Quick!…what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say “Cornhole”?
If you’re like me, the answer is “Beavis and Butt-Head“. Nope…that’s “Cornholio”. Suffice to say, I didn’t really know what it was. So imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks ago, I was in a So-Cal town, Santa Paula, where the residents had blocked off Main Street to hold a Cornhole tournament. Yup! Only in California. Even more surprising was that there were over a hundred competitors! Cornhole, it turns out, is the name of that toss-the-bean (corn-filled) bag-into-a-hole-on-a-board-from-twenty-feet game that I thought only kids and beer drinking picnickers played. Well, I was wrong. Evidently everyone is playing Cornhole, except me. Who knew? Even more evidently (to those who’ve tried, at least), it requires a bit of skill to sink the bag into that tiny hole from twenty-seven or so feet. The camaraderie and challenge (plus the prize money) explain why so many were eager to compete on a cool, sunny So-Cal Saturday in January. Interestingly, the competitors were from all walks of life – age, sex, socio-economic background, whatever… this tournament seemed to draw them all. And all seemed to be having a great time. Nothing like good, clean fun (did I mention the prize money?) on a cool, sunny So-Cal Saturday in January.
This tournament was organized by, Clint Garman, the owner of the local Irish pub bearing his name. He plans on having a few tournaments this year. For a moment…just a fraction of a moment, I thought about finding a partner and signing up for the next one. Unfortunately, all the required practice would get in the way of my photographic pursuits. 😉 But, if you’re interested in competing or just spectating, give Garman’s Pub a call to get the details.
