Footgolf, an all-ages sport blending the strategy of golf and the accessibility of soccer, has arrived in Atlanta.

Why it matters: The Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation's 9-hole footgolf course in Candler Park is the first inside the city limits.

• The pilot program, which launched May 16, is part of Atlanta's effort to capitalize on soccer's growing popularity ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and introduce more people to the sport. Or in this case, sports.
• "You don't have to have played in a golf tournament... you just need to be able to move your foot," Kelsey Brown, the course's operations manager, told Axios.

How it works: The course is laid out alongside the golf holes and didn't require many changes, Brown said. Players kick a regulation-sized soccer ball from the tee markers toward a pin and oversized cup on a green.

• The terminology — birdies, bogeys, fairways — and rules are largely the same. Like soccer, you can't use your hands.
• Wear tennis or indoor soccer shoes. Leave your cleats at home, as they can damage the course.
• There's a two-step maximum; no long, soccer-style run-ups allowed.

Zoom in: Brown said players range from kids to people in their 70s, with some regulars treating it as their weekly workout.

What they're saying: "I love it," Peoplestown resident John Wayne told Axios.

• "I enjoy this course because... it's not as hoity-toity golf as golf gets, you know. It's a little more casual, people are chill."

Pro tips: The challenge isn't punting the ball as hard as possible — it's plotting your next shot around Candler Park's famously hilly terrain.

• "If you're thinking about how hard to kick it, the answer is always 'soft,'" Brown said.

💭 Thomas' thought bubble: On the first hole, I kicked an exceptionally terrible 4-over-par.

• However, the pace, laid-back vibe and walking the course felt great. I'll be back, with plenty of water and sunscreen.

Go: The course is reserved for footgolf play on Monday–Thursday (10am–3pm); Friday (9am–1pm) Saturday (4:30pm–close) and Sunday (5 p.m.–close).

• Soccer balls are available for rent in the clubhouse.

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If you're planning to hit the road this holiday weekend, consider leaving... now?

Why it matters: This will be the busiest July 4 week for travel since at least 2019, AAA predicts. The right departure time could save you hours stuck in traffic.

The big picture: The worst July 4 holiday traffic is expected to hit starting Thursday, according to INRIX, a transportation data firm that works with AAA to calculate travel times.

Zoom in: The busiest stretch of road will be I-20 east between Atlanta and Augusta on Thursday, July 2 around 3pm ET, according to INRIX.

• Travel will take 3 hours, 1 minute — almost 60% longer than average.

State of play: To avoid the heaviest traffic, leave early in the day or consider driving on Monday or Tuesday, per INRIX.

By the numbers: AAA expects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, July 5.

• That's up from 71.8 million travelers last year but a smaller jump than in recent years.

Zoom in: Most July 4 travelers — 85% — are forecasted to drive this year, despite high gas prices, according to AAA.

MARTA has moved roughly 1.7 million passengers since the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as of this past Friday.

Why it matters: The transit agency — a vital part of metro Atlanta's transportation system any day of the week — has shown itself to be a workhorse during the global soccer tournament.

Zoom in: Passengers made 220,000 rail trips this past Wednesday, the day of the Morocco-Haiti match.

• The rail system normally transports half that number on a typical Wednesday.

Caveat: The numbers are estimates; some riders have gone uncounted because of MARTA's ongoing fare-gate installation project.

✈️ More than 4 million travelers are expected to pass through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the July 4 travel period. (AJC)

🇭🇹 Hundreds of Haitians gathered in Atlanta last week to cheer their team's World Cup match against Morocco and celebrate their culture. (Capital B)

🎙️ GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson told radio host Shelley Wynter he would accept Democratic opponent Keisha Lance Bottoms' challenge to a debate.

• "Of course I'll debate her ...I look forward to it," he said.