The Mechanics of Ladder Ball Explained

During a recent cookout, I stumbled upon a fun outdoor activity. While it was new to me, it seemed like the rest of the world had already been enjoying the thrill of throwing tethered golf balls at ladders for ages.

Two ladders were set up on the lawn. My friend handed me three blue bolas—small, weighted balls connected by a cord—while she held three red ones. She explained they were called "bolas." I aimed carefully, tossed one underhand, and watched it wrap around the second rung. My excitement was so great that I nearly spilled my drink. It instantly became my new favorite, even surpassing Baggo.

A few days later, I bought a plastic ladder-ball set for $35. Prices for these sets vary between $25 and $150, primarily based on the ladder's material. Plastic is the most affordable, followed by metal, with wood being the most expensive. Some sets even include carrying cases, making them perfect for portable ladder-ball fun.

This game might not be familiar to you as "ladder ball." Some know it as "Ladder Golf," the trademarked name for the first commercially packaged version. According to the tale, Matt Peterson noticed people playing it at campgrounds in the '90s and spotted a business opportunity. In 2003, he and two friends founded Ladder Golf, Inc. [source: Piazza, BackyardGameZ].

It’s also known by various other names, such as "ladder toss," "rodeo golf," "hillbilly horseshoes," "flingy pongy," "snakes and ladders," "bola toss," or even "blongo ball." The origin of the last one remains a mystery.

No matter what you call it, this ladder-and-bolas game fits into the "leisure game" or "lawn game" category, alongside classics like bocce and Baggo (also known as bean bag toss or cornhole). It’s straightforward, one-handed (so you can keep holding your drink), great for socializing, and doesn’t require a flat surface, making it perfect for backyards and campgrounds. The rules are simple: Stand five steps from the ladder, aim, toss, and try to wrap as many bolas around the rungs as possible.

Or perhaps not as many as you can. It really depends. So, it might be a bit more nuanced than it initially seems.

How to Play Ladder Ball

As a leisure game, ladder ball doesn't have strict rules. We'll follow the most widely accepted guidelines, especially those from Ladder Golf, Inc., but keep in mind there are many variations.

When you unbox the set, you’ll find one or two ladders, each around 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide (1 meter by 0.5 meter), along with six bolas in two distinct colors. Each bola consists of a vinyl cord approximately a foot long (0.3 meter) with a golf ball attached to each end. Whether you use one ladder or two, the gameplay remains largely the same—only the players' positioning changes.

To set up the game, position the ladder(s) on the lawn and mark a "toss line." If two ladders are used, they can act as each other's toss lines. The player must remain behind this line, usually about five paces or 15 feet (4.5 meters) from the ladder, though some rules suggest distances up to 25 feet (7.5 meters) [source: Ladder Golf, Amazon]. Bolas come in different colors depending on the brand, but for this example, let’s assume they’re red and blue. One player takes all three red bolas, and the other takes the three blue ones.

Next, decide who goes first by flipping a coin. The first player—let’s say the red one—throws each red bola from behind the toss line. It’s acceptable for the bola to bounce off the ground before landing. The goal is to wrap each bola around a ladder rung.

(Variation: Bolas that bounce are not counted.)

After Red completes all three throws, it’s Blue’s turn. A round consists of six total tosses.

(Variation: Red throws one bola, then Blue throws one, alternating until all six are tossed.)

You can throw the bolas however you prefer, though underhand is the most common technique. To maximize effectiveness, keep the balls apart as you toss so they land spread out on the ladder, ready to hook. A useful approach is to hold one ball while letting the other hang, then gently swing the bola in an arc toward your target rung.

During my game, I simply aimed vaguely at the ladder and hoped for the best. However, if you’re playing competitively, you’ll need to target specific rungs to earn particular points. This is arguably the trickiest part of the game.

How to Score

Each ladder rung has a different point value. The top rung scores three points, the middle rung scores two, and the bottom rung scores one.

The objective is to be the first player to reach exactly 21 points without exceeding it. If you surpass 21—for example, if you had 19 points and then scored three more, bringing your total to 22—the throw that pushed you over is ignored. You continue retrieving and tossing bolas until someone hits the target score.

(Variation: Exceeding 21 points reduces your score to 11, 13, or 15 [source: DeFoe, BackyardGameZ]. Ouch.)

Crucially, a bola only scores points if it remains wrapped around a rung when the round ends. If Blue accidentally knocks his own bola off during a later toss, it won’t count. Similarly, if Blue dislodges a red bola, it’s also invalid. Targeting an opponent’s bola can be a smart move, while aiming at your own is not advisable.

When a red and blue bola land on the same rung, they cancel each other out. For example, if one red and two blue bolas are on the top rung at the end of a round, Blue earns three points, and Red earns none.

(Variation: All bolas on a rung contribute to the score, so in the scenario above, Red would score three points, and Blue would score six. This variation can make the game faster.)

If both players reach 21 points at the end of a round, an overtime round begins. During overtime, there’s no point limit, but a player must finish the round with at least a two-point lead to win. Overtime continues until one player achieves this margin.

Ladder ball can also be played in teams of two. The gameplay remains largely the same, with team members taking turns to toss by round. While two ladders aren’t mandatory for team play, most sets include them, so it’s practical to use both. This setup saves time by eliminating the need to retrieve bolas between rounds.

Additionally, having one player from each team stationed at opposite ladders can elevate the level of friendly banter, a key element in any lawn game. Spilling a drink while celebrating is entirely optional, though it’s said to benefit the grass [source: Greenwalt]. (Who would’ve thought?)