It’s not football, it’s not golf, it’s footgolf!
9:40am Saturday 23rd February 2013 in News
A new sport is sweeping the nation — and a local golf club is chipping in.
Hundreds of people are trying out ‘footgolf’ which has got everyone talking at Prestwich Golf Club.
Players complete a course of holes by donning their trainers and kicking a football into a hole.
There is no running or tackling and, just like golf, whoever completes the course in the fewest shots is the winner.
The club’s captain Colin Willis said footgolf is proving to be a smash-hit at the Hilton Lane course, which is set to hold a major international contest in March with players flocking from Hungary, Belgium and Argentina.
“We’ve had a great response to it. It’s been hilarious and everyone loves it. We’ve had men, women, couples and stag parties taking part,” said Colin, aged 55.
He added: “We’ve never had anybody coming off saying ‘never again’.”
The sport came to Prestwich last summer when the UK FootGolf Association emailed to ask if Colin would give it a go.
Colin organised a contest that attracted 60 entrants in October. The next event is on Sunday and the Manchester International Open on March 20 and 21 is expected to attract more than 100 players as it is the first contest of its kind in England.
Colin said: “Some members were wary of the effect it would have on the golf club, but they work alongside each other, with golf competitions in the morning and footgolf later in the day.
“It’s nice, general exercise and then players come into the clubhouse for a couple of drinks or a meal afterwards. I played when we first introduced it. It was fun and, the following day, I could tell that I hadn’t kicked a football in about 30 years.”
Colin said footgolf is proving a real money spinner for the club at a time when, generally, golf clubs are struggling to make ends meet.
He added: “We are not the biggest or busiest club so we are always on the lookout for another form of revenue, especially as lots of people come into the clubhouse afterwards.”
carlchrystan says...
5:16pm Mon 25 Feb 13
I've invented a game that's a hybrid of fencing and darts - can't think of a good name for it, though!
Must go. Off to perfect my rules for 'Crown Cage', something I'm working on, which is, basically, a crossover of crown green bowling and ultimate fighting.