Ladderball appears to be such a simple game. You try to throw a small piece of rope with golf balls on each end onto one of three rungs of a ladder. Depending on which rung your rope lands on, you get a certain number of points. The game takes some rules from another backyard game known as washeroos, and also borrows some concepts of horse shoes. It’s possible you might have heard of this game before under another name, that name might be something like bolo toss, hillbilly golf, or snake toss. This is the same game as those, but there are different variations you can play to add unique twists each time you play.
The Game And It’s Components
Ladderball is rather easy to construct on your own, or you can buy it at many internet retailers and some traditional retailers. The game consists of two “ladders”. These are small ladders with three colored rungs each. Each ladder also has an anchoring base constructed so it does not topple over when the ropes are tossed and wrap around the rungs. Included in these anchoring frames is spikes to put into the ground to secure the ladders even more. Traditionally the ladders are placed fifteen feet apart.
The game can be played with partners or individually. The only difference is if you play a game between two individuals they must walk from one ladder to the other to begin another round. Each player or team gets one set of bolos. Bolos are pieces of rope with golf balls on each end of the rope and a set includes three of them. To start the game you choose a player to go first, they throw all three of their bolos attempting to get them on the three colored rungs on the ladder. After the first player goes, the second player then tosses their three bolos. They can try to knock their opponent’s bolos off the runs if they wish, as this is part of the game. After each player tosses their three bolos the round is scored and the player (or their partner in a game with partners) with the highest score from that round goes first to start the next round. The game continues until one person or team reaches 21 points exactly. If the two opponents both reach the exact score of 21 on the same round then an overtime period is played. In overtime you play rounds and score as normal until one person or team has a two point lead after any round and they are declared the winner.
Scoring
The traditional scoring for ladderball involves awarding three points for any bolos on the top rung of the ladder, two points for bolos on the second rung, and one point for bolos on the bottom colored rung. In similar fashion to horse shoes, you can cancel out the scoring of your opponent’s bolos. In other words if each player has one bolo on the top rung, no points are scored. If one player would have two bolos on the top rung and the other player would have one bolo on the top rung, then the player with two scores three points as their second bolo is canceled by the other player, who scores zero for that rung. If you happen to get all three of your bolos on one rung and your opponent has zero bolos on that rung you get an additional point as a bonus.
To win the game you must hit 21 points exactly. If you go over 21 then your score goes back to what it was before the round started. Unlike other games once you hit 21 you are not required to make a good faith effort with your remaining bolos, but do keep in mind your opponent could cancel your winning bolo or knock it off the ladder so you have to be careful when choosing a strategy. Of course as with many games there are numerous variations of the scoring on this one.
Ladder Ball Is A Game Of Fun And Frustration
Regardless of if you play the standard game or add as many house rules as you wish, ladderball is a fun summer game to play at cookouts or the beach, or tailgate parties. It can be filled with a lot of frustration as well as you think you are getting points only to have your bolo knocked off the ladder or canceled by an opponent.
