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, 11th 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, teams earn points based on their total net team score in each game compared to the rest of the league. All teams are ranked from highest to lowest net pins for each game.
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Points are awarded for Game 1 and Game 2 based on where your team finishes that game.
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1st = 15 points
2nd = 12 points
3rd = 10 points
4th = 8 points
5th = 6 points
6th = 4 points
7th = 2 points
8th = 1 point
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Overall Bonus Points
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At the end of the night, teams are also ranked by their combined net score for both games.
The top four teams receive bonus points:
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1st = 7 points
2nd = 5 points
3rd = 3 points
4th = 1 points
Every team competes against the entire league each game, so your points depend on how your total net score ranks compared to the other teams that night. The standings will go in order of highest to lowest points; tiebreaker will be the total net pins.​
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Ties:
If two teams finish with the same net score, the teams will split the points for those finishing positions evenly.
Example:
If two teams tie for 2nd place, the points for 2nd (12) and 3rd (10) are combined and split between the teams.
Each team would receive 11 points.​​​
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. However, if a dropped score is within 25 pins of the bowler's current average, the score will still be included in your handicap. This is to avoid sandbagging. So, no need to throw all gutter balls to bring your handicap down! It won’t work.
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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.
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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
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The top 6 teams, based on regular-season 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: two games in Round 1 and one final game in Round 2.
The bottom 2 teams in the regular-season standings will play a two-game match to avoid last place. AKA the Toilet Bowl.
ROUND 1
All 6 playoff teams will bowl two games.
The top 3 seeded teams from the regular season will receive bonus pins for Round 1 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
After two games, the 3 teams with the highest combined net scores, including any bonus pins, will advance to the finals. There are no head-to-head matchups in Round 1. Every playoff team is competing against the full field.
ROUND 2
The 3 remaining teams will bowl one final game. Scores reset. Previous scores and bonus pins no longer apply.
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.
Each bowler from both teams bowls one frame. The team with the highest total pinfall from that frame wins.
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.