Cornhole is quickly becoming an American pastime. It’s a fun game that can be competitive, but can also be laid-back and enjoyable. You can join a league or just set up your own competitions and play with friends, family, and the neighborhood. Grab your custom cornhole set for your next BBQ or gathering, and you’re bound to have a blast.
The next time you play cornhole, consider using one or all of these 8 cornhole tips.
Don’t Force the Technique
One thing we see often are players who want to perfect their techniques. They watch tutorials and videos and listen to everyone else tell them how to get their toss just right. It’s great to watch and learn from these things, but there also comes a time when you have to cater the technique to you.
Learning the movements of the toss and strategies to help improve your game are fine. The problem is that none of those strategies and examples take your size, strength, hand coordination, or stance into mind.
Yes, you can use those to build your technique but when it comes down to it, you need to understand that your toss won’t look exactly like the others. Find a toss and stance that feels natural to you rather than forced.
Figure out how you can approach or throw and not feel like everything is off-kilter. You want to be able to hit your targets, and this is the best adjustment you can make to do so.
How’s Your Playing Surface?
If you’re setting your game up on concrete, this is really not ideal. Sure, you can use concrete if that’s all you have, but you will actually do better with a soft or semi-soft surface.
While you might think that softer surfaces will add extra bounce, it’s really the other way around. Those exceptionally hard surfaces will create more bounce and could throw your game off if you aren’t careful.
Grass is a perfect surface to play on if possible. If you do need to play on concrete, we recommend a towel or blanket beneath your boards for a little added cushion.
Use a Scorecard or Scoreboard
As you get into the game, it can be hard to keep score in your head. It’s too easy to get distracted and remember where you were last turn. Even if you have a designated scorekeeper, they would also benefit from a scorecard as they can also get distracted.
You can purchase scoreboard accessories. You can also use a marker board or pen and paper if that is what works for you. Having a designated scoreboard of some sort just helps prevent errors and lets both teams know where they stand through the entire game.
Have Fun in the Game
Playing cornhole should be about having a good time. Try not to get too wound up or anxious about your game - just enjoy it. Learn to have fun, even if you are playing in a tournament or a competitive activity.
Yes, it’s always fun to win. However, you will find that you play better when you don’t get too worked up about the competition. Just play to enjoy the game and give it your best effort. You don’t want to make the game something that becomes challenging or stressful.
Wear Proper Shoes
When you’re playing cornhole, your shoes do matter. You can be comfortable and still wear shoes that won’t flop your game (pun intended!). We recommend avoiding flip-flops and sandals. It’s much harder to make your stance stable in these shoes.
You also run a higher risk of tripping, sliding, or stepping over the lines and ruining your shot in the process.
Wearing tennis shoes or even closed-toed loafers is the best choice to ensure your footwear doesn’t cause a faux pas with your playing. It’s even better to play barefoot than to wear sandals of any kind.
Spruce Up Your Boards
One cool thing you can do to add some extra excitement is accessorize or spruce up your boards. If you don’t have custom corn hole boards, it might be time to consider investing in one. It’s just a great way to take pride in your game.
There are other things that you can do to spruce up the boards as well. Cornhole board lights are a ton of fun and make playing in the dark easier. You can put these lights on the board holes or around the board frames.
This works well for playing in the dark, or just adding some color at gatherings, parties, and events. This one is all about the visual appeal!
Sometimes, You Play Defense
We know what you’re thinking: When would playing cornhole require defense? Well, the truth is that sometimes you might just need to be strategic about how you play. What can you do to play better than your opponent or stop them from playing so well?
This can include tossing your bag to place it strategically and block another player. When it comes to playing in a competitive way, a defensive approach might just save your game!
Understand the Game
Finally, be sure you understand the game and the terms that you are playing with. If you’re just playing for fun, the rules may be less stringent. If you’re playing in a league or a tournament, there will be specific rules to follow.
Understanding the stakes and the rules of the game you are playing can help give you focus for that game. Learning the basic concepts and playing with others who are familiar with the game can help improve your game and set expectations.
Time to Play!
Now, it’s time to put these cornhole tips to use and get out there and have a great time. Don’t forget to simply enjoy the game and let your toss come naturally to you.
If you need a custom cornhole set or accessories for your boards, Skip's Garage can help! We have a variety of options for any type of game.