Who says outdoor games are just child’s play? If you’re looking for an alternative to golf or croquet, check out ladder golf, a new addictive outdoor game that will be a hit at your next BBQ.

Playing the game

  • Ladder golf is played with 2 or more players. The game consists of as many rounds as it takes one team to reach 21 points exactly. If teams have more than 1 player, players will alternate rounds.
  • Each team has 3 bolas (or balls) to use per round. A bola is 2 golf balls attached by a nylon rope. Your object: to get the bolas wrapped around the ladder, which consists of three steps, a top, middle and bottom step.
  1. Set the “ladder” on a flat surface, then flip a coin to see who goes first.
  2. Ladder golf is played in rounds and in each round the player is to take 5 paces away from the ladder, and then take 3 bolas and try to successfully toss each bola onto a step of the ladder (see points system below). Bolas can be thrown in anyway; even bouncing them off the ground is legal. The winner of each round starts the next.
  3. The object of the game is to be the first team to score 21 points without going over (so if you have 20 points you can only get 1 point) and in case of a tie, players will play as many complete 21 point rounds as it takes for one player to be 2 points ahead of the other (so ending winner 21 loser 19).

Scoring

After all players have tossed their bolas, the number of bolas still remaining on the steps after a round determines scoring. Players can knock off other players’ bolas in order to get ahead. Each step has a different point value:

  • The top step:   3 points
  • Middle Step:    2 points
  • Bottom Step:   1 point
  • Bonus Point:    Receive 1 bonus point if all three bolas are hanging off 1 step, or if you get one bola on each level.

Note: The highest points that can be awarded in a single round is 10, for a player who got all three bolas on the top step.

Ready to Play?

Check out www.spacecoastliving.com for instructions on how to build your own ladder-toss game!

Check out a great selection of pre-made Ladder Golf sets available at:

www.hayneedle.com

$34.98-$109.98

Build Your Own Ladder Golf Set

Materials

  • 44 feet of 3/4″ PVC pipe (or 1″ PVC)
  • 12 L connectors – 3/4″ elbows
  • 12 T connectors – 3/4″ tees
  • Saw or pipe cutter

Cutting the PVC pieces

  • Cut 14, 2ft pieces of PVC pipe
  • Cut 16, 1ft pieces of PVC pipe

Assembling the PVC Pieces

  • Connect the cut pieces with the T and L (elbow) connectors
  • The 2-ft pipes will be used for the back footprint as well as the ladder rungs.
    The front footprint doesn’t need to be as long as the back because all the force is coming from the front. (A footprint is what is holding the game up)

How to make the Bolos

  • You will need 12 golf balls. Paint 6 one color and 6 another color.
  • Drill a hole going through the center of each golf ball.
  • You will need 6 – 18inch pieces of nylon rope.
  • Thread the rope through the holes that you previously drilled.
  • Place a golf ball at each end of the rope.
  • Tie a knot right in front of and behind the ball to hold it secure.
    • ** Try and keep the space about 13 inches between each ball
  • Use a match or a lighter to slightly melt the knot. This will help the knot stay tied.