Bowling Handicap Chart: 80%, 90% and 100% of 220
League · Reference · Updated 2026-07-22
At 90% of a 220 basis: a 150 average gets 63 pins a game, a 175 average gets 40, and a 200 average gets 18. The chart below runs every average from 100 to 220 in 5-pin steps, at 80%, 90% and 100% of 220, plus the 210 and 230 basis scores plenty of leagues use instead.
One formula drives all of it: (basis - average) × percentage, fractions dropped. Everything else is your league's bylaws.
The full chart
| Your average | 80% of 220 | 90% of 220 | 100% of 220 | 90% of 210 | 90% of 230 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 96 | 108 | 120 | 99 | 117 |
| 105 | 92 | 103 | 115 | 94 | 112 |
| 110 | 88 | 99 | 110 | 90 | 108 |
| 115 | 84 | 94 | 105 | 85 | 103 |
| 120 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 81 | 99 |
| 125 | 76 | 85 | 95 | 76 | 94 |
| 130 | 72 | 81 | 90 | 72 | 90 |
| 135 | 68 | 76 | 85 | 67 | 85 |
| 140 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 63 | 81 |
| 145 | 60 | 67 | 75 | 58 | 76 |
| 150 | 56 | 63 | 70 | 54 | 72 |
| 155 | 52 | 58 | 65 | 49 | 67 |
| 160 | 48 | 54 | 60 | 45 | 63 |
| 165 | 44 | 49 | 55 | 40 | 58 |
| 170 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 36 | 54 |
| 175 | 36 | 40 | 45 | 31 | 49 |
| 180 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 27 | 45 |
| 185 | 28 | 31 | 35 | 22 | 40 |
| 190 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 18 | 36 |
| 195 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 13 | 31 |
| 200 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 9 | 27 |
| 205 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 4 | 22 |
| 210 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 18 |
| 215 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 13 |
| 220 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Read across your average row and stop at your league's column. If your average is not a multiple of five, take the gap yourself: a 163 average against a 220 basis is a 57-pin gap, and 90% of 57 is 51.3, which becomes 51 once the fraction drops. If the number comes out negative - your average is above the basis - it is zero, not a penalty.
Series and team handicap
- Series handicap is the per-game number multiplied by the games bowled. A 150 average at 90% of 220 carries 63 a game, so 189 across a three-game set and 315 across five.
- Team handicap, individual method: add up each roster member's own handicap. This is the method USBC's rule interpretations call the most effective, because every bowler and every team carries handicap and individual awards fall out of the same math.
- Team handicap, team method: USBC Rule 100d treats the combined current averages of the players bowling as the team average, and handicap is figured from a team basis instead. Same arithmetic, bigger numbers - and the league picks one method when it adopts its rules.
- Not recommended: handicapping only the difference between the two opposing teams' averages. USBC advises against it, since not every team receives handicap each session and individual awards get messy.
Picking a basis and a percentage
- Set the basis above every average in the league, with room for improvement. USBC's own worked example: if the highest individual average is 222, set the base at 230. That is why 210, 220 and 230 are the numbers you see.
- Then choose the percentage. 100% erases the gap entirely, which turns the league into a pins-over-average contest and pays sandbaggers the most. 90% leaves the stronger bowler a tenth of their edge. 80% leans further toward scratch ability.
- Write it into the bylaws. USBC Rule 100d makes the percentage 100% unless the league provides otherwise, so a 90%-of-220 league is 90% because it voted to be.
Or stop reading charts
Set your league's basis and percentage once in Bowling Score Keeper & Tracker and your handicap is computed from your real, current average and printed on the scorecard as you bowl. League tools carry a full handicap sheet for the roster, captain standings, position rounds and Baker scoring, and per-league splits keep your Tuesday house average out of your sport-shot league. See the formula and the 90% of 220 walkthrough if you want the derivation.
Your handicap, recalculated every game. Basis, percentage and current average handled for you, on the lane, offline. Free on the App Store - no account. Download Bowling Score Keeper & Tracker on the App Store.
Frequently asked questions
What is 90% of 220 in bowling?
As arithmetic, 198. As a handicap, nothing - 198 is what a bowler averaging zero would receive. The league means 90% of the difference between the 220 basis and your average, so a 170 average gets 90% of 50, which is 45 pins a game.
How do I read a bowling handicap chart?
Find your current league average in the left column, then read across to the column matching your league's basis and percentage. That number is pins added to every game you bowl. Multiply by the number of games for your series handicap.
How is team handicap calculated in bowling?
Most leagues use the individual method: every bowler's handicap is figured from their own average and the roster's handicaps are added together. USBC Rule 100d also allows a team method, where the combined current averages of the players bowling form the team average. The league chooses one when it adopts its rules.
Can a league cap my handicap?
Only if the league adopts a rule for it. USBC Rule 100d says handicap is not limited and a handicap game or series is not capped unless league rules provide it - and if a league does cap, it cannot cap below the highest possible scratch score.