The league will last for 6 weeks in total; each team will bowl for five regular season weeks and the top 6 teams will advance to play in one playoff week. League nights will begin Wednesday, March, 12th at 6:30 pm. Practice will start every week at 6:15 pm. We will alternate league nights every other Wednesday (see schedule).
Please show up on time. We start at 6:30pm whether you are there or not. If you're running late, your teammates can set you to "SKIP". This allows them to skip your turn until you arrive. You can catch up on your frames once you get to the bowling alley. If you arrive after the first game is complete you will receive a blind score of a net 190 for that game (your average minus 10 pins).
GAME PLAY
Each week you will bowl two games against a different opponent. Highest net (factors in handicap) team score of each game wins. You will receive 2 points for each game won, and 1 point for the overall total of both games; a possibility of 5 points per night. If teams are tied, the points will be split evenly. The standings will go in order of highest to lowest points; tiebreaker will be the total net pins.
DROPPED SCORES
Each team’s score is based on 5 counted scores per game, even though rosters consist of 6 players.
If you only have 5 bowlers on a given night and can't find a sub, all 5 scores will count. No score will be dropped. If you have 4 bowlers, you can play with one blind score and no scores will be dropped. If you have 3 bowlers, you can play with two blind scores and no scores will be dropped. You must have at least 3 players/scores present to avoid a forfeit. Players can always pre-bowl if they can’t be there on a league night.
All scores that are dropped will not count against your handicap. This is to avoid sandbagging. So, no need to throw all gutter balls to bring your handicap down! It won’t work.
In simple terms:
6 players - Drop the lowest net score, add the other 5 net scores to get your total.
5 players - No scores are dropped, add all 5 net scores to get your total.
4 players - No scores are dropped, add the 4 net scores + one score of net 190.
3 players - No scores are dropped, add the 3 net scores + two scores of net 190.
2 players - You'll have a lovely date, but you forfeit.
1 player - That's sad. You forfeit.
SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS
A full team consists of 6 bowlers, and no more than 6 can bowl in a game. If a teammate can’t make it, you may bring a substitute at no extra cost.
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First-time subs receive a handicap of 85 for men and 95 for women (based on league averages).
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If a sub bowls multiple times, their handicap will adjust accordingly.
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If you’re short on players, at least 3 bowlers must record scores to avoid a forfeit.
HANDICAP
A bowling handicap evens the playing field by giving extra pins to lower-average bowlers. This system helps all players compete fairly!
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It’s 90% of the difference between 200 and your average.
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Example: If you average 125, your handicap is 68 (90% of 75).
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Each game, your scratch score + handicap = net score.
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Handicaps will adjust throughout the season to reflect your current average (see Handicap Adjustments).
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Returning league members will have their handicap based on their career scoring average.
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New members can provide an estimated average or will be assigned a default handicap of 85 for men and 95 for women.
Handicap Adjustments:
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New players will have their handicap adjusted in Week 2.
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Returning players will have their first adjustment in Week 3.
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Handicaps will continue to adjust weekly based on your current season average
PRE-BOWLING
If you know in advance that you can’t attend a league night, you can pre-bowl your two games at Boston Bowl. This ensures your scores count even if you can’t make it on league night!
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Inform the front desk that you’re with the Boston Advertising Bowling League and are there to pre-bowl. You do not have to pay to pre-bowl. It is included in the cost of the league.
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Take a photo of your scores and send them to Mike Schilling if you want your strikes and spares to count on the sheet.
PLAYOFFS
The top 6 teams (based on points) will qualify for the playoffs, both rounds of the playoffs will take place in one night. The 3 teams that advance to the final round will bowl a total of 3 games.
ROUND 1 - Playoff Bracket
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Teams are seeded into a bracket based on regular season standings.
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The top 3 teams will receive bonus pins for the first round only:
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1st place: +20 pins per game
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2nd place: +15 pins per game
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3rd place: +10 pins per game
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4th-6th place: No bonus pins
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Each team will bowl two games against their opponent. The team with the highest combined score from those two games moves on to the Royal Rumble.
ROUND 2 - Royal Rumble
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The 3 remaining teams will bowl one final game.
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Scores reset—previous scores and bonus pins no longer apply.
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The team with the highest net score in this game is crowned league champions.
Tiebreaker - Sudden Death Frame
If two teams finish with the same total score in either round, we will bowl one sudden death frame.
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Each bowler from both teams bowls one frame.
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The team with the highest total pinfall from that frame wins.
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A strike will be given a bonus pin and count as 11.
The Prize
The winning team’s name will be etched into the trophy, the league t-shirts, and now the website—FOREVER.
GLOSSARY
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SCRATCH SCORE - This is the term used for the player's natural score with no handicap added.
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NET SCORE - This is the term used for the player's natural score plus their handicap.
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BLIND SCORE - When bowling shorthanded, your team will receive an automatic fill-in score of a net 190. This is called a BLIND SCORE. This is the missing player’s average score, plus their handicap, minus 10 pins. It doesn’t make a difference what the bowler’s average is, the blind score will ALWAYS BE a net 190. This score will not affect the missing player's handicap.