The Best Ladder Ball Sets (2023)

Looking for the best ladder ball sets? We got you covered!

Ladder ball, which is also known as ladder toss or ladder golf or monkey ball is a classic lawn game played by throwing bolas onto a ladder.

A bolas is two balls connected by a string. A bolas is an ancient weapon, which used to be made of rocks on the ends of interconnected cords, thrown to catch animals by entangling their legs. However, the bolas used in ladder ball are not dangerous weapons – they are basically just golf balls. ‘

Ladder ball is played at tailgates almost as much as cornhole. Ladder ball is easy to transport and requires a bit of nuance and skill to play, so there is little wonder it such a popular outdoor game.

People of all ages play ladder ball. It is played mostly by college kids, but children, adults and seniors love to play too. You can even make it a drinking game: losing teams hammers a whole beer. 

You can easily make a ladder ball set on your own. All you need are golf balls, rope, plastic PVC pipe or wood and a bit of hardware. You can see this super easy picture for instructions on how to make a home-made ladder ball set here.

Or, like most of us, you can buy a ladder ball set on Amazon for pretty cheap. Good, plastic ladder ball sets normally cost around $30-$40, better metal ladder ball sets cost around $50, while the best wood ladder ball sets cost about $70-$100 on amazon. Below I will review the top five ladder ball sets you can buy on Amazon (note all the sets I reviewed are the same standard size). All of them work the same, but some are better for durability and looks, while others are best for travel. Read on to see my picks!


1. Best Metal Set

GoSports Premium Steel Ladder Toss Game Set

Go Sports is one of the biggest brands in outdoor games; this is a name you can trust for good quality and reasonable prices. If you have played a store-bought ladder ball set, you probably played a Go Sports model.

This particular ladder ball set is constructed with powder-coated steel, which ensures replayability and looks premium.

The bolos are made of softish rubber, instead of golf ball materials, which allows for safer and easier play.

I’m recommending this as the top ladder ball set because of its high-end materials, solid brand name, but the middle of the range price.


2. Best Mid Range Set

Yard Games Wooden Ladder Ball Game

This is a rare wooden ladder ball set you can buy on Amazon. I’m giving it the number two spot because it’s the nicest looking ladder ball set you can buy, albeit at a steeper cost.

Unlike most other commercially available ladder ball sets, this one comes with abuilt in scorekeeper.

The soft-wood wood frames are finished and painted handsomely. As I mentioned, this is easily the best-looking ladder ball set you can buy on Amazon.

The bolas are golf balls, which is more traditional than soft rubber balls (which come with the Go Sports and Amazon brands).


3. Best Plastic Set

Amazon Basics Ladder Ball Set

The AmazonBasics Ladder Ball Set is made of plastic ladders, and 3 blue hard bolas, and 3 hard red bolas. Although this set won’t last as long as the Go Sports Steel Ladder Toss Game Set or look as nice as a wooden ladder ball game, it is easier to assemble and transport and costs much less.

This set is perfect for families on the go and college kids.

Its sturdy and looks nice, and can be stored away very easily, so buy this one for the tailgates or the frat house.

Honestly, this is a good ladder ball set. Even the reviewers on Amazon agree. There are over 1000 5-star reviews, and because its AmazonBasics, not some nameless off-shore manufacturer, you know those reviews are all real.


4. Best Value Set

GoSports Indoor / Outdoor Ladder Toss

This is the cheapest ladder ball set you can buy on Amazon.

Although the plastic is not as thick as Amazon’s, this is still a solid and sturdy ladder ball set.  Also, the Bolos are connected using thicker rope than AmazonBasics (to limit tangles).

The ladder frames are pre-glued. You can’t take them apart to stow away, but that helps make them sturdier. And, set up is a breeze.


5. Best Luxury Set

Hathaway Solid Wood Ladder Toss Game Set

This is the only hardwood ladder ball set you can buy on Amazon. The high-end quality and construction make it a very fine set, but its nearly double the price of the mid-ranged, plastic sets.

There is a weighted base for extra support unlike every other ladder ball set available on Amazon.

The bolas are made from real golf balls for Authentic game play unlike every other set we reviewed.

We loved that it came with plastic fasteners so no tools are required to assemble.

The paint job on each ladder is very nice. Classic 3, 2 and 1 stripes on the respective ladders in three different colors.

This is the most traditional ladder ball set you can get short of building one yourself, and even then, you would have to do a very good job to beat this one’s finish and looks. Treat yourself!


Ladder Ball Rules

  1. Set up each ladder 15 feet apart.
  2. Make teams of 1-2 players (if playing in teams of two, a player from each team stands beside each ladder frame.
  3. Ladder Toss is played in rounds.
  4. Each round, both teams toss 3 bolas.
  5. The first player tosses their bola, then the player from the opposing team (standing by the same ladder) tosses their bola untill all 6 bolas are tossed.
  6. Bolas must be tossed underhanded and can be bounced off the ground.
  7. Points are awarded for bolas that wrap completely around a ladder rung.
  8. 3 points for the top rung, 2 points for the middle rung, and 1 point for the bottom rung.
  9. The score is taken as the difference of each team’s points for that round.
  10. The team that scores exactly 21 points at the end of a round wins the game.

Wondering what other lawn games to play next? Read our article on the 7 best lawn games and choose your next one.

The Authority On Lawn Games

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