Ladder golf, also known as blongo ball and bolo toss, is a yard game where players throw bolas, two golf balls attached by a string, at a ladder with three rungs. Ladder golf ladders are normally made out of pvc pipe or wood. The majority of ladder golf plans offered on the web are for ladder golf models made with pvc pipes. If you want an athletic looking ladder golf game, then the pvc pipe versions might work best for you. While a wood ladder golf set will work best for those who want a classier feel.

How to Space the Rungs

   When looking for ladder golf plans one of the parts to pay most attention to is the spacing of the rungs. You want the rungs on the ladder golf plans to be close enough for the game to be challenging, but far enough apart for the bolas to be able to wrap around the bar.
    In our ladder golf plans, we recommend that the distance between rung A and rung C be the distance of one bola plus one to three inches. That way, if the center of a bola hits rung A, B or C, the bola will have enough space to wrap around the rung.

Infographic Credit: Meghan Carter

To determine the placement of rung B, divide the distance between rung A and C by two.  
     For example, let's say your bola is 10 inches in length. To create the distance between rung A and rung C, we take the length of the bola, which is 10, and add 1 to 3 inches.  Let's add two inches, which makes the distance between rung A and rung C 12 inches (10 + 2 = 12).  Then to figure out the distance between rung A and rung B and rung B and rung C, we divide the distance of rung A and rung C, which is 12 inches, by two. Therefore, the distance between each rung is 6 inches (12/2 = 6).  
    You can space the rungs as far apart as you want. You just must make sure that the distance from rung A and rung C on your ladder golf plans is at least a little bigger than the length of one bola. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult for a bola to wrap around a rung.

How to Size the Bottom

    The size of the bottom of the ladder is another critical part of ladder golf plans. The bottom of the ladder on the ladder golf plans must be big enough to keep the ladder from tipping over when the bola hits a rung on the ladder. 
    To ensure that the ladder is extremely stable, on our ladder golf plans we recommend that the bottom of the ladder be at least 3/4 the size of the length of the ladder. For example, if your ladder golf plans said to make the length of part D 36 inches, then the length of part E should be about 27 inches (36/0.75 = 27). You can make the bottom of your ladder bigger; however, if you make it much smaller your ladder may fall over.
    Some ladder golf plans connect the two E parts on the bottom of the ladder together. The bottom of the ladder ends up looking like a giant rectangle that is attached to the ladder. Other ladder golf plans leave the two E parts unattached. Extra support is created when you attach the two E parts together; however, both types work. You can choose which one you would rather use.

Infographic Credit: Meghan Carter

    To see what materials you will need and how much it will cost to make a wood ladder golf model, read our article How to Build Ladder Golf. To learn how to play Ladder Golf, read our article Ladder Golf.