Holiday and leisure venue extend offer to include one of UK’s fastest growing precision sports
Stonham Barns Park – one of Suffolk’s premier leisure, retail and holiday destinations – is adding an Adventure Footgolf course to its activities opening on 7 April. Stonham Barns Golf Park has been offering Footgolf – the hybrid sport combining football and golf – since 2014 and as a result of the Golf Park’s growing reputation, has developed its facilities to include a new 9-hole Smugglers Pass Adventure Footgolf course. A substantial investment, the new course has seen over 700 native trees planted – and been a full two years in the making!
Footgolf is one of the UK’s fastest growing sports and a thrilling game with challenges suitable for players of all levels. Footballs are provided by the venue – so no equipment required – and the object of the game is to get around the course with the least number of kicks. Explains Pro Golfer Hugo Dobson, at The Golf Centre, ‘Our aim is to provide a fun way of going outdoors and staying active for the whole family. This is all about fun and developing skills. We have been offering footgolf now for some time and can confirm footgolf is now an established sport in the UK.
‘We wanted to launch this newly designed footgolf course to attract even more families to the game. We had a blank canvas to start the process and so have built a course – on our former practice area – that will be suitable for beginners but also caters for those who are looking to perfect their footgolf skills.’
‘There will be pirates, barrels, rope and netting, shipwrecks and masts with pirate flags added to the course, most of which are actually obstacles – it is going to be fun and perfect for families, friends and workplace team building days out.’
‘My personal Aim is to make Stonham Barns Golf Park into the best Golf Activity centre in the East of England.’
Work on the new course started in September 2021 after the design of the layout had been agreed. Its name Smugglers Pass Adventure Footgolf works in synergy with Stonham Barns Golf Park’s ever-popular Pirate Themed Adventure Golf Course which is a favourite with both holiday visitors and locals alike. The first task for the constructors was to spend four months moving soil to create the slopes and mounds needed to make the course fun to play. After all the mounds were in place the management team organised for tree planting to take place. There are over 700 native trees planted to create the landscaping required for the course – including the planting of some specimen trees to set the scene including bamboo. A mycorrhizal fungi root-grow product was added to the trees at the time of planting to escalate the absorption of carbon to help limit climate change.
Continues Hugo, ‘Our aim was to make the course challenging enough for the most experienced footgolfer but still fun and engaging for a child to play round unlike most footgolf courses.
There are also some bunkers around the course to catch wayward shots. One in particular is a giant 13m by 12m bunker with a sleeper retaining wall running around it called ‘Jones’ Crater. These bunkers are all filled with wood chippings, so they are soft and safe for kids but also hard to kick a ball out of which makes them a good hazard!’
‘Last autumn we installed artificial grass tee boxes and footgolf greens which ensure the course is in the best condition all year round. We finished building the Smugglers Pass entrance last month and now we are applying the finishing touches to the course such as theming the course and adding more obstacles. The concept is closely related to our Adventure Golf Course, Smugglers Bay, which is pirate themed.’
Footballs are provided by the club and once players have finished their game, they can head over the Legends Sports Bar for drinks and food. The bar has Wi-Fi access and BT Sport and Sky Sports to catch up on all the sporting action.
The Smuggler’s Pass Adventure Footgolf Course includes …
Pirate Themed – 9 holes
Par 36
632 yards long
Suitable for all ages and abilities
Still a challenge for the serious player
Over 700 plants/trees on the course
Over 50 barrels as obstacles
The Golf Park at Stonham Barns Park is a family business – owned by Tony and Helen Dobson – which has been operating since 1996 and has evolved from a driving range and mini putt course to a full-blown golf activity centre including Adventure Golf, Indoor Simulator Golf, Scenic 9 Hole course with Footgolf and now a dedicated Adventure Footgolf course.
The centre employs 8 members of staff plus it has three PGA coaching professionals, Tony Dobson, Rob Pritchard and Luke Green. The business peaks during the summer season but stays busy during the off season with its variety of golf facilities including its indoor golf simulators.
The golf centre attracts mainly families but also groups such as stag/hen parties, football teams, corporate business teams as well as beginner golfers and junior golfers looking to get into the game.
All the activities are pay and play but the golf park recommends always booking in advance through its website www.stonhambarnsgolf.co.uk especially the indoor golf all year round and the footgolf/adventure golf during busy seasons. For group bookings or for more information call them on 01449 711545.
Stonham Barns Golf Park has a membership for the golf course (which is for unlimited play on the course) but does include 20% off all our other activities. Its’ £25 per month for adults and £10 per month for juniors (under 16’s).
