The Ham and Egger Files

Details of the 'World Alternative Games Go West' sports events taking place in Whitland and St Clears in June and July 2014.

The World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells were created in 2012 as an alternative to the 'other big event' taking place that year. In 2014 the World Alternative Games will be taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August with over 60 interesting sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games.

Competitors at the 2012 World Alternative Games Finger Jousting tournament

This year there will also be two 'World Alternative Games Go West' events taking place in St Clears and Whitland, Carmarthenshire, Wales on Saturday 21st of June and Sunday 27th of July respectively.

Poster for the Celtic Lowland Games and the St Clears World Alternative Games Go West event taking place on Saturday 21st of June 2014

One of the events taking place in the St Clears and Whitland Games (as well as the August main-event) will be Finger Jousting!

The World Alternative Games Go West events are being led by local volunteers and as well as Finger Jousting, sporting events on offer to participants in the St Clear's Games on the 21st of July will be Caber Tossing (using a fence post!), Bung the Boar, Baili Chase, Sandbag Quoits, Rock Paper Scissors, Tractor Crank, Dizzy Challenge and 'Sheepdog' Trial (a pairs event). It sounds excellent. Check out the St Clears Celtic Lowland Games Scorecard below for details of the event sponsors too.

Details of the World Alternative Games Go West event taking place in St Clears on the 21st of June 2014

The World Alternative Games Go West event in Whitland on the 27th of July will also feature Finger Jousting, Caber/Fence Post Tossing, Rock Paper Scissors, Quoits along with an Assault Course and the intriguingly named Bog Squatting! Details of the events and sponsors can be seen below.

Details of the World Alternative Games Go West event taking place in Whitland on the 27th of July 2014

People taking part in three or more events at a World Alternative Games Go West event will receive one of the prestigious World Alternative Games Corinthian Medals.

All World Alternative Games events are run with the Corinthian Spirit in mind, and while Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded to top placed competitors the most important thing is that visitors to Llanwrtyd Wells (and St Clears & Whitland) get as involved as possible in the fun and activities. Every participant in an event will receive one of the Corinthian Medals for taking part.

Egg Throwing medal winners at the 2012 World Alternative Games - Jas Kukielka, Richard Gottfried & Seve Kukielka

Later this summer, on Saturday 9th of August, the World Alternative Games at the Seaside event will take place at Pendine Sands in Carmarthen Bay.

Pendine Beach is well known for its association with speed sports and events, and the seaside Games will see such events as 'Land Speed Wife Pulling' (a variation of sorts of the Wife Carrying events Llanwrtyd Wells is famous for) and 'Human Hamsters' - a land zorbing race!

Emily and I visited Pendine Sands on our tour of the Welsh coast in 2009 and we played the 129th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour there. A nice seaside spot it was too.

The World Alternative Games is a mammoth feast of sporting events, ranging from fun and recreational activities to those at the elite, extreme and physical ends of the spectrum. In 2012 there were over 2,000 participants in 35 events, while this year will see 60+ contests and events! There really is something for everyone at the World Alternative Games.

We had a great time in Llanwrtyd Wells in 2012 running the Finger Jousting Championships and competing in the Egg Throwing and we can't wait to be a part of the 2014 World Alternative Games.

Further details about the World Alternative Games Go West can be found on the event Facebook page here and on page 11 of the 2014 World Alternative Games brochure here.

Check out the links below for more information about the events.

Links:
- World Alternative Games 2014 events list and dowloadable event brochure
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Alternative Games Go West on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation
- World Finger Jousting Federation on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- 2014 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- Becoming a World Champion in Egg Throwing!
- Finger Jousting to feature as a sport at the 2012 World Alternative Games!

Head on over to the UrbanCrazy website to read a guest blog post I put together for the team.

UrbanCrazy's Garden Mini Golf course in East Finchley, London is one of the courses I wrote about in my guest blog for the company

UrbanCrazy is a UK based minigolf company that designs and build permanent miniature golf courses, provide portable layouts and more. Check out the links below for more details.

Links:
- The UrbanCrazy World Of Miniature Golf article
- UrbanCrazy website
- UrbanCrazy blog
- UrbanCrazy on Twitter
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Being scared of bread!

Well, bread and all manner of other seemingly 'normal' food.

