All about Ladder Golf/Ladder Ball:

Ladder Ball (retail products Ladder Golf, Bolo Toss, Blongo Ball and Top Toss), is a lawn game similar in game play to horse shoes. Simply put, you toss a bolo (2 golf balls on the ends of a piece of rope, similar to Bolas) towards a short ladder, usually made of PVC. RVers and campers have a special fondness for this unique outdoor game, as do tailgaters. Some physical therapists have even used the game for excercises in range of motion, balance recovery, and hand-eye coordination therapy.

Ladder Ball is played with 2 or more players or teams. Each player has 3 golf ball bolas. A bola is 2 golf balls attached by a nylon rope. The object of the game is to wrap your bolas around the steps of the ladder. The ladder consists of 3 steps, a top, middle and a bottom step.

Also called Ladder Golf, Bolo Toss, Norwegian Horseshoes, Snakes, Hillbilly Golf, Polish Golf, Horseballs, Tower Ball, Bolo Golf, Gladiator, Bola, Snake Toss, BlongoBall, Ladder Toss, Bolo, Rodeo Golf, Dingle Balls, Bolo Polo, Cowboy Golf, Redneck Golf, Pocca Bolo, The Snake Game, Willy Ball, Ladder Ball, Slither, Zing-Ball, Snakes & Ladders, Hillbilly Horseshoes, Flingy Ball, Norwegian Golf, Monkey Bars Golf, Swedish Golf, Polish Horsehoes, Dandy Golf, Montana Golf, Australian Horseshoes, Ladder Game, Monkey Balls, Rattlerail Toss, Golfball Horseshoes, Arizona Golf Balls, Spin-It, Ball Dangle, Bolo Ball, Poor Mans Golf, Pig's Nuts, and even Testical Toss!

Playing the Game
Prior to game play a line must be set 5 paces from the ladder. This is the called the toss line. The official toss line is 15 feet away but most players measure 5 paces from the game ladder to set the toss line. This allows for a closer toss line for children.s games.

Ladder Ball is played in rounds, each round consists of all players tossing 3 bolas. A coin toss is used to decide which player or team will toss first. The first player must toss all 3 bolas before the next player is able to toss his or her bolas. Bolas can be tossed in anyway the player chooses, as long as they are tossed individually and can be bounced off the ground. The winner of the round earns the first toss in the next round. Games are played to an exact point total of 21. In order to win, a player must be the only one to score exactly 21 points after the completion of a round.

If a player goes over the exact point total, that players points for that round do not count. For example: A player with 18 points needs 3 points to get the exact score of 21 in order to win. If that player has 5 points hanging on the ladder after all the players have tossed all strands, none of those points count and the player will enter the next round with 18 points again needing 3 points to win.

In the case of a tie, the players that tie will play as many overtime rounds as needed until one player ends a complete round 2 points ahead of the other player. The 2 point rule only applies in overtime rounds. During regular play any player can win as long as that player is the only one to score an exact total of 21 points at the end of that round no matter how many points the other players have.

Etiquette of the Game
Basic etiquette of Ladder Ball states that contestants should make as many remarks, sounds, or movements as possible during play in order to distract opponents during play. Touching the player during tossing is never allowed.

In the course of play no contestant is to walk to the ladder prior to completion of the current round of play.

Scoring
After all teams have tossed all their bolas, scoring is determined by the bolas that are still hanging from the steps. Players can knock-off bolas during the course of the game, in fact knocking-off other players bolas is encouraged and a good way to play defensively. bolas that are knocked off during play do not count as poin

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Scoring
After all teams have tossed all their bolas, scoring is determined by the bolas that are still hanging from the steps. Players can knock-off bolas during the course of the game, in fact knocking-off other players bolas is encouraged and a good way to play defensively. bolas that are knocked off during play do not count as points. Only bolas that are left hanging after all bolas are tossed are counted as points.

Points
Points are determined by which step your bola wraps around. The top step is worth 3 points the middle step is worth 2 points and the bottom step is only worth 1 point. Players can score an optional bonus of 1 point by hanging all 3 bolas from the same step or by hanging a bola on all 3 (1-2-3) steps in one round. The highest amount of points available per player is 10. This is accomplished by hanging all 3 bolas on the top (3 point) step.

Team Play
Four players can play Ladder Ball by alternating play each round. Players simply alternate turns with teammates. Extra bolas can also be purchased so up to 4 players can play individually on the same ladder or a second ladder can be purchased for team play. With multiple ladders 2 players on opposite teams would be on one side and the other 2 opposing players would be at the other game ladder. One side would toss all bolas and the other team would toss them back. Same rules apply.

History
There are several proposed histories to the game, all of which are difficult to verify.

WILLY BALL Polynesians were tall athletic people, always in search of new games or ideas with which to challenge one another. One Polynesian, a young fisherman named Willieakahlua, was lying in his hammock one afternoon drinking out of a coconut shell, when he came up with the idea to hollow out a coconut. He then took some dried kelp, braided it into a rope and threaded it through the coconuts. Immediately he began to throw the tethered coconuts up and down the beach.

