Foot golf: Ōtūmoetai Golf Club gives foot golf a home

Ōtūmoetai Golf Club member Andy Bowkett putts the ball on the foot golf course. Photo / Adyn Ogle

Ōtūmoetai Golf Club is putting its best foot forward for a new attraction at the club.

Foot golf has arrived at Ōtūmoetai and the final open day, where people can try the sport free of charge, will be held on Sunday. The newly-added course has hosted open days in the past few weeks, with up to 50 players taking part.

Foot golf is exactly as imagined, kicking a football into a half-metre cup and aiming to complete the course in the fewest shots possible. The course at Ōtūmoetai was designed by committee member Roger Craw, has a par score of 70 and the shortest hole is 55m while the longest is 200m.

Ōtūmoetai Golf Club manager Kevin Steward says the decision to include the sport in the club's operations is based on what seems to be growing popularity in the activity.

"We were looking at adding more activities to the club and the facilities. The idea of foot golf came up. We looked at other areas that had put it in and decided to go ahead with it," Steward says.

"With the amount of kids playing football now we thought it would be an added attraction and an income structure for the club. Investigations we did showed in some areas in the UK, courses had closed as traditional golf facilities," he says.

For those of us who struggle to keep the golf ball on the short grass, foot golf does offer a simpler way to play the game, although putting is just as tricky.

"We found over the years with corporate golf events a lot of people can't actually make contact with a golf ball. Anybody can play it, when we first launched it we had some of our elder ladies come and have a kick."

Steward says the club will still accommodate its members' needs in traditional golf and believes all the club members are enthusiastic about the new addition.

He says growing the game and making it work with the current setup is important.

"We envisage having twilight competitions during the summer, where we put teams against each other."

Foot golf at Ōtūmoetai Golf Club:
• Open day hours between 3pm and 5pm
• To book a time call 07 576 9739 or email info@otumoetaigolf.co.nz
• All welcome at no charge
• Wear your trainers (no boots, sprigs or cleats)
• Bring your own soccer ball and pencil to record your score
• Foot golf is suitable for all ages, men, women and the kids