Ladder Golf (Ladder Toss): How to Play & Scoring
- Region:
- United States
- Tags:
- 1v1, Throwing, North America, Family-friendly, Party
At a glance
- Players
- 2–4 players
- Equipment
- A 3-rung ladder and bolas (2 golf balls on a rope), 3 per player
- Space
- Toss line 15 ft (4.57 m) from the ladder; 5 paces at home, 2–3 m for kids
Contents (8)
What is this game?
Ladder Golf is an outdoor tossing game that grew popular across the United States.
It also goes by Ladder Toss and Ladder Ball, and is sold under trademarked
names such as Ladder Golf®.
Players toss a bola (two balls joined by a nylon rope) at a ladder with three horizontal rungs, or "steps," standing a few metres away. If the rope wraps around a rung and the bola stays hanging, it scores, and the higher the rung, the more it is worth.
Its exact origin is unclear. The game was reportedly being played at US campgrounds in the
late 1990s, and a Pennsylvania mail carrier, Robert G. Reid, filed a patent on it in 1999
that was granted in 2002. Separately, the Ladder Golf® brand was launched in 2003 by
Brent Doud and partners after he saw a similar game on a camping trip; the brand was sold to
Vivere in 2023. Regional nicknames abound, including "Lasso Golf" and "Hillbilly Golf."
With almost no setup, it plays anywhere (a lawn, backyard, beach, or campsite), and its relaxed, play-alongside-a-BBQ feel has made it a North American backyard staple.
Figure: The toss line and the ladder. Nobody walks up to the ladder until the round is over.
Equipment & setup
Ladder Golf needs very little gear, and setup takes almost no time. All you really need is one ladder, a few bolas, and a few metres of flat ground.
- The ladder — two uprights holding three horizontal rungs. Retail sets are plastic tubing or wood, and the official rules space the rungs 13 in (33 cm) apart
- Bolas — two golf balls joined by a nylon rope, with the balls 13 in (33 cm) apart. Three per player, colour-coded by team
- A toss line — officially 15 ft (4.57 m) from the ladder. In the backyard, most people simply pace off five steps
- Ground — grass, dirt, sand, or a deck all work. Any flat spot where the ladder stands steady is fine, from a park to a campsite
A retail set (ladder plus six bolas) gives you everything in one box. The balls are hard golf balls, so pick a spot where nobody is standing in the line of fire.
Court and equipment dimensions
There is no governing body with a unified standard for ladder golf. The values below come from the Ladder Golf® Official Rules published by the brand. Anything the rules do not specify is marked "not specified."
| Item | Standard | Tolerance / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toss line distance | 15 ft (4.57 m) | Five paces is fine for backyard games, and the line may be moved closer for children |
| Number of rungs | 3 | Top 3 points, middle 2, bottom 1 |
| Rung spacing | 13 in (33 cm) | Overall ladder height and width not specified |
| Bola construction | 2 golf balls on a nylon rope | Balls spaced 13 in (33 cm) apart |
| Bolas per player | 3 | Maximum score in one round is 10 (three on the top rung plus a bonus point) |
| Spacing between two ladders | Not specified | One side throws, the other side throws back |
For reference, the English Wikipedia article describes a DIY build for two ladders and six bolas using 16 ft of 3/4 in PVC pipe, six T-joints, 12 ft of rope, and 12 balls.
Figure: Ladder and bola dimensions. The dark gray arrows show the rung spacing and the green arrow the ball spacing, both 13 in (33 cm).
Players & ages
| Format | Players | Bolas each | How it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singles | 1 vs 1 | 3 | Take turns from the same toss line |
| Teams | 2 vs 2 | 3 | Alternate with your teammate, or split between two ladders |
| Round-robin | 3 to 4 players | 3 | Buy extra bolas and everyone plays individually on one ladder |
Anyone can play. Kids throw from closer (2 to 3 m), adults from 15 ft (4.57 m). Control matters more than strength, so mismatched sizes still make for a fair game.
Rules
Ladder Golf is all about wrapping bolas onto the rungs to outscore your opponent. Learn the minimal rules below and you can play the same afternoon.
How a round works (minimal rules)
- Stand the ladder up and mark a toss line 15 ft (4.57 m), or five paces, away
- Decide who goes first (a coin toss works). The first player tosses all three bolas, one at a time
- If a bola's rope wraps a rung and stays hanging, it scores: top rung = 3, middle = 2, bottom = 1
- After the first player throws all three, the next player throws their three
- When everyone has thrown, count only the bolas still hanging
- Keep playing rounds until someone (or some team) finishes a round on exactly 21 points and wins
At first, just focus on catching a rung.
Standard rules (adding skill)
- The throw — the official rules let you toss any way you like, as long as bolas go one at a time, and a bola may bounce off the ground. Most players toss underhand in a gentle arc and give the balls a little spin so the rope wraps the rung
- Exactly 21 (bust) — go over 21 and all your points for that round are thrown out. Late in the game, work out how many points you still need and aim accordingly
- Knock-offs — hit a hanging bola and knock it off, and it no longer counts. The official rules actively encourage knocking off opponents' bolas as defense
- Bonus point (optional) — land all three bolas on the same rung, or one on each rung (1-2-3), in a single round for +1 point
- Who goes first next round — the winner of the round tosses first in the next one
- Cancellation (optional) — a popular house rule cancels out bolas that land on the same rung as an opponent's. It is not part of the official rules, so agree on it beforehand if you want it
Official competition rules
Under the Ladder Golf® Official Rules, the toss line is 15 ft, rungs score 3, 2, and 1 from the top, and the bonus is an optional +1. To win you must be the only player to finish a round on exactly 21. If players tie, they play overtime rounds until one player finishes a complete round 2 points ahead (the two-point rule applies only in overtime).
