Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
A bowling handicap is a number of bonus pins added to a bowler’s actual (scratch) score each game, calculated from their average so that bowlers of differing abilities can compete fairly. The standard formula is (basis − average) × handicap percentage, where the basis is a target figure (commonly 200 or 220) and the percentage is set by the league (often 80-100%). A lower-average bowler receives more handicap pins, narrowing the gap with stronger players. Handicap leagues are hugely popular precisely because they let friends and family of any ability enjoy genuinely competitive games together.
- Bonus pins added to scratch score
- Formula: (basis − average) × percentage
- Lower averages get more pins
- Enables fair mixed-ability competition
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Put this into practice with our free calculator.
Open the Bowling Handicap Calculator →In practice
Handicap bowling lets a brand-new bowler compete meaningfully against a 20-year league veteran in the same match — the system adds pins based on how far below the league's scratch standard a bowler's average sits, so the final handicapped scores (not the raw pinfall) decide the winner.
FAQ
How is a bowling handicap calculated?
Most leagues use a formula like (scratch score − bowler's average) × a percentage (commonly 80-90%), added to every game that bowler rolls.
Does a handicap change the pins knocked down?
No — the handicap is added on top of the actual pins knocked down to produce a 'handicapped score' used purely for determining match or league standings, not the raw total.