By Kevin Smith
Beersbee poles, or originally known as Polish horseshoe, is a game that, you guessed it, takes the premise of our own classic horseshoe game and adds a bit more layer into it. Rather than simply trying to toss a horseshoe into a stake, Beersbee pole combines two games: horseshoe toss and frisbee.
Before we head on to the how to make Beersbee poles tutorial, let us take a closer look and learn a bit more about the tradition of this fun game for friends and family.
Introduction to Beersbee Poles
As stated earlier, Beersbee pole is also known as Polish horseshoe. It is also known by other monikers such as Spanish Horseshoe, French Darts, and Frisbeener. While it goes by many names, the basics and rules are pretty much unchanged in all regions.
Beersbee pole is a game that requires two sets of teams. You can have two or more members of each team. You will then have a long stake nailed to the ground. A bottle, can, or a ball will be placed at the top of these poles.
The aim of the game is to throw your frisbee and hit the item on top of the stakes. The other team will then need to catch the frisbee as it enters their area. To make things a little more interesting, each player will need to hold a drink and will only be allowed to use one hand to catch and throw the frisbee.
Playing the game is quite challenging and will require some above average hand-eye coordination. You not only need to catch the frisbee but also catch your designated poles’ item if it falls off the stake. The stakes of each opposing team need to have 20 feet and above distance between each other. This can be a funny camping game for adults if you are looking for ideas.
Making Your Own Beersbee Poles
While you can buy a complete set online or in certain toy stores, why spend the extra cash when making a couple of Beersbee poles are quite easy? I’ll be teaching you how to make your own poles if you wish to include this fun game during your next camping trip with friends.
Now, let’s get to it through it.
Materials That You Need
- 2 x 10-feet PVC Pipe (total of 20 feet and 1 inch in diameter PVC pipes).
- 6 x 1-inch PVC T fittings
- 2 x 1-inch to 2-inch PVC reducing bushings
- 2 x 3-inch PVC drain pipe caps
- 2 x 3-inch PVC pipe (short pieced) and additional 2 x 1-inch PVC pipe.
- 2 x 1-inch PVC couplers
Tools
- Hacksaw
- PVC Glue (Optional)
Safety Equipment
- Eye Protector or Goggles
- Leather gloves
Once you have all materials, tools, and safety equipment on hand then it is time to start working on your very own Beersbee pole. Follow the steps I enumerated below to make things easy peasy.
Step 1: Creating the Platform on Top of the Pole
The first thing we need to care of is the platform where we will place the bottle, can or ball. Let’s start by attaching a 1-inch piece of 3-inch PVC into the 3-inch reducer. This is not something that is mandatory but the drain cap will help secure the platform without the need of a PVC glue.
Next up, we will attach the 3-inch PVC drain cap into the 3-inch reducer. This is why I included the above instruction as it will allow you to fit in the drain cap into the reducer perfectly and give it stability as well. All of this without the need to use a PVC glue.
Now, flip over the 2-inch to 3-inch reducer and attach the 1-inch to 2-inch reducer inside. Now, you can either glue them together or simply push the pipe in hard enough. Both works as PVC pipes can be connected together securely without the need of applying a PVC glue.
Afterward, repeat the process for the second platform and you will now have 2 perfectly flat and stable surfaces for you to place the bottle on. A platform that you can attach to a 1-inch diameter PVC pole.
Step 2: Prepare The 1-inch PVC Pipe and Transform It into Your Beersbee Pole
Grab your 10-feet PVC pipes and cut it into 2 pieces of 4-feet poles using your hacksaw. These will be your main Beersbee poles. Save the excess 2-feet pole for the following step.
Step 3: Creating the Base of the Poles
Of course, you will be needing a base for the poles to make sure it stays perfectly still. You can just nail it to the ground but this method is far cleaner and makes setting up the poles significantly easier. Take your remaining 1-inch PVC pipe and divide it into 12 equal pieces. It doesn’t need to be exact but just as close to each other in length.
Now, this is where the PVC T fittings will come into play as it will be the one you will use to connect the pipes. You will end up with an H-shaped base. Now, there is one place where I highly recommend applying the PVC glue and that is the middle T fittings of the base. This will prevent the pole and base from rotating.
You can skip applying the PVC glue to the rest of the base so that you can easily disassemble it when not in use. Make sure the T fittings are perfectly aligned and flat before applying the PVC glue.
Step 4: The Finishing Touches
Once you have the base and the platform/bottle holder finished all you have to do is connect both to each end of your 4-feet pole. Set it up outside in your yard or anywhere with a flat surface and wide-open space. Grab your frisbee and a couple of friends and go to town!
Additional Finishing Touches
You can also spray paint the poles if you wish. This can help differentiate which pole belongs to which team. For example, I painted my Beersbee poles red and blue. You can try painting the poles using a spiral design which looks pretty good.
In order to apply the spiral design, all you need is a 1-inch masking tape. Roll the tape around the pipe in a spiral manner. After that, you can just spray paint the PVC pipe. Let it dry and remove the tape.
If you need a visual reference on how to make Beersbee poles, here’s a video tutorial from Dale Farris…
Rules of Beersbee Pole
Beersbee rules are pretty simple. You need two teams of two or more players each. Each team’s goal is to knock the other team’s bottle off their poles. Each pole should be at least 20 feet apart. Only one frisbee is required to play this game.
Each team will get one shot to hit the object off the pole. The other team will need to catch the frisbee as it heads into their territory and also makes sure to catch the object if it falls off.
How to Score the Game
• The Offensive Team will earn 1 point if the opposing team is unable to catch the frisbee BUT prevents the object from hitting the ground.
• The Offensive Team will earn 3 points if the opposing team is unable to catch both the frisbee and the falling object.
• The Defensive Team will earn 3 points if they are able to catch the frisbee and catch the falling object.
Conclusion
While commonly regarded today as a drinking game, Beersbee Poles is definitely a game that you can still enjoy even without the use of alcoholic beverages. All you need is a wide-open space and a group of friends. This tutorial on how you can make your own Beersbee poles should help you along the way greatly.
Children and adults alike will definitely enjoy this fun activity and will help develop hand eye coordination, reflexes, and teamwork. Comment down below if you have any other helpful tips for beginners or interesting twist to the rules. Don’t forget to share this handy tutorial for other campers and outdoor enthusiasts.
References
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