A craze that’s taken the USA by storm is on its way to Swansea.

Ashleigh Road’s pitch and putt facility is now being transformed into a FootGolf attraction that will open at the start of May.

FootGolf is a combination of football and golf, where participants use a football to aim for larger holes on the course.

Swansea FootGolf will be running the attraction in partnership with Swansea Council. Businessmen Roger Maliphant and Rhydian Thomas presented a successful bid to run the facility after a council search to find short-term operators for a number of its outdoor leisure attractions.

Tracey McNulty, Swansea Council’s Head of Cultural Services, said: “Overall, the council has to save about £80m over the next three years, so cultural services, like many other departments, has been asked to review and plan for the potential of a 50% reduction in council subsidy. This is why we’ve sought expressions of interest from third parties who we hope will work in partnership us with at a number of our attractions in future to help sustain these services, while contributing to the savings the council has to realise.

“We’re delighted to be working with Swansea FootGolf at Ashleigh Road because the new venture will add to the attractions already in the area of Swansea promenade. Our other seasonal, outdoor attractions will also be reopening in readiness for the peak summer tourism period.”

Mr Maliphant, Swansea FootGolf’s Project Manager, says there will be regular events and competitions at the course over coming months.

He said: “I’m confident this venture will capture the imagination of the Swansea and West Wales area. Although the game was invented in Europe, it’s seen its biggest growth in the USA and South America over the last four years.

“There are established, highly competitive leagues all over the US, and the World FootGolf Championships were held in Argentina earlier this year. It would be a tremendous achievement if we can get a local player involved at that kind of level and, with this in mind, we’re looking to involve the course in the UK FootGolf Association set-up as soon as possible.

“The course layout is of a reasonable length, without being too long for youngsters or beginners, so it should prove an enjoyable challenge for all abilities. But it’s also a work in progress that will evolve over the next year into hopefully one of the best and certainly one of the best-located courses in the UK. I am excited that we have been given this opportunity to bring a ‘new’ sport to the area and hope the people of Swansea will enjoy what we create.”

Swansea FootGolf will be the first links course of its kind in the UK. It’s likely to be a nine-hole facility, ranging from 75 yards to 125 yards. The current layout of the site will be altered to ensure balls are directed away from the road.