Ladder Ball
Ladder ball is also known as goofy balls, monkey ball, or ladder toss. Its official name is Ladder Golf.
Objective: To wrap bolas around higher valued rungs.
The number of players: 2–6
Age: All age groups
What you need
Ladders: 2 ladders with 3 rungs
Bolas: 6 (Each gets 3)
One bola consists of 2 balls tied together by a nylon rope.
How to play
- A toss line must be set 5 paces from the ladder, and you should not step on it during play. The player must stand between the uprights of the ladder during the game.
- The game consists of 3 rounds with each player tossing 3 bolas.
- Every pair/trio will be assigned a ladder and in case there is only one ladder, the players take turns.
- The players can make as many sounds and remarks as possible during the game to distract their opponents. However, touching the player is prohibited.
- The first player must toss all 3 bolas before the next player can toss.
- After a toss, the team decides among themselves which player competes against which player from the opposing teams.
- Players can choose to play in any way if they are tossed individually and underhand. The winner of this round earns the first toss in the next round.
- Games are played to an exact 21 points.
- If a player goes over the point total, that player’s points for that round will not be counted.
Ex: A player has 19 points and needs 2 points to get an exact 21. The player scores 3 points. None of those points count as it does not total 21. The player will go to the next round with 19 points again needing 2 points to win.
- In case of a tie, the players that tie will play as many rounds of overtime as needed until one player ends a complete round 2 points ahead of the other player.
- The 2-point rule is applied only in overtime rounds. In regular play, any player can win when they score exact 21 points at the end of the round.
Scoring
Only bolas that are hanging on the rungs that are not knocked off during the play count as points.
- The top rung – 3 points.
- The middle rung – 2 points
- The bottom rung – 1 point
Bonus point: The player can earn a bonus point by hanging all 3 bolas from the same rung or by hanging them on all 3 (1-2-3) rungs in one round. The highest score for any single player in a round will be 10. This can be accomplished when the player hangs the bolas on the top rung (3+3+3+1 additional bonus point).
Fun fact:It is also called Ladder Golf as the balls used for bolas are golf balls.
Cornhole
Cornhole also known as Corn Toss is an excellent outdoor game that is loved by many people.
Objective: To throw the cornhole bags into the holes.
The number of players: 2
Age: Kids to adults
What you need
Cornhole Board: 2 and they should be placed 27 feet apart (front to front).
Cornhole Bag: 8 (Each person gets 4 bags of the same colour)
How to play
- With 2 teams of 2 people, the partners will stand opposite the cornhole boxes on the same side.
- A toss will determine which team can go first.
- The player can throw the corn bags anywhere behind the front of the cornhole box they are throwing from.
- Game continues by alternating between opponents until all the corn bags have been thrown.
- If a corn bag is thrown and it hits the ground, then bounces back onto the board, the bag will be taken off the play.
- The game continues until one team reaches 21 or more points.
Scoring
The score is calculated after all the bags have been thrown for a round.
- If the bag goes through the hole – 3 points
- If the bag is on the playing surface – 1 point
- If the bag is hanging into the hole – 1 point
- If the bag is hanging off the edge but not touching the ground &dnash; 1 point
- If the bag is on the playing surface and touching the ground – 0 points
- If the bag is hanging off the front edge and is resting on a cornhole bag that is on the ground – 0 points
- If the bag is on the ground and can be removed without making the hanging bag fall to the ground – 1 point
- The cornhole team with the highest score gets to add the difference between the two scores to their game score.
- The winning team gets to throw first in the next round.
- If there is a tie, the score stays the same and the chance to throw first stays with the team that played first in the previous round.
Game fouls
- If a cornhole player’s foot goes past the foot line, it is a foot foul.
- The player who fouled loses the throw when the foul occurred, and the bag will be removed if it landed on the playing surface.
Fun fact: Cincinnati, OH, is the “Cornhole Capital of the World.”
Rhett & Link dedicated the song, “The Cornhole Song” to the sport.
Horseshoe
This is a popular outdoor game enjoyed by many across the country. Although there are several house rules for the game based on the region, we will talk about the rules that are followed in North America and best suited for backyard horseshoeing.
