You wouldn’t expect to see a game of golf taking place in the streets of your local town. Instead those looking for a bit of golfing time would ordinarily take to their local park or, if they were close, to their local golf course.
But what happens if you don’t have either to hand when you want to tramp the fairways? Well, the citizens of Paris, France have come up with a novel way to indulge in the golfing experience – street golf!
However, while the concept of street golf is nothing new – kits featuring clubs and balls designed for street play and including hole markets, tee mats and more have been available since 2006 – the Parisienne’s take is a little different in that it features none of these things and uses just standard golf equipment instead, as well as the street’s own natural landscape.
The game is played in the narrow streets and squares of the French capital, with hazards which include street lamps, road signs, cobblestones, dustbins and pedestrians! The aim is the same as it is on the true golf course – get the ball in the hole. In this case, the hole is a uncovered water main, or other street depression which can act as the target.
Players take a standard iron and a driving-range golfball – which is lighter than a standard golfball, in order to reduce the threat of damage to property or injury to passers-by and play up and down the city’s alleyways and squares to get their golfing fix.
The players, who call themselves by the rather grandiose title ‘The Association of the 19th Hole’ aim to make the game of golf much more accessible to players and shatter its sometimes elitist façade.
The BBC have put together a short news report into the new craze, which as well as potentially honing golf skills looks a lot of fun! Look for it coming to an area near you in the not-too-distant future as the craze will undoubtedly catch on far beyond the streets of Paris!
