Ladder Golf - PVC Camping Game

If you visit camp grounds you have probably seen a game called ladder golf. It's got three rungs and contestants throw their bolos trying to wrap them around the lowest rung.

Being a distributor of PVC fittings, I immediately thought of how I might be able to build one of them with PVC pipe and fittings.

I looked these things up on the web and came up this site: http://laddergolf.com/ I was surprised to learn that a tournament set (2 sets of rungs and 12 bolos) retails for about $120!

I'm happy to say my tournament set cost about $35.00 with some fittings from our site, some PVC from a local home store and some golf balls and nylon string lying around my house.

Step 1: Get a Plan Together

As with any project you need to know a little bit of what you want to do before you start. Doing some quick searching around the web I turned up some sites that had some plans for building ladder golf sets.

I used one that I found as a template, but I made some variations because I was using different fittings.

For stability and little strength I decided to build mine out of 3/4" PVC.

Comments

[clonigro-1]

Ladder Ball is the best yard game around. It has been getting bigger every year with more people learning to love the game.

[HEY YOU]

I built a number of these about 7 years ago using 1/2" copper (and the appropriate fittings)  In some cases I soldered them in rectangular sections and in other cases I just soldered the end fittings and made a tubular carrying case out of a capped Cardboard Paper Tube.  I called it Krazee Ball.

The "bolos" were drilled golf balls with a countersunk knot hotglued into the cavity.  The bases were wooden and copper but the most stable setup is to just jam the unit into the grass......

The tennis ball version worked very well for kids who tended to wind up too much and bonking themselves in the head....

Nice instructable for a cool family game!!

[depotdevoid]

Thanks for the great instructable! I built one of these last weekend and painted it up with my daughter. Lots of fun, and it'll be great for camping! 5 stars for you!

[ukyobust]

I've made two of these before and I have to tell you; over time, the golf balls hitting the rungs of the ladder eventually cause them to loosen and fall out over the course of two or three games. I would recommend using PVC cement on both the ladder portion and base portion of the apparatus, but not cementing the ladder to the base so it can be transported/stored easier.

[Uru Wolf]

You could drill a hole through the joints and pipes and just drop a pin of sorts into the hole to lock them together and provide quick and easy setting up/taking down.

[Yerboogieman]

me and my dad are gonna make this today, Thanks!

[JustDreamin]

I made my own too! My scouts loved it! Thanks for sharing....love to see other people's take on things!

[foothillfrontier]

Good Job! only now I don't get to write an instructable on ladder golf :( Ladder Golf is great! With mine I had bought colored golf balls and colored nylon rope to differentiate between teams points. My base is also PVC pipe cut into 2' sections (6 total) that make a rectangular base (and also in my mind prevents tipping). I also have another that I didn't make any base for and simply drove some 18" rebar into the ground to slide the vertical section over.

[technodude92]

post it anyway. sounds different enough to warrant another instructable.

[musclecar3]

lol interesting names we call it hill billy golf

[SpinWard]

I just made this tonight. Wanted it ready for family coming over on Thursday. Here's how great this instructable is!! The PVC and connectors at Lowe's was $13.73. The bag I bought at Wal-Mart was less than $10. It was collapsible and 28 inches long. The golf balls were $6 for 12 recycles balls, also Wal-Mart. So for a game that could cost 50-80, I came out with a SET for less than $30. All I used was a hack saw for the PVC pipe, a sponge sander, and an old clampy table thing. i was done in less than 2 hours, from drilling out the golf balls to putting it together. Thanks for a great instructable!!

[Charles IV]

I remember playing this at boy scout camp but they called it hang your balls instead. lol

[TeacherOfTheWays]

This is AWESOME and i LOVE ladder golf!!!! Great Instructable!!!

[Azn Hitman]

DITTO, I ALSO LOVE THE GAME!!!!

[dvdkdb]

I have one of these! I got it as a gift several years ago. I call the game Snakes, though.

[trebuchet03]

I see this at almost every football tailgate (of course, painted school colors). You can also use tennis balls - you know, so it's not as hard of an impact when your inebriated opponent nails someone else's car (or someone else).

[thumbelina]

Everyone was playing this on the beach this summer! Thanks for the instructable.

[Crash2108]

I've played this. Was going to post an instructable... Always called it Horseballs though.

[Bandgeek]

Very nice instructable. I made one of these a while back with instructions from a magazine. The only addition I would suggest is using electrical tape to show how many points each rung is worth. Helps when you're in a group of forgetful people!

[!Andrew_Modder!]

:-| ok.. I got to try it :-\, i guess ?