Sport of the Week – Hornussen

Sport of the Week – Hornussen - with John Hartley and Geoff Peterfy 0:00 8:51

What is Hornussen

Imagine extending a golf club, but the extension to that golf club is more of a whip. Now, smack a hockey puck as far as you can with it toward your teammates who are holding up picket signs and you’ve got Hornussen. It’s a bizarre Swiss golf/baseball sport.

Hornussen History

Hornussen, as with many European sports, was originally a game of war, with the object to hit the enemy with the projectile. The sport dates back to the 1600s with the earliest reference in the records of 1625 in a complaint about the breaking of the Sabbath.

Hornussen is sometimes referred to as Farmers Golf as it was a sport that was quite popular amongst farmers. It is reported that such events enabled farmers from villages to pit their strength against each other and to regulate disputes between villages. Many times the peaceful sport would not be enough and the Hornussen games were followed by wild brawls. The first known competitive Hornussen game took place in 1655 in Trub.

Who Plays Hornussen

Mostly Switzerland. Efforts have been made to expand the sport into other countries, but so far there haven’t been many takers. In the United States at least 20 club teams have been established since 2012, but that by no means makes it a thriving sport. Other variations include Red Bull Hornussen which is more similar to a longest drive contest and is sometimes played at night with a glow in the dark Hornuss.

How Is Hornussen Played

The Hornus or Nouss is set on a metal ramp and kept in place with a piece of clay

The batter propels it through the air with his Tråf toward the other players

If the Nouss hits the ground unhindered, it’s points against the defense

Winner is the team with the fewer points at the end of the game

Teams of 18, each player hits twice in a quarter, each team gets 2 quarters

Games last about 3 to 4 hours

Scoring Breakdown

And an example of the Red Bull Hornussen: