Is bolotoss the new cornhole?

I’m a fan of leisure games, so when cornhole reared its head a few summers ago I was wonderfully hooked. I first played cornhole at work where we held a cornhole tournament. In my first “season” of play my team came in second place. So we refined our tactics and in the next season’s tournament we spanked everyone and came out the champs. And to victory goes the spoils, and in this case that was my very own cornhole set. Winning that set came at a good time because I was about to build my own set.

Now the cornhole set is a staple at all outdoor gatherings. Cornhole is one of those games that everyone can play and appears easy enough that you aren’t afraid to try…like bowling. You stand there and think, “well I can do that!” And you try, and suck, so you get frustrated…but that acts as mere motivation and you keep trying.

But the other day at work I experienced another outdoor leisure game and I fear it will be come the new rage this season or by next season. The game is bolotoss. And yes, it’s as dangerous as it sounds.

When someone says “bolo” I immediately think of two things: 1) bolo ties, and 2) the scene in Return of Jedi when the ewok whacks himself in head with a stone bolo.

You see, bolos, when not in tie form, are typically used as weapons. You throw them to trip someone or something up…or you fling it at an attempt to whack them directly. Either way, the object there is pain. But bean bags, or corn bags, on the other hand are a little less lethal.

Bolotoss is setup with a ladder-type thing set 20-feet from you. You then take bolos and fling them at the ladder. The object is to get the bolo to wrap around the ladder rungs and stay. The higher the rung on the ladder you land, the more points you get. Again, a simple concept that sounds fun and challenging in the same vein as cornhole. But let me tell you, bolotoss is not a game you can play at a casual family gathering…or any other setting where people are within a 50-foot radius.

We got a bolotoss set at work (Budweiser bought it for us) to use as a promotional game when we visit bars and places. We already have cornhole sets and those go over really well because everyone from kids to adults can have fun throwing bean bags. But I feel sorry anyone that tries to play bolotoss near children, windows, crotches, or yard gnomes.

And the bolos you toss are heavy. Heavy enough that a weak toss would easily fly through a window or windshield. Bolotoss is also one of those games yahoos can make on there own with some PVC pipe, so you’ll probably start seeing them crop up in yards…just don’t park near them

I just don’t trust anyone playing bolotoss…I don’t care how good you are or how many bar tournaments you win. When the bragging rights revolve around how you didn’t hurt any spectators the game is a little bit backwards - however, my Wii playing is almost getting to that point, so look out.