Footgolf | A complete guide to the wonderful world of footgolf

Footgolf is still an unknown territory for many football lovers. However, in recent years, we've seen a huge increase of interest in the sport. The footgolf pitches are popping up all around and the competitions are getting bigger with more spectators and higher prize pools. In this extensive guide, Unisport will take you through everything you need to know about the popular sport, from training equipment to what shoes to wear, and even some pro tips from the Swedish National Champion, Alexander. So buckle up and enjoy.

What is footgolf?

Footgolf is the perfect combination between two of the most popular sports in the world, football and golf. Just like in regular golf, the aim is to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible. However, the only required equipment are a pair of healthy legs and a size 5 football. Your feet are your golf clubs. Footgolf courses are often located on regular golf courses. The holes vary between around 50-200 metres and are played as par 3,4 or 5 holes.

Footgolf rules

The rules for footgolf pretty much follow the same as normal golf, but are a lot simpler and with some differences.

For a shot to be legal you have to strike the ball with no extended contact, it has to be one single movement. You may not push the ball or use the sole of your foot. Whoever is the furthest away from the pin in your group of players should take the next shot. If your ball ends up in a sand bunker you have to take your shot without any form of a run-up. Water hazards are marked with red sticks. If you end up in a water hazard you may place the ball within 2 metres of the position where your ball entered the hazard and not closer to the pin.

Some courses also have local rules that you have to pay attention to. For example there are some courses where you are not allowed to kick the ball from the golf greens etc.

Footgolf Equipment

If you are trying out footgolf for the first time, it is definitely best to pick a sunny day sometime in the summer. For maximal performance and experience, I would suggest you play in comfortable sporting clothes. And if you are playing on a regular golf course, you should make sure to respect the dress codes some golf clubs might have.

Footgolf Shoes

An important thing to know before you go out for a round of footgolf is that normal football boots with studs are not allowed. Instead, I highly recommend you invest in a pair of turf shoes (TF). TF football boots have small studs that will provide you with the grip required for you to not slip and hurt yourself when kicking the ball. The studs are small enough to not damage the surface you are playing on so you won’t have to worry about some grumpy old golfers complaining…

A personal recommendation from me would be to go for a pair from the adidas Predators collection. I recently went for the Predator 20.3:s and they are the most comfortable shoes, I’ve used so far.

Check out Unisport's entire TF boots selection right here.

Footgolf Ball

There are two important things you are looking for when you choose the right ball for you - power and precision. Finding this balance is hard for many people and sometimes you might want to have a different ball for a specific course depending on the length and technical difficulty.

A ball that I use a lot is the adidas Uniforia Matchball. I see it as a very reliable and neutral choice. You know what you’ll get from it and it does not disappoint, so when you manage to hit a tree, you can blame no one but yourself.

How hard should you inflate the ball?

In normal football a match ball is normally inflated to around 0,8-0,9 bar depending on the recommendation of the football. In footgolf, however, it is normal to use lower pressure on the football in order to increase your accuracy. With a bit less pressure in the ball, you will find it easier overall to get a good strike on the ball. However, if it’s too little weight in the ball it will be more vulnerable to wind and it won't travel as far. I normally play with somewhere between 0,6 and 0,65 bar for footgolf.

3 Pro tips from the Swedish National Champ

Tip 1. Play safe!!!

The most obvious mistake I see from new players is that they tend to just wack the ball towards the pin with as much power as possible. Most of the time this is not the smartest thing. The more power you use, the less accurate the shot will be. Keep it simple, use the inside of your foot and stay on the fairway!

Tip 2. Think one step ahead

Footgolf is a very strategic sport and you should set yourself up for your next shot at all times. Even if you hit a good strike it’s not always going to be good for you. Know your limits and aim for a position you think will be good for the upcoming shot.

Tip 3. Be confident

Not taking unnecessary risks doesn’t mean risks should never be taken. To be the best you have to overcome challenges that are thrown at you. And to put yourself in the best possible position to do so you need to be confident and believe in yourself. If you go for a shot you don’t fully believe in, the result is likely to disappoint you.

Happy footgolfing!