Fun Games

Throwing boomerangs is fun all by itself but you can add to the enjoyment by playing simple games, either by yourself or with other throwers.

• Trick catches

Try catching your boomerang behind your back, or under your leg, use both one-handed and two-handed catches. If your boomerang is hovering down to the ground, wait until it is low enough, then kick it back up into the air and catch it, be creative. Trick catches make up a large part of competitive events.

• Accuracy

See how many times you can get your boom to return to the exact spot you threw it from. Keep one foot planted after the throw and catch your boom without moving your foot.

How many times can you catch it without dropping?

• Juggling

To juggle boomerangs you need to have two boomerangs (this is probably obvious to most people). Throw the first boomerang - just before you catch it throw the second boomerang. While the second boomerang is still in the air, throw the first one again. The idea is to keep one boomerang in the air at all times. This used to be a competitive event but the really good guys could do this all day long, so it was dropped. It is still fun to do on your own and helps improve your accuracy and concentration.

• G-L-O-R-P

The boomerang game G-L-O-R-P is the same as the basketball game H-O-R-S-E. The first thrower does a trick catch and all the other throwers must do the same catch to avoid getting a letter. If you get all five letters you are out of the game. Last thrower left without G-L-O-R-P is the winner.

The first thrower (the Dominator) performs any trick catch of his/her choosing (except a Two Handed Catch) and then all the other throwers, in their assigned order, throw and attempt the defined catch. If they do not complete the defined catch they get their first letter. If the Dominator continues to perform trick catches, he continues to be the Dominator. When that Dominator drops, the next thrower becomes dominator. This continues until one thrower is left without G-L-O-R-P. He/she is the winner.

Clarification:

The same catch cannot be done twice in a row, but a thrower can do an identical catch to one he has already done as long as it is not done back to back;
When a new Dominator takes over, he cannot perform an identical catch to the last catch the previous Dominator completed;
If a Dominator does a Two Hand Catch, or attempts a trick catch that he does not complete, but does not drop it, it is called a Pass. On a Pass, all the other throwers must catch the boomerang to avoid getting a letter, but the first thrower to do a trick catch, captures domination, and becomes Dominator. The pass has ended.

For the serious competitor.

The following are the sanctioned events of competition. The field is laid out in concentric rings. The bullseye is 2 meters across. Each ring is laid out from the center of the bullseye at 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 meters.

• Accuracy: The 'rang must travel out past the 20 meter line. Let the boom land on return.

• Trick Catch: The competitor throws a boomerang which must travel past the 20 meter line. With each throw, a different catch is attempted. Here is the list of catches: two-handed catch, one-handed left hand catch, one-handed right hand catch, behind the back catch, under the leg catch, one hand eagle right, one hand eagle left, foot catch. ( An eagle catch is where the forearm is above the plane of the boomerang when the catch is made.)

• Fast Catch: The object is to throw and catch one boomerang five times in the shortest time possible. The boomerang must travel out past the 20 meter line. All throws must be from within the bullseye, but they can be caught anywhere. World Record: 15.03 seconds for the five throws and catches, using one boomerang.

• Doubling: Two boomerangs are thrown at the same time from the same hand. Each boomerang must be caught with a different style of catch. See Trick Catch for types of catches.

• Aussie Round: The ultimate boomeranger's event. Points are awarded based upon the distance the boomerang travels, the accuracy of its return, and your ability to catch the boom.

• MTA (Maximum Time Aloft): A boomerang is thrown and timed for the duration of the flight. Flights of a minute and more are not uncommon. The World Record is around 1minute 40 seconds.

• Endurance: Same rules and objective as Fast Catch, except now you're "playing" for 5 minutes. Most catches in five minutes wins.This is a killer event! World Record: 73 catches.

• Juggling: Two like-flying boomerangs are used. The object is to throw your first boom, followed by the second one before the first is caught, and on and on... World Record: 503 consecutive catches. Juggling is no longer a sanctioned event is USBA Competitions. Never the less it is a challenge to say the least.