Splashole Rules

Official Rules

• Splashole is played with two sets of rings. Each set is made up of 1 large ring and connected by a tether to a smaller ring.
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• Splashole can be played by 2-4 players
1. 2 players - players are on opposite sides
1. 
2. 3 players - players are all on the same side and then throw toward the opposite set (skip to 3 player rules)
3. 4 players - teammates stand on opposite sides along with one of their opponents
1. 

Set Up

• The 2 sets of rings are placed at any agreed upon distance by opponents, if no agreement is assured then they are placed 20 ft apart.
1. Because the game is played in water, distances may have to be approximated
2. The use of anchors is allowed but only connected to the larger ring
3. Players playing on “dry land” may choose to use a pool or small wading pool for their rings to be suspended in
1. If only one pool is available:
1. 2 players, players retrieve the balls at the end of each round then return to their starting throwing position 20 feet away.
2. 4 players, teammates stand on opposite sides (one throwing and one near the pool) and then trade places at the end of a round.

• The smaller ring is placed in the larger ring and allowed to float in that space so long as it is always completely inside the larger ring
• Moving either ring is permitted before a player is ready to throw a ball if:
1. The smaller ring has moved over the larger ring
2. The set of rings has moved to far from the playing area (due to wave/water movement)
3. A player has not begun their throwing motion

Game Play

• Each player has three balls they will throw alternating turns until all 6 balls have been thrown toward the opposite set of rings. 
1. For example: player 1 throws the first ball, then player 2 throws their first ball…
• Players can throw underhand or overhand.
• The throwing player’s sagittal plane (mid-point of their side) should be even with the larger of the two rings when beginning their throwing motion
• The throwing motion is one step, with one foot remaining in the same spot (heel lift is allowed) as it was at the beginning of the throwing motion
• Players or teams continue taking turns until a team has reached 21 points

Scoring

• Official scoring does not take place until all 6 balls are thrown and the round has ended
1. 1 point for each team’s balls in the large ring
2. 3 points for each “splashole” (a team’s ball in the small ring)
• Only the team with the higher score in the round archives points, and the lower scoring team’s points are deducted from that total
1. For example: if Team A scores 5 points in a round, while Team B scores 3, Team A is awarded 2 points for the round (5-3=2) while Team B is awarded no points.
• “Underdog” is the term used when a thrown ball lands outside of a ring, submerges underwater, and reemerges inside a ring. 
1. Because scoring occurs at the end of the round, this would count as the total number of points of the ring it finished the round within.

Optional Play (rules only allowed if both teams agree to them prior to the game start)

• “2-pointer” (Optional Play for 4 players): 2-pointer is the term used when instead of throwing the ball toward the rings, they instead throw the ball at their opponent standing near the opposite set of rings. If you successfully hit that person, it is worth 2 points
1. Those two points are awarded regardless of the outcome of the round
1. For Example: If at the end of a round Team A has two balls in the Large ring, but Team B has only 1 in that same ring but did strike an opponent with a “2-pointer”, Team A is awarded 1 point (2-1=1) and Team B is awarded 2 points.
2. “2-pointers” are only allowed if both teams have agreed to them prior to the start of the game.
• “Speed Splashole” (Rally Scoring): If teams choose, all balls in the hoops at the end of a round count toward team score, rather than deducting from higher scoring team per round’s score.
• “Drink in-Hand”: If teams choose, players throwing always have to have a cup with drinkable liquid in their non-throwing hand
• “Balls Out”: In this type of play, the smaller ring is placed outside the larger ring, rather than inside. Scoring remains the same