‘What is this?’ Footgolf on the rise with World Cup on horizon

F ootgolf, as the name suggests, is a sport combining elements of football and golf. “The easiest way to explain it,” says Steve Senyard, captain of the Australian national footgolf team, “is that it’s an offshoot of golf using a soccer ball. We’re basically kicking the ball, instead of using the club. The holes are larger, so the ball can fit. But otherwise it’s played using golf rules.”

This week, Senyard and a 12-strong national team arrived in Orlando, Florida, for the 2023 Footgolf World Cup. Following a weekend of practice, the tournament will begin on Monday and run for over a week. The event is the fourth edition of the Footgolf World Cup; the first tournament was held in Hungary just over a decade ago.

Australia has never won a World Cup medal, and face tough competition in Orlando. The travelling squad is one of the smaller delegations, with 1,000 players from across 40 nations expected. But having won the Asian Cup in 2019, upsetting the likes of heavyweights Japan, the Australians believe anything is possible.

“Australia is definitely coming in as an underdog, people aren’t talking about us too much,” says Brisbane-based Senyard. “But I’ve seen interviews lately with people saying Japan [are a contender] – and we beat them to take out the Asian Cup. So we definitely have a chance to finish in the top 10, maybe even the podium.”

One of the team’s star players, Josh Ackland, is more emphatic. “While we’re up against the best in the world, my goal is always to win,” he says. “And my goal for the World Cup is no different.”

F ootgolf is a sport on the rise. While it remains a niche activity in Australia, footgolf has been experiencing an uptick in participation – and is booming in a number of other countries.