One day, while throwing the tethered coconuts along the beach, he came upon three palm trees that had been blown onto their side forming a kind of huge ladder. Willieakahlua tried throwing the tethered balls over the palms but time after time they would wrap around the leaning trunks. Several friends took turns throwing the balls. Soon they were having a great time just trying to get the balls to wrap around the tree trunks. Soon, a point system was developed and the tethered coconuts and game were named after Willieakahlua, thus Willieakahluaball was shortened to Willyball and the name for the tethered coconuts became Willy’s.

The game became a tremendous hit with the Polynesians. Every island had its own Willyball league. Yearly, the champions from each island would travel to Easter Island to hold a large Willyball tournament. They named the tournament The Willyball Bowl. Each year, after all the tournaments were over and the champions were decided the islanders would all get together to create a statue to honor the victorious player. These statues can still be observed today facing off toward the island that was the home of each champion, a testimony for all time of their great feats of Willyballdom

Rattle rail toss As the story goes - cowboys used to spend a large amount of time out on the range, either driving cattle or building fences. To pass the time at the end of their workdays, they would play a game called Rattle Snake Toss. They would throw rattlesnakes at fence posts or stumps scoring points when the snake would get hung-up on the post or limb. It resembled the game of horseshoes, but being out on the range, you used what was around.

 
Glossary of Terms
Bolas: A Bola consists of 2 golf balls attached together with a piece of nylon rope. Golf balls are spaced 13. apart.

Ladder: The ladder is the structure that cons

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Glossary of Terms
Bolas: A Bola consists of 2 golf balls attached together with a piece of nylon rope. Golf balls are spaced 13. apart.

Ladder: The ladder is the structure that consists of 3 steps each spaced 13 inches apart.

Steps: Each ladder has 3 steps. The top step is worth 3 points, the middle 2 and the bottom 1 point.

Toss Line: The line that the players tosses from. Officially is set to 15 feet. For backyard games 5 paces works fine.

Safety
DO NOT swing the bolas unless tossing them at the ladder during normal game play. Injury to yourself or others may occur if bolas are used improperly. The bolas provided with your new Ladder Ball game are connected using special anchors that, under normal game play, will provide a lifetime of use. DO NOT pull excessively on the bolas (tug-of-war) as abuse of the bolas may cause the anchors to pull away from the ball. Do not attempt to wrap bolas around body parts. Parents, please supervise younger children during game play. Kids can do crazy things with the most innocent of toys. DO NOT stand on the steps of the ladder. They are designed for normal game play only. Any misuse of the ladder may result in injury or damage to the ladder.

How to build your own ladder game:
http://www.ladderball.org [www.ladderball.org]

Cornhole, or Corn Toss, is a game in which players take turns pitching small bags filled with corn (or beans) at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the platform scores 1 point. Play continues until a player reaches the score of 21. The platforms measure 4'x2' and are generally made of wood, although plastic can be a suitable replacement. The bags are generally 6x6", made with duck cloth, and filled with dry feed corn.

The game appears to have originated in Cincinnati, Ohio, and remains most popular there, especially on the city's west side. It is also growing in popularity among fans of NASCAR stock car racing, particularly those who camp at race sites as well as with college students in the mid-west.

In recent years the game has spread beyond the confines of the mid-west. It has planted its east coast roots at Haverford College which lies just outside of Philadelphia, where the Haverford Cornhole Ring of Champions, made up of members of from across the country, has become a source of cross-regional competition and exhibition.

Cornhole is also sometimes referred to simply as Bean bag.

Singles Or Doubles Play
Cornhole/Corn Toss can be played as doubles or singles. In doubles play two contestants are partners against another team of two contestants; in singles play a contestant competes against another contestant.

In doubles play, one member from each team pitches from one cornhole platform and the other members pitch from the other cornhole platform. In singles play, both contestants pitch from the same cornhole platform. All other rules are basically the same for doubles or singles play.

Innings
Every Cornhole match is broken down into innings of play. During each inning there a top and a bottom round of play.

In doubles play, the top of an inning is completed when both contestants pitching from the first cornhole platform pitch all 4 corn bags; the bottom of the inning is completed when the remaining contestants (pitching from the other cornhole platform) pitch all 4 corn bags.

In singles play, the top of an inning is completed when the first contestant pitches all 4 corn bags; the bottom of the inning is completed when the remaining contestant pitches all 4 corn bags.

An inning is never completed until all contestants pitch all four corn bags.

Value Of The Corn Bag
1. Corn Bag In-The-Hole - A corn bag in-the-hole (or Hole-In) is a corn bag which is thrown through the hole in the cornhole platform or otherwise comes to rest inside the cornhole platform (knocked in by another player or an act of God). A corn bag in-the-hole has a value of three points.

