Foot golf is offered daily after 3:30 p.m. on the Kaanapali Kai Course. PHOTO BY JOHN YEADON.

KAANAPALI – Along with the new found glory brought on with the championship run this year of the United States women’s World Cup soccer team combined with the historic popularity of golf around the world, a unique combination of the two sports has come to life as a fun and sun activity called foot golf.

With the world-class golf resorts at Kaanapali and Kapalua here on the West Side, the popularity of the new sport – introduced to the U.S. three years ago through the Billy Casper Golf organization in an effort to revitalize struggling courses that were close to going out of business – looks to be an eagle in the cup for visitors and residents alike of the Valley Isle.

Kaanapali Director of Golf Sutee Nitakorn spearheaded an effort to bring foot golf to Maui and launched the new sport at the resort two months ago.

“We thought that foot golf would be a fun activity for families – both visitors and kama’aina – as well as local youth programs to try,” said Nitakorn, who also serves as vice president of the Lahaina Junior Golf program as well as a coach for the Lahainaluna High School team.

“There has been a nice response thus far with the Hyatt Regency Maui hosting a managers’ outing of foot golf and also a family of 11 going out for a round recently.”

Nitakorn explained that the foot golf course is very similar to regular layouts with tee boxes and par threes, fours and fives on a nine-hole, regulation size course. “There are five-gallon buckets with flags at each hole (recessed into the ground) with small greens. It is very similar to regular golf, and we use the first four holes of the Kai Course (at Kaanapali Resort) for the foot golf program,” he said.

The cost is $15 per player, and check-in is any day after 3:30 p.m. Players may bring their own soccer balls or rent one. Golf carts are optional (and also available for rent), and a round takes about an hour to complete. Call Kaanapali Golf at (808) 661-3691 for more information on this family fun activity for young and old.

“It’s really a fun activity for big groups to go out and be more social together as well as for birthday parties or fund raisers for youth athletic programs. Foot golf has caught on nationwide, and we’re pleased that we now have it here in Maui,” Sitakorn concluded.