In the tiny community of Boorhaman the country’s next sporting great is down at the golf course kicking around a soccer ball.
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Gary Jordan, a civil engineer, had been picked to represent Australia at the footgolf world cup in Argentina in January but was unable to go. His road to make amends starts at the end of this month when he heads to Jamberoo Golf Club in NSW to compete in the Australian Open from May 26 to 29.
Mr Jordan said he hoped to qualify for the national team to travel to China in August for the Asian Cup.
Foootgolf is played like regular golf except with a soccer ball, feet and much larger holes.
Mr Jordan, a Boorhaman course regular, has a round average of 37 in his last 10 games on the par 36 course.
His best so far is 33, one short of the course record which he said he was gunning for.
Mr Jordan said he first started playing the game in October.
“I was up in Boorhaman playing golf and saw they had footgolf,” he said.
“Being an ex-soccer player I decided to have a kick and enjoyed it.
“The course is up the road from my place so I go play nine holes and come back within the hour.”
Boorhaman club ladies captain Helen Southam said Mr Jordan was a regular at the course and had a great enthusiasm for the game.
“We opened in August,” she said.
“We have had 800 players through since and we're hoping to go on to bigger and better things.
“Albury and Wodonga people have been very supportive of the course.”
Boorhaman was the sixth footgolf course installed in Australia, there are now nine in total.