The documentary “El Pueblo con Swing” explores the surprising popularity of golf in Papudo, a coastal town in Chile's Valparaíso Region, where the sport is as beloved as football. The production highlights golfers from various occupations and generations who have produced three Chilean national champions.
In Papudo, a quiet coastal town in Chile's Valparaíso Region, golf is not an elite sport but a community passion. The 55-minute documentary “El Pueblo con Swing” captures this unique reality, showing how fishermen, carpenters, seamstresses, taxi drivers, housewives, shopkeepers, upholsterers, and artisans practice the sport in a spectacular setting. This hobby, maintained across generations, has given Chile three national champions.
The original idea comes from Joaquín Bascuñán and José Letelier, directed by Rodrigo Jorquiera, with production by Rodrigo Ricalde and Sofía García Huidobro, among others. Bascuñán explains: “this documentary portrays with great naturalness, simplicity, and honesty, a story practically unknown to the vast majority of people. A sport generally framed within the elite, in this case, is the passion of inhabitants who demonstrate, genuinely, all the spontaneous passion that can exist when practicing a sport that does not distinguish ages, gender, or social classes”.
The phrase that sums up the documentary's spirit is: “Golf in Papudo is as popular as football”. The mix of varied occupations and diverse ages gives the story a memorable stamp. The full version is available for free on the “Canal del Golf” YouTube channel, allowing this local gem to reach a wider audience.
