What can a UK golf club do when golf participation is declining and soccer participation is growing? The easiest solution is to enable footgolf. In the US, footgolf is so popular that even NGCOA has recognized the American FootGolf League (AFGL) as the “Governing Body for the Sport of FootGolf in the U.S.” and it’s “Official FootGolf Organization". Robert Balestrini (Founder, American FootGolf League) believes that footgolf is a good way to introduce both millenials and minorities (e.g. Hispanics) to the world of golf.
In the UK, footgolf is not totally new. Today, you can find cca. 120 golf clubs where you can play footgolf. Most of them are 9-hole golf courses, but we can find some 18-hole golf courses as well.
Heythrop Park Resort (UK) has just developed a custom-built 9-hole FootGolf golf course is adjacent to the championship Bainbridge Course. It has been purpose-built for FootGolf in an area not previously used for golf.
This is the 1st footgolf golf course in a golf resort in the UK. The FootGolf course at Heythrop Park was co-designed by UK FootGolf’s Head of Development, Gareth May, and the sport’s 2014 Order Of Merit Champion, Ben Clarke. It is interesting that Heythrop Park Resort unlike other golf clubs, they are not forced to offer footgolf to tackle declining golf participation.
The resort’s new FootGolf course is open seven days a week, and is playable during daylight hours from just £7.50 for 9 holes (£4 for under-16s).