Do-it-Yourself Score Post

This fun score post can be made in a few hours and will leave friends and relatives praising you for its simple brilliance. Here’s how to make one.

Written by Dean Kuczynski

“Hey, what’s the score? 13 to 10?”

“No, I think it’s 14 to 9 …”

“Are you sure?”

“No …”

We’ve all been there, a fun game of horseshoes, bag toss, badminton or any other yard game always seems to challenge our abilities to simply count. Mix in a couple adult beverages, and you may need to pick a designated scorekeeper.

Soon after constructing horseshoe pits in my yard, I found myself poking around in the garage looking for inspiration for a scoreboard among my wood scraps. I wanted something that would be highly visible from across the yard, simple to construct, and fun to use. As I sipped from the bottle in my hand, it came to me … one more bottle and I would have everything I needed!

This fun score post can be made in a few hours and will leave friends and relatives praising you for its simple brilliance. The posts make great gifts, as a few of my appreciative friends would tell you. Here’s how to make one.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

6½-foot construction-grade 4x4
Ruler or tape measure and a straightedge
Pencil
Electric hand drill or drill press
13/16-inch spade or Forstner drill bit
80 or 100 grit sandpaper
Two contrasting outdoor paint colors
Number stencils (plastic or paper)
Masking tape

Instructions

1. To begin

Start with a 6½-foot-long 4x4 from a local home center or lumberyard. They’re usually sold in 8-foot lengths, so you may want to ask an associate to cut it down to size for you.

Most yard games are scored to 21 points. You’ll need 22 holes so you have one as a zero starting point at the top. Draw a centerline down one side of the wood using a straightedge and, starting at the top, make a mark every 3 inches, 22 times. These marks are the centers of your 1 3/16-inch-diameter holes.

2. Drilling

Drill all the way through the wood at each mark, as straight as possible. It helps to have some scrap wood under the 4x4 to prevent splintering as the bit exits the opposite side.

A hand drill works fine for this project, but you’ll have to let the drill and bit cool down after every two or three holes. Take it slow. Batteries will drain pretty quickly on a cordless drill, so a corded unit will last longer. If you have the luxury of a drill press at the cabin, be sure to properly support and clamp down the large work piece. Set the speed at around 1,500 rpm.

Pro-tip:

Depending on how dry the wood is, it may swell slightly and the holes may get tighter over time. If this happens, file or redrill the holes.

3. Sanding

Next, sand the wood with the sandpaper. To save time and hand cramping, use an electric palm or random orbital sander if you have one. Be sure to clean up any sharp splinters around the holes.

4. Numbers

Now you’re ready to add numbers. Remember to leave the top hole blank as a zero starting place for your score markers. On the first score post I made, I used a thick permanent marker on the bare wood to write out the numbers. On subsequent builds, I used paint and stencils.

The design is only limited by your imagination. If you use stencils, I recommend first spray-painting a couple coats of a quality outdoor paint on the whole post (lightly sanding between coats) and letting it dry completely.

Lay out stencils and mask off any exposed area around them with masking tape (see image above). I use 2-inch-tall number stencils, spaced 1 inch apart. Use a good contrasting color for the numbers so you’ll be able to easily see them while standing at the opposite side of your playing area. Try using the colors of your favorite sports team.

5. Base

You can lean your score post up against a steady structure near your playing area, but you may want to use something more stable or permanent to keep it up, especially if you have little ones running around. Your local home center will likely have some options, such as a corkscrew fence post anchor or a mailbox post anchor.

I always keep the 1½-foot pieces cut off from the 8-foot 4x4s. A few metal brackets and screws can turn these into a stable base.

6. Beverage

Congratulations! You’ve reached the most important part of the build. Find a buddy willing to help you drain two longneck bottles of your favorite beverage. Beer or soda bottles work well, but maybe you’re more into ketchup or hot sauce … Be sure to thank your buddy for helping you complete this critical phase of the project.

If you’d prefer not to use bottles as markers, cut some branches to fit the holes, or come up with some other creative marker. (Cabin Life would love to see your ideas! Send pictures of your score post to editor@cabinlife.com.)

You’re now ready to take it out to the yard. Let the accurately scored yard games begin!

Ideas for the Zero Hole Spot

Use the top of the score post as a convenient place to pop open beverages you plan to use as markers, hang your horseshoes when they’re not in use, or add a bell to let everyone know you scored a “ringer” in horseshoes.