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HANDICAPPING
Handicapping is a means of placing players and teams with varying degrees of skill on as equitable a basis as possible for their competition against each other. For bowling the USBC (former ABC and WIBC) recommends that higher handicap percentages be used for more equalized matches.
Example, in bowling with handicap based on 70% of 180:
Team #1 Team #2
Avg Hcp Avg Hcp
Jill 160 + 14 = 174 Steve 124 + 39 = 163
Barb 155 + 17 = 172 Pam 122 + 40 = 162
Paul 140 + 28 = 168 Carl 132 + 33 = 165
John 146 + 23 = 169 Jenn 141 + 27 = 168
Adam 167 + 9 = 176 Mike 160 + 14 = 174
--- -- --- --- --- ---
768 + 91 = 859 679 + 153 = 832
With a 70% handicap, Team #1 has a 27 pin advantage over Team #2. By basing handicap on 70% of 180, it would be difficult for Team #2 to win the game. If the members of Team #1 were to play their average, it would be necessary for the members of Team #2 to exceed their own team average by at least 28 scores (pins in bowling) in order to win the game.
Example, with handicap based on 90% of 180:
Team #1 Team #2
Avg Hcp Avg Hcp
Jill 160 + 18 = 178 Steve 124 + 50 = 174
Barb 155 + 22 = 177 Pam 122 + 52 = 174
Paul 140 + 36 = 176 Carl 132 + 43 = 175
John 146 + 30 = 176 Jenn 141 + 35 = 176
Adam 167 + 11 = 178 Mike 160 + 18 = 178
--- -- --- --- --- ---
768 + 117 = 885 679 + 198 = 877
If the handicap is based on 90% of 180, the chances of Team #2 winning the game would be more realistic. Team #2 would still have to exceed its own team average by 9 scores (pins in bowling) to win if Team #1 played its team average. The 90% handicap decreases Team #1's advantage to 8 scores (pins in bowling).
BOWLING HANDICAP PROCEDURES
Since USBC (former ABC and WIBC) rules state that games with handicap included are to be eligible for league prizes, unless the league rules otherwise, problems can arise when handicap is based the difference of the averages of the two competing teams. USBC (former ABC and WIBC) recommends that handicap leagues use the individual or the team method of handicapping, so that both teams in a match have the benefit of handicap. However many leagues are not sanctioned and do not follow this recommendation. For those leagues the option of using team difference handicapping has been included as an option in the program.
INDIVIDUAL METHOD OF HANDICAPPING
Set a scratch figure higher than the entering average of any player in the league and decide on the percentage to be used for computing handicap. The individual handicaps of the players are added together for the team handicap. In the following example, 90% of 180 is used.
Actual Avg Handicap 90% of 180
Kathy 130 45
Linda 140 36 (180 minus avg
Ashley 125 49 X 90% equals
Keith 135 40 player's handicap)
Ed 170 9
---
179 Handicap for team
STANDARD TEAM METHOD OF HANDICAPPING
Set a scratch figure higher than the entering average of any team in the league and decide on the percentage to be used in computing the handicap. The actual averages of the players are added together in determining the team average. In the following bowling example, 90% of 800 is used.
Team #3 Team #4
Kathy 130 Justin 137
Linda 140 Theresa 130
Ashley 125 Sara 131
Keith 135 Todd 120
Ed 170 Frank 167
--- ---
700 685
90 = Handicap 103 = Handicap
Handicap for Team #3: 800 scratch - 700 team average is 100 X 90% is 90 scores (pins in bowling) handicap for each game.
Handicap for Team #4: 800 scratch - 685 team average is 115 X 90% is 103.5, and fraction must be dropped for 103 scores (pins in bowling) handicap for each game.
TEAM DIFFERENCE METHOD OF HANDICAPPING
Decide on the percentage to be used in computing the handicap. The actual averages of the players are added together in determining the team average. In the following bowling example, 90% is used.
Team #3 Team #4
Kathy 130 Justin 136
Linda 140 Theresa 130
Ashley 125 Sara 131
Keith 135 Todd 120
Ed 170 Frank 163
--- ---
700 680
0 = Handicap 18 = Handicap
Handicap for Team #3: 0 (zero) because their team average is higher than team #4's average.
Handicap for Team #4: (700 - 680) X 90% = 20 X 90% = 18 scores (pins in bowling).
If you use this method of handicapping, you will need to use the Opponent button when you enter the weekly scores. Be sure to read about how to use this button if you want the team difference handicaps computed correctly.