Golfers And Soccer Fans Unite For Game Of 'Footgolf' In Buenos Aires

2012-11-13 11,519

Appropriate attire and formal etiquette may seem like the norm when imagining the game of golf.


But, at a local golf course in Buenos Aires, Argentina, ironed khakis and polo shirts are nowhere to be seen.


Instead, a group of Argentines, casually clad in shorts and running shoes, kick around soccer balls ahead of a tournament of "Footgolf".


Footgolf, or soccergolf, combines elements of both soccer and golf and is gaining popularity world-wide.


In fact, the first Footgolf World Cup was held this year in June in Hungary, with over 80 players from eight different countries.


The game's objective, like that of golf, is to sink the ball in the targeted hole in as few kicks - instead of strokes - as possible. The player or team that completes the nine or 18 hole round with the lowest score wins.


While the origin of this fusion sport is unclear, the International Footgolf Association (IFGA) was founded in 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland, by Dutch ex-soccer player Michael Jansen.