The game is known by many other names: Ladder Golf, Redneck Golf, Rodeo Golf, Polish Horseshoes, Hillbilly Horseshoes, Hang-Em Golf, Boloball and Monkey Bar. And many people play by different rules: some play 3 shots a side, or 3 points on the top row, or bouncing allowed, just to name a few.
But there is only one name and one set of rules for our game. Here are the simple playing rules for all officially sanctioned Monkeyball tournaments (or you can download the expanded Official Tournament Playing Rules).
1. Set the Monkeyball trees approximately 30 feet apart.
2. Each Monkeyballer alternates throwing until each has thrown all 4 Monkeyballs.
3. The top limb is worth 1 point, the middle limb is 2 points, and the bottom limb 3 points.
4. Count up points after each Monkeyballer has thrown four times. Whichever Monkeyballer scored the most points is credited the difference of the two point totals. For instance, if Monkeyballer A scores 8 points and Monkeyballer B scores 5 points (8 - 5 = 3), Monkeyballer A earns a 3-0 lead.
5. Since Monkeyballer A scored the most points on the previous round, Monkeyballer A has honors and is first to throw in the next round.
6. Monkeyballs that fall from one limb to another count, but no points are scored when Monkeyballs fall from a limb to the ground.
7. Monkeyballs that bounce on the ground and land on a tree limb do not count for points, but Monkeyballs can bounce and knock others off the tree.
8. Games are played to 15. A Monkeyballer does not have to hit 15 exactly, but must win by 2.