Who plays quoits and how?

[Badfish740]

This Memorial Day weekend I dusted off an old set of quoits that probably haven't been touched since my grandfather was alive (10+ years ago) and pitched a few at a BBQ at my house yesterday and a friend's house today. I remember being introduced to the game in my younger years at various neighborhood picnics, but the most heated and serious games I ever saw were at BBQs at my grandparents' house. Many of my grandfather's friends were Trenton, NJ natives who he had worked with at John A. Roebling and Sons in Trenton, who made the cables for the Brooklyn Bridge and just about every suspension bridge since until about 1970. Even though they didn't play on a regulation "court" with boxed in clay pits the pins were always set exactly 21 feet apart and when two quoits were in close proximity to the pin, outside calipers like those used to measure the inside diameter of large pipe would be used to determine the winner. I remember bringing the quoits to a tailgaiting party one year and setting them up in one of the unpaved parking lots. It wasn't until I had gotten at least 5 people who asked me "what the heck kind of horseshoes we were playing" that I realized that quoits were a relatively obscure game outside of Western/Central NJ and Eastern Central PA.

I was just wondering if anyone here happend to be a quoit afficionado and if so, how do you play? I was considering making some pits in the backyard, having the space and access to lots of good clay. I've seen ranges in size for the pits from 3' x 3' to 8' x 8' and specifications calling for a 4" x 4" border to an 8" x 8" border. I got this info from the U.S. Quoiting Association website among others, but it goes down a lot. Oddly enough they have rules for "Trenton" style quoits, but the page doesn't work. Also, the quoits I have came from Harry's Army and Navy in Hamilton. On their website they list them as "Trenton" style as well. I know that there aren't many NJ guys on here but I'm sure there's more from PA that know what quoits are...

[WD40]

Never heard of it before.

[Logan]

Nope, dont have that down south. We have horse shoes

[stump0331]

i read the hole thing and still dont have a clue

[Keith T]

Played some when I was younger. Mostly at my grandparent's house. Keith

[Big AL]

Sorry - No clue. Only horse-shoes and washers down here in Dixie. Sounds interesting, though.

[Badfish740]

Played similar to horseshoes, but the pins are set closer and the rings require a different technique for throwing.

[Big AL]

Originally Posted by Badfish740

Played similar to horseshoes, but the pins are set closer and the rings require a different technique for throwing.

Now that looks interesting to me! Seems to be a mix between horse-shoes & washers. I'm guessing that you toss the rings (quoits?) kinda' like a Frisbee.

[Badfish740]

Originally Posted by Big AL

Now that looks interesting to me! Seems to be a mix between horse-shoes & washers. I'm guessing that you toss the rings (quoits?) kinda' like a Frisbee.

That's pretty much it. There's a million different ways to throw 'em, but the "frisbee" style throw is the toughest to master. Some pitch straight, some go end over end, and some throw frisbee style. The rings weigh 2 1/2 lbs so they're not too heavy but not too light either. Quoits are pretty exciting because if you're good you have a much better chance of knocking your opponent's quoit either away from the pin or off of it completely. Makes for a really competitive game. The pin only sits 3" above the ground too, so catching a ringer can be pretty challenging, although it's easier to get a "leaner" in quoits than horseshoes. Oh and by the way-the spelling kinda throws people off-it's pronounced "quate" as in rhymes with "great."

[Big AL]

Good info. Thanks. Thats "groit" to know.
Groit - spelled as in Quoit - Quoit pronounced as in Great. Groit=Great!

Thanks, really!