2. Corn Bag In-The-Count - A corn bag that is not in-the-hole but lands with any portion of the corn bag resting on the cornhole platform is in-the-count (sometimes called on-the-board). A corn bag in-the-count has a value of one point. For a corn bag to be in-the-count, it must not touch the ground or any other portion of the court prior to coming to rest on the cornhole platform. If a corn bag touches the ground before coming to rest on the cornhole platform, it is a foul and must be removed from the cornhole platform prior to the continuation of play.

3. Corn Bag Out-Of-The-Count - A corn bag which comes to rest anywhere except in-the-count or in-the-hole is out-of-the-count and has no scoring value. A corn bag which is declared to be a foul is considered to be out-of-the-count (no matter where it comes to rest) and must be removed from the cornhole surface prior to the continuation of play.

Delivery Of Corn Bags During Play
 
Haverford College's Cornhole Set1. In doubles play, the first side of contestants alternate pitching corn bags until they have thrown all four corn bags, then the remaining contestant (pitching from the other cornhole platform) continue to alternate in the same manner until all four corn bags are delivered and the inning completed. Delivery in singles play is handled in the same manner (but from the same platform) with each of the two contestants alternating their pitching of corn bags until all four corn bags have been pitched completing the inning.

2. A contestant may deliver the corn bag from either the left or right pitchers box (see above) but, in any one inning, all corn bags must be delivered from the same pitcher’s box.

3. Each individual contestant shall deliver the corn bag within 20 seconds. The time shall start when the contestant steps onto the pitcher’s box with the intention of pitching.

Pitching Rotation During The Game
The contestant who scored in the preceding inning shall pitch first in the next inning. If neither pitcher scores, the contestant who pitched second (last) in the preceding inning shall pitch first in the next inning.

Length Of The Game
The Cornhole / Corn Toss match shall be played until the first team of contestants reaches (or exceeds) 21 points at the completion of an inning. The winning team does not need to win by two or more points.

The Cornhole / Corn Toss match can never end in the middle of an inning. Thus, if a team that pitches first reaches or exceeds 21 points, the game can not end until the other side is allowed to pitch all of their corn bags and the inning is completed.

If the Cornhole / Corn Toss match is tied at 21 or more at the end of an inning, play continues until one team or the other achieves a higher score at the end of an inning and wins the match.

The game shall be played to 21 unless a team scores 7 or more points at the end of an inning before their opponents score any points. In this case, the game is a skunk and the team that scores 7 or more points wins the match. In many places the skunk rule score is 11 or even as high as 13.

Cancellation Scoring
In cancellation scoring, corn bags in-the-hole and corn bags in-the-count pitched by opponents during an inning (singles play) or half of an inning (doubles play) cancel each other out. Only non cancelled corn bags are counted in the score for the inning.

1. Corn Bags In-The-Hole – Hole-ins (HI’s) cancel each other. A corn bag in-the-hole of one contestant shall cancel a corn bag in-the-hole of his competitor and those corn bags shall not score any points. Any non cancelled corn bag in-the-hole scores three points.

2. Corn Bags In-The-Count – Corn bags in-the-count cancel each other. A corn bag in-the-count of one contestant shall cancel a corn bags in-the-count of the opponent and those corn bags shall not score any points. Any non cancelled corn bags in-the-count score one point each.

Cancellation scoring may be easily calculated as follows:

1. The points of both contestants are calculated for hole-ins and in-the-count corn bags.

2. The points of the lowest scoring contestant for hole-in corn bags are subtracted from the points of the highest scoring contestant for hole-in corn bags. The result is the hole-in score for the highest scoring contestant. The hole-in score for the lowest scoring contestant is zero.

3. The points of the lowest scoring contestant for in-the-count corn bags are subtracted from the points of the highest scoring contestant for in-the-count corn bags. The result is the in-the-count score for the highest scoring contestant. The in-the-count score for the lowest scoring contestant is zero.

3. The hole-in score for each contestant is added to the in-the-count score for each contestant to derive the recorded score for the inning.

4. In this manner hole-in and in-the–count corn bags from each contestant or team of contestants are cancelled out and only non cancelled corn bags are counted in the score.

Variations
One variation is simply called "Bean Bag Toss" and is a common pastime at graduation parties and other gatherings. It is very similar to the traditional version except the board is divided into upper and lower sections as well. The upper region gives the tosser two points while the lower region gives only one. Bags that touch the dividing line are considered on the lower half. If a bag is In-the-hole it is called a ringer, similar to the term in horseshoes. All the points from both teams are totaled and the winner receives the difference. The first to 21 wins.

Some versions dictate that if a player goes over 21 and the other team doesn't cancel out these points, then the team that ended the inning at 22 or above goes back to 10 or 0 (depending on which version is agreed upon).

Another variation includes that ringers subtract from the other players score no matter whether the person that threw the ringer had the highest points in that inning or not. Also ringers can only be canceled by an opposing ringer.