Dammit!ball is a great game for a crowd of people. Ideally, you will have enough folks to play a double elimination tournament. It’s not just for labor day– we’ve had some great times playing at other times of the year. Since we always have to remind ourselves about how it’s played, I thought I would get it all written down.
Supposedly, the game was invented right here– somewhere between Dewees and the Isle of Palms, and the McIntyres had something to do with it. In any case, it is a great game because you can play any time on the beach. To play dammit!ball, all you really need is a wooden ball. If you are going to have a tournament, you want one ball per court. So if you want to have four concurrent games, you need four balls. The original dammit!ball balls are solid wood. We find that bocce balls work as well. There was a company based on the IOP that was going to make the balls, but they are no longer at their web address. Our local expert is Michael Ross, who is this year’s champion and the brains behind the set-up for the last few years. Some other stuff may come in handy, like a whistle and a sheet with double elimination brackets.
Setting Up:
Dammit!ball is much easier when played at low tide. We try to start an hour before low tide and then we know we will finish before the tide turns, returns, and wipes away the course. Yes, this means that the tournament will occasionally be in the morning. This year, the team began by setting up a Bloody Mary bar (complete with sausage biscuits and cheese crisps) under a shady tent.
Prepare for the actual game by marking off the course. For four concurrent games, you should make a total of sixteen holes. Michael usually uses a frisbee for the large holes, but this year he made do with Paul’s crown from last year. For the smaller holes, he traced a ball with his finger and then dug the hole. Shovels are helpful but not absolutely necessary. The small holes are on the outside (furthest away from the other side) and the large hole is about three inches from the small hole. Here’s a really rough drawing (click to enlarge):
You want the front hole larger and the back hole smaller. Smooth out the sand so the ball can roll in and out.
Playing:
Now it is time to gather the troops and have teams of two sign up. Get a sheet for a double elimination tournament (Google will help you out here!) Teams stand together, facing the opposing team, behind the holes. They take turns rolling the ball towards the holes. If the ball lands in the larger hole, the team earns three points. If it lands in the smaller back one, the team earns 5 points. The order goes like this: Team 1/person one, team 2/person one, team 1/person two, Team 2/person 2… and then repeats. If you are feeling ceremonial, you can wait for the whistle to blow before play begins.
Rules:
The big hole is 3 points, the little one is 5.
The game is over whenever one team scores 11 points. Winners move on, losers go to the elimination bracket.
Don’t let a dog run away with the ball.
Landing a ball in the next court over yields NO points.
Winners of the tournament get the cupid ball-holder, the crowns, and the dubious honor of hosting next year’s tournament.
Each time 5 points are scored, the teams switch directions.
Some courts may be harder than others; that’s why it is DOUBLE elimination. You get a chance to play on more than one court. Remember, the groundskeepers and court officials are worth what you are paying them. Relax and have fun!
Judy, you crack me up. Great directions.
Some minor additions:
The front hole is shallower — about 2 or 3 inches deep; the back hole is deeper — maybe 6 to 7 inches deep.
It’s good to have goofy prizes and / or crowns for the winners.
The winners are responsible for hosting the next tournament. As a result, it’s often said that nothing could be finer than finishing 2nd in a Dammit!ball tournament.
Teams of mixed age and / or gender are encouraged. Forty or 50 people can play a whole tournament and drink a cooler of beverages in about 90 to 120 minutes.
It’s important to say, “Dammit!” loudly a few times during the tournament in order to keep the traditional spirit of the game alive.
A list of past tournament winners is stored on a trophy in the Huyler House on Dewees Island, SC. The list hasn’t been updated in several years (perhaps the social committee should work on that). I believe the four most recent winners are:
Michael Ross and his wife — 2010
Paul and Becky Connelly — 2009
Peter and Marion Cotton — 2008
Bill and Tish Easterlin — 2007
If I have that wrong, please add a comment correcting me. Dammit!
So Great!! I gotta try this!!
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Dammit was started in 1973 by Tom Freeland ,Tom Templeton and Tom Meacham at Surfside, Beach. Please read the magazine (Charleston’s Blique) , September 2007 (page 5) for the real story. Tom (Mr. Dammit ) Freeland
The game was originally known as hole ball and only had one frizbee size hole on each end. Mr. Freeland added the second smaller hole because that’s where his rolls always went. He also changed the name of the game ( SELF EXPLANATORY ). We actually came up with it by watching two guys from Scotland play with a 6″+/- stone that was flat on one side and round on the other. They said it was a national pasttime there.
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I will attest to the validity of the claim made by Tom Freeland, the game was invented by him and Tom Meachem (RIP), and Tom Tempelton.(RIP) as I am a possessor of an original DAMMIT! Ball. And played it this week while vacationing in St Augustine beach 6-14-25 thru 6-21–25. All three were and are close friends, especially T. Meachem. My wife was Mr Freeland’s secretary while they were employed at Simons Eastern Engineering. We personally received our ball from Mr Freeland during that time. To recollection, it was 32 years ago.