How to make totally awesome bolas

Ladder golf. Redneck horseshoes. Monkey golf. The game goes by many names, but it's pretty much the same thing. And in all instances, the goal is to throw your bolas (two golf balls connected by a length of rope) at a ladder-esque structure in order to score points. (I'll leave the particulars up to you, since there are more than a few different methods for acquiring points.)

There are probably just as many ways to create bolas as there are names for the game. (Yet another topic outside the scope of this page.) Herein, I'll share my approach. (Obviously, I think my way is totally sweet, otherwise I wouldn't be wasting your time with this.)

When you're finished, you'll have six (6) bolas — enough for two players.

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TwistTable of contents

TwistMaterials/tools list

Once you've amassed the following materiel, you'll be ready to dive in!

Materials
  • 10' 1/4" Nylon rope
  • 5' 1/2" (OD) PVC tubing
  • 12 recycled golf balls
  • Gel epoxy
  • Toothpicks
Tools
  • Power drill with 1/2" bit
  • Drill bit stop collar (1/2")
  • Rotary tool with conical grinding bit
  • Power sander (optional)
  • Cigarette lighter
  • Hacksaw
  • Utility knife
  • Flat bastard rasp
  • Tape measure
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TwistStep 1: Create spacers

PVC tubing

With your hacksaw (or utility knife), cut twelve (12) 1" lengths of PVC tubing (we'll call them "spacers"). Try to keep them as uniform as possible — and err on the side of too long rather than too short.

While not necessary, I used an orbital sander and a rasp to smooth out the edges of my spacers. I'd recommend at least using a rasp (or even sandpaper) — there are just too many burrs otherwise.

Repeat eleven more times!

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TwistStep 2: Assemble rope/spacer constructs

1/4" Nylon rope Spacer and Nylon rope

Place two of your spacers from Step 1 along your length of rope. Using your cigarette lighter, melt the end of the rope — make sure the "blob" is wider than the spacer's internal diameter (ID)!

Once the blob cools (you can submerge it in water if you're impatient like me), place one spacer up against it and position the remaining spacer 13" away, along the length of rope.

Using your utility knife (or scissors, if you prefer), cut the rope about 1/4" beyond the end of the second spacer. After ensuring that there are 13" between spacers, melt the unmelted end of the rope. Let it cool.

Repeat five more times!

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TwistStep 3: Finalize rope/spacer constructs

Gel epoxy Epoxied spacers and rope

Slide each spacer towards the center of the rope. Use a toothpick to mix and apply a small amount of gel epoxy no more than an inch from one end. Slide a spacer over the epoxy blob and twist a time or two. With your toothpick, apply more epoxy where the melted end of the rope contacts the spacer. Repeat with the other spacer.

Allow the epoxy to set, roughly six (6) minutes.

Repeat five more times!

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TwistStep 4: Drill golf balls

Drill with bit stop collar Bit stop collar close-up Golf balls Drilled golf ball Golf ball carnage!

Attach your stop collar (in the first and second photos in this step, it's the red thing) approximately 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" from the tip. If you don't have a stop collar, get one. If you're even cheaper than I am, I suppose you could just stick a piece of tape at the appropriate place and hope for the best, but honestly, I've found this collar to be $5 well spent. (It comes with another 1/4" collar, too!)

Do your best to center the drill somewhere on the golf ball. On my twelfth attempt, I discovered the following process:

  1. Just get through the golf ball's outer shell. Expect some twisting and shearing.
  2. Using your utility knife or rotary tool (or both), cut away any shreds of extra plastic.
  3. Holding the ball onto the drill bit, slowly begin drilling, keeping your eye on the ball. (Hurr!)
  4. Ideally, the ball should rotate with the bit without any wobble. Before you drill too deep, slightly adjust the ball's orientation to the bit until the wobble is imperceptible.
  5. Drill until your stop collar says you're done.

Repeat eleven more times!

(The last photo in this step is irrelevant, but it looks cool! Check out all those golf ball guts!)

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TwistStep 5: Finalize and test-fit golf balls

Rotary tool with conical grinding bit Conical grinding bit close-up Test fitting tubing into golf ball

Once you've essentially cored the golf ball, use your rotary tool with its conical grinding bit (or, in a pinch, your utility knife) to smooth away any extra plastic that might be obscuring the hole.

Using your remaining 1/2" OD PVC tubing, ensure that there's adequate circumference along the lip of the drilled hole to accommodate the rope/spacer constructs we completed in Step 3.

Repeat eleven more times!

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TwistStep 6: Assemble bolas

Assembled bola

Mix up another batch of epoxy. Use a toothpick to liberally coat the inside of one of the golf balls. Quickly insert one end of a rope/spacer construct into the hole and (if you're able) twist. Make sure the spacer is completely seated in the golf ball.

If your seals are too tight, however, you might experience some difficulty with compression (the spacer may push its way out somewhat). This only happened to me once, and I just held the spacer down against my work surface (concrete patio!) until all the captured air gassed out. Or maybe the expoy set with the gas bubble still inside. Either way, it worked out well enough.

Allow the epoxy to set, roughly six (6) minutes.

Repeat eleven more times!

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TwistEpilogue

Technically, you're finished!

If you used differently-colored golf balls, you're good to go. If you used white all around (like I did), you'll need some method to tell them apart during play. I spray-painted mine. If you choose to paint yours, allow enough time for the epoxy to cure: the product I used says it cures in 24 hours. I think I waited 12, 16, something like that.

Here are some extra photos showcasing various stages of applying paint:

Painted bola  Painting in progress

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