Just ask Emily about the look of fear upon my face if a waiter or waitress brings over a basket of 'normal' bread in a restaurant - it's like a vampire being confronted with garlic!

Links:

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #1

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #2

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #3

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #4

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #5

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #6
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #7

- Coeliac-related blog posts

- Gluten Free-related blog posts

The Midlands Minigolf Club has entered the Mars Milk sport fund in order to help the club with its aims.

Check out the sports funding entry and vote for the MMGC on the Mars Milk Play Fund website at - Midlands Minigolf Club.

You can vote every month throughout the summer. Please feel free to share the link with friends, family, colleagues, and anyone else!

The bronze medal winning Midlands Minigolf Club A-team members at the 2013 BMGA British Minigolf Championships in Basingstoke, from l-r Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain, Jon 'The Black Knight' Drexler, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, John 'Uncle Al' Moore

Every month Mars Milk will be donating cash awards to sports individuals and clubs that are in need of extra funding.

The MMGC's main uses for any prize funding would be:
- To help existing members travel to tournaments and play more regularly. This will go towards travel costs, training time and competition entry fees.
- To pay for a tournament for new players to try and get more people to experience the joys of minigolf.
- To help pay for brand new team shirts.
- To purchase specialist minigolf balls for use by all players in the club.

The Midlands Minigolf Club consists of a small but dedicated group of individuals from around the UK and Northern Ireland (and one in the USA!) who love playing minigolf. Players travel all over the UK to compete in events on the British Minigolf Association Tour.

The MMGC was formed in 2005. Players have won a number of Minigolf titles and in 2008 the club was crowned BMGA British Club Champions when the Midlands I team triumphed at Stratford-upon-Avon. The club has competed in the national club championships on a number of occasions, results to date are below.

2013

- Midlands I 3rd of 9 teams.

- Midlands II 7th.

Played at Basingstoke.

2012

- Midlands A 3rd of 12 teams.

- Midlands B 9th.

Played at Basingstoke.

2011

- Midlands 3rd of 7 teams.

Played at Dorridge

2010

- DNP

2009

- Midlands B 5th (tied) of 8 teams.

- Midlands A 7th.

Played at Sandbanks.

2008

- Midlands I 1st of 7 teams.

- Midlands II 5th.

- Midlands III 7th.

Played at Stratford-upon-Avon.

2007

- DNP

2006

- Midlands/North A 2nd of 7 teams.

- Midlands/North B 7th.

Played at Dorridge.

2005

- Midlands 2nd of 5 teams.

Played at Dorridge.

Links:
- Mars Milk
- Mars Milk on Twitter
- Mars Milk on Facebook
- Mars Milk Play Fund entry for the Midlands Minigolf Club

Watching some FootGolf at Stockwood Park Golf Centre in Luton.

Players await their turn on the FootGolf course at Stockwood Park in Luton. Note the practice putting green in the foreground

During my semi-annual game of Pitch & Putt Mini Golf against my golfing nemesis Oxana Nikandrova at Stockwood Park Golf Centre in Luton I got to see the centre's new FootGolf set-up in action.

Hole 1 at Stockwood Park. The red flag is on the 'normal' green and is the target for Golfers/Pitch & Putters. The white flag to the right of the green is the FootGolf target. Some of the FootGolf holes were to the side of the Golf greens, and some were set behind the green itself

We'd gone to Stockwood Park to use the driving range and have a round on the Mini Golf and we noticed that the new FootGolf offering at the centre was being very well used. In fact, while we were there only three or so other groups played actual Golf on the Golf course, with at least 15 groups - ranging from pairs to groups of three, four and five players - playing the new sport on the combined 9-hole Mini Golf/FootGolf course.

The BIG FootGolf cup

I'm quite intrigued by Footgolf and I look forward to giving it a play on Luton's two courses (the first to open was at Tea Green Golf). Perhaps a mini 'friendly' tourney will take place with my Pitch & Putt rivals John 'Not' Oxley, 'Rowdy' Russell Fenner and Simon 'Practice' Hall. I first heard about FootGolf in September 2013 while playing Minigolf at the 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Stonham Barns in Suffolk.

