NPR carried a report on the Dutch phenomenon - Farmers Golf whose popularity in Holland now exceeds that of traditional golf - it started as a rebellion against sky high greens fees at regular golf courses.

So if looking for something novel to do in Europe this year, try farmers golf.

(From Wikipedia)
Boerengolf (in English called Farmer's golf) is a somewhat ludicrous farm land game modelled after the sport of golf. It originated from a cheese farm run by Peter Weenink in Lievelde, a small village in the Achterhoek region of the Netherlands.

It was invented out of frustration with costly golf course fees in the Netherlands, and with a test called the GVB which most Dutch courses require players to pass before being allowed to play.

The first game was played in 1999, and since then games have also been played in Germany, Belgium, Sweden and France. There are currently about 70 farmers golf locations in the Netherlands, and over 110 Europe-wide. In 2005, over 10,000 people played the game on Weenink's course alone.

Farmers golf is played with a special wooden golf club, with a club head in the shape of a wooden shoe, or clog (in Dutch: klomp). A farmers golf ball is, with its 20 centimeter diameter, much larger than a traditional golf ball.

A golf hole is made by placing a bucket in the ground and a flagpole beside it. The 8 to 10 holes have, on average, more than 200 meters distance between them.

The defining feature of Farmer's Golf is that the game is played on an otherwise unaltered farm. Obstacles and "hazards" include anything one might find on the farm, including live cows, ditches and barbed wire.

The Farmer's Golf name is trademarked in several countries and Weenink hopes to establish an international association that will raise the game to the level of serious sport.

The NPR report added that hitting a cow is a one stroke penalty and that there has yet to be a hole in one and for the first one there is a free tractor awaiting as a prize.

Anyone played Farmers Golf?

"Farmers Golf whose popularity in Holland now exceeds that of traditional golf"

PalenQ; I'm Dutch and this is the first I've heard about it.

<In 2005, over 10,000 people played the game on Weenink's course alone.>

get the wooden shoe like clubs out Tulips and get with it. The NPR report definitely said more Dutch now go farmers golfing than on regular courses.

Me i'm just relaying what it said was a sport gaining popularity a lot and confirmed by Wikipedia - now just watch out for those cows and their leavings. Fore!

&lt;Me i'm just relaying what it said was a sport gaining popularity a lot <b>and confirmed by Wikipedia</b> &gt;
Well, that says it all. Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world, which means that everyone can write whatever they like. I've read too many nonsense on Wikipedia already.
I'm from Belgium, living on the Dutch border so to speak, and I haven't heard about Farmers Golf either.

NPR - National Pubic Radio in US carried an interview with the originator who said the same thing Wikipedia says. Obviously not a huge thing or both of you would have heard of it, but i think you don't understand Wikipedia very well.

Have you heard to the black tulip either? (joke)

Farmersgolf™ is the fastest growing outdoor activity in ...It is the first farm golf course in the world. From a historical perspective, the Weenink Cheese Farm in Lievelde, the Netherlands is to Farmersgolf™ what ...
www.farmersgolf.com

maybe not overhyped but there are many sites which say about the same that the sport has hit fertile ground and is mushrooming.

Vector One » Blog Archive » Farmers Golf: The European GameA new game is sweeping across Europe - Farmers Golf. ... played in the Achterhoek on the pastures of the Weenink Cheese Farm in Lievelde (the Netherlands). ...
geovisualisation.com/WordPress/?p=861

Marketplace: Putting golf out to pastureRico Gagliano traveled to The Netherlands to learn the origins and ... Weenink says by next year more Dutch will play Farmer's Golf than regular golf. ...
marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/10/06/PM200610067.html

Okay, after reading a bit on a Dutch site I see what they mean with 'boerengolf' now. IMO it's more like mini golf of which there are hundreds (thousands) of small 'courses' all over the Netherlands and Belgium. But none of these have anything to do with golf proper.

hi, y'all,

here in cornwall we play it with a swede.

regards, ann

Ann,

You had better explain what a &quot;swede&quot; is in Cornwall, if any non Brit is to get the joke.

oops, yes of course,

a swede is a turnip type vegetable. one of the essential components of a cornish pasty. not an inhabitant of scandanavia.

regards, ann

And I can tell you, as one once afflicted of an English wife, swedes taste just awful!

hi, nukesafe,

not necessarily!

they are an essential component of a proper cornish pasty, or they can be made into quite a nice side dish for eating with a roast, by first boiling in salted water [1&quot; cubes work well] then mashing with lots of butter and pepper. also mixed with pureed carrot.

but i agree not to everyone's taste.

regards, ann

I've played boerengolf at a local farm. great fun. Since you can't get near a golf course in Holland without taking an exam to prove you won't wreck it, it is no wonder it is so popular!
Myriam boerengolf is nothing like mini (midget) golf. It is done in the farmers fields which is why the ball needs to be so big! And you have to watch out for cows and their droppings. I can recommend it as a totally silly thing to do!