What goes with barbecue? Off-Road Golf, of course.

PositionWHAT'S NEW?

It began as a weekend diversion in Shasta County in Northern California, a friendly game to play before and after a barbecue, but as Off-Road Golf grew in popularity, with thousands of players and an annual "world championship," it just made sense to package it, and that is what Walter Boehringer and Bill Foster have done. The kit, which retails for $149.99, includes everything needed to build a 10-hole course and equip a foursome for hours of strategy, exercise, and fun.

"It started out back in the 1990s as extreme croquet," says Bill Foster of The Barbecue Store, which developed and sells the packaged version of the game. "The problem was that over the distances being played there were too many arguments over whether the ball went through the wicket. The answer was holes, so the guys started burying one gallon flower pots and Off-Road Golf was born. I think it caught on so quickly because anyone can play, you can build a course anywhere [and] you don't need lessons. ..."

Off-Road Golf evolved over the years and developed its own equipment to become the game it is today. Like traditional golf, it typically is played by a foursome over a course of parrated holes. Unlike golf, however, a standard course consists of 10 par-three to -five holes; a single multi-use rubber-headed mallet replaces golf's set of clubs; and the balls are slightly larger than baseballs. Balls can be driven or putted with the mallet or flipped out of difficult lies with a grooved handle-end of the mallet.

"Laying out the course is almost as much fun as playing," says Foster. "You can build on a lawn, in a field, on hills, or out in the woods--and you set par based on distance and challenge. A relatively clear 60-foot shot might be a par-three, while a 200-foot hole with a couple of obstacles like hills, rocks, or trees might be a par-five. I've...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT