Ladder toss and toss games

Ladder toss: the game and the scoring

Ladder toss — also called ladder golf or ladder ball — is played with two ladders set about 15 paces apart. Each player or team throws three bolas, two golf balls tied with nylon rope, trying to wrap them around the rungs. The top rung scores 3, the middle 2 and the bottom 1; the first team to exactly 21 points wins the game.

Our ladder toss set has two rubberwood ladders, 35 inches high and 26 inches wide, three blue and three red bolas and an upgraded screw kit. It assembles in seconds and stands steady on grass or sand, and the portable bag carries it to camping trips and tailgates.

Block toss and cornhole bags

The numbered block toss game is a Finnish-style throwing game: twelve numbered pins, one throwing block and a scoreboard. Knock over one pin and score its number; knock several and score how many fell. First to exactly 50 wins, and going over drops you back to 25.

Our cornhole bean bags are filled with plastic pellets instead of corn, so they stay the same weight in rain and never mold. Each 6 inch bag weighs about 16 oz, close to the feel of regulation bags on any board.

Ladder golf, ladder ball, ladder toss: one game

Ladder golf is the original name, because the bolas were made from golf balls tied together; ladder ball and ladder toss are the names most families use today. Whatever you call it, the ladder ball game is the same: two stands, six bolas, three rungs and a race to exactly 21. Some sets use soft foam balls for small kids, but solid golf balls give the bolas the weight they need to wrap a rung and stay there.

Our ladder golf set uses real golf balls on stretched nylon rope, in blue and red so two teams can tell their throws apart at a glance. Many players add a third colour — white, green, orange or black — to play with more teams; a 6-pack of replacement bolas makes that easy.

Why choose a wooden ladder toss set

Plastic ladder ball game stands are light, but they crack in the sun and blow over in the wind. A wooden set is sturdy: the ApudArmis ladders are rubberwood, 35 inches tall and 26 inches wide, on wide feet that stand steady on grass, sand and gravel. Buyers who replaced an old plastic set often say the wooden one feels like a different game.

* Sturdy rubberwood stands that will not warp or crack in the sun.

* Real golf ball bolas with tangle-free nylon rope.

* An upgraded bolt kit that sets up in about a minute.

* A carrying case that holds both ladders and all six bolas.

Playing ladder toss at parties

Ladder toss is a natural outdoor game for big gatherings: teams of two or three, a quick round, and spectators who can follow the score from across the yard. Set the ladders up at a wedding, a graduation party or a tailgate and people of every age will queue for a turn. For kids, move the stands closer together and let them score every bola that touches a rung.

At the end of the day, fold the ladders flat, wind the bolas so the ropes do not knot, and pack it all into the carrying case. The whole ladder toss game fits in the trunk of a car with room to spare, so it travels to the beach or the campsite as easily as the backyard.