As the name suggests FootGolf is a mix of Football and Golf, with the game played on a Golf course, and players aiming to get the football into the hole in as few shots as possible. No special equipment is needed, well, other than a 'size 5' football.

A regular Golf ball next to a FootGolf cup

While at Stockwood Park we noticed a steady stream of players heading onto the Academy Golf course (aka the 9-hole Mini Golf / Pitch & Putt) to play FootGolf and there was a real mix of people having a round. By the look of it the quality of play was also as mixed as the players having a go! With some shooting very close to the specific FootGolf hole with their 'tee' shot, while other people were hoofing it up the fairway and some players - mostly(!) youngsters - dribbling the ball to the hole!

Having a read of the FootGolf rules on the scorecard I noticed that the maximum score on a FootGolf hole is 8, only one ball is allowed to be in motion at any one time, and that if a ball comes to rest on a green then the ball is to be moved to the nearest point off of the green, but no closer to the hole, as a free drop.

The 'tee' shot of one of the players in the group of four footgolfers behind us got their ball (a size 5 football) onto the 'actual' green, rather than near to the FootGolf hole, which is dug in beside the greens on the Golf course

It was interesting to see both Golf and FootGolf being played on the course at the same time. It seemed to work quite well, with no more bottlenecks than I've experienced on the Academy course before.

A 9-hole round of FootGolf at Stockwood Park Golf Centre costs £5.50 for adults, £5 for seniors, £4 for juniors (children under-16) and £14 for a family ticket (two adults & two children under-16).

At Tea Green Golf the cost for a weekday 9-hole round is £6, or £8.50 for 18-holes. A family midweek deal is £15.00 and juniors (under-16s) can play for £4.50. At weekends a round costs £8.50 for 9-holes and £11.00 for 18. Juniors can play for £5.50 and the family deal is £20. Details of the prices and booking info can be found on the Tea Green Golf website.

Check out the UK FootGolf Association website for more details about the sport, courses, competitions and other countries that play the game.

Both Stockwood Park Golf Centre and Tea Green Golf are hosting regular UK FootGolf Association tournaments. Get in touch with the respective courses for entry details.

The game of FootGolf seems to be growing rapidly and another Golf Centre we recently visited (to play a new Adventure Golf course) - Golf Kingdom in Romford - is building a new FootGolf course, due to open in July 2014.

In the round of Pitch & Putt against Oxana I scored 30(+3) with Oxana finishing on 50(+23). It was a good fun round, in lovely weather.

Links:
- Stockwood Park Golf Centre
- Tea Green Golf
- UK Footgolf Association

Related blog posts:
- FootGolf
- Stockwood Park-related Blog Posts
- Tea Green-related Blog Posts
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Played #30 Luton (Stockwood Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Playing the 18-hole Adventure Golf course at Alexandra Gardens in Windsor, Berkshire.

The striking tower on the Adventure Golf course in Windsor, with the real Windsor Castle in the background

On Saturday 21st of June 2014 I revisited Windsor for the first time since May 2009. On our last visit we’d played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf courses in the park operated by Extreme Motion.

The old Miniature Golf course in Windsor

At the Extreme Motion Mini-Golf course in May 2009

Since that Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip the team at Extreme Motion has removed the flat concrete courses and replaced it with a larger 18-hole Adventure Golf course– notable for the castle tower, a nod to Windsor Castle itself.

Hole 11 is the tower hole - a good hole-in-one opportunity if you hit the ball into the hole at the top of the hill. I scored a 3

The new course in Windsor was the 562nd visited and 338th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Minigolf selfie at the Alexandra Gardens Adventure Golf course in Windsor

I had an enjoyable round on the pleasing to the eye and high quality course. The surroundings are pleasant and the course is in a good spot in the park.

Windsor's Adventure Golf course

I shot a round of 37(+1), scoring two holes-in-one. A lot of the holes appeared to be very aceable. All in all it was a nice morning in the historic town.

I’m looking forward to heading back Windsor and the course again, with Emily this time. The course was very playable and is worth a visit and a play.

A view of the Windsor Adventure Golf course from the other side of the battlements

It costs £5.50 per adult for an 18-hole round, with children (under-14's) and senior citizens charged £4.50 a round.

