FootGolf 101

What is FootGolf?

FootGolf combines football and golf: players kick a football around a course of holes (typically enlarged, around 21 inches/53cm across) in as few kicks as possible, using standard golf scoring — lowest total strokes (kicks) wins.

Basic Rules

  • Played on purpose-built or adapted golf courses with enlarged holes.
  • Each kick counts as one stroke, same as a golf shot.
  • Players tee off from a marked tee area, using a tee to elevate the ball for the first kick on each hole.
  • The ball must be played as it lies — no touching it by hand except to place it on the tee or retrieve it from the hole.
  • Standard football size 5 balls are used, though many competitive players use purpose-built match balls (like the VYPR S1) designed to fly further and hold a truer line.
  • Scoring follows golf conventions: par, birdie, bogey etc. all apply per hole.

Equipment You'll Need

  • A match ball — a proper footgolf/match ball rather than a standard football improves distance and control.
  • A tee — required for your first kick on every hole; metal, wood or plastic tees are all used, per your association's rules.
  • A ball marker — used to mark your ball's position on the green-equivalent area so it can be lifted without penalty.
  • Comfortable footwear suited to the course — football boots or firm-ground trainers are common.

How Competition Levels Are Structured

Most players progress through a similar structure:

  1. Club & midweek leagues — casual, regular competition at a local club, the entry point for most players.
  2. National tours — each country's federation (e.g. the FootGolf Association of England, Scotland or Wales) runs a season-long ranked tour across multiple events, split into categories (Men's, Women's, Junior, Senior, etc).
  3. World-level events — the FIFG (Federation for International FootGolf) oversees international competition, including the FIFG World Tour and World Cup, plus continental events like the European Championships.

You can follow live rankings, fixtures and results for England, Scotland and Wales at VYPR World HQ.