Looking for a way to kill time between games? Play Goom!
Description: Goom originated from playing a golf-like game with a broom instead of a club (golf + broom = goom). Brooms had a tendancy to break easily and it was determined that field hockey sticks were sturdier and allowed for more variety of shots. So, traditional goom is now played with a field hockey stick and an old, used, volleyball (although any ball that you don't mind getting beat up and any stick will do. You'll need a big, open space (parks work best, but anywhere with a fair amount of obstacles will work).
For 2+ players
Play: Players will take turns declaring the "hole." For example, tee off from home plate of a baseball field, go around a soccer goal, and end in a garbage can. The person declaring the hole should tee off last. Players then alternate shots, one person at a time, until someone completes the hole. The player who completes the hole first scores the most points (see the Scoring section). The last person to go should always have the same number of attempts as the person to finish first (if the person who declared the hole finished first, that hole is done). Then, another player declares the next hole. Play as many holes as desired, until you've just had enough, or the park has closed, or the cops have shooed you away, whatever the case may be.
Rules: * If you hit a vehicle not owned by someone playing the game, you automatically lose that hole. * Ball cannot contact the stick more than once on any stroke (i.e. no double hits) * Lifts and carries are legal * Hitting your opponent's ball with your ball is legal * If you hit your ball, and it somehow hits you, you take that shot over from where the ball was originally * If someone not playing the game moves your ball, you move the ball back to where it was before they touched it. In these cases it is customary to yell "Please don't touch our balls." * The player making the hole is to determine the manner of teeing off. Examples include: traditional golf style, baseball swing, a push shot. There are no limits to the way in which you tee off. * The hole can be a hole-in-one shot. This means that if a player takes a shot and misses, their next shot is not from where the ball lies, but rather the original tee off location. * "Beat Back" Variation: The player making the hole can declare that one (or multiple) beat-backs are allowed on that hole. This means players may, at any time, declare they are using a beat-back and hit any other player's ball further from the hole. * Any variation is legal if agreed upon by all players at the start of the game or the hole. The game is only limited by your imagination.
Scoring: Let's say there are 4 people playing. The player to finish the hole first would score 3 points, 2nd place would score 2, 3rd place would score 1, and 4th place would score zero. Continue to add up your points as you play each hole. Player with the most points wins. Note: Goom can be played with only 2 players, the winner of the hole would score a point and the loser would score none.
Winning the game: Decide how many holes you will play from the start, or just call it when you've had enough. To be most fair, it is recommended that each player make the same number of holes. The player with the most points at the end of all holes is the winner.