A group of tournaments that I have bowled in over the years is now following the usbc's lead and capping handicap scores at 300 and 900.  While I do understand the argument for it, if a person with handicap has a career game or set he is only going to get credit for it as if he bowled a much lower set. Say someone was getting 30 pins a game...if they bowl a 270 that's a 300 handicap game...if they bowl a 290+ they would only be credited the same as if they bowled a 270. In that scenario there is no reason(beyond personal integrity) to bowl higher than a 270 because it will not provide any more benefit than simply bowling a 270. I could conceivably see someone purposely not bowling a higher scratch game that would otherwise have been counted as a 300+ handicap game because they would gain nothing and raise their avg and lower their handicap. I could see someone somewhere doing that.

Brad

A group of tournaments that I have bowled in over the years is now following the usbc's lead and capping handicap scores at 300 and 900.  While I do understand the argument for it, if a person with handicap has a career game or set he is only going to get credit for it as if he bowled a much lower set. Say someone was getting 30 pins a game...if they bowl a 270 that's a 300 handicap game...if they bowl a 290+ they would only be credited the same as if they bowled a 270. In that scenario there is no reason(beyond personal integrity) to bowl higher than a 270 because it will not provide any more benefit than simply bowling a 270. I could conceivably see someone purposely not bowling a higher scratch game that would otherwise have been counted as a 300+ handicap game because they would gain nothing and raise their avg and lower their handicap. I could see someone somewhere doing that.

Brad

Quote from: bcw1969 on July 26, 2017, 04:20:23 PM

A group of tournaments that I have bowled in over the years is now following the usbc's lead and capping handicap scores at 300 and 900.  While I do understand the argument for it, if a person with handicap has a career game or set he is only going to get credit for it as if he bowled a much lower set. Say someone was getting 30 pins a game...if they bowl a 270 that's a 300 handicap game...if they bowl a 290+ they would only be credited the same as if they bowled a 270. In that scenario there is no reason(beyond personal integrity) to bowl higher than a 270 because it will not provide any more benefit than simply bowling a 270. I could conceivably see someone purposely not bowling a higher scratch game that would otherwise have been counted as a 300+ handicap game because they would gain nothing and raise their avg and lower their handicap. I could see someone somewhere doing that.

Brad

AND this is the definition of sandbagging which is against the rules & in some jurisdictions will be criminally liable & held accountable.

Last night I watched a guy next to me, a 149 average roll a 695 scratch 857 handicap series with a 320ish game for the 1st game.  And they were playing the ghost team so all they had to do was bowl their average to get the win.  Sorry I just don't see 140-180 average guys purposely sandbagging at any time so they don't get score over 300.  They are too busy having fun and bowling the game of their life.

And I don't see a 210 average guy with a low handicap not trying to bowl a 300 after getting the first 8 or 9.  He will go for that 300 every time.  Maybe chuck the last ball down the lane without a care if getting a spare in the 10th, but who hasn't done that??? 

Wow.  I have seen a few guys bag over the years, but not sure I ever saw a 220 caliber bag that much.