Background information
Preview of the 2025 World Darts Championship: Six Germans and one Swiss at the start
by Kim Muntinga
"The chances of a Swiss world champion are good"
6.12.2018
Translation: machine translated
Footgolf. Never heard of it? That's how I felt until recently. But the World Cup is coming up. Now I know: football on the golf course requires the perfect mix of iron foot, sensitivity and mental strength. And positively crazy people like Julien Babel.
"Footgolf has always been around," says the president. Every footballer loves the target shooting, the little challenge with their team-mates. Who will hit the crossbar? Who will play the ball closer to the corner flag? Because Julien Babel had many goals and always had more fun, he helped to establish the pastime as a sport in its own right in Switzerland. Today, the 34-year-old not only plays on golf courses, but is also President of the Association Suisse de Footgolf. The driving force behind a special sport that has developed well.
The game is played according to the rules of golf, in smart kit and with multi-soled shoes on the feet. While golfers can use irons, drivers or putters depending on the situation, footgolfers only have one choice: which ball they use to tackle a hole. Of course, the ball is always the same size, but depending on the terrain profile, more or less air pressure can be decisive for rolling behaviour. When the third World Cup begins on 9 December in Marrakech, the Swiss team will have 23 players at the start. When I visit the tournament website for the first time, I am quite surprised at how professional everything looks. It could easily be from FIFA. Unlike in the FIFA universe, however, it's very easy to get in touch with the players. A quick enquiry and I have Julien Babel on the phone.
Julien, there's even a Panini album for the World Cup! Are you all in it?
Julien Babel, President Association Suisse de Footgolf: (laughs) Yes, that's crazy! I've been collecting football stickers since I was eight years old. Now we're on it ourselves and swap with each other. We footgolfers are a big international Community and we all know each other.
The tournament seems to be well organised and quite big.
Footgolf is growing fast. Eight nations took part in the first World Cup in 2012, now there are 35. The quality and media interest are increasing, and for the first time there is also a women's and a senior competition. That's all good for the sport and of course we're delighted.
What makes a good footgolfer
? Of course, it helps to be a good footballer. We have ex-national player Matias Vitkieiviez in our team, for example. But it also helps to be able to play golf and read the course in order to find the right line. Some players don't have the best technique but are still very good. And even the best players are 50 per cent mental. You have to be able to focus for three hours and be mentally strong.
In order for that to work at the World Cup, you leave nothing to chance.
Yes, we have a good team and are travelling to Morocco with a trainer, masseur, physiotherapist and mental coach. Since Puma sponsors us with jerseys and team clothing, we also look pretty professional. (laughs)
What are the chances of a Swiss world champion? There are three players in the top 15 on the World Tour: David Mancino, Lionel Jacot and Vincent Huber.
Footgolf gains a foothold
Young Julien Babel probably never thought that the upper-class sport of golf would go so well with football and that he would one day play for world championship honours in Marrakesh when he swung a golf club for the first time in Carouge at the end of the 1990s - and promptly smashed a car windscreen. After that, he preferred to pursue his goals with football. A good decision. For him and for the development of footgolf, which he and his colleagues have given structures and organised a championship. So far, the sport has been particularly popular in French-speaking Switzerland. "The different language regions make it more difficult to develop the sport nationwide," says Julien. He is not discouraged by this. He co-founded the Zurich Footgolf Club, for Footgolf Basel, its president Malte Commandeur is looking for suitable courses and the first footgolf course in Ticino has already opened in Locarno.
How are the tradition-conscious golf clubs reacting to you?
In French-speaking Switzerland, many clubs have already heard of footgolf. As soon as they realise that we don't dig holes and don't damage the course, they are open to us requesting tournaments. However, there are now also ten proper footgolf courses in Switzerland and more are being planned. 25,000 green fees were already sold in 2018
.
Can anyone play there or do I also need a licence like for golf?Anyone can play on the footgolf courses. At most, the dress code of the golf course applies, but most of them don't have one. We have also started to introduce a handicap system to cater for different skill levels. Our aim is for everyone to have as much fun as possible.
What was your "magic moment"?
My first hole-in-one at a tournament comes to mind. It was slightly downhill and the ball must have travelled eight or ten seconds before it fell into the hole. That was great. The good thing is that there are much more hole-in-ones in footgolf than in golf. Everyone has the chance to have a moment like that.
In golf and professional football, millions are at stake. What's it like in footgolf, is there also big prize money?There is a tournament in the USA where the total prize money is 30,000 dollars. In my opinion, that's too much. I am in favour of the money flowing into the development of the sport. But nobody is going to get rich either way.
Maybe there will be a few more "magic moments" in Morocco...
I hope so! You can follow how the World Cup is going on our Facebook page.
The 2018 World Cup
The FIFG FootGolf World Cup will be held in Marrakesh from 9 to 16 December 2018 and several teams will be competing with prominent names from the world of football. Former striker Roy Makaay will be birdie-hunting for the Netherlands, Argentina will be competing with 115-time international Roberto Ayala and French world champion Youri Djorkaeff is the official ambassador for the tournament, which has been jointly organised by Morocco and France. The previous Footgolf World Champions are less well known. They are Bela Lengyel (Hungary/2012) and Christian Otero (Argentina/2016). And this time? I'm looking forward to it. Hopp Schwiiz!
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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