Tenpin Bowling leagues are organised to foster friendship amongst bowlers and are generally played in a more relaxed atmosphere. There are however rules and regulations in any sports.

Leagues are usually organised by bowling centres and depending on the size of the centres and the number of teams registered, it ranges from 16 to as much as 24 teams. Each team will normally consists of 6 to 7 bowlers. Matches are played weekly and during each match, usually 4 bowlers are field. Some leagues are run over one round i.e. if there are 16 teams, each team will bowl against the other teams at least once. The schedule are pre-drawn.

Most leagues are played over two rounds. There are two types of match points awarded to each team when they meet. One is called high-point league and the other is called total-pins. In the high-point league system, bowlers from each team are matched against bowlers from the opposing team. For each game won, one point is awarded. A total of 4 points can be won by each bowlers. The final point is also awarded for the total pinfalls for the team total. In this high-point league system, a team can score as much as 5 points per game.

In all leagues, a total of three games is played by each bowler. Therefore, in the high-point league system, a total of 20 points can be scored.

On the other hand, if the league system used by the bowling centre is a straight-forward 4 points - i.e. one point for each total pinfalls scored by the whole team in each game, then a total of 4 points can be scored.

Handicaps are used for most leagues and bowlers' handicap are based on the following system.

1. MTBC Published Averages
2. Averages from previous league season
3. Averages from the first week of bowling

Most leagues use a mixture of the above-mentioned system.

Depending on how the bowling centre organise the leagues, most leagues have main sponsors and co-sponsors. The most aggressive sponsor of tenpin bowling leagues is Anglia-Shandy (Anchor-Guiness), Nestle-Milo and the bowling centres themselves.

Prize Money offered to the champion of the league can be as much as RM5,000, scaling down to perhaps the 8th-placed team of RM400. This prize is usually awarded at the end of each league. Some leagues run a special final to determine the champion, even though based on the points system, a particular team is ranked first. Some of these finals involves "Step-Ladder" and a "knock-out" system to determine the eventual winner.

Special awards are also provided for the Highest Average, High Game, High Series (3 games) with and without handicap. Value of these prize varies from centre to centre. There are also weekly awards given before the start of each week matches. These prizes are High Game, High Series with and without handicap.

Game Fees also varies from centre to centre and also depends on the scale of the prize money. They vary from RM16.00 to RM20.00 for three games per bowler making it between RM72 to RM80 per team. In addition to the weekly game fees, a deposit is generally required from each team which is between RM150 to RM250. This deposit is used to off-set any "walk-overs" or "no-show" from any team during their rounds.

Lastly, most leagues these days require an additional RM200 to RM300 for "Trophy Fund". This amount contribute to the award of trophies and the total prize money of the league.

It is quite simple to join a league. You don't have to be members of any state bowling associations, although more and more leagues today require at least two members of the team to be members of state bowling associations.

Leagues do not start at fixed months of the year and they depend entirely on the bowling centres. To join, you must contact the bowling centres in Malaysia to enquire if there are any leagues running and when is their starting dates. If you are lucky, you might be able to join one almost immediately.

Leagues in Malaysia are extremely popular and in order to avoid disappointments, you need to submit entry forms early. Good luck in your endeavour.