Figures Show Swansea Footgolf Success

IT’S official – Swansea FootGolf is a hit! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New figures show more than 2,300 visits to the Ashleigh Road attraction from its opening day on May 14 to the start of July – that’s 1,400 more visits than the same period last year to the pitch and putt course once based there. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

FootGolf is a combination of football and golf, where participants use a football to aim for larger holes on the course. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea FootGolf run the attraction in partnership with Swansea Council. Businessmen Roger Maliphant and Rhydian Thomas presented a successful bid to run the facility after a council search to find operators for a number of its outdoor leisure attractions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Swansea FootGolf course isn’t just popular with local football clubs. The figures show about 60% of visitors are made up of people of all ages, ranging from students and pensioners to young people and tourists. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mark Child, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Healthy City, said: “You’ve only got to pass the Swansea FootGolf course to see how popular the attraction is. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s exactly the type of attraction Swansea needed because it gives local people and visitors to the city something different to do. What’s especially pleasing is that families and people of all ages are taking part in the activity because this further reinforces Swansea’s reputation as a family-friendly destination where fun activities are available for girls, boys, mums, dads and grandparents to try. This shows what can happen to an old council leisure site with a little imagination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“With the school holidays fast-approaching, Swansea FootGolf will give parents and their children another fun option when looking for new activities to experience. It’s proven to be a great addition to Swansea’s outdoor leisure offer.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Both the Swans and the Ospreys are due to visit Swansea FootGolf over the next month. Stars to have already tried the activity there include Jazz Richards, Wayne Routledge and James Hook. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Roger Maliphant, of Swansea FootGolf, said: “FootGolf is a relatively new sport but it’s proven very popular with all ages. Long-term plans for the venue are being discussed that could include changes to make the Swansea FootGolf course playable all-year-round.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Opening hours are 10am till 8pm every day, with concessionary prices available for under 15s, over 55s and students. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All Swansea’s other outdoor leisure attractions are also open daily from this weekend. They include Blackpill Lido, the Swansea Bay Rider Land Train, Singleton Boating Lake, and crazy golf at Southend Gardens. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​