Cornhole Board Distance: How Far Apart Should Boards Be?
Regulation cornhole boards are placed 27 feet apart, measured from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other. This guide covers the official distance, exactly how to measure it, where the foul line fits in, singles and doubles setup, backyard adjustments, and the measuring mistakes that throw off a court most often.
How Far Apart Are Cornhole Boards?
Cornhole boards are placed 27 feet apart for regulation play. That number describes the gap between the two boards once they're set up, not the size of either board.
How Is Cornhole Board Distance Measured?
The 27-foot distance is measured front edge to front edge — from the front foul line of one board to the front foul line of the other. The front edge is the low edge closest to the thrower, not the raised back edge where the hole sits.
Don't measure back edge to back edge, and don't measure from the center of one board to the center of the other. Either method adds or removes several feet from the real distance, since each board is 48 inches long. Front-to-front is the only reference points that matches the regulation measurement.
Cornhole Board Distance in Feet
| Measurement | Distance |
|---|---|
| Regulation distance | 27 ft |
| Distance in inches | 324 in |
27 feet equals 324 inches. Both numbers describe the exact same regulation gap between boards — feet is just the more common way players talk about it.
Cornhole Board Distance in Meters
27 feet converts to approximately 8.23 meters. This is a straightforward unit conversion of the official 27-foot measurement, not a separate or alternate regulation distance — the underlying setup is identical either way it's expressed.
Cornhole Board Distance and the Foul Line
Board distance and the foul line are related but different things. Board distance is the 27-foot gap between the two boards. The foul line is simply the front edge of the board on the throwing end — the exact point that 27-foot measurement starts from.
Players stand inside the pitcher's box beside their board and must release the bag from behind that front-edge foul line. So the foul line isn't a separate mark somewhere out on the court — it's built into the board itself, at the same edge used to measure the board distance.
How to Measure Cornhole Board Distance
Four steps get a regulation court laid out correctly every time.
1.Place the First Board
Set your first board on flat, level ground, with the hole end raised at the back and the front edge facing the direction of play.
2.Place the Second Board
Set the second board facing the first, holes aligned down the center of the lane, roughly 27 feet away.
3.Measure From the Correct Reference Point
Run a tape measure from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other — the same low edge where each foul line sits. Adjust either board until that measurement reads exactly 27 feet.
4.Check the Alignment
Sight down the lane to confirm both boards are square to each other and the holes line up. A board angled off-center changes the effective throwing line even if the distance itself is correct.
Use a tape measure for the most accurate setup.
Cornhole Board Distance Diagram
A top-down look at the regulation court: two boards, 27 feet apart, measured front edge to front edge.
Is 27 Feet the Official Cornhole Distance?
Yes. 27 feet is the official distance used in regulation and tournament cornhole.
Sanctioning bodies that run competitive cornhole, including the American Cornhole Association (ACA), use 27 feet as the standard playing distance for tournament play. Equipment and court setup are checked against this number before a sanctioned match begins.
Casual and backyard play doesn't require sticking to 27 feet — plenty of players shorten the lane for convenience. But 27 feet remains the one distance that counts as official across regulation and tournament formats.
Cornhole Distance for Backyard Games
Backyard players regularly shorten the 27-foot distance for children, beginners, limited yard space, or simply a faster, more relaxed game. There's no rulebook enforcing distance in a casual setting, so any gap that suits the players is fine.
What shouldn't change is how that shortened distance gets described. A backyard game played at 15 or 20 feet is a casual adjustment, not an alternate "official" distance — 27 feet is still the only regulation number.
Is the Cornhole Distance Different for Singles and Doubles?
No. Singles and doubles both use the same 27-foot regulation distance.
| Format | Regulation Distance |
|---|---|
| Singles | 27 ft |
| Doubles | 27 ft |
What actually changes between the two formats is where the players stand, not how far apart the boards are. In singles, both players start at the same board and walk down together after each frame. In doubles, partners split up and stand at opposite boards for the whole game. The 27-foot gap between the boards stays identical either way.
Cornhole Board Distance vs. Board Dimensions
Board dimensions describe the size of a single board — its length, width, and hole size. Board distance describes the separate gap between the two boards once they're set up for play.
For example: a regulation board measures 48 by 24 inches, while the regulation playing distance between two boards is 27 feet. Those two numbers measure completely different things and aren't interchangeable.
Common Cornhole Board Distance Mistakes
Measuring From the Wrong Edge
Measuring from the back edge, or from anywhere other than the front foul-line edge, throws the whole distance off by feet, not inches.
Measuring the Boards From the Center
Center-to-center measurements add extra length that isn't part of the regulation distance. Always measure front edge to front edge.
Using an Inconsistent Distance Between Games
Eyeballing the gap instead of measuring it means every game plays at a slightly different distance, which makes it hard to build any real consistency in your throw.
Ignoring Board Alignment
Getting the distance right doesn't help if the boards are angled off-center. Square both boards to each other so the holes line up down the same straight lane.
Confusing Board Length With Board Distance
A board's own 48-inch length has nothing to do with the 27-foot gap between two boards — they're separate measurements that happen to both matter for setup.
Cornhole Board Distance: Quick Guide
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Regulation distance | 27 ft |
| Inches | 324 in |
| Meters | ≈ 8.23 m |
| Measurement | Front edge to front edge |
| Singles | 27 ft |
| Doubles | 27 ft |
Cornhole Board Distance FAQ
How far apart are cornhole boards?
27 feet from the front edge of one board to the front edge of the other — not back to back, and not from the player's feet. Measuring from the wrong point is the most common error, and it moves the throw by a full 4 feet, the length of one board.
How many feet apart are cornhole boards?
Cornhole boards are set 27 feet apart for regulation play, which is equal to 324 inches or about 8.23 meters.
Is cornhole played 27 feet apart?
Yes. Regulation and tournament cornhole is played with the boards 27 feet apart, front edge to front edge. Casual and backyard games often shorten that distance.
How do you measure cornhole board distance?
Measure from the front edge of one board — the edge closest to the thrower, where the foul line sits — to the front edge of the other board, running the tape measure in a straight line down the center of the lane.
How far apart are cornhole boards in meters?
The regulation 27-foot distance converts to approximately 8.23 meters. This is a conversion of the official measurement, not a separate regulation distance.
Is cornhole distance the same for singles and doubles?
Yes. Both singles and doubles use the same 27-foot regulation distance between boards. The formats differ in player positioning, not in how far apart the boards are placed.
How far apart should backyard cornhole boards be?
Backyard games can shorten the distance for children, beginners, or limited space, but 27 feet remains the only official regulation distance for standard and tournament play.
Do you measure cornhole boards from the front or back of the boards?
From the front. Regulation distance is measured front edge to front edge, not from the back edges or the center of each board.
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