There are a number things that you must do if you want to throw a Cornhole every time. Read on, if you are interested in what they are. With the right throw and some consistency the odds of throwing a Cornhole are in your favor. Throwing a Cornhole is a lot less of a science than it is an art. There is no question that the perfect arc and the perfect slide will make you a Cornhole every time. The trouble is in actually throwing your bags with that perfect arc and slide every time. Here are some tips that will help you on your quest.
Arc
One of the most important parts of the toss is having the right arc. If you have too much the bag won’t move once it hits the board. Too much arc also adds air time which leaves more room for error. If the bag starts off course by just a little, the longer it has in the air, the further off course it becomes. This sticking power might be helpful for the one pointer’s, but might make a Cornhole a little more difficult as you’ll see below. Too little arc and your Cornhole bags might just slide off the back of the board. The perfect arc lets your bags slide on the board without getting too far out of control.
Slide
If you use the boards slide to your advantage, you will make more Cornholes. Don’t be afraid of the bag sliding if you want to make a Cornhole. It simply gives you a bigger target. If you play on different boards, you will have to adjust to all sorts of playing services. Some boards are really slick, and on some boards the bags just stick no matter how flat your arc. You will have to adjust your arc to accommodate.
Take a look at the pic below to show how to use slide to your advantage. To add a little science, think of this. Do you think your odds are all that great that you will throw your bag right through that 6in hole? Do you think you might up your odds by aiming for somewhere up the middle of the board and sliding your bag till it drops in the hole? Sliding your Cornhole bags is the key to making more Cornholes. You really have about 3ft of error room by sliding. If your bag hits 6in or 2ft before the hole it doesn’t matter. Either way you still have a chance to make the Cornhole if you are using the slide to your advantage. The only thing you have to do is keep it straight.
Form
Keeping the right form keeps your bags straight. It also helps you keep that consistent arc. Once you discover which form achieves the right arc, slide and keep your bags straight, practice makes perfect. Just wash, rinse and repeat. Take a look at these 6 Cornhole Throws You Have To Try to find your perfect throw. No matter which toss you use, consistency is the key. Once you master the form that works best for you, you’re on your road to a Cornhole every time. Well, maybe not every time, but most of the time might be a goal worth shooting for.
When throwing you must make sure you are not on an incline where one foot is higher than the other. This will throw you motion off. Also the bag weighs a pound not a lot but not a little, be sure to get your muscle memory or you will nevr do well.
I find that the perfect throw is consistently gotten with a 12 oz. counterbalance in the left hand.
Hint: If you’re really serious, always hold only 1 bag in your hand(s), the one you’re tossing. Since your 4th bag is the last and will always leave your other hand empty, don’t hold onto a 2nd bag while you toss bags 1-3. Just set them on the ground and pick ‘em up 1 at a time for total consistency. OR, if you must, always keep a spare bag with you to hold in your “off” hand for every throw including #4.
Your recommendation of hitting the board and sliding up to the hole is all fine and dandy when there are no bags in the way. You might get away with that one for your forst or second throw. How consistent can that be? Nothing but net “hole in one” is the only way to guarantee consistency.
Hi Tom,
I wish I could do that every time 🙂 You make a good point though. A blocker is the best way to defend against this and can really through your game off if you’re playing against it.
Tom, you have to go for the slide. If the hole is blocked, then you can try a “swish”. I believe that, normally, the best strategy when you are blocked is to just go for the tie and just hit the board four time.
If you are playing someone good, and they are close enough to be pushed in by their other bag, just do the “slide” and hit their bag in for them. Their bag was going to go in anyway, and now you have the advantage on the next throw because your bag is parked in front of the hole.
When pushing their bag in, you can often put both your bags in, also, thus neutralizing their block.
Here’s something pretty cool and funny, not sure if you’ve seen it or not. Great for beginners:
http://www.americancornhole.org/professor-cornhole.shtml
Some guys are able to “walk” their bags into the hole, getting it to roll right over a blocker or even a pile. To do this, try to throw the bag more end-over-end with the seams pointing up and less like a pancake (flat). This is one of the toughest shots to master, so don’t get too worked up over it.
throw the bags from your side like frisbe and let it slide in the hole
I have yet to lose a cornhole game. I carry every partner I’ve had. I am the best!
I have to agree with Scott. I used to throw like i was pitching softball i transitioned to a frisbee style and i have won a lot more games(over 100 since the start of june0 compared to before. Another tip… watch for newer boards, they typically will slide to the opposite side that you hit the bag on.
Hi,
I am a new cornholer. I have not lost a game yet and then main question I have is whether or not you are suppose to counter balance. I have heard both sides of the argument but I am still not yet sure what to do.
Hi,
I am new to cornholing and I pretty much suck at it. I need some really good advice on how to get it in every time. People keep telling me different things. I’ve tried everything and I just keep failing at it. HELP ME!
I have trouble with form. I take a step and turn my right foot under the board. Normally, is it better to take a step or not? How close should you stand next to the board?
Swooshmaker you haven’t lost because you haven’t played 4 shots, 4 kills.
I am theee best
A senior, age 63, holds the record around here as to the most bags…straight in! His record to date is 30…any one know of anyone who has a better record than that?
hey swooshmaker where do you live? lets play for a hundo a game big talk.
For all newcomers I suggest the fling. If you aim at the opposite your hand of the board towards the bottom it will always turn towards the hole. The backspib relinquishes some of the extra energy and sticks more often. Give it a try!
the best advice i can give is practice alot…some days you will pitch good and some days you will not….you are not going to throw a bag in everytime but if you are going to play with the pros you better be good at airmails because when a pro blocks you and see you are not good at airmails he is going to block you everytime and the ones that do the blocking most often are very good at airmails…you might be good at sliding in a bag if the board is open but if there a blocker in your way either you better be good and throw a airmail or slide your bag as close to his , or push his bag in with your bag….but take my advice and practice alot on airmails the pros will know your weakness and if you aint good on airmails and he is game over for ya…God Bless…and i learn that the hard way….
Throwing first is a big advantage for good players. When you throw first you can set the tone of the round and turn on the pressure by holing the first bag. But if you miss you could leave a blocker in front of the hole. Once there’s a blocker, not only is it much tougher for the opponent to slide a bag in the hole, but you or your opponent can nudge the blocker in as well, sometimes even scoring more than one bag at a time. Whenever there are bags on the board, there’s a big advantage to the team or player with a bags that are in front of the hole with the potential of scoring on a later throw.
I am a very experienced cornholer and my best advice is to have great form and try to throw every bag the same every time.
in practice I just got 14 in hole in a row. I throw pancake style
If you throw all 4 bags in the hole do you automatically win?
For all those trash talkers that say they have never lost that just a lie. I play professionally and I have lost. So don’t even try to say you gave never lost !!
Joe nailed it. Sliding the bag is obviously a lot easier. Once you get into competitive play, you’d better be able to airmail it, or you’re going to get smoked.