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Ladder Ball Terms:

Base: The horizontal pvc portion of the ladder unit that rests on the ground and supports the ladder.

Bolos: A Bolo consists of 2 golf balls attached together with a piece of nylon rope. Golf Balls are spaced 13" apart.

Full Rack: When a player lands one bolo on each of the three rungs in one round. (1 bonus point)

Hat Trick: When a player lands all three bolos on one rung in one round. (1 bonus point)

Ladder: The ladder is the vertical pvc structure that consists of 3 rungs each spaced 13" apart.

Rungs: Each ladder has 3 rungs. The top one is worth 3 points, the middle one is worth 2, and the bottom one is worth 1 point.

Toss Line: A line parallel to the front edge of the ladder base that the players toss the bolos from.

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge and print the plans.

Also available in Word Format

Click here for bolo designs.

Ladder Ball Assembly:

Your ladder needs to be assembled before playing. Begin by laying the base on the ground, then insert the ladder uprights into the base. Assemble both ladders in the same fashion.

Playing the Game:

Prior to game play the ladders must be set up and a toss line must be established. We place our ladders approximately 40ft apart. Our toss line is established by the front edge of the base. We use an imaginary line but you could lay a piece of rope down for better definition. (The ladders or toss lines can be moved closer together for childrens play.)

Ladder Ball is played in rounds, each round consists of all players tossing 3 bolos. To determine who goes first you can just flip a coin. The first player must toss all 3 bolos before the next player is able to toss his or hers.

Bolos can be tossed in any way the player chooses, as long as they are tossed individually. They can also be bounced off the ground, although some players prefer to play with "No Bouncing" allowed.

The winner of the round earns the first toss in the next round. The game is played to an exact point total of 21. If a player goes over the exact point total, that players points for that round don't count.

For example: If a player with 18 points needs 3 points to get the exact score of 21 in order to win and they throw for 5 points, none of those points count and the player will enter the next round with 18 points, again needing 3 points to win.

In case of a tie, the players play as many overtime rounds as needed until one player ends with a two points lead over the other player. The two point lead rule only applies to overtime rounds.

*The game can be modified to a pre-determined number of rounds. The player or team with the highest point total after the last round would be the winner.

Etiquette:

Basic etiquette of Ladder Ball is pretty much common sense. Contestants should make as little noise as possible while their opponent is throwing and touching a player during tossing is never allowed. In the course of play no contestants are to walk to the ladder prior to completion of the round.

Scoring:

After all players have tossed their bolos, the score is determined by the bolos remaining on the rungs. Players can knock-off bolos during the course of the game. Knocking-off other players bolos is a good way to play defensively because the bolos that are knocked off do not count as points. If two opponents land on the same rung they cancel each other out and if a bolo is wrapped around one of the vertical side posts it doesn't count. Only bolos that are left hanging on the horizontal rungs after all bolos are tossed count as points.

Points:

Points are determined by which rung your bolo wraps around. The top rung is worth 3 points, the middle rung is worth 2 points, and the bottom rung is only worth 1 point. Players can score an optional bonus point by hanging all 3 bolos from the same rung. This is called a hat trick. Another bonus point can be scored by hanging one bolo on each of the three rungs. This is called a full rack. The highest amount of points available per player is 10. This is accomplished by hanging all 3 bolos on the top rung.

Team Play:

Up to four players can play Ladder Ball by alternating play each round. Players simply alternate turns with their teammate. During team play two players on opposite teams would be at one ladder and the other two opposing players would be at the other game ladder. One side would toss all bolos and the other players at the other side would toss them back. Same rules apply. You can also play with four players indiviually, but six more bolos would have to be made.

Ladder Ball Safety:

As with all outdoor games you must pay attention to your surroundings. Please follow the following tips and remember to play fair, play it safe, and have fun.

  • DO NOT swing the bolos unless tossing them at the ladder during normal game play. Injury to yourself or others may occur if bolos are used improperly.
  • The bolos are connected using a hot glue gun and when used for normal game play, they will last a long time.
  • DO NOT pull excessively on the bolos (tug-of-war) as abuse of the bolos may cause the rope to pull out of the ball.
  • Do not attempt to wrap bolos around body parts. *Parents, please supervise younger children during game play, you'll be suprised what they can do with innocent of toys.
  • DO NOT stand on the rungs of the ladder. They are designed for game play only. Any misuse of the ladder may result in injury or damage to the ladder.
  • Never leave the bolos in the sun for extended periods. Excessive sunlight may deteriorate the rope.
  • Keep your bolos dry. Water will enable the nylon rope to stretch, changing the design. You can clean the bolos with a mild liquid soap and cold water. Let them dry completely before use.
  • Never let children play Ladder Ball without adult supervision. This is not a child’s toy. Proper supervision will avoid damage and/or injury.
  • Never leave the ladders in the sun for extended periods. Excessive sunlight may cause them to warp.

Storage:

To store your Ladder Ball game while traveling you can break it down into the two pieces, the ladder unit and the base unit. Then just lay them on the floor in your RV. They bolos can be placed in a large ziplock or small rubbermaid tub. You could skip the glueing and keep all the pieces and the bolos in a bag or plastic tub, but that requires more time for assembly and dis-assembly each time you play.

Well that's all I can think of about the game. So throw one together for yourself and be the next hit at your favorite campground. Have fun and remember to use common sense while playing, nobody needs to be sitting in the E.R. with dimples in their head. Safety is always number one.

           
 

Page Updated: 22SEP05

    

CONTACT US: CAMPERTIME@YAHOO.COM

  

 


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