A different use for the same turf

Families visiting Sandelie sometimes want outdoor fun without committing to a full set of clubs. Footgolf—playing a soccer ball from the teeing ground into a cup-sized hole on the fairway—has given hundreds of U.S. courses a way to monetize slow afternoons while introducing new guests to the property. NBC Sports reporting on the American FootGolf League described the sport as growing on real golf holes, with operators trying to balance pace, etiquette, and dress expectations so traditional golfers and footgolfers can coexist.

The concept is simple: shorter holes, larger cups, and rules adapted from golf’s order of play. For nine-hole or executive layouts, footgolf can rotate on alternate days or later tee times so maintenance staffs keep a single mowing schedule. That matters for public courses balancing tight labor budgets with demand for affordable recreation.

Scale in the United States

According to the NBC Sports piece, AFGL founder Roberto Balestrini had helped set up footgolf at roughly 440 U.S. golf courses, with a separate association citing additional facilities. Billy Casper Golf offered the activity at about thirty sites in that reporting period. The league estimated more than 80,000 footgolf rounds per month on participating courses—a figure that illustrates volume even if it is not a National Golf Foundation participation line item.

Earlier Reuters coverage quoted league leadership comparing footgolf’s rise to snowboarding’s effect on skiing: a new audience for capital-intensive land. Setup costs cited in that reporting were modest relative to irrigation pumps or fleet carts—on the order of a few thousand dollars for cups and balls—while operators described meaningful incremental revenue when footgolf filled otherwise quiet tee sheets.

Who shows up—and why courses care

Footgolf attracts groups that might not self-identify as golfers: youth soccer teams, birthday parties, and coworkers seeking a walking outing without swing lessons. NBC Sports noted efforts to encourage collared shirts, argyle socks, and no running between shots so the on-course experience still feels respectful to adjacent players. Pace-of-play guidance mirrors golf: keep up with the group ahead, repair divots where rules allow, and yield when traditional foursomes are behind you.

For wedding and event venues on golf properties, footgolf can be a rehearsal-dinner activity or a guest-hour filler before the reception—provided the course sets clear scheduling so bridal portraits on the first fairway do not collide with a footgolf league. Communication at booking time prevents the conflicts that social media amplifies when two constituencies share one landscape.

Harmony with traditional golf

The NBC Sports headline—“seeks harmony”—reflects real operations questions: cup placement away from green complexes, tee markers that do not confuse starters, and staff training so the pro shop sells the right ball and map. The National Golf Course Owners Association and related groups have described footgolf as a revenue tool that can introduce millennials, women, and families to the facility footprint.

Not every experiment lasts. The same article noted that only a handful of courses that tried footgolf later dropped it—suggesting that success depends on marketing, scheduling, and local demographics rather than cups alone. Courses should track wear patterns on high-traffic holes and adjust routing if foot traffic compacts turf in sensitive areas.

What to expect as a player

If Sandelie or another Portland-area course offers footgolf on your visit, treat it like golf for safety: be aware of players ahead, shout fore on errant kicks, and leave no trash. Cleats designed for soccer turf are often discouraged because they damage greens; flat-soled athletic shoes are typical. Expect a shorter round than eighteen holes of golf if you play a nine-hole footgolf loop mapped to existing fairways.

Children can succeed quickly, which makes footgolf a gateway if families later book a beginner clinic or a par-three outing. The long-term industry hope—described in both Reuters and NBC Sports coverage—is that some footgolfers transition to club-and-ball golf, but even without conversion, incremental rounds help pay for sprinklers and staff wages.

Looking ahead

Footgolf is not a replacement for championship golf design, nor does it solve every financial challenge public courses face. It is, however, a documented example of operators repurposing the same acreage for a second game with lower equipment barriers. For guests planning reunions near Wilsonville or West Linn, asking whether footgolf or similar short-game activities are available can turn a passive venue tour into an active afternoon—while supporting the broader Oregon golf economy described in recent statewide impact studies.

Because the NBC Sports reporting dates to 2015, treat participation estimates as a snapshot of rapid early growth rather than today’s exact round counts. The underlying idea—that courses can welcome non-golfers on shared fairways—remains relevant when staffs schedule activities so both groups enjoy pace and safety.

Questions to ask the pro shop

Before you bring a youth group, confirm whether footgolf shares tee times with traditional golf, what ball rental costs, and whether coolers or speakers are allowed. Clear answers prevent the friction reviewers described when formats overlapped without supervision.

If your reunion spans generations, consider pairing a short footgolf loop with a barbecue tent package so less mobile guests can socialize without walking eighteen holes. That hybrid plan mirrors how dual-purpose properties like Sandelie balance golf operations with event lawns.