Ladders
Challenge above you, win, take their spot.
The simplest competition there is: one ranked list of everyone at the club. Challenge someone above you, beat them, and take their place.
Free for players and clubs · web, iOS and Android
How it works
The player experience — and what running one actually involves.
- 1
Everyone on one ladder
The whole club ranked top to bottom. Your position is your bragging rights.
- 2
Challenge above you
Pick someone within range above you and throw down a challenge from their card.
- 3
Accept and schedule
They accept, you agree a time in the app, and the match is on. Challenges expire if ignored — no hiding at the top.
- 4
Win to take their spot
Beat them and you swap places — your club sets exactly how positions move.
- 5
Stay active, keep climbing
The ladder never sleeps: regular challenges protect your spot and sharpen your game.
- 6
Handicaps keep it close
Turn handicaps on and a challenge against someone stronger starts from a fair place — the app shows the start the moment the challenge is sent.
What is a ladder?
A challenge ladder is the oldest club competition there is: every player ranked on one list, with matches made by challenge rather than fixture. You can challenge players within a set range above you; win and you swap places (or per your club's rule). Because there are no rounds or deadlines, a ladder never finishes — it is a permanent, living ranking of the club.
Tap Leagues replaces the noticeboard: challenges are issued straight from the ladder table, expire automatically if ignored, and matches are scheduled and scored in the app. Admins set the challenge range, expiry window and scoring system once, and the ladder looks after itself from then on.
Why clubs choose ladders
Runs itself
No fixtures to publish and no rounds to manage — members drive the competition by challenging each other.
Always-on competition
There is no season and no waiting: the ladder is live every day of the year.
Perfect matchmaking
Challenge ranges mean you always play someone near your level — and always have a target above you.
Clubs that want a zero-admin, always-on ranking their members can battle over year-round.
Handicaps keep every match close
Handicaps take the sting out of challenging above your level. Each player on the ladder carries a value, and when a challenge is sent both sides see the start — 'Owe 15', '6–0 up each game', '471 to start' — before anyone books a court.
The chance-of-success estimate on a challenge takes the handicap into account, and with adjustment on, values move with results so a fast improver does not stay a bandit for long.
See how handicaps work for your sportGreat for these sports
Frequently asked questions
Do ladders support handicaps?
Yes. Set a value per player in the ladder settings and every challenge shows the resulting start when it is sent and again on the match page. Values can adjust automatically after each result.
How do players join an ongoing ladder?
New players slot in at the bottom (or wherever the admin places them) and climb by challenging — joining mid-season is never a problem because there is no season.
What stops the top player refusing challenges?
Challenges expire: ignore one past the club's window and the ladder can treat it as a walkover or a swap, so sitting on a position is not an option.
Who can I challenge?
Anyone within the challenge range your club sets — commonly three to five places above you — which keeps matches competitive all the way up the ladder.
Can a ladder run alongside a box league?
Yes, and it is a great combination: the league gives structured cycles, the ladder soaks up spontaneous "fancy a game tonight?" matches — both from the same member list.
Not quite the right fit?
Tap Leagues runs five formats — mix and match them at one club.
Run ladders at your club — free
Set up in minutes on the web, and your members play along on iOS and Android.
Download the app today
Download the app today and you can start to manage your clubs on the go.
