Rule card

Ladder toss rules, distance and scoring

Ladder toss — also called ladder golf or ladder ball — is two ladders, six bolas and a target score of exactly 21. Here is how to set it up and how to keep score without arguments.

Setting up

Stand the two ladders facing each other about 15 paces apart for adults; halve it for young kids. Players throw from a line beside their own ladder.

Each player or team takes three bolas of one colour. The ApudArmis set has three blue and three red bolas made from real golf balls on stretched nylon rope.

Throwing a bola

Throw underhand, one bola at a time, trying to wrap it around a rung of the far ladder. Players alternate until all six bolas are thrown; that is one round. A bola that hangs on a rung scores, a bola that knocks off an opponent's bola is fair play, and a bola that falls before the round ends does not count.

Hold one ball of the bola in your hand and let the other hang. Swing underhand and release so the bola spins horizontally, like a propeller lying flat. A flat spin wraps the rung; a bola that tumbles end over end usually bounces off.

• Stand beside your ladder, not in front of it.
• Aim for the middle rung at first; the top rung comes with practice.
• Use a slow, smooth swing — power is less important than spin.
• Knocking the other team's bola off a rung is part of the game.

Scoring

• Top rung: 3 points.
• Middle rung: 2 points.
• Bottom rung: 1 point.
• Three bolas on one rung, or one on each rung, score a 1-point bonus in many house rules.

Only the points of the higher-scoring team in a round count, minus the other team's points. The first team to exactly 21 wins; go over and that round's points are cancelled.

Ladder golf, ladder ball or ladder toss?

The game started out as ladder golf, played with real golf balls tied to a length of rope, and many people still call it that. Ladder ball and ladder toss are the same ladder ball game under newer names. Every ladder toss game uses two stands, three rungs per ladder and bolas: two balls joined by a cord.

Some toy versions use soft foam balls and plastic stands, which are fine for small children but too light to wrap a rung properly. A ladder golf set with solid golf balls and wooden stands gives the bolas enough weight to spin and lock on. The classic colours are blue and red; extra sets often come in white, green, orange or black.

Popular house rules

Families have added plenty of house rules over the years. The most common are a bonus point for three bolas on one rung, a rule that bolas hanging on the stand's frame do not score, and a bust rule that sends a team over 21 back to 11 instead of cancelling the round. Agree on your rules before the first throw, and write them on the inside of the carrying case.

With four or six players, play doubles: one teammate at each ladder, so nobody has to walk back and forth to collect the bolas. It speeds the game up and keeps everyone involved.

Our ladder toss set and its care

The ApudArmis ladder toss game set has two sturdy rubberwood stands, 35 inches high and 26 inches wide, three blue and three red golf-ball bolas on stretched nylon rope, an upgraded screw kit and a carrying case. It assembles in about a minute and comes apart just as quickly, so it is a good outdoor game for camping, tailgates, the beach and family gatherings. Buyers who replaced an old plastic set say the wooden ladders are the upgrade they were looking for.

Tighten the screws at the start of each season so the ladders stay square. Frayed ropes and lost bolas are the usual wear; a 6-pack of replacement bolas or our bolas and screw kit puts an older set back in service.