Yard game apparatus and method

Abstract

A tossing game and method for throwing a plurality of bola-type projectiles at a target is described. The bola-type projectiles are preferably a pair of golf balls interconnected with a prescribed length of flexible rope. The target includes a rectangular base with a plurality of vertically-stacked tiers, each of which has two vertical supports and a horizontal target member that is horizontally smaller than the horizontal target member of the tier therebelow, creating a “wedding cake” profile. The bolas, when tossed correctly at the target, strike and wrap around a horizontal target member of the tiers, and thereby score a point value assigned to the horizontal target member. The top tier is assigned the highest point value. The middle tier is assigned a lower point value, and the horizontal target member of the bottom tier a lower point value still. Optionally, for bolas that land completely within the boundaries of the rectangular base, a still lower point value may be scored. The players are grouped into two teams of one or more players each, and each team is provided with a plurality of bolas of a distinct color. Each team takes turns tossing all of its bolas towards the target, and when all bolas have been tossed for both teams each team's score is calculated. In this manner, play continues until either team exactly reaches a predetermined winning point total. During a turn, if a team tosses all of its bolas and the resulting score exceeds the winning score, that team's tosses on that turn are ignored.

1 . A tossing game for throwing a plurality of bola-type projectiles from one or more prescribed distances at a target situated on a generally flat horizontal playing surface, the projectiles each comprising a pair of weighted elements interconnected with a flexible member of a prescribed length, the target comprising: 
 a generally rectangular base of substantially rigid linear elements interconnected with L-shaped corner connectors, the rectangular base having a pair of upright support T-connectors fixed centrally along each of two longer sides thereof;    a plurality of tiers, each tier comprising a pair of upright supports for holding a horizontal target member with the L-shaped corner connectors, the horizontal target member including a pair of the upright support T-connectors, the upright supports of a bottom-most tier being held in the upright support T-connectors of the rectangular base, the upright supports of each other tier being held into the upright support T-connectors of the tier immediately therebelow; and    a top tier comprising a pair of the upright supports for holding a horizontal target member with the L-shaped corner connectors, the upright supports of the top tier being inserted into the upright support T-connectors of the tier immediately therebelow;    whereby with the horizontal target members of each tier being assigned a point value, one of a plurality of players may toss one of the bola-type projectiles over the playing surface to contact one of the horizontal target members so that the projectile becomes temporarily attached thereto, thereby scoring the point value assigned to the one contacted horizontal target member.    
   
   
       2 . The tossing game of  claim 1  wherein the substantially rigid elements, L-shaped corner connectors and T-connectors are all made of PVC plastic.  
   
   
       3 . The tossing game of  claim 1  wherein each tier is shorter in length horizontally than the tier that supports said tier directly thereunder.  
   
   
       4 . The tossing game of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of tiers comprises three tiers, the bottom tier being horizontally generally equal in length to two smaller sides of the rectangular base, a middle tier being horizontally shorter than the bottom tier, and the top tier being horizontally shorter than the middle tier; and wherein the upright supports are all generally the same height.  
   
   
       5 . The tossing game of  claim 4  wherein a plurality of the horizontal target members with the upright support T-connectors is assigned a different point value in an outside zone defined between each of the L-shaped corner connectors and the nearest upright support T-connector than as between a center zone defined between the two upright support T-connectors.  
   
   
       6 . The tossing game of  claim 1  wherein the rectangular base defines an area of the playing surface that is assigned a point value for a bola-type projectile that lands fully within the rectangular area.  
   
   
       7 . The tossing game of  claim 1  wherein each weighted element of each of the bola-type projectiles is a golf ball, each golf ball including a partial aperture for receiving an end portion of the flexible member and held therein with adhesive.  
   
   
       8 . The tossing game of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of bola-type projectiles is an even number with half of the golf balls being one color and the other half of the golf balls being another distinct color.  
   
   
       9 . The tossing game of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of bola-type projectiles is an even number with half of the projectiles having a flexible element of one color and the other half of the projectiles having a flexible element of another distinct color.  
   
   
       10 . A method for a plurality of players to play a tossing game comprising the steps of 
 a.) providing a plurality of distinctly colored bola-type projectiles to each team, a team consisting of one or more players, each projectile comprising a pair of weighted elements interconnected with a flexible member of a prescribed length;    b.) providing a target comprising i) a generally rectangular base of substantially rigid linear elements interconnected with L-shaped corner connectors, the rectangular base having a pair of upright support T-connectors fixed centrally along each of two longer sides thereof; ii) a plurality of tiers, each tier comprising a pair of upright supports for holding a horizontal target member with the L-shaped corner connectors, the horizontal target member including a pair of the upright support T-connectors, the upright supports of a bottom-most tier being held in the upright support T-connectors of the rectangular base, the upright supports of each other tier being held into the upright support T-connectors of the tier immediately therebelow; and iii) a top tier comprising a pair of the upright supports for holding a horizontal target member with the L-shaped corner connectors, the upright supports of the top tier being inserted into the upright support T-connectors of the tier immediately therebelow;    c.) situating the target on a generally flat horizontal playing surface;    d.) from a prescribed distance away from the target and facing toward a shorter side of the rectangular base, tossing one projectile towards the target;    e.) upon the tossed projectile wrapping around one of the horizontal target members, adding the assigned point value of the one horizontal target member to the score of the team tossing the projectile;    f.) upon the tossed projectile falling completely into the rectangular area of the playing surface defined by the rectangular base, adding the assigned point value of the rectangular area to the score of the team tossing the projectile;    g.) taking turns between players and teams such that all of the plurality of projectiles are thrown;    h.) repeating steps d) through g) until a predetermined winning score is reached by a winning team.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step h) is replaced with 
 h) repeating steps d) through g) until a predetermined winning score is exactly reached by a winning team; any scoring that exceeds the predetermined winning score in steps e) or f) is ignored.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the a step of 
 ff.) upon the tossed projectile falling partially into the rectangular area of the playing surface defined by the rectangular base, adding one-half of the assigned point value of the rectangular area to the score of the team tossing the projectile;    is inserted after step f).