Last Updated on: 19th June 2023, 04:39 pm
What else could we choose for the top spot? A game that combines two classic British sports in one fun package. Football golf is a great way to have fun and work on your precision. All you need is a football and a DIY golf course.
Football Golf
Depending on how big your garden is, you can adjust this game to suit your needs. You can have multiple holes or just one. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get the same range as you would on a standard footgolf course but you can add hazards to make things interesting.
Why it’s useful
Footgolf is a great way to practise accuracy and control. To get the fewest number of shots, a player needs to be aware of where they need to be aiming for. This isn’t a game that requires power but precision. Particularly as they won’t be kicking it for another player to intercept. So players need to carefully judge the power of each shot to get it to land exactly where they need it.
Basic rules
Footgolf is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Like golf, you’re trying to reach the hole in as few strokes as possible. Unlike golf, you’re kicking a football instead of using a club. There are official rules for playing the game that you can follow if you like but, as you’re in your garden, you can change them to suit your needs.
Here are the basics:
- Stand behind the markers to kick-off.
- Your foot must be off the ball before you kick.
- The ball must be played in a single movement.
- You cannot stop the ball yourself.
- The order of kick-off is based on the scores in the previous round. The lowest score will go first and the highest will go last.
- Play the ball from where it lands. (You may lift the ball and mark the spot if it will be in the way of another player.)
- The player furthest from the hole goes first.
Holes?
Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to dig up your garden. There are plenty of easy ways that you can recreate a golf course at home. If you have any flat markers then you can use one as your target or use football cones to mark out the area you’re aiming for. Alternatively, you can set a bucket/plant pot on its side and aim for that. Or, if you want to challenge yourself, set it upright and chip the ball into it.
However, to make this an even more engaging activity for your children, why not make your own targets? Cut a circle out of card that is large enough for your football to land on. Have your children design flags and create colourful targets to land on.
Footgolf game
Each player gets a distinctive ball and a scorecard. Each kick counts as one stroke. The person with the fewest strokes wins.
Simplify it
You can always make the game a little simpler if you have younger children or limited space. Play the game more like boules and simply try to get as close to your target as possible.
- Throw a smaller ball or place a marker on the ground.
- Each player must kick their football towards the marker.
- The player who ends up closest to the marker wins the round.
If you have enough footballs, each player can have multiple goes to reach the target as long as it is clear which ball belongs to which player. Adding more balls means giving players the chance to knock their opponents away from the target.
Pendle at home
Pendle is here to make sure that you have everything that you need to get your fill of football until it returns. Check out our range of training equipment and keep playing.
