My view of prize fund revolves around how you want to bowl. I only trust myself and maybe 1 other bowler if we do doubles. That way, I can blame myself or him if we suck. No way I'm doing big prize fund leagues with 3 or more people and definitely not for handicap. I noticed all the 300s this past summer league occurred in the final weeks. Hmm... interesting. If they weren't 300s, they were 279+.
Also, prize funds need to be fair but spelled out in the beginning. For the summer league, I didn't see a money table until the night of the championship tournament. Nice letting me know that $14,000 was on the line if I could get all my teammates to not be absent random nights.
And, if prize funds are going to get serious, do away with the not required / but-frowned-on-if-you-don't-participate raffles that go on each night. I want all my money going towards the total prize fund.
But, yeah. The only time I didn't mind putting serious money on the line is when I bowled in Friday night head-to-head tournaments. Me, myself, and I is all I trust. And only scratch. None of this handicap shadiness lol.
In another league, we didn't give money out for prizes, just alcohol. It was a lot more fun haha.