Category: courses

The Top 5 Base Throws I’ve played.

Ryan Kinka

Private Course in Port Hope, On, Canada.

There are a lot of different Stones Courses around and I have played most of them. Some of these courses were carved naturally by nature, while others were designed by man. The one unalienating truth about Stones is the earth is your course and you can play the game where ever you choose. Every course has its charm and I think you would be hard pressed to call out “the best” overall course in the world. I’m going to take a few weeks to try and document what are my Top “Features” of courses I have played. These lists are by no means all encompassing, just one Stoner’s favorite parts of the game he loves.

#5- Second Stretch- Original Private West Chester, PA Course

Construction of 2nd Stretch in 2012.

The first full permanent course built in the Philadelphia Area was on a private property in West Chester in 2012. The second Stretch was the first one designed. An uphill dogleg left that sloped hard at the corner this base throw was always interesting. Due to the Tree cover, you had to keep the throws low but with enough to get up the slope. With the right speed it would make the turn and roll down toward the landing. A redesign in 2014 added play to the right of a large tree- away from the natural movement of the stretch. This base throw was used in our first “How to Play Video” in 2015. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3bVmS8_hzg)

#4- Fifth Stretch- The Grove- East Goshen Park- West Chester, PA

Looking backwards toward the base of The Grove’s 5th.

The final Stretch at East Goshen has some of the most options available from a base. The first 15 feet the stretch has plenty of action with a nice slope and water if you go too long. It then turns 90 degrees to the left giving the base throw a full carry with multiple trees and targets. For the brave- the small elevated landing is reachable with a throw through multiple trees but it requires an impressive throw to close it out. This throw especially on the final stretch is 100% risk vs reward.

#3- Second Stretch- Brewer’s Hollow- Southern Tier Brewery- NY

View from the Base- Brewer’s Hollow 2nd.

Obviously the prettiest course ever built, Brewer’s Hollow has some amazing stonework as you can see. The 2nd Stretch has not only the best base throw, but is the best stretch overall. Standing at the base of the hill you are handed four major uphill throw choices. Two to the left side, protected by water if you go long and two to the right side with a stone wall that drops off to OB. This throw is as intimidating as they come and well designed. Plenty of games can be won or lost early here.

#2- First Stretch- Boxer’s Trail- Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA

Early design of Boxer’s Trail 1st.

The first stretch was one of the first breaks from traditional design with actual trees in the middle of it and some 15-20 feet wide in certain parts. Before this, stretches would tend to be only 3-4 feet wide. This elevated Base between two trees gave you an inspiring look over the entire Boxer’s Trail course. The downhill throw also allowed for a variety of distance plays, and a stone could end up at the bottom of this stretch some 150+ feet away. Easy to play, but difficult to master, it is a perfect blend for new and pro level players.

#1 First Stretch- River Course – Port Hope, ON Canada

The River Course- 1st

My best base throw may not be the most technical, or the most intimating, but the feeling you when you stand there looking down the stretch is what Stones is all about. This private property rests on over 100 acres of “unspoiled” Canadian wilderness actually has 2 courses, The River Course and The Woods Course. You enter the course area by walking down a valley that has been carved by a stream over a millennia. The First base rests just 8 feet from a cliff to the stream below. The stretch is covered in moss, pine needles and forest loam yet rolls as smooth as a PGA golf green. The options here are almost endless depending on how aggressive you wish to be taking on the water on the right. No man could ever create this, this was created, destroyed and created again by mother nature and THAT is the Stones at its finest.

backyard stones course lawn

How To: Build A Backyard Stones Course

You don’t always need to come out to a public course if you wish to play or practice the game of Stones. Some of the best courses are made in backyards. Whether you have a two acre wooded lot, a small city lawn, or somewhere in between, the principles of building a course are the same.  If you follow a few key steps and have some imagination, you will be able to hone your skills at home.

Let’s first address what you’ll need:

  1. Stones—Self-explanatory. It would be difficult to play without them.
  1. Rake—Whether you’re working with grass, dirt, woods, beach, or any combination of the above, you’ll need to clean up the area.
  1. Borders—Every stretch will need to have borders. What you decide to make them out of is entirely up to you. Most borders are made with natural materials: logs, branches, trees, or rocks, but if you don’t have any of these available, be creative. People have used water, marking paint, dug trenches, or simply raked the leaves to the side and used them to indicate the boundary. No matter what material you choose, it’s imperative to make sure you can identify if a stone is in or out.

We have our items ready, so now let’s go build a course. An official Stones course has five stretches and one x-hole. This doesn’t mean your home course has to be the same. If you’re pressed for space, it would be better to make two or three well-designed stretches than to squeeze in five that were poorly-planned. One backyard Stones course in Mount Airy has three stretches—you just play stretches one, two, and three first, and then play three and two backwards. The key is to be creative and use what the land gives you.

Planning your course layout is typically the most difficult step. Walk your entire area and pick out certain features that you would like to include. The things you’re looking for are elevation changes, clusters or lines of trees, tree roots, fallen trees, natural depressions, flower beds, rocks, or anything that would make an interesting field of play. If your area is lacking interest, don’t be afraid to make your own. A simple rock wall or a cluster of branches can lead to interesting areas, even on the flattest surfaces.

Once you have your Points of Interest or (POI) identified, you can began laying out your course. Pick which POIs will be landings and work backwards. Remember, what makes a good Stones course is diversity. To achieve diversity, use length and width and POIs to make sure each stretch differs from the next. Add your borders and you are ready to go.

The last step is the most fun. Play your backyard Stones course. No layout is perfect right away. Try different things, and if you find it’s too difficult to establish a stone in some areas or if stretches are always played the same way, don’t be afraid to change it up. You’ll be surprised how changing the location of a border, or adding a log, will change how a course is played.

Good luck, and feel free to contact us with questions about building your Stones course. We’ll be glad to help!