When I arrived in Windsor I was an hour too early to play the Alexandra Gardens Adventure Golf course so I headed into the town for a few hours followed by a nice riverside stroll in the lovely weather before I had my round of Minigolf

The course itself and the equipment (balls and putters) are well maintained and you get a good quality scorecard to mark your round.

The 18th hole

Extreme Motion in Windsor’s Alexandra Gardens is open from 10am everyday and as well as the Mini-Golf course there are a number of children's fairground rides available, along with a bungee trampoline, zorb balls and cycle hire. Plus ice creams and other refreshments from the kiosk on-site.

More photos of the Windsor Adventure Golf course are below:

The 17th hole has a fairly large 'volcano' type of obstacle on it!

A view of the volcano on hole 17

Links:
- Extreme Motion
- Video: Hole in One at Windsor Adventure Golf

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visits 98 & 99 - Alexandra Gardens, Windsor
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Visiting the Allergy and Free From Show at Olympia.

My haul of information and freebies from the Allergy and Free From Show

Today I visited day two of the three day Allergy and Free From Show at Olympia in London. The event had dozens of suppliers, thousands of free from products and tens of thousands of people with allergies, intolerances, sensitivities and autoimmune diseases, disorders and conditions (such as Coeliac Disease).

Among the thousands of 'free from' products at the event were many I hadn't seen or tasted before, such as those from Delicious Alchemy, Venice Bakery, Focaccia per Tutti and 1-2-3 Gluten Free.

The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia

I spent a good four hours checking out the stands, finding out product information and sampling food and drink. It was great to see some of my favourite gluten and wheat free brands at the show, including Celia Lager, Honeyrose Bakery, Eskal Foods, Kabuto Noodles, and the event's headline sponsor Udi's Gluten Free.

Udi's Gluten Free are the headline sponsor of the event and I picked up three of their products I haven't tried yet

I also really enjoyed speaking to a number of people who are really passionate about providing great quality (and interesting) food and drink for people with Coeliac Disease and getting info on their brands.

Visit the Allergy and Free From Show website for details on how to attend the third and final day.

The 2014 Allergy and Free From Show is co-locating with three other shows at Olympia and if you attend you can also visit the V Delicious, Love Natural Love Organic and The Back Pain Show.

If you can't make the final day of the 2014 London show then you can attend the Allergy and Free From Show North that is taking place on the 25th and 26th of October at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool.

Its going to take me a while to digest all the information from the event and I'll be writing more blog posts about my visit and all the great gluten & wheat free food and drink I tried and discovered at the show in the coming weeks.

I'm always keen to find out about gluten and wheat free brands that are suitable for people with Coeliac Disease so please do get in touch if you know of any, or are a producer/supplier.

Links:
- The Allergy and Free From Show
- Udi's Gluten Free
- Coeliac UK
- Gluten Free related blog posts on the Ham & Egger Files

Using Green's Gluten Free Dark Ale Mustard.

While at the 2014 Allergy and Free From Show I visited the Green's gluten free beers stand and as well as sampling a couple of the their beers I hadn't had in a while I was also given a special jar of Green's Dark Ale Mustard!

Green's gluten free Dark Ale Mustard

I asked for some suggestions on Twitter and Green's came back with ideas for Marks & Spencer gluten free sausages (a good idea as I like the M&S gluten free range), a scotch egg (another great idea, perhaps one from Hotch Potch Eggs who I met at the show), or any salad & ham (less of the salad, more of the ham!).

Fellow gluten free blogger Gemma at Coeliac and Me suggested said she'd be making some honey & mustard salad dressing. Sounds nice.

Emily cooks up some cracking gluten free food, a specialty of which is a great dish of honey and mustard crusted pork, which we'll use the Dark Ale Mustard for the next time.

In the interim and feeling hungry after a busy day I used the Green's mustard in a beef sandwich. Very tasty it was too.

A late lunch of a beef and ale mustard sandwich (made with Genius Gluten Free bread) and the obligatory Pom-Bear snacks on the side (these are the newish Zoo Friends variety and are 'really cheesy')

The mustard is made by Cumberland Mustard using Green's Dark Ale.

Check out the Green's Gluten Free Beers website for details of the full range, stockists and how to order online.

