New sport that mixes golf and soccer arrives in San Antonio

Travis Salkowski, right, makes his putt on the one green during a round of Footgolf at Willow Springs Golf Course, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013. In back is Collin Sculley. The players use a soccer ball on the course that takes up the front nine of the regular course. Some of the longer holes contain two to three holes for a total of 18 holes over the half course. less Travis Salkowski, right, makes his putt on the one green during a round of Footgolf at Willow Springs Golf Course, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013. In back is Collin Sculley. The players use a soccer ball on the course ... more Photo: San Antonio Express-News Photo: San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close New sport that mixes golf and soccer arrives in San Antonio 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — That's not an errant soccer team invading the front nine.

Those people kicking soccer balls into giant holes at Willow Springs Golf Course are playing FootGolf, a sport that combines — you guessed it — soccer and golf.

The idea is simple: Try to sink a soccer ball into the hole using as few kicks as possible. It's easy to learn, and there's no need to lug expensive golf clubs — your foot serves as putter, driver, wedge and every other club.

“It's an absolute blast,” said Jonathan Aken, a golfer who recently discovered FootGolf. “It's very addicting. It's something everybody can do. Anybody can kick a ball. But trying to get it to stop where you want it to stop is a challenge.”

The course opened in late October at Willow Springs, a municipal course adjacent to the AT&T Center that's part of the Alamo City Golf Trail. It's the only FootGolf course in Texas certified by the American FootGolf League, the governing body for the sport of FootGolf in the United States. Another course is set to open west of Fort Worth in the spring.

The sport migrated to the U.S. from Europe and is growing rapidly; nearly 20 golf courses — mostly in California — have added certified FootGolf courses since 2012, with several more on tap.

“It mixes one of the most prestigious sports with one of the fastest-growing, most popular sports in the U.S.,” said Laura Balestrini, president of the American FootGolf League.

The game is a way to attract people who otherwise might never have visited a golf course — especially younger people — and bring in additional revenue, said Travis Salkowski, an administrator at Alamo City Golf Trail.

“We get golfers and we get soccer players, but it's easy for anyone to learn,” Salkowski said. “It's good for families and groups.”

Like putting in golf, FootGolf requires finesse, said Collin Sculley, Willow Springs course manager and FootGolf coordinator. Players must read the terrain to determine how hard to kick the ball and where to aim it.

“You're using the lay of the land the entire length of the hole,” Sculley said. “Visualizing the contours and where you're going to place your ball — and then visualizing where, once it hits, it's going to roll from there — plays a big part in your final shot and in your decision-making.”

The 18-hole FootGolf course at Willow Springs was built along the first nine holes of the golf course. Because it's more difficult to kick a ball a couple of hundred yards than it is to drive a golf ball that distance, the length of each hole is shorter. The Willow Springs FootGolf course ranges from a 60-yard par-3 hole to a 216-yard par-5.

Some of the FootGolf holes are on the actual golf course's fairways, and others are off to the side of the greens. The holes, 21 inches in diameter, are marked with bright yellow flags.

More Information FootGolf 101 What: A game modeled on golf that uses a tee box, a green, hazards and 18 holes of play. Each hole has a par. Players try to get a soccer ball into a 21-inch hole using as few kicks as possible. History: Playing a golflike game with a soccer ball has been an informal activity for decades, but the Netherlands standardized the rules and organized the first tournament in 2009. The American FootGolf League was founded in 2011, and the first course established in Wisconsin in 2012. The first World Cup of FootGolf was held in Hungary in 2012. Local connection: Willow Springs Golf Course, 202 AT&T Parkway When: Tee times available between 1 p.m. and dusk daily Equipment: Standard size 5 soccer ball; players can bring their own or rent balls at the course. Attire: Regular golf attire with indoor soccer shoes, tennis shoes or soft-spike golf shoes; no soccer cleats. Tournaments require players to wear classic golf uniform, including knee-high argyle socks and flat golf cap. Pace of play: An 18-hole round averages two hours and 15 minutes. Rates: $15; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for ages 18 and younger. Willow Springs will waive FootGolf rates Dec. 18-31 as an introductory promotion; does not include rental of carts or balls. Info: 210-226-6721; alamocitygolftrail.com Tournament: Willow Springs will host an American FootGolf League tournament March 22-23.



American FootGolf League

FootGolf at Willow Springs Golf Course

The FootGolf course is open beginning at 1 p.m. daily when fewer golfers are playing. In the morning, when the course isn't in use, the oversized holes are covered with grass caps.

FootGolf players must book a tee time at the course just as golfers do, and golfers and FootGolfers play at the same time. FootGolf players must keep up the same pace of play and observe the same course etiquette as golfers.

The new game has confused and intrigued some longtime golfers at Willow Springs, who sometimes stop their own games to watch.

The learning curve for FootGolf isn't as steep as that of golf, which can be a difficult, frustrating sport to learn, Sculley said. It's not unusual for a first-time player to score a bogey — just one kick over par.

Still, the ball-to-hole ratio for FootGolf is slightly smaller than the ball-to-hole ratio for golf. That means sinking a soccer ball is more difficult, but the giant hole can make it seem easier.

“When you see the hole, you think, 'I can get it in there!'” Sculley said.

Another difference: While a ball used in FootGolf is vulnerable to the same hazards as golf balls, a soccer ball floats, so a player who kicks the ball into water can fish it out.

Although some FootGolf players choose to compete in tournaments, it generally is a more social, less rigid game than golf, Salkowski said, focused more on group fun than individual scores.

“If you make one shot, it's enough to make you come back for more,” Aken said.

jbelasco@express-news.net