Foot Golf Experiences

[Braivo]

A local par 3 added foot golf last year. I tried it out twice.

The first time, I took my kids and we all played foot golf exclusively. I enjoyed it. It's more tiring than I expected and turned into a decent workout. 

The second time, my daughter and I played regular golf while my sons played foot golf alongside us (they aren't interested in golf just yet). This was a great experience. I am a single father of three, so getting to play golf with one kid, alone, is rare. The fact that I could bring my other kids along and they could keep busy booting a soccer ball around the course was fantastic. I could see this being a big win for smaller courses like this one, but also could help grow the game as we simply get more kids exposed to golf and golf courses. 

I think the model likely works best for smaller par 3 courses. This particular one has holes ranging from 60-120 yards. Even at this length, playing 18 holes of foot golf was work. Also, this is likely to create crossovers like my situation where some players play regular golf while others play foot golf. The time to play was short (about 90 minutes) and could attract families with both golfers and non-golfers. 

I'd call it a win for the game. 

[mcanadiens]

My home complex, Kittyhawk put foot golf holes into our par-3, the Falcon, about a year and a half ago.

Having no kids, I've never tried it. I was happy that they placed the foot golf holes in places out of the way enough to not cause any real problems from a golf standpoint. The one part that does bug me is that some of the kids will loose interest halfway through the round and walk across holes back to the parking lot. I've already seen a few close calls where kids magically appear out of a grove of trees as a ball whistles past a head.

I have no idea if the course is making much additional revenue off foot golf. If they are, its a good thing.

 

[Piz]

An executive course, in my orbit, has an 18 hole foot golf layout incorporated in the front nine.  The foot golfers blend in well and it's nice to see younger people out and enjoying the place.  On a related note; there is a dry-erase board, in the club house, on which the months holes-in-one are displayed.  Golfers are to note the hole number, yardage, and club used.  Foot golfers note the hole and foot used.  I've been campaigning to include shoe size...with mixed results.  I like the concept of a multiple use facility.  It reminds me of those old railway posters of St. Andrews.

[CarlSpackler]

55 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

My home complex, Kittyhawk put foot golf holes into our par-3, the Falcon, about a year and a half ago.

Having no kids, I've never tried it. I was happy that they placed the foot golf holes in places out of the way enough to not cause any real problems from a golf standpoint. The one part that does bug me is that some of the kids will loose interest halfway through the round and walk across holes back to the parking lot. I've already seen a few close calls where kids magically appear out of a grove of trees as a ball whistles past a head.

I have no idea if the course is making much additional revenue off foot golf. If they are, its a good thing.

I didn't see many foot golfers there. I think it's a fad that will pass unless state or other parks put in FG courses that you don't have to pay to play on like many of the Frisbee golf courses. 

[mcanadiens]

33 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I didn't see many foot golfers there. I think it's a fad that will pass unless state or other parks put in FG courses that you don't have to pay to play on like many of the Frisbee golf courses. 

Nobody is trying to suggest foot golf is going to set the world on fire. It's more of a question of whether or not this gives the course a bit of a revenue boost or not. It's hard for me to tell. An older buddy of mine has a tough time hitting the ball very far and massively prefers to play the Falcon, so we're out there once every week or two. We'll generally see a foot golfer about one out of every two or three visits. I wonder if they've recouped the cost to install the holes to begin with.  

[Braivo]

1 hour ago, CarlSpackler said:

I didn't see many foot golfers there. I think it's a fad that will pass unless state or other parks put in FG courses that you don't have to pay to play on like many of the Frisbee golf courses. 

This is a fair point, I see this becoming more of a thing in local parks than at golf courses, if it becomes a thing at all. For as much as my kids enjoyed it, they didn't ask to go back, and trust me, if they like something, they ask to go back!

[Patch]

Just saw this foot golf topic. My grand daughters are playing this with their friends at their local park. I assume it's the same, as they kick a ball to hit a target. Lowest number of kicks wins.

They like it because they can use their soccer gear, without the getting bounced around by other players. No injuries either. Just kicking the ball is what they like. 

[CarlSpackler]

1 hour ago, mcanadiens said:

Nobody is trying to suggest foot golf is going to set the world on fire. It's more of a question of whether or not this gives the course a bit of a revenue boost or not. It's hard for me to tell. An older buddy of mine has a tough time hitting the ball very far and massively prefers to play the Falcon, so we're out there once every week or two. We'll generally see a foot golfer about one out of every two or three visits. I wonder if they've recouped the cost to install the holes to begin with.  

I wondered the same thing. I think KHMA had a fun foot golf event and it sounds like the participants were pretty gassed afterwards.

51 minutes ago, Braivo said:

This is a fair point, I see this becoming more of a thing in local parks than at golf courses, if it becomes a thing at all. For as much as my kids enjoyed it, they didn't ask to go back, and trust me, if they like something, they ask to go back!

The one concern they may have is an injury lawsuit from the big holes in the ground.

[mcanadiens]

5 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I wondered the same thing. I think KHMA had a fun foot golf event and it sounds like the participants were pretty gassed afterwards

Those dudes. Ha. I'm counting on their ever-increasing age to keep me at the top of C Flight for many years to come.

[SavvySwede]

5 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I wondered the same thing. I think KHMA had a fun foot golf event and it sounds like the participants were pretty gassed afterwards.

The one concern they may have is an injury lawsuit from the big holes in the ground.

Interesting, the one course near me with footgolf has lids they put over the holes while not in use.

[CarlSpackler]

9 minutes ago, SavvySwede said:

Interesting, the one course near me with footgolf has lids they put over the holes while not in use.

I haven't seen that. It would make sense. 

[bkuehn1952]

We have played foot golf a few times.  I works well with a mixed group of non-golfers and golfers.  Pretty much everyone can kick a ball as opposed to hit a golf shot.

We play a "best ball".  Once one footer holes out for a "4", if the rest of us are at 4 or higher we all pick up and move on with a team score of "4".