PLAY A ROUND OF FOOTGOLF THIS SUMMER IN THE TWIN CITIES
Try your luck at putting a hole-in-one with a soccer ball
Photo by Brian Roberts/flickr
By Claire Noack
A new sport has been sweeping the nation, and the Twin Cities are game to play. For people with better foot-eye coordination than hand-eye, you’re in luck. The creative game of FootGolf is a soccer-golf hybrid that has been growing in popularity in Minnesota after the first course opened here in 2014. Used as a way to bring more visitors to declining golf courses, FootGolf took off in Minnesota and there are now more than 15 courses around the state.
The rules of FootGolf align with most aspects of golf, apart from using a regulation-sized soccer ball, rather than a golf ball and club. Often played on a golf course, participants kick off from a tee box with the goal of getting a soccer ball into a 21-inch diameter cup in the fewest kicks possible. Another variation from the traditional form of soccer is that FootGolf players do not wear cleats to protect the pristine grass on the golf course. Most people wear indoor soccer shoes or running shoes.
And the great thing about this sport, you don’t need to be a soccer player to play. Players of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to join in the fun. Move aside mini golf, FootGolf may just be the next family-friendly outing with its healthy mix of wholesome amusement and competition. The sport also provides plenty of opportunities to either show off your athletic prowess or laugh with friends at your lack thereof. Summer is the perfect time to get out on the golf course and try something new like FootGolf with friends or family.
Check out one of these Twin Cities’ FootGolf courses:
Afton Alps Golf Course
6600 Peller Ave. S., Hastings
651-436-1320
Apple Valley Golf Course
8661 140th St. W., Apple Valley
952-432-4647
Baker National Golf Course
2935 Parkview Dr., Medina
763-694-7670
Brookland Executive Nine Golf Course
8232 Regent Ave. N., Brooklyn Park
763-488-6497
Chaska Par 30
1207 Hazeltine Blvd., Chaska
612-448-7454
Columbia Golf Course
3300 Central Ave. N.E., Minneapolis
612-789-2627
Craguns Golf Resort
11000 Craguns Dr., Brainerd
800-272-4867
Fiddlestix Golf Course
1081 395th St., Isle
320-676-3636
Hiawatha Golf Course
4553 Longfellow Ave. S., Minneapolis
612-724-7715
Hyland Greens Golf Course
10100 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington
952-563-8868
Majestic Oaks Golf Club
701 Bunker Lake Blvd., Ham Lake
763-755-2142
Mendakota Country Club
2075 Mendakota Dr., Mendota Heights
651-454-4200
Northern Hills Golf Club
4805 41St Ave. N.W., Rochester
507-281-6170
Oak Glen Golf Course
1599 McKusick Rd., Stillwater
651-439-6981
Pebble Creek Golf Club
14000 Club House Dr., Becker
612-261-4653
Rich Spring Golf Club
17467 Fairway Circle, Cold Spring
320-685-8810
Willow Creek Golf Course
1700 S.W. 48th St., Rochester
507-285-0305