Cornhole season's now in full swing and everyone's getting into the game. From bars and pubs to backyard cookouts and vacation spots, Cornhole is becoming one of the country's favorite pastimes. This time, we're going to briefly go over some of the basic approaches to tossing that corn-filled bag and getting a score.
The Standard Toss
This toss is the form that most Cornhole players use and for good reason. The player holds the bag loosely in an underhand grip, stepping into the shot. Your tossing arms moves from a position parallel to your leg to your forearm being aligned with the ground. The bag moves in a medium arc and lands on the board with little sliding.
The Overhand Toss
The overhand toss is a more difficult shot but can reap great rewards for the right player. The form is very similar to a basketball shot, with the bicep parallel to the ground and the forearm at a 45-degree angle to the bicep. Keep the bag firmly gripped in your hand until the release. The arms extends up and forward, the bag leaving the hand with a gentle flick of the wrist. This is a tougher shot to master, but many who have figured this out have an easier time scoring Cornholes (3 pts.)
Sliding
Sliding is a great way to even the score with your opponents by knocking their bags off the board. It can be done by using both of the tosses we've covered today in a similar fashion. With the overhand toss, your goal is to aim for the side of your opponent's bag that is closest to you. Ideally, the momentum of your shot will slide into the opposing bag and knock it off the edge of the board. The same goes for the standard toss form, except that you don't want the bag to "pop" up as usual. The form is altered slightly to resemble a bowling throw so that the bag has very little arc , shooting forward and striking the opposing bag off the board. Be very careful with sliding shots because they can miss their target and fly off the board or even worse - you may just knock an opponent's bag into the hole, giving them a point bonus.
All in all, these two forms are the most basic toss styles that can be personalized to suit the player. You want to be sure to go through the trial and error process with both of these forms to find the one that suits you most. Once you get the hang of one (or both), you'll be a much better Cornhole player!
