How To Start a FootGolf Round: On the Teeing Ground

As in golf, a round of FootGolf begins on a tee box – or as it’s known officially: The Teeing Ground. So you’ve gathered up your friends, booked a FootGolf tee time online, and arrived at the course. After grabbing your scorecard, balls, other FootGolf necessities, you’re ready to play. So… wait, what now?

Let’s walk through what to do once you reach the first Teeing Ground on a FootGolf course.

The Teeing Ground is officially defined as “a rectangular area marked at its front and sides by two tee markers.” At some courses, like Lake Forest Golf & Practice Center, this teeing ground is the same as the tee box for the golfers, though the tee markers are different. Other FootGolf courses might have different teeing grounds separate from the golf tee boxes.

Pre-first Hole Preparations

Before you start your round, check that you have done the following:

  1. Mark your ball with a water-resident marker pen or sticker, to ensure its identification
  2. Check your handicap on the scorecard and exchange scorecards with other players (if you’re keeping score, that is)
  3. Review Local Rules of the course – this includes any hazards that might be in play
  4. Warm Up to avoid injuries and pulled muscles – this is not a joke. You can pull a hamstring kicking the ball if you’re not careful / familiar with soccer kicks

Starting the Game

  1. Determine the starting order of players by group vote, is the usual method
  2. At subsequent teeing areas, the player that won the last hole should start, followed by the next lowest score of each player. Unless you’re playing Ready FootGolf – in which case, whoever is ready, goes.
    • If there was a tie, the player who started the previous hole should start.
      • *In tournament play: If a player kicks out of order, the kick will be invalid and the player will receive a one-stroke penalty.
  1. The ball must be placed within the marked teeing area; however the player may stand out of the area. This is helpful if you want a running start to kicking the ball. Just make sure you check the slipperiness of the ground and recognize the traction of your shoes. You do not want to slip and fall!
    • Tournament Play rules:
      • If the player plays a ball from outside the teeing area, the kick will not count and the player will receive a one-stroke penalty.
      • If a player plays from the wrong teeing ground, the same rule as above shall apply.
  1. The starting kick must be made from the ground. Sorry, no tees! Players may kick with either the right or left foot.

Want to know how to kick the ball? Check out this blog on different types of FootGolf kicks. Have another Teeing Ground ritual that you do? Let us know in the comments section!

Allison Doyle