Imagine playing a game of bowls, but instead of rolling a ball towards the target, you hurl a large, bottle-shaped pin, a bit smaller than a baseball bat, at a stick in the ground. That is jukskei.

While first invented in South Africa, the sport has since spread to the United States (US), New Zealand, the Basque Country in Spain, and several African countries.

Jukskei is believed to have originated in 1743 and was first played by settlers in the Cape of Good Hope using parts of an ox wagon.

It also proved popular among those making the Great Trek in the 19th century, and Boland farmers, who would play the game on the beach.

However, it was only in 1939 that jukskei became an organised sport with codified rules. An overarching administrative body (today known as Jukskei South Africa) was formed a year later.

To play, the yoke (juk) of an ox wagon, used between a pair of oxen (which allows the oxen to pull the load together), is disassembled. Players then remove the dividers (skei), which are long wooden beams, from the yoke, giving the sport its name.

One of the beams is placed upright in the ground, and the rest thrown at the target from several metres away.

Today, the skeis range in weight from 700 grammes to 1.4 kilogrammes and are tossed from distances of up to 16 metres.

The pitch resembles that of one used for long jump; however, the sand pit is significantly smaller and square.

Players toss the skeis towards the pen, which is placed in the middle of the pit.

Points are awarded for knocking over the pen (3), the skei landing within a 460mm radius of it (1), or hitting the pen and landing within 460mm of it (3+1).

A game consists of three sets. The goal of a set is to achieve exactly 23 points using the scoring methods. Should a team score above 23, they go bust and have to restart scoring.

Today, the International Jukskei Federation comprises South Africa, the US, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the Basque Country, Benin, Uganda, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, and Botswana.

In the case of the US, American Ottie Reno attended a jukskei tournament in 1972, and upon his return began spreading the word about this newfound game. The Jukskei Association of America was formed in 1975.

Reno said that while the initial appeal of the game was his curiosity, given that it is similar to horseshoe pitching, popularity has since grown, and it is played in states such as Virginia, Ohio, Washington, and New York.

While most competitive matches occur domestically, international competitions often take place between South Africa, Namibia, and the US.