- Home
- Glossary
Glossary
Backyard Games terms, explained
Short, plain definitions of the words you'll see on product pages and spec sheets. Each one links to a guide when there's more to know.
A
- Airmail
- A cornhole throw that goes straight into the hole without touching the board. Read the guide →
- ASTM F1148-24
- ASTM's Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Home Playground Equipment, 2024 edition. Read the guide →
- ASTM F381
- The US safety standard for backyard trampolines. Read the guide →
B
- Bola
- Two balls joined by a cord, thrown in ladder toss. Read the guide →
- Bowl bias
- The shaping of a lawn bowl that makes it travel along a curved path toward the jack. Read the guide →
- Bowls rink
- A marked lane across a bowls green where players deliver bowls toward the jack. Read the guide →
C
- Cancellation scoring
- Only the difference between two sides' points in a round is scored. Read the guide →
- Chipping net
- A golf target net used to catch short airborne shots; it is different from a putting surface. Read the guide →
- Combination net set
- A shared pole-and-net kit that adjusts for more than one game, such as badminton and volleyball. Read the guide →
- Count-all
- A horseshoe scoring method that counts every point without cancellation. Read the guide →
- Croquet mallet head
- The striking block at the end of a croquet mallet; its weight and length affect feel and aiming. Read the guide →
- Cross-section backing
- Supporting boards beneath a plywood cornhole top, specified by the ACO for its thinner approved top. Read the guide →
- Cupper
- A washer that lands in the recessed target cup. Read the guide →
D
- Dry storage
- A cool, dry place for equipment after it has been cleaned and dried according to its manufacturer. Read the guide →
- Dual-sided bag
- A cornhole bag with a slick side and a sticky side. Read the guide →
F
- Field kubb
- A kubb thrown into the opponents’ half after being knocked down. Read the guide →
- Field of play
- The marked area used for a game; ACL places any cornhole scoreboard outside it and at least one foot behind a board. Read the guide →
- Foul line
- The line a horseshoe pitcher must stay behind. Read the guide →
G
- Ground sleeve
- A socket set into the ground that receives a tetherball pole. Read the guide →
I
- Independent trampoline springs
- A spring layout Skywalker describes for its rectangular models, where springs work independently. Read the guide →
K
- Kan Jam
- A two-team flying-disc game in which one partner throws and the other may redirect the disc toward a goal. Read the guide →
N
- NHPA-sanctioned horseshoe
- A horseshoe design approved by the NHPA for play in its sanctioned competitions. Read the guide →
- Nine-wicket croquet
- Backyard croquet played through nine wickets around two stakes. Read the guide →
- NinjaLine
- A tensioned obstacle line with hanging grips, bars or rings for traversing a backyard course. Read the guide →
P
- Pallino
- The small target ball in bocce. Read the guide →
- Pétanque boule
- A hollow metal ball used in pétanque; FIPJP-approved competition boules measure 7.05 to 8 centimeters across. Read the guide →
- Pitcher's box
- The area beside a cornhole board where a player throws from. Read the guide →
- Playset fall height
- The vertical distance from an elevated play surface to the protective surfacing below, used to match surfacing performance. Read the guide →
- Protective surfacing
- Impact-attenuating material placed under and around playground equipment to reduce injury severity from falls. Read the guide →
R
- Rally scoring
- A scoring format where either team can earn a point during a rally. Read the guide →
- Recessed washer cup
- The target opening set into each pit in the IAWP outdoor washer format. Read the guide →
- Resin fill
- Plastic pellets used to fill durable cornhole bags. Read the guide →
- Ringer
- A horseshoe that encircles the stake, worth 3 points. Read the guide →
S
- Slackline
- A narrow tensioned webbing line used for balance practice; the setup and clearance depend on its manual. Read the guide →
- Stone dust
- Fine crushed stone used as a fast, smooth court surface. Read the guide →
T
- Tailgate game set
- A portable game kit chosen for packed size, storage and the space it needs after setup. Read the guide →
- Tailgate-size cornhole board
- A cornhole board smaller than the ACO regulation playing surface, often sold as a portable set. Read the guide →
- Trampoline model number
- The identifier used by a manufacturer to match a trampoline with its compatible replacement parts. Read the guide →
Y
- Yard dice
- Oversized dice used for outdoor versions of familiar dice games. Read the guide →