Ladder Golf Scoring and Rules:
If you look on the internet, you'll find many different rules for the game.  So it was determined by many people I know who have the game that the rules are determined by the owner of the game.  There are "official" rules on some sites, but since I own my game, these rules are my official rules and are what we go by.

We have played with up to 4 teams. The scoring gets a little confusing, but it's fun.
A team consists of 1 or 2 people.  If there is only 1 person per team, then the teams have to move from ladder to ladder each time after the bolos are thrown - assuming that there are 2 ladders. If there are 2 people on each team, then 1 of each team will be at one ladder and the other team member will be at the other ladder.

When the bolos are thrown, the teams will alternate. That is, one team will throw a bolo, then the next team throws theirs, etc until all the teams have thrown 1 bolo and then they do it again until all the bolos are thrown.
We have 5 bolos for each team because the golf balls came in a package of 3 colors of 10 each color. If you only have 3 bolos for each team  then that's OK. The game may take a little longer is all.

The idea of the game is for one team to reach the score of exactly 21 before the other team(s) does. This is accomplished by tossing or throwing the bolo from one ladder to the other and trying to make it stay on one of the ladder rungs.

  • The ladders are placed about 20 to 25 feet apart . Use 15 feet for younger children.
  • Each team will have 5 bolos of the same color. (some say 3 bolos. The game goes a little slower though)
  • To begin the game, determine the initial order to toss the bolos (this is only for the first round). .
    Thereafter, the order is determined by the team that made the most points (positive or negative) during that round. They will go first, the team with the next most points goes next etc.  
  • The score for each round is not counted until the round is over.
  • In order for a bolo to be counted, a ball must be over each side of the ladder rung. (if it's hung on a score tee, the tee can be removed to see if it will hang over the rung)
  • You can have as many teams you as desired. We've played with up to 4 teams with no problems.  Each team must have the same number of bolos - each team having their own color.
  • The TOP rung is worth 3 points
  • The middle rung is 2 points
  • The bottom rung is worth 1 point.
  • If all teams have a bolo on the same rung, those bolo's  cancel each other out.
  • The game is to 21 points and it must be won exactly.  If a team gets more than 21 points, then all of that teams points for that round are subtracted from the current score of that team. 
  • If 2 teams get 21 on the same round then they will continue playing and must beat the other team(s) by at least 3 points at the end of a round.  The other team(s) that did not have 21 points are dropped out.
  • If you throw a bolo and it bounces back more than half way (to where you are throwing it from) then you are allowed to throw it again - but you don't have to.
  • Each team must throw all of their bolos. You don't have to try to make it on the ladder,  however, they have to be thrown (tossed) toward the ladder.
     

Suggestions:
To make the distance consistent each time, make a rope with a loop in one end and 2 loops near the other end.  One loop would make the distance 20 feet, and the second loop would make it 25 feet. We seem to like it the best at about 25 feet.

Make bolos using tennis balls for the younger children.  That way, they won't so easily hurt themselves.