HYPE Merseyside, one of the region’s leading creative youth organisations will officially launch its new community Footgolf course to the public on Sunday 3rd August, 2025 offering free games every five minutes from 10am – 6pm, as well as free bike hire for people of all ages to enjoy.
The course will be opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Mayor of Wirral, Councillor Brian Kenny, with HYPE Merseyside’s young people and volunteers, who have helped to transform the site. More than 152 volunteers from seven schools and three youth groups have supported the site’s development since May 2024, as part of HYPE’s social action projects.
The redevelopment of the unused six-acre site has stirred up significant nostalgia among local residents, with many sharing their memories of the former Chip and Putt course, which was a much-loved place for intergenerational family days out for decades before its closure.
The new Footgolf facility, which is being described by some players as “the best Footgolf course in the UK”, offers the same opportunity for families and people of all ages to come together and get active together outside. The sport requires no special skills and is a mix of football and golf, but instead of using a club and golf ball, participants kick a football into oversized holes in as few shots as possible.
To take advantage of the hundreds of free game slots available, people simply have to register via the HYPE Footgolf website. Once open to the public, games will remain affordable at £5 for children under 16 and £10 for adults. Free bike hire will continue to run every Sunday through the summer holidays for Hype Urban Bike members, who simply need to bring along ID to enjoy a two-hour ride.
As part of the opening day celebrations, HYPE will also be providing free bike hire with, with bikes for all ages available, from balance bikes for children to adult bicycles. Further year-round activities planned for the site following its official opening will include repairs and adult group cycle sessions, alongside bike hire and footgolf, to encourage people to get outside and active, and will cater to people of all ages and abilities.
The project has been supported by Wirral Council, which has provided the land and vital assistance with the project, and the LCR Combined Authority which has funded a container for bike storage and bike maintenance sessions and adult bike rides that the community will be able to access.
Matthew Houghton from HYPE Merseyside said:
“Our vision for this site was to take a neglected, empty space, reclaim it for public use. At HYPE we are passionate about bringing back green spaces to engage our children and young people in positive activities, it’s something we’ve been doing since 2016.
“Like many residents who have spoken to us during the project’s development, I have happy memories of spending the holidays with friends and family down on the Chip and Putt course and we believe that our Footgolf course will bring that back to our waterfront, allowing families to make memories together, one kick at a time,
“Not only will this allow families and people of all ages and abilities to get active and improve their health through a fun activity, our bike hire, adult cycle sessions and maintenance workshops will help to get people cycling and learn valuable skills, supporting efforts to boost active travel across in Wirral and across the Liverpool City Region.
“None of this would have been possible without the support of Wirral Borough Council, the LCR Combined Authority, or our amazing young people and volunteers who have worked so hard to make our vision a reality, and we are truly grateful for everything they have done.
“This is just the first stage for our site. We are now looking forward to what is possible in the next five years, and we have ambitious plans to make Wirral Coastal Leisure Park a place for the people and for our region’s health and wellbeing.
“We look forward to working with the local community, our young people and team, the council and combined authority to fulfil our vision to bring people together and provide access to healthy activities for all.
To register for your free game, simply complete the contact form on HYPE’S Footgolf website and include the message “Footgolf Opening Day 3rd August” and the number in your party in the message, you will then receive confirmation of your time slot.
To register for Footgolf on 3rd August visit the website.
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