Footgolf Tips

Footgolf isn’t complicated. It’s one of the easiest sports to get in to, get playing, and have a good time. In this post we look at learning how to play Footgolf, and the best hints and tips we can give you.

1. Just Get Started!

It sounds simple, but honestly, that’s our number one tip. The simplest way to learn is to get out on to a course and have a go. You don’t need much except a pair of trainers. You’ll find many of the UK courses offer ball rental for free or a small charge. Different courses offer different challenges, so whilst you might end up with your local favourite, to really improve your game you need to up the ante by visiting other courses.

Don’t worry about fancy-pants gear with argyle socks just yet. Simply get a sporting attitude on, and book a tee-off time at your local Footgolf course, and get started!

Footgolf Frenzy’s Beginner’s Tip:

Remember, Footgolf is a game that anyone can play – from as soon as you can kick a football, so be fearless when you get onto the course with a can-do attitude.

2. Understand the Footgolf Rules

Basically, the rules of Footgolf, certainly for the beginner, aren’t complicated. The concept is very similar to golf: to get your ball in to the hole in as few strikes as possible. The fewer kicks you do the better. You’re going to have short holes and long ones, and the odd obstacle here or there.

Footgolf Frenzy’s Beginner’s Tip:

Don’t get bogged down in the rules to begin with unless you want to play competitively. The Footgolf club you first try a game at will be happy to give you a quick rundown of the rules if you want.

3. Know Some Handy Shortcuts 

We’ve previously gave some useful tips for your first ever Footgolf game here, but let’s add a few more.  These little tricks for the beginner Footgolfer will get you acting like an experienced player from the start.

Footgolf Frenzy’s Beginner’s Tips:

• Place your ball as far forward within the tee box as permitted. This way you maximise your first kick!

• Aim for a low trajectory with minimal spin. Don’t waste your energy by kicking high unless you really have to in order to get over an obstacle.

• Save spin for when you’ve mastered the basics.

4. Remember, The Approach Shot is Tricky

You might be so close but yet so far. The final shot to get the ball in a hole can be particularly hard to master. Think of a child on a crazy golf course and the levels of frustration and you’ll soon have the idea. You need to carefully judge how far the ball needs to travel, and therefore how hard your kick should be.

Footgolf Frenzy’s Beginner’s Tip:

Really concentrate and think though that final shot on each hole. As EverythingFootgolf.net says: “If you have ever played soccer before, you are accustomed to passing the ball towards a person who stops the ball before it can roll to a rest.  It’s therefore easy to misjudge how long it takes the ball to stop.”

5. Think Football AND Golf

The problem some newbies have when they come to Footgolf is that they are either too preoccupied with golf, or too preoccupied with football. Footgolf really is a hybrid and to become the best you need to hone skills used in both. Golfers are used to the precision and challenge of a varying course, as well as the rules. Footballers are used to the long kicks, not necessarily highly accurate. You need to combine the two to be good at Footgolf.

Footgolf Frenzy’s Beginner’s Tip:

Kevin Ward, winner of the Suffolk Open Footgolf Championship Stonham Barns 2015 says: “Footgolf combines the distinction, elegance and precision of golf with the passion, energy and fun of football…” 

6. How Much to Inflate the Ball

Footgolf is a big thing in Argentina. So much so that already Argentine top players are already securing sponsorship despite the youthful age of the game. This means they know a thing or two when it comes to how to get the best performance on a Footgolf course.

Footgolf Frenzy’s Beginner’s Tip:

Mark ‘Woody’ Woodward, President of New Jersey Footgolf in the USA says: “There’s talk—unsubstantiated, of course—that they deflate and inflate the ball as they move through the course: firm for big air and bounce; soft for more feel and friction. Sometimes, it’s whispered, balls are adjusted between strokes.” The legalities of this aren’t quite clear cut, but there’s no doubting that the inflation of the ball affects the kick.

What Does Footgolf Cost?

A regular round of Footgolf in the UK will cost you between £4 and £15 depending on where you are in the UK, where you’re looking to play, and the day you choose. Most courses can see you enjoying 18 holes for around £8, and 9 holes for around £5.

Give Footgolf a go and see how you get on!