The Sport of Cornhole

Cornhole the Sport has not been around as long as the game. Cornhole started in the Midwest. If you have been to a football tailgating party lately certainly you have seen large numbers of people pitching corn filled 6” square bags at an inverted board with a hole cutout – the game is called cornhole. That game has become quite popular. Now that the game is so popular the serious players are doing what they can to turn cornhole into a serious sport.

Several years ago a group in Cincinnati, Ohio organized to develop the sport of cornhole. They wanted cornhole to be considered a national sport. The sport of cornhole was about standardizing boards, bags, and rules so that wherever the game was played the players knew there would be consistency. All board surfaces were the same, the thickness of the board was always 5/8" not ½" or something in between, bags were always the same material and weight, and the rules were set in stone. This was a big step for cornhole the sport because it allowed professional players to concentrate on the skills and techniques of their game rather than on some inconsistency of product.

Tournaments have sprung up across the nation and the quality of play continues to improve as well. In this sport men and women can compete with each other and do. Many women are excelling at the sport of cornhole.

Each year there are several pro sanctioned tournaments throughout the States where Professional Cornhole Players vie for money and prizes. For the last four years Las Vegas has hosted the U.S. National King of Cornhole Sport Tournament where professional cornhole players from across the US and Canada vie for the coveted King of Cornhole Crown.

Many of these professional cornhole players carry a sports celebrity status in their community. The Sport of Cornhole is pitching its way to National Sport recognition.

Sport of Cornhole Bags are different from a standard cornhole bag. The cornhole sport bag has certain standards that must be followed. The bag must be 6" square, one pound in weight, and filled with a resin not corn. Why resin and not corn. The resin is more consistant than corn. Over time corn breaks down and pulverizes. When corn gets wet the kernals have a tendency to expand. Resin, on the over hand, does not expand when it gets wet, and does not change in consistency, thereby giving the player a more consistent look, feel, and throw onto the tournament series cornhole boards.

The bags themselves are different from a standard cornhole bag. The sport of cornhole bags have two surfaces. One side is slick, the other side has a surface feel to it. These bags require skill to throw and create a more competitive game. In competition, the players can determine to use a slippery side for a slide throw or the surface side to cause the cornhole bag to stick when it lands. The bag side option brings an additional skill to the sport.

The Sport of Cornhole Rules are a little different from the way most cornhole players play the game. Corn hole boards are set 27' apart. Corn bags are resin filled, one pound in weight, and 6" square. Single players must choose a side of board to play and stay on that side as players move from board to board. Using this procedure the player will play on both sides of the board. One member of the doubles team chooses a side of the board to play. The partner of that team must play opposite to their partner. Using this procedure each team will play on both sides of the board.

WOODY - a one point shot landing and staying on board surface

CORNHOLE - a three-point shot, one that ends up in the hole on its own or with
help, they all count

CORNZIZZLE™ - when a player makes four cornholes in one round

SHUCKED™ - refers to a team or player who is beaten 13 - 0 as in
"You've been Shucked"

DIRTY - when a bag hits the ground before reaching the board

LIPPER - a Woody hanging on the lip of the hole and is ready to drop in

SLICK WOODY - cornhole, this one slides into the hole

FAULTN' - a foot fault; stepping past the front of the board

BLOCKN' - a player blocking the hole by the position of one of his bags

AIRMAIL - cornhole – nothing but hole

CANDYCORN - a short shot – this one didn’t make it to the board

STANKER - any foul bag such as a "Dirty", "Faultn", or "Candycorn" -- zero point value

AMERICAN CORNHOLE - not just the game of cornhole, it's the sport of cornhole

Mark Rogers the author pitches Cornhole as a Social Backyard Game and a more serious Pro Sport. He has a way of bringing the simple act of throwing bags in a hole to life. His book is the first published book on Cornhole.

ACO PRO Matt Guy was added to Topps Company Allen & Ginter's World Champions Collector's Trading Card Edition in Spring 2011