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Similar
in many ways to horseshoes, Ladder Ball (also called Ladder Golf or Bolo Toss) can be played by people of all ages.
Ladder
Ball is played with 2 or more players or teams. Each player has 3 golf ball bolas. A bola is 2 golf balls attached by a nylon
rope. The object of the game is to wrap your bolas around the steps of the ladder. The ladder consists of 3 steps, a top,
middle and a bottom step.
Playing the Game:
Prior to game play a line
must be set 5 paces from the ladder. This is the called the toss line. The official toss line is 15 feet away but most players
measure 5 paces from the game ladder to set the toss line. This allows for a closer toss line for childrens' games.
Ladder
Ball is played in rounds, each round consists of all players tossing 3 bolas. A coin toss is used to decide which player or
team will toss first. The first player must toss all 3 bolas before the next player is able to toss his or her bolas.
Bolas can be tossed in any way the player chooses, as long as they are
tossed individually and can be bounced off the ground.
The winner of the round earns the first toss in the next round.
Games are played to 15 points. (Points can go over 15, and do not
need to be exact for a win.)
In the case of a tie, the players that tie will play as many overtime rounds as needed
until one player ends at least one point ahead of the other player.
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Etiquette of the Game:
Basic
etiquette of Ladder Ball states that contestants can make as many remarks, sounds or movements as possible during play
in order to distract the opponent.s during play. Touching the player during tossing is never allowed. Touching after the game
is left up to the players' discretion.
In the course of play no contestant is to walk to the ladder prior to completion
of the current round of play.
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Scoring:
After
all teams have tossed all their bolas, scoring is determined by the bolas that are still hanging from the steps. Players can
knock-off bolas during the course of the game, in fact knocking-off other players bolas is encouraged and a good way to play
defensively. Bolas that are knocked off during play do not count as points. Only bolas that are left hanging after all bolas
are tossed are counted as points.
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Points:
Points
are determined by which step your bola wraps around. The top step is worth 3 points the middle step is worth 2 points and
the bottom step is only worth 1 point. Players can score an optional bonus of 1 point by hanging all 3 bolas from the same
step or by hanging a bola on all 3 (1-2-3) steps in one round. The highest amount of points available per player is 10. This
is accomplished by hanging all 3 bolas on the top (3 point) step.
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Team Play:
Four
players can play Ladder Ball by alternating play each round. Players simply alternate turns with teammates. Extra bolas can
also be purchased so up to 4 players can play individually on the same ladder or a second ladder can be purchased for team
play. With multiple ladders 2 players on opposite teams would be on one side and the other 2 opposing players would be at
the other game ladder. One side would toss all bolas and the other team would toss them back. Same rules apply.
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Glossary of Terms:
Bolas:
A Bola consists of 2 golf balls attached together with a piece of nylon rope. Golf balls are spaced 13. apart.
Ladder:
The ladder is the structure that consists of 3 steps each spaced 13 inches apart.
Steps: Each ladder has 3 steps.
The top step is worth 3 points, the middle 2 and the bottom 1 point.
Toss Line: The line that the players tosses
from. Officially is set to 15 feet. For backyard games 5 paces works fine.
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