Related blog posts:
- The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia
- Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers

Link:
- Green's Gluten Free Beers

Having a round of the new game of FootGolf at Luton's Stockwood Park.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire

First-time FootGolfers after the round at Stockwood Park in Luton. From l-r Steve 'The Belly' Kelly, Paul 'Barer' Harvey, John 'The Professional' Oxley, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, 'Rowdy' Russell Fenner

On Monday 7th July I headed up to Stockwood Park in Luton to play my first round of the new sport of FootGolf. I'd been challenged to a match by my old Dodgeball rivals - the Welwyn Dowed Warriors.

Playing FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton

I first heard about FootGolf last September and since then Luton has seen two courses open - at Stockwood Park Golf Centre and at Tea Green Golf.

A couple of weeks ago I saw how popular the game was as I had a round of Pitch & Putt on the Stockwood Mini Golf course.

John 'The Professional' Oxley launches a shot as Steve 'The Belly' Kelly looks on

The sport of FootGolf is played on a golf course, with player's aiming to get the football into the hole in as few shots as possible. The 'green' and hole itself is placed beside or beyond the regular golf's green to enable players of the two games to have a round at the same time.

'Rowdy' Russell Fenner plays his second shot on hole 1

Having paid for our round of 9-hole (£5.50 each, plus a £5 refundable deposit for each ball borrowed) we heaed out to the course. With the rules of the game read out from the very well designed FootGolf scorecard we were ready to get underway, with John 'The Professional' Oxley kicking/teeing-off first.

Paul 'Barer' Harvey readying himself for a tricky 'putt' on the 3rd hole - this one really got the better of most players (apart from John and Paul)

We had a great, fun round with plenty of banter and some wild shots. These were interspersed with some good use of the greens to play some nice angled shots. The shot of the match went to Paul who kicked a cracker to score a three on the par-5 121 yard sixth hole.

Steve 'The Belly' Kelly pitches a shot across the edge of the golf green

John 'The Professional' Oxley lines up a 'putt'

Steve 'The Belly' Kelly chips out of the rough

Steve 'The Belly' Kelly in trouble again

The final results saw John win with par (34), notching up a two on hole five and a three on the ninth. In second on 36(+2) was Paul. I was third on 37(+3), with Steve edging out Rowdy Russell 39(+5) to 40(+6).

It was a good, open round and hopefully we'll all improve in our second game.

Richard Gottfried 'putting' on the Stockwood Park FootGolf layout

We all agreed it was a fun game to play and we'll certainly be having another round soon. The Hertfordshire-based players are hoping to see a FootGolf course open up on their side of the border.

A new FootGolf sign will need to be added to the post at Stockwood Park

You can also play FootGolf on Tea Green Golf's new course at Wandon End, near Luton.

Check out the links below for the UK FootGolf Association and Stockwood Park Golf Centre for more details about playing the game.

FootGolf seems to be a fast growing sport, with new courses popping up all over the country.

Links:
- Stockwood Park Golf Centre
- UK FootGolf Association

Related blog posts:
- Observations of FootGolf
- FootGolf is heading to Luton!
- Stockwood Park-related Blog Posts
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Played #30 Luton (Stockwood Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt

New gluten free products - including beer and cakes - in the Made Without Range by Marks & Spencer.

Emily and I are big fans of Marks & Spencer as in the last few years they have added more and more products to the 'Made Without Wheat' range.

In addition to the special Made Without Wheat gluten free branded line, M&S has been making a lot of other items gluten free - such as the new BBQ and Grill range - which include our particular favourites of pulled pork and the cheese & chilli 'posh dogs'.

While having a browse in the Luton branch today I spotted there are now two new gluten free beers available!

The new Marks & Spencer beers - the Belgian Golden Ale on the left and the Belgian Premium Pilsner on the right.

I'm a big fan of beer, ale and lager and after my diagnosis with Coeliac Disease in 2008 following years of illness I received the additional hammer blow of being told that I wouldn't be able to have a pint of beer again.

Since then I have found that there are a number of gluten free tipples available and details of those beers I've found and drunk are available on my compilation blog post about Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers.

The Belgian Golden Ale and Belgian Premium Pilsner are brewed by Brouwerij De Brabandere in West Flanders, Belgium and have been specially brewed for Marks & Spencer.