Objective: To score points by throwing the shoes close to the stake.
The number of players: 2
The number of innings: Several
What you need
Horseshoes: 4
Stakes: 2
How to play
- A coin is tossed to determine who plays first.
- The pitching distance will be 30–40 feet with a foul line 3ft in front of each stake. This can be adjusted based on the playing area or playing ability.
- The stake should be driven into the ground, so they angle slightly toward each other. It should be 14 inches high above the ground level.
- The players should stand at one stake and throw to the opposite stake. The players then switch to the other stake and continue playing the game.
- The player stands in the left or right pitching area to pitch. The player must pitch both shoes from the same side in each inning, but the player can pitch from different sides throughout the match.
- All throws must be underarm and stay behind the stake while throwing.
- The first player throws both horseshoes at the opposite stake one after the other and the second player follows.
- The scores are calculated and then the players play the next end by reversing the direction.
- No player will make any remarks while the opponent is in the pitching position. If interfered, after 3 warnings, the player will have to forfeit.
Scoring
Ringer: Any horseshoe that encircles the stake is called a “ringer.”
Leaner: When the horseshoe leans against the stake in sort of an upright position, but not encircling is called a “leaner.”
Close Shoe: It is any shoe that is within a horseshoe width of the stake that is measured at the tips.
- Horseshoes within 6 inches of the stake – 1 point
- Upon agreement between the players, the horseshoe leaning on the stake can be granted 2 points or one point within 6 inches of the stake
- Horseshoes encircled around the stake – 3 points
- Cancellation scores are used, so only one team scores per round.
Ex: Player 1 has 3 points and Player 2 has 2 points. With cancellation in scores in place, player 1 will have 1 point (3 -2) and player 2 will be left with zero points.
The first player to reach 21 points or more wins the game.
In each case, the player calling the score must call their name and must be the one scoring. In a no-score situation, the player pitching last will be calling out the score.
Crokinole
Crokinole was invented in Canada before 1870 and the game is similar to marbles, carom, and elements to shuffleboard.
Objective: To score the highest number of points by driving the opponent’s disk(s) into the ditch or a lower-scoring quadrant.
The number of players: 2 or 4
What you need
A traditional Crokinole outer rim of the board is octagonal in shape, while the new versions come in circular boards.
Crokinole board: 1 Discs: 12 (6 in each colour) + 2 replacement disks
Scoring pegs: 2
How to play
The game can be played by 2 players sitting facing or 4 players playing as partners sitting opposite each other.
The disk is shot by bracing the end of the index or middle finger against the thumb and snapping it against the disk to drive it across the board.
Crokinole is played clockwise while players take turns to place a disk that touches the quarter of the outer circle line, and it is then flicked into the playing area.
Fundamentals
- Unshot disks should be kept on the table in full view for all players.
- All shots should be placed on the quadrant line but no more than halfway over.
- Only the shooter’s hand can touch the board during the game.
- You must at least move one of the opponent’s disks when in play. If no opposing disks move, it is a foul shot.
- If none of the opponent player’s disks are at play, you can land it directly in the 20-point central hole or it must at least touch the 15-point circle to avoid a foul.
- When a foul occurs, the player’s disk is removed from the play and does not score even if it finished in the central hole. If any other same-colour disks were moved during this turn, they are removed from play and not scored.
- Any disk that earns 20 points will be removed and placed near the score box for scoring.
- If a disk leaves the playing surface, it is considered out of bounds and it is placed in the ditch.
- In the end, any disks that are touching or outside the outer circle line will be removed from play.
Scoring
- The center circle – 15 points
- The middle circle – 10 points
- The outermost circle – 5 points
- The outer line beyond the starting line – 0 points
At the end of the roundgame, the players add up their scores, subtracting the lower score from the winning score.
Ex: Player one has 70 points and player two has 50 points.
The player with the highest score will have 20 points (70–50) while player two is left with zero points for the next round.
The player with 100 points wins the game. If there is a tie, they play one final determining round.
When 4 players are playing, the player/partnership with the higher score receives 2 points.
If there is a tie, each player/partner scores 1 point. Play to 8 points and if the players/partnerships tie, players must play one final determining game.
