By Michelle Williams
A new sport is taking hold at a handful of golf courses around the state of Indiana. Footgolf, a combination of soccer and golf, has just arrived at Wood Wind Golf Club in Westfield. The club is now a member of the United States FootGolf Association, and introduced footgolf at its Grand Opening event on May 10.
The sport kicked off in the U.S. in 2011, supported by Ted Bishop of the PGA of America. Many golf clubs are becoming interested in the sport as a way to attract people to their facilities. In 2014, about 50 golf clubs in the U.S. were certified through the USFGA – a number that has grown to over 200 already this year.
Wood Wind will invite footgolf players to schedule “kick times” Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays after 4 p.m. or anytime on Tuesdays. Director of Golf Scott Heger said footgolf times up well with the pace of regular golf. Wood Wind has integrated a full 18-hole footgolf course on nine holes of the regular golf course – with footgolf holes placed away from the regular putting greens.
Club management is preparing for a learning curve with the introduction of the new sport. “It’s like when snowboarding was introduced to the ski slopes. Not everyone accepted it at first. Not all the ski resorts brought it on. Now it’s part of the Olympics.” said Heger.
Director of Sales Jeff Cohoat expects the sport to appeal to families, stating, “With daylight savings time, you get home from work at 7 p.m., grab your son and spend two hours here having a blast.” Cohoat also said that the club intends to organize leagues and tournaments, and eventually offer footgolf memberships.
Footgolf pricing is less than a regular round of golf. Cohoat said that footgolf is $20 for an adult, whereas a regular round of golf may be up to $59. More information is available at www.woodwindgolf.com.