The rules have some fun etiquette, too. Players are allowed to distract the thrower with remarks, sounds, or movements, but touching a player who is tossing is never allowed, and nobody walks to the ladder until the round is complete. Four players can alternate turns with teammates, or use two ladders with one side tossing all its bolas and the other side tossing them back.
Scoring examples
- Example 1 (with bonus) — A hangs one bola on each rung for 3 + 2 + 1 = 6, plus a 1-point bonus, for 7. B hangs two on the middle rung, but A knocks B's bottom-rung bola off, so B scores 4. Both add their points
- Example 2 (bust) — A has 18 and needs exactly 3. A hangs bolas on the top and middle rungs for 5, which would go past 21, so all 5 points are thrown out. A starts the next round still on 18
- Example 3 (overtime) — A and B both finish a round on exactly 21, so they go to overtime. If A scores 4 and B scores 1 in an overtime round, A is 2 or more ahead and wins
Figure: Example 1 on the left (green A sweeps all three rungs for 7; gray B loses a bola to a knock-off and scores 4). Example 2 on the right (A, on 18, hangs 5 points and busts). A red X means no points.
Common fouls and tricky calls
- Bolas knocked off mid-round — only bolas still hanging after everyone has thrown count. Anything knocked off along the way, by you or by your opponent, scores 0
- Bolas that bounce off the ground first — legal under the official rules. A one-bounce toss is allowed
- Throwing two at once — bolas are tossed one at a time; tossing two together is not allowed
- Walking to the ladder mid-round — the official rules say nobody approaches the ladder until the round is complete
- Going over 21 — only that round's points are voided. Your earlier total stays; you do not drop back to zero
Tips for enjoying the game
Common beginner mistakes
- Don't throw hard. Hard throws bounce off the rung; a soft, high arc wraps more easily
- Mind the spin. A little end-over-end rotation helps the rope tangle and hang
- Pick a rung first. Decide "middle rung this time" before you throw; aimless tosses scatter
Tactics
- Count backwards in the endgame. Need 3? One on the top rung. Need 2? One on the middle. Pick rungs that add up to exactly 21
- Defend with knock-offs. When an opponent is close to 21, knocking their bolas off can be worth more than scoring yourself
How to make it more fun
- The race to exactly 21 is the highlight of every game
- Turn on the bonus point for dramatic come-from-behind swings
Age variations
- Kids: shorten the distance to 2 to 3 m and count any catch as a success rather than chasing the top rung
- Seniors: throwing from a seated position works fine; a shorter distance keeps it comfortable
- Competitive play: measure an exact 15 ft and apply bust, overtime, and bonuses in full
Playing ladder golf in Japan
- Sets are sold online under names such as "ladder game" and "ladder ball." Because the names vary, shop by the shape (three-rung ladder plus bolas) to be sure
- It's easy to DIY: build a ladder from PVC pipe and tie two golf balls together with rope for each bola. Spacing both the rungs and the balls about 33 cm apart gets you close to the official rules
- On windy days a light plastic ladder tips over easily, so weigh down the base
- The balls are hard, so in public parks choose a quiet spot and keep people from walking behind the ladder
Frequently asked questions
Q. How far from the ladder do you throw?
The Ladder Golf® Official Rules put the toss line 15 ft (4.57 m) from the ladder. Backyard players usually just pace off five steps, and the rules explicitly allow a closer line for children.
Q. What score wins, and what happens if you go over 21?
You win by finishing a round on exactly 21. Go over, and every point you scored that round is thrown out, so you carry your previous total into the next round. If more than one player finishes a round on 21, overtime continues until someone ends a round 2 points ahead.
Q. Do bolas on the same rung as an opponent's cancel out?
The cancellation rule is widely played, but it is an optional house rule, not part of the Ladder Golf® Official Rules. It adds a nice mind game about which rung to target, so decide before you start whether you're using it.
Q. Is ladder ball the same as ladder golf?
Yes. Ladder ball, ladder toss and ladder golf are the same game: bolas tossed at a three-rung ladder, scored 3, 2 and 1 from the top. It also goes by regional nicknames such as Lasso Golf, Hillbilly Golf, Dangle Ball and Polish Golf. Ladder Golf® itself is a brand name, so the rules in this article follow its Official Rules.
Q. Can you play on grass?
Absolutely; grass is the ideal surface for ladder golf. The ladder's feet can sink and tilt on soft turf, so pick a level spot and weigh the base down if it wobbles.
Q. How old do kids need to be to play?
The official rules set no age limit. The balls are hard golf balls, though, and swinging them on a rope builds up speed, so a good guide is whether a child can check the area and toss one bola at a time. Shorten the distance to 2 to 3 m for young kids and keep an adult close by.
Q. How do you make a DIY ladder golf set?
Build the ladder from 3/4 in PVC pipe and T-joints (the materials list is in the dimensions section above), or rest three poles across two supports for practice. Make bolas by tying two golf balls or softer balls about 33 cm apart on a rope. With kids, tennis balls or other soft balls are the safer choice.
Learn more
- Ladder Golf official site — brand history and how to play
- LADDER GOLF OFFICIAL RULES (PDF distributed by FCRV) — distance, scoring, overtime, and dimensions
- Ladder toss on Wikipedia — origins, nicknames, and a DIY build
- Related: Cornhole, Lawn Darts, Molkky, and Wanage
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