We had a chance to speak with American FootGolf president Laura Balestrini. Below is our interview about the new sport you and all your friends will want to be playing.
Where did FootGolf get its start?
FootGolf as a "game" has been played since forever in more than thirty countries and under different rules and names. FootGolf as a "sport" started around 2009 and the first "official" tournament on a golf course was organized in the Netherlands.
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This is a link showing the last hole of the first event.
Where in the United States is FootGolf currently played?
In the USA, FootGolf is played in Florida, California, Wisconsin, Nevada and Virginia. We are developing Chicago area soon, and have request from almost every state. It will make it to all of states over the next few years. The interest is there!
Are there any international competitions currently held in FootGolf?
Yes, basically every two months. Mostly in Europe (there was International tournaments in Hungary, Italy, Norway and England and coming soon Netherlands), South Africa has just join us and France, Spain and Canada will be joining soon. South America (Argentina) has local tournaments almost every other week in a half dozen different cities). In North America, Mexico's Montorrey FotoGolf Open was in March, the Puerto Rico FootGolf Open at Waldorf Astoria El Conquistador was in April and the USA organized the Heineken FootGolf Open in Oxnard, CA with over 100 players back in May 19th. The AFGL is organizing a big event July 14th at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex (Sacramento, CA) expecting to be sold out with 144 players from a few countries, one in Chicago for September and one in October 26th/27th which will take place in Las Vegas, with 144 players from more than 10 countries. Japan is also sending a foursome to Sacramento in two weeks.
What can people do if they are interested in bringing FootGolf to a golf course near them?
FootGolf enthusiasts or people interested in promoting the "The best game ever invented" may contact the AFGL for information by phone at (760) 325-0383, sending a text message to (970) 310-7658 or emailing at [email protected] – In Spanish language they can contact us at (415) 690-0113.
What is done to local golf courses to prepare them for FootGolf play?
The AFGL helps courses to design their FootGolf course, we give them guidance with the distances and layout and advise on the best path of play. We have special holes that they can purchase that are regular FootGolf cups that come with a lid so they can be covered when not in use. We also provide them with the rules for which we play under, the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG). We help them contact and develope a plan to get the word out in their community and to make the contacts with the soccer players who of course, are going to be excited about the sport!
In golf a score of 70 or 72 is usually “par”. What is a normal “par” score in FootGolf and what would be considered a very good score?
FootGolf has a par same as golf, most course are somewhere around a 72 par, so like golf shooting under par is the goal. At our tournaments, the winner always come in an average of 3 under par.
Could a superstar soccer player like Cristiano Ronaldo excel at FootGolf or is there a different skill set needed?
Professional soccer players always do very well but this sport is played like golf: no running, individually or up to 4 players, no physical contact with other FootGolfers, it requires power for the long drive and precision for the putting. You're not allowed to use your head, knees or your hands . You have to simply kick the #5 soccer ball and you can't hold or push it. Sometimes it is interesting to see how the amateurs have better score than professionals.
Have any big name soccer players tried their hand (or foot) at FootGolf?
Many! Roy Makaay, Juan Sebastian Veron, Ruud Gullit among other like Juan Manuel Asensi former Barcelona FC player or Coentrao, Varane e Oezil and even Diego Forlan while running TV commercials for Adidas or Bwin. There is also a show in Argentina called "Esto es FotoGolf" (This is FootGolf) were every week two or three former and active local professional soccer players play a round of three holes of FootGolf while being interviewed by a sports caster (In the USA the show is on the air ever Friday on Direct TV Channel 427).
What else can you tell us about FootGolf?
FootGolf is something that everyone looks at and thinks " I could play that" and then they take a second look and say " I could be pretty good at that"! You know kids at 2 or 3 can kick a ball and adults at 70 can still kick a ball. It is not as stressful as golf and it still gives people a chance to get out on a beautiful course and have some fun with friends and family. We have been told that this sport could help save many golf courses and it brings them new blood to their course. Golf is missing the 18-35 demographic for 3 reasons, it's difficult, it's expensive and it takes to long. This sport solves all those problem and there will be many who will come to play Golf because they got introduced to it through FootGolf.
What is your vision for FootGolf in the United States?
The American FootGolf League (AFGL) estimates a number between 24 to 30 Certified FootGolf courses by the end of the year, an average of one per state by July 2014 and a few hundred over the next few years. Since there are between 15,000 to 20,000 golf courses in the US and with the economy affecting the industry, we believe that even a couple of thousand in the next decade could be possible. Many golf courses are seriously looking for different ways to generate more income. Since FootGolf holes are located on the fairway, by the rough, yards away from the greens and is played in an average of two hours using the same landscape as golf and requires no added maintenance it is a perfect second activity. FootGolfers dress with golf apparel and indoor/turf soccer shoes (no cleats) so they don't damage the grounds.
(image courtesy of FootGolf)
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