Bubba Watson, confederate flag, the General Lee car, what's the connection?
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Photos: Reinis Babrovskis
THE EVOLUTION OF TWO WORLDS
Over the past decade, streetgolf
has split into
two worlds:
Competition on one side, and free golf on the other. Free golf, at its core, is about the roots of the sport—the pioneers who weren’t focused on rankings but were just out there for the challenge, the thrill, the pure love of hitting a ball and making sparks in the street. Then there’s competition: a different game altogether. It’s not a bad thing—it’s just a different approach. It’s structured, it’s about counting points and every contest, wherever you go, starts to feel more and more like real golf. It’s a bit... predictable, even boring.
In the early 2000s, the Le 19ème Trou streetgolf team were playing the underground game—pure streetgolf. Very quickly, their unconventional way of playing golf, as well as their cultural universe mixing street art, photography, and music, attracted media and partnership attention. They never let that change who they were: a squad of misfits who couldn’t afford their green fees and wanted to reclaim a sport that is too often elitist. The proof is, in 2006, they even refused a sponsorship deal with Puma Golf, fearing they would have to give up their underground-free spirit. Instead, they used the media to share their version of this new sport with as many people as possible, staying true to their roots. Competition has its place, but it’s a different vibe—a different game.
"Streetgolf is an inconsiderate political act,"
- Bastien Lattanzio, early member of Le 19ème Trou in 2005.
It’s like the shift from free surfers to pro surfers—think Rob Machado versus Kelly Slater. One’s chasing the freedom, the feeling of the ride, while the other is aiming to be the best, to break records, and to win titles. Both love the sport; both are legitimate, but they come at it from different angles.
In the early stages, what made streetgolf so fun was its creativity and freedom. Back in the day, before the championship format took over, every event was a new discovery. Each one had its own unique vibe, with teams coming up with wild ideas for the rules. For example, one event had a "relay hole," where you had to run and play as fast as possible, using just one club and one ball per team. These events were like little experiments, pushing the boundaries of what the game could be. Each time we played, we learned something new and grew the sport. We were all in it together, creating, experimenting, and having fun.
But over time, the French City Pro Tour (FCPT), which was founded by Le 19ème Trou in 2010, started shifting. It began as a promotional event to help grow streetgolf, bringing teams, media, artists, and more into the fold. It was buzzing at first, but as the responsibilities of organizing the tour expanded, the tournaments started to lose some of that original magic. Teams were invited to join the organizing committee, and slowly, everyone’s ideas started clashing.
"I got tired of fighting with people I loved. I reached a point where my vision for the FCPT was no longer in line with where it was headed. Despite my best efforts to steer things in what I thought was the right direction, I realized the project was veering off into a place I couldn’t support. One day, in a meeting, I just said, 'I quit.' And that was the moment I stepped away, marking the end of my involvement in the French championship." – Phil Missemer, founder of Le 19ème Trou streetgolf team and the FCPT.
Le 19ème Trou understood the importance of the entire experience surrounding streetgolf. By organizing events and the French championship, they managed to attract lots of participants and media attention. Every contest felt new and exciting, with many new faces and a growing energy around the sport. But now? It’s mostly the same players at each competition. Don’t get me wrong, I love you guys, but it’s not growing anymore. In 2022, I went to the final contest of the FCPT as a visitor, and it was totally different. A great urban golf course, as usual, with the organizing team, but the prize ceremony took place in a small rundown bar, and there was only one photographer covering the final of a national championship. It felt wrong. This is where we can hope the freshly founded French Federation of Streetgolf can boost the aspirations of the championship. You can focus on rankings and competition, but at least recognize that the buzz isn’t working anymore. Streetgolf thrives not in strict competitions, but with its creative vibe, the wild parties, and the after-events where we celebrated the spirit of the game—win or lose, all together. That’s what kept the sport exciting and attractive.
"I’m not pointing fingers—there are a lot of people working hard to keep the spirit of streetgolf alive, as well as others organizing amazing competitions. I have my own part in how things went down. But when it all started falling apart, I was surrounded by some people with bad influence. A sports agent who just wanted glory pushed for the team to become the first-ever champions of a streetgolf championship so he could bring in bigger sponsors and line his pockets. But I couldn’t mix the roots of streetgolf—the freedom, the fun—with the strict rules of a championship." – Phil Missemer, founder of Le 19ème Trou streetgolf team and the FCPT.
But it’s not too late. More and more people in the urban golf scene are pushing to return to the essence of the game. New events are popping up outside the official championships, and that’s exciting. There’s hope. Let’s play together. Forget the rigid rules, forget the corporate pressure. Let’s celebrate all the teams that participate, all the organizers who put in the work, and everyone who keeps streetgolf alive with passion and style.
WUGC - PARIS 2018
SEPTEMBER 29, 2018
Crossgolf reaches a new dimension!
For the first time in the history of crossgolf, there was a World Cup this year. Urban Golf is world-wide, but now cross-country golfers from all over the world have met to fight for the title of world champion in Paris.
TEAM GERMANY DROVE TO THE FIRST WORLD URBAN GOLF CUP
#WUGC2018 #WUGC #URBANGOLFSHOP
With this event we go back to the first European Urban Golf Cup (EUGC), it was 2013 when Germany and France met for the first time for a European Cup in Paris.
For this big step Germany's golf gurus decided to introduce a new qualification path. The selection of the national team should not be played as before in a major qualifying tournament. For the first time, three qualification-relevant tournaments took place throughout Germany. As always, these tournaments were open to everyone and brought our German crossgolf elite together in the end.
A special highlight was the participation of our Indian friends, who participation in the World Cup was made possible by numerous donations. Here, once again, is what makes our sport so unique! Thanks to the commitment of numerous sponsors our crossgolf family grew even larger and we made new friends.
TEAM INDIA FLEW OVER 7,000 Km TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST WORLD URBAN GOLF CUP
#WUGC2018 #WUGC #URBANGOLFSHOP
France, the host of the first World Cup, welcomed teams from 8 nations in addition to Germany and India on the grounds of La Cité Fertile in Paris.
Under the slogan "Grab them by the balls" it was with best Central European weather around noon that day. Nine unconventional tracks had been devised by the planners of the tournament and thus demanded all the skills of the participants.
Numerous fans and curious people gathered in the streets of Paris and the La Cité Fertile and celebrated street golf in the finest way. At the end of the day, the team spirit also counted for the world championship, because the game modes Scramble and Greensome, where tactical team play was required, were an integral part of the tournament alongside the classical individual modes.
The organizers along with their flight and hole marshals made the WUGC an unforgettable event, which could also be followed live (by fans who stayed at home) partly via Facebook. On our Facebook page you can see some of the livestreams we recorded for you on site.
TEAM FRANCE FIRST WORLD URBAN GOLF CUP CHAMPIONS 2018
#WUGC2018 #WUGC #URBANGOLFSHOP
In the evening, everyone eagerly awaited the outcome of this eventful tournament, which included a Fair Play trophy. The Marshalls had the honorable task of awarding the trophy to Luxembourg as the fairest team.
The title of the first World Champion in Urban Golf went to France who beat the German team by only one point. Third place was shared by Switzerland and Hungary.
We are very proud of our national team - you have delivered cool again! Congratulations to France and all the other teams who made this event so unique.
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