purpose of determining handicap.
pmh is right. If you wish to join a league and you want to know how the handicap is figured out, they will usually say something like “90% out of 200” or so, which is the quick translation for the percentage and abritrary number they subtract average from.
Leagues all have different numbers here, designed to either make it easier on a high-average bowler or not. Usually, the higher the stakes, the more it helps to be a good bowler.
Yer pal,
Satan
My league has a “90% of 220” handicap, with no minimum. That give me (as a 136 average bowler) a 75 handicap, and a 211 average handicap game. For a 3-game series, my handicap series should be about 633. That sure looks better than my 405 scratch series.
I love the concept of bowling. take this big heavy thing,and roll it so it can knock those things over. i really to do love it
We live in an age that reads to much to be wise, and thinks too much to be beautiful–Oscar Wilde
Everybody sing along!
My goat knows the bowling score, hal-le-luuuuu-jah.
“Hmmm, what’s hard to figure out? 300 is a perfect game, 666 in three games, averages 222 per game. A very good score, lot’s better than I’ve ever managed, but very posible.” JimB
Sorry…I should have clarified something. Greg’s scores were 60, 68, and 58. I was wondering about how they figure out the score because the 666 score is very high based on what was bowled.
MaryAnn
No, stupid, it’s a boat!
*MaryAnnQ: When Greg was in the bowling tournament his score was 666 (not ONE WORD about that number! ). The scores of other bowlers averaged 600 and more. They only bowled 3 games, so how can this be? I was told that they score with a handicap but no one could tell me how they figure it out. Does anybody here know?
**JimB: “Hmmm, what’s hard to figure out? 300 is a perfect game, 666 in three games, averages 222 per game. A very good score, lot’s better than I’ve ever managed, but very posible.” **
MaryAnnQ: Sorry…I should have clarified something. Greg’s scores were 60, 68, and 58. I was wondering about how they figure out the score because the 666 score is very high based on what was bowled.*
You did mention that the 666 was a handicap series. A little algebra:
Let S[sub]h[/sub] = Handicap Series
G[sub]1[/sub] = Game 1 score (scratch)
G[sub]2[/sub] = Game 2 score (scratch)
G[sub]3[/sub] = Game 3 score (scratch)
H = Greg’s Handicap
S[sub]h[/sub] = (G[sub]1[/sub]+H)+(G[sub]2[/sub]+H)+(G[sub]3[/sub]+H)
rearranging:
S[sub]h[/sub] = G[sub]1[/sub] + G[sub]2[/sub] + G[sub]3[/sub] + H + H + H
Substituting:
666 = 60 + 68 + 58 + 3H
480 = 3H
H = 160
So Greg’s handicap, which was added to each game’s score, is 160. That figure was most probably figured from his established average (E/A) and put into a formula for use in the tournament.
That’s a hell of a handicap. Maybe Greg should take up checkers.
I want to apologize for not understanding the question in the beginning. The “how can this be?” part came before the handicap part. I didn’t quite understand where the confusion was. I threw something stupid out to see what Mary was talking about. Obviously, I was the only one to miss the real question.
But after seeing the scores, I’m with her, “How can this be?” He seems to have had a good night since the others were scoring 600 or more and he scored 666. A 62 average on a good night tells me I should take up bowling again. 222 was out of the question for an average, but 62, I can work with that.
These guys must be having a lot of fun, 'cause they aren’t likely to end up on Bowling for Dollars or anything.
Continuing AWB’s calculations…
Since Greg’s handicap is greater than his actual score, I assume this is the maximum allowed handicap. It could be arrived at in many different ways, but the most probable is:
Handicap = .8 x (300 - Average) with a 100 minimum Average.
or “80% from 300 with a 100 minimum”
I’ve seen this handicap method before. Was this by chance an amateur tournament sponsored by a company that produces a really foul tasting beer?
Um…
MaryAnn didn’t explicitly say so here, but it’s fairly common knowledge that her son, Greg, has been bowling in a Special Olympics tournament, and was just recently competing at the state-level competition.
I hope this sheds a little light on the handicap…
Sue from El Paso
Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
I did not mean any offense, honestly, even if it was just some bad bowlers. I do hope it wasn’t taken that way, if so, I am sorry.
And congradulations, Greg.
Ditto.
Ditto ditto. (Geez, I feel like a worm.)
S’okay, guys. Figure out a way to e-mail me some chocolate and I’ll REALLY forgive you! 
MaryAnn
No, stupid, it’s a boat!
Actually, guys, I think I sounded a little harsh here & that was not my intent. The jokes would have been funny if Greg were a boyfriend or hubby.
I was mainly trying to prevent “piling on.”
Sue from El Paso
Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
Well, MaryAnn, I’ve got the Hershey bar into my CD ROM, but I can’t get it to download. Maybe I’d better call tech support.