Have you recently considered enjoying yourself when you toss a light corn hole bean bag into a 6 inch diameter hole that is approximately 30 feet away from you? Then, if that’s the case, I would like to congratulate for being one of the few emerging Americans who have started to engage themselves in a simple yet entertaining game of cornhole, a tailgating sport designed for all ages. You would probably know how addicting this game could be yet at the same time frustrating when you are being mercilessly beaten constantly by those who considered themselves as seasoned players. They are the one who can switch on that green-eyed monster inside of you because they are extremely capable of throwing ringers even with their eyes closed. Indisputably, if it would be more pleasurable if you can shoot some points into that highly desired goal, end your losing streak and maybe someday soon, get that title of “King of Backyard Game.” Well, that is not a far-fetched dream. Experiences and long time exposure to the game do matter, but the desire to learn skills weighs more.
There many ways in which you can toss a cornhole bag. If you are only familiar with only a few, then you are missing a lot of opportunities in scoring a goal. With the perfect form and right consistency on your throw, then the odds of winning will always be at your favor. Lady luck should not always the one who gets the credit in your shooting streak. Always bear in mind that there is a certain science in throwing a cornhole. Just like what you have learned in your physics class, the perfect arc curvature and the perfect slide will send your bag wherever you want it to land. Sounds simple, right? Now, the question is, how is it done?
Well, you will always have to return back to the basic every time. You are sorely mistaken if you think you can land a cornhole without thinking about these three things: arc, speed, and follow through. I believe these should be first taken into consideration before you delve deeper into the different throwing styles.
Arc pertains to how high or how low you are to allow you bag to go up in the air as you release it. If you decide to do have a high curvature when you throw, the bag will probably stick to its landing spot. On the other hand, throwing it with a low curvature will make your bag slide as it hits the board. When you are the first to throw, it is best to make the arc go lower. However, when you have a blocker in front of you, you may want to make the arc go higher such that the blocker can be avoided. With a lot of practice, you will be able to correctly estimate the kind of curvature that you are going to use in order to get a score.
A moderate speed combined with a lower arc curvature throw is probably the best way to slide a cornhole. If the throwing speed of the bag is fast, then it will either hop or slide over the board. On the other hand, throwing it too slowly will hinder it from sliding over to the right spot.
Making a follow through after taking a shot is usually not given that much attention. However, with experience, you will eventually learn that taking it to consideration is crucial in affecting the result of your throw.
After taking these three things into consideration, it is now important to learn about the more practical things to learning – folding. Aside from speed and accuracy, folding is the key to any cornhole match. There are no secrets or magic tricks to bag folding, simply personal preferences that comes with the situation. It is highly recommended that you give your bag a little spin whenever you throw it. Such action is done to prevent knuckle-balling effect. Without it, you will have no control over your accuracy. Putting a spin on it whenever you throw allows your bag to cut through air, thereby putting it where you want it to be with certain precision.
Surely, you are familiar with throwing a Frisbee. Throwing a bag is roughly the same as throwing a disc. However, it is best not to send it flying while your hand is across your chest. Also, keep in mind that this is not a basketball game. Executing a swish does not work in cornhole. An underhanded throw will definitely do the trick. This also means that you always have to keep in mind that when you set the bag in flight, it will always land flat and parallel to the ground. A bag that wobbles when in flight has more resistance to air, thus, not enabling it to land where and how it is supposed to be. The corntoss bag tends to end up anywhere on the playing field or roll end-over-end when it lands on its side so you better make sure that that you prevent this scenario from happening.
Lastly, learn to estimate your distance from the board. Aim your cornhole bags roughly two feet away from the hole. By following this approximation, there is a high probability that you will be able the slide the bag for a ringer.
Now that you have relearned the basics and added some techniques to your knowledge, having the discipline to practice your moves is the only thing you need to work on in order to improve your skills playing the great game of cornhole.
