Here’s all I have to say about the advent of footgolf: “It’s about freakin' time.” Anything that essentially combines my two favorite participatory sports — and knee-high argyle socks — has my full attention and support.
I had known there was something out there like this, but until I read this piece, more than a year ago, I had no idea it was so well developed, and so intrinsically awesome. As a devotee of disc golf, I embrace the "root" game in all its alternative forms. But this one takes alternative to a new level. There are world championships and leagues, even a rule book, to be consulted in the event one’s approach hits the pin and ricochets backward into a lake. (Of course, if that should happen, the ball would be floating on the surface and could presumably be retrieved, prior to a legal drop). Check out more information here.
In the past 12 months, here in the U.S., we have seen the advent of footgolf courses by the dozen, as traditional golf courses — attempting to combat a golfing population (and revenues) that would appear to be shrinking — reach out to an entirely new demographic. See here a piece MM helped a client write and place in a prominent industry journal. Approximately 2-3 footgolf holes can be fit inside a single traditional golf hole, so an entire 18 can be housed inside a traditional 9-hole loop. This means a public golf course can set aside 9 for golfers and 9 for footgolfers — though there's no reason they cannot co-exist. My brother and I sampled the footgolf course at Sagamore-Hampton GC in coastal NH this summer. We had a stupendous experience, and we sifted into the mix seamlessly. Traditional golfers played in front of us and behind us, and no one was inconvenienced in the slightest.
Soccer and golf have a long and distinguished history together, of course There's the dreaded foot wedge... And there was that time Alan Shearer played through our group at Gleneagles. I'd love to see him hole out with a proper foot wedge and run the length of the hole with his signature hand held high.