if you think that is bad, i just started up a 9 pin no-tap league.  what the people were smoking when they set up the handicap i have no idea.  if i remember right its 100% of 200 or 210.  now here i am averaging 250 in this league and i don't even have to try to hit that 210 mark.  and here there are some little kids that i'm bowling with (and usually coach) and their averaging not too bad for their age, around 130-140.  but i feel absolutely horrible when i come up and bowl against their team and we end up beating them by 20 pins.  especially when they all hit their average, and i was 20 pins bellow.  so yes i agree with you.  in some cases handicap is just worthless, but i must say that in other cases it can be very very good for lower average bowlers.
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AND1 .. I believe your observation to be correct. Raise the handicap to 100% and the competition will have a chance!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
      J O E - F A L C O

I see two subjects here (not necessarily related) -- helping out other bowlers, and the fairness of handicap.

The helping out question is easy. Regardless of our respective abilities, we can all use some level of help. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or if you compete in high end scratch leagues. Being friendly and showing a willingness to give input (as well as receive it) goes a long ways in making the sport fun for all.

Handicap is more complex, but in most cases, the facts are clear; high handicap favors the lower average bowler. There is little to dispute, and a simple example of 100% of 220 handicap illustrates this.

Bowler "A" = 120 average (100 pins handicap)
Bowler "B" = 220 average (0 pins handicap).

If both bowlers bowl their average, we have a tie, and consequently a "fair" situation. However, life is not that simple. The reality is that it's much easier for "A" at 120 to shoot significantly over average than it is for "B" at 220. All the 120 average bowler has to do is pick up two additional easy spares in a game to take their score to 140. That's not too tough to learn how to do over the course of a league season.

It's much more difficult for the 220 average bowler to score a 240 and stay even. He/She have probably been bowling for years, and there is little room for additional improvement.

Forgive Joe for struggling with this, but it's a concept he has yet to grasp. He thinks in the narrow view of Senior leagues where there is some merit to 100% handicap. In just about every other setting, it's badly flawed.  


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