The new M&S Ale and Pilsner both contain Barley and in the information on the bottle it says "Barley gluten is removed during the brewing process to leave a great tasting gluten free beer."

I bought a bottle of each beer. I haven't tried them yet, but I'm sure they'll get drunk over the weekend.

M&S have also recently started selling four new cakes. I spotted three of these in the Luton branch, while the Party Cake was spotted in the Ipswich store.

The Made Without Wheat Extremely Chocolatey Celebration Cake by M&S. I bought one of these for our recent wedding anniversary.

The Made Without Wheat Extremely Chocolatey Celebration Cake was nice, I liked it more than Emily, but we both agreed the base of the cake was a little too dry. Not a bad amount of chocolate cake for the £10 price tag. I'd buy it again, and at least this time I'd have it all to myself.

The M&S Made Without Wheat Carrot & Walnut Cake and Coffee and Walnut Cake. I haven't tried these. Yet.

The Marks and Spencer Made Without Wheat 'Party Cake'. I hope I get one of these on my next birthday.

The M&S Made Without Wheat 'Party Cake'. I hope I get one of these on my next birthday.

Check out the M&S website for details of the Made Without Wheat range and the other Gluten Free items they offer. I spotted some different cakes available there too!

Links:
- Marks & Spencer website
- Marks & Spencer Made Without Wheat page
- Brouwerij De Brabandere
- Coeliac UK website

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free blog posts on The Ham & Egger Files
- Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers
- A blogger's gluten free sandwich
- Gluten Free Finds in London (and beyond) - October 2010

Did you know - Miniature Golf was once played during the Olympic Games!

While it was not officially part of the Games programme, the participants in the Golf tournament at the 1904 Olympic Games held in St Louis, USA also competed in a Putting Championship on a specially built miniature golf course.

The 9-hole Putting Course was specifically built at the Glen Echo Country Club for a Putting Championship and was constructed with electric lights surrounding the layout.

The Putting competition was won by Burt McKinnie of Normandie GC. McKinnie defeated Clement Smoot of the Exmoor Club in Chicago for the trophy after McKinnie scored a total of 21. Both players had been tied going into the last hole!

Check out the Olympic Golf Replica Program from 1904 and the 'Little Known Olympic Facts' section on the Glen Echo Country Club website for further info on the event.

On this year's Olympic Day (23 June) I tweeted about the Putting course and championships and Glen Echo tweeted back.

The 1904 Games were quite a wild affair - with a number of other sporting events taking place out of the scope of the 'official' sports. They also took place over several months and organised alongside the World's Fair, rather than as a standalone event.

More information about the 1904 Olympic Golf Matches can be found on the Glenn Echo Country Club website.

On a related note, the Olympiapark München is home to a Miniature Golf course that was set-up in the athletes village for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Now open to the public you can find more information on the Olympiapark München and the Minigolf & Pit-Pat Olympiapark München websites.

International Minigolf Sport is governed by the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF). The WMF currently has 46 member associations. The WMF is a member of SportAccord, an organisation comprised of a wide-range of Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations.

Links:
- Glen Echo Country Club website
- Glen Echo Country Club on Twitter
- Glen Echo Country Club on Facebook
- 1904 Olympic Golf Matches
- Olympic Golf Replica Program from 1904
- St Louis 1904 at Olympic.org

Blog post about some of the new products available from Udi's Gluten Free.

At the recent Allergy and Free From Show in London I spotted some of the new gluten free products from Udi's Gluten Free.

Following feedback from customers since the UK launch in 2013 Udi's have launched 27 new gluten free products.

I was given samples of the new Soft n' Chewy Chocolate Banana Cereal Bars, Chocolate Flavour Sandwich Cookies and the Milk Chocolate Wafers by the Udi's team at the Allergy and Free From Show. So far I've had one of the chocolate banana bars, which was nice

Yesterday I received a nice surprise hamper from Udi's!

It's always nice to receive a surprise food hamper! Especially when you know all of the contents will be gluten free and suitable for coeliacs!

Last December I blogged about the first products launched in the Udi's Gluten Free range, and its going to be great trying the new products which all sound interesting and tasty.

In my pre-Coeliac Disease days, back when I was able to eat a 'normal' diet, I wasn't a big fan of bagels. However, that changed when I tried the Udi's Cinnamon & Raisin Bagels. The chocolate chip ones sound even better. Everything tastes better if its got chocolate in it!

The Soft & Tasty Chocolate Chip Bagels,Soft & Delicious Blueberry Muffins, Soft & Chewy Cherry Flavoured Breakfast Bars, Chocolate Flavour Sandwich Cookies and the Lemon Flavoured Wafers

The gluten free hamper contents were Soft & Tasty Chocolate Chip Bagels,Soft & Delicious Blueberry Muffins, Soft & Chewy Cherry Flavoured Breakfast Bars, Chocolate Flavour Sandwich Cookies and the Lemon Flavoured Wafers

I'll be scoffing my way through the new products in the coming weeks, I think i'll start with a toasted bagel, followed by a blueberry muffin...

Udi's Gluten Free launched here in the UK at the end of last year and have been operating in the USA since 1994. Check out the Udi's website for further details of their range and stockists near you.

The Udi's philosophy is creating great gluten free foods that bring happiness. Read more of the Udi's story, from starting out in Colorado, USA in 1994 to the UK launch on the Udi's website.

Udi's Gluten Free was the headline sponsor of the recent Allergy & Free From Show at Olympia.

A wall of Udi's gluten free products at the Allergy and Free From Show in London, including some of the 27 new products added to the range

If you missed that event then you can attend the Allergy and Free From Show North that is taking place on the 25th & 26th of October at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool.

Link:
- Udi's Gluten Free UK
- Udi's Gluten Free USA

Related blog posts:
- Udi’s Gluten Free – more than just mince pies
- Awareness Week: Coeliac Facts from Udi's Gluten Free
- The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac

Updated BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit ranking list published.

Neither Emily or I competed in the 2014 BMGA British Matchplay Championships played at the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course at Bluewater Park last weekend.

Following the event, won for a third-time by Kent's Sean 'Freebird' Homer, the British Minigolf Association has published an updated BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit ranking list.

Emily is ranked at 22nd of 53 players (52 places) on 900 points, while I am ranked at 43rd with 190 points. Emily has retained her position, while I moved down from 36th place.

Emily Gottfried playing at Bluewater's Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in December 2011

Richard Gottfried playing at Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in December 2011

For further information about the British Minigolf Association and BMGA Tournaments please visit the BMGA website.

Visit the Pirate Cove website for more details of the two 18-hole Adventure Golf courses at Bluewater.

In the BMGA Strokeplay Order of Merit I am currently ranked at 10th place of 85 places (138 players), with Emily at number 21.

Related blog posts:
- British Minigolf Association Ranking updates following the BMGA British Championships
- British Minigolf Association Tournament Calendar for 2014

Sponsorship available for Minigolf Doubles Team at event in September.

Minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried in Putter King kits at the BMGA English Open minigolf tournament

We'll be competing at the BMGA British Doubles Championship at the 18-hole Minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull in September. The doubles event will be preceded by the Midlands Open singles competition at the same venue.

If you'd like to sponsor us in this event, or others throughout the year, then please get in touch. You can also follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @9livesGottfried.

Sixteen teams will line-up to compete for the BMGA British Doubles title and we're offering naming rights for our team, along with kit branding opportunities (polo shirts, shorts/trousers, hat, umbrella in case of rain! and logo placement with patches/badges etc.).

Emily Gottfried at the Midlands Open at Dorridge in 2011

The Midlands Open/British Doubles weekend is a great minigolfing event, with players from around the UK competing for the titles.

Richard Gottfried playing in the Midlands Open at Dorridge in 2012

We can be available to sponsors for interviews, photo opportunities, training and events.

My best result in the BMGA British Doubles was third place, when teaming with Bath's Kevin Moseley at Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010.

Richard Gottfried playing at Four Ashes Golf Centre in the BMGA British Club Championships in 2011

Emily's best finish in the BMGA British Doubles was fourth place when she partnered with Welsh Ladies Number One Cindy Kukielka at the same event.

Emily Gottfried playing in the BMGA British Doubles Championship in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010

We are both active on the national minigolf tour and have competed in over 100 tournaments, league events and club nights since our debuts in 2007. We have also represented Great Britain at international level in World Minigolf Sport Federation and European Minigolf