Outdoor Games
How to play Ladder Toss
Throw bolas at a ladder target and score those still hanging on its rungs after a round.
What you need
Ladder Golf style target, two colored sets of three bolas and a safe throwing lane
Set up the game
- Assemble the target and stand at the distance specified by your set. Separate the thrower from the target and waiting players.
- This covers Ladder Golf’s standard three-bola round; products can label rung values and target scores differently.
Playing Ladder Toss
- Players alternate or take their set of three throws as the chosen official set instructs. A bola may wrap around a rung; only those still hanging at scoring time count.
- After both sets have been thrown, score the rung values and any edition-specific bonuses or cancellations.
- Repeat rounds until a player or team reaches the target specified for that set, observing any exact-score requirement in its instructions.
A knocked-off bola
Your first bola wraps around the middle rung. An opponent’s later toss knocks it to the ground while their own bola remains hanging. At scoring time, the fallen bola scores nothing under the standard hanging rule.
Score the final target, not each throw instantly
An incoming bola may dislodge one already hanging. Wait until all bolas have been thrown before counting. A hanging bola and one lying on the ground are not equivalent.
Beginner decisions
- Aim for a consistent arc that lets both balls pass on opposite sides of a rung.
Common rule mix-ups
- Counting a bola that bounced off and fell to the ground.
- Assuming top, middle and bottom have identical values across different products.
Questions about this game
Can a bola knock off an opponent’s?
The final hanging position matters; check the chosen set’s scoring rules.
Is 21 always the winning score?
Often used, but read the set’s exact finish rule.
Sources and edition notes
Ladder Golf brand standard three-bola play; score values and exact-finish rule should match the equipment’s included instructions.
Sources and stated format checked October 13, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
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