AMESBURY – FlingGolf went live Friday on ESPN with an hour show that featured some of the world’s best players demonstrating how to fling a golf ball hundreds of yards down a fairway, flick it a few dozen yards and putt it on the green – all with one stick.
The alt-golf-sport has been on ESPN twice before, but on pre-recorded shows. The show that aired at 9 a.m. Friday featured instructions on how to be a successful FlingGolf player by top players sprinkled among a team skills competition.
“We are very excited about this opportunity to expand our presence on ESPN with an hour-long competition this year, as well as to switch up the format to focus on the unique skills that pro FlingGolf athletes are using to reach the top of their game.” said Alex Van Alen, CEO of New Swarm, the inventor of the new sport.
“As more and more fans are familiar with the sport across the U.S. and internationally, it’s become clear that so many want to dig in and better understand FlingGolf’s nuances to improve their approach to the sport. This format will address that curiosity in a really fun but competitive way.”
With headquarters here in the CIWorks facility, FlingGolf is being played on more than 2,000 golf courses and in more than 35 countries. The sport appears simple, much easier to learn than traditional golf. But there is a very challenging skillset needed for players to reach the higher levels of play, FlingGolf said.
Those skills from the long throw to short flicks, called sidecar, clean sweep and other colorful names were demonstrated in the competition to hit targets at various ranges.
John Pruellage, the World League FlingGolf league commissioner, believes this format will not only give these players an opportunity to shine and showcase their skills, but also introduce the growing team-based competition.
“We are seeing more and more of our players, fans and general audience support our team, or club, approach to the league in addition to our individual format. And while it will not be exactly as you see it on tour, the teams experience that our players will be participating in on ESPN will be very entertaining for our fans,” Pruellage said.
Kyle Stevenson, a moderator for the skills event, said he took up traditional golf at age 12, but “never got good.” He took up FlingGolf and mastered the basics in a few minutes.
Pruellage said the sport “is easy to learn, but it takes a lifetime to master.”
The FlingGolf Skills Challenge involved several top players, all with colorful nicknames. They were Sam (Scantron) Scannell, Rosie (Mamacita) Flores, Garry (Bruce Leroy) Callis, Jr., Britt (Reggie Queen) Hammond, Austin (Showtime) Ebersole and Jake (Island Hopper) Anderson.
Ken (Kenzo) Pytluk, Mike (Big Cat) Edwards, Zac (Mountaineer) Mulvey) Ryan (Soldier Boy) Stainbrook and Christina (Sommerfling) Sommerfield demonstrated the individual skills.
FlingGolf, an action sport for golf courses that combines athleticism, strength and touch, is governed by the World League FlingGolf. WLF’s 2024 New Swarm Tour will make five stops in Florida, Delaware, Pennsylvania, California and Virginia.
