Footgolf is growing rapidly and many Spanish sportsmen are starting to enjoy success. The latest to do so was a former Hercules player who played for the blue and white’s for a season, enough time to score one of the most memorable goals most remembered by Hercules fans. We are talking about Carlos Calvo, the Madrid native who retired from football in 2021, at the age of 36, after playing for Cádiz, Recreativo de Huelva, Almería and Huesca.
After hanging up his boots, he decided to try his luck with footgolf, where, apparently, he is not doing too badly.
Footgolf is a sport that was born in the Netherlands in 2009 and fifteen years later it already has supporters all over the world, both players and fans. In fact, more and more European and world championships are now being broadcast via streaming.
At 39 years of age, Calvo, who belongs to the Spanish Footgolf Federation (FEFG), has become the first Spaniard to win a ‘major’ – one of the primary tournaments – after winning the English Open, beating 91 fellow competitors in golf’s version of the British Open.
The mechanics of the sport are quite simple. It is played on a golf course, with the same rules, but the clubs and golf balls are replaced by the athlete’s legs and football. The hole is also modified, now with a diameter of 54 centimetres so that it will accept the ball.
As for clothing, both sports are mixed. A polo shirt and golf shorts with socks and multi-stud boots. However, normal studded boots cannot be used because they would damage the greens. As for balls, each player can use his own, adjusting it to the amount of air and the feel he prefers, as long as it meets the regulatory dimensions.
