KUALA LUMPUR, After going through a game of footgolf, one should realise how non-strenuous and laid-back it is, a great fun get-together with friends while you perspire by briskly walking the 18-hole golf course. Footgolf combines two of the most popular sports in the world, football and golf, where your legs are the golf clubs, and you kick the size-five football to the designated hole in as few tries as possible. The head of Dynamic Eagle Footgolf Club Development Program (DEFG) Muhammad Rozaimi Abdul Kadir Jelani said to play, one does not need to be a skilled football player, but the skills would still help to make excellent kicks. In terms of attire, he said one would have to don sports attire for ease of movement and also to respect the dress codes some golf clubs might have, while studded shoes are not allowed, only futsal shoes or shoes that don't damage the green and fairway. 'For a start, it is alright to put on futsal, turf or sport shoes, but for safety, the advisable footwear is turf shoes e specially when it rains and when entering a tournament, one has to adhere to turf shoes and collared shirts,' he told Bernama recently. According to Muhammad Rozaimi, footgolf is played by six in a team to make up a complete flight, and each ball is then kicked to its destination, a hole at the end of the course. He said the tee-off is a pivotal starting point where the ladies' tee-off is nearer to the hole than male participants, and the same is the golf rule. Meanwhile, the terms used in golf, are also utilised in footgolf, for instance, birdie, a shot below par; eagle, two shots below par; and boogie, a shot above par. 'Cost-wise, it is evenly divided amongst the players, it would amount to less than RM40, with the option to rent out size five football for RM10 and lockers to keep valuable items for safekeeping. 'Imagine there's six in a flight, and the total cost for the whole team is RM200. One player would come out with RM30 for a game that lasts about three hours,' he said. Muhammad Rozaimi said The Club at Bukit Utama, Damansara, offers an excellent location for foot golfers in the Klang Valley,' adding that another location offering footgolf in Klang Valley is Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam. He said those two locations pull a different crowd because the one in Bukit Jelutong is available during the day while The Club offers footgolf to be played at night with floodlights. The other locations for footgolf courses in Malaysia would be Kuala Ibai, Terengganu; Desaru, Johor; and Sungai Petani, Kedah. Muhammad Rozaimi said in Asia, Japan is the country that started footgolf and the sport is gaining ground in Malaysia during the Movement Control Order (MCO) in 2020. He said last year, Malaysia participated in the World Cup USA in Orlando, United States and was ranked eighth in the world out of 42 teams. "There are not many development programmes and there is no much promotion of this sport, it is probably known among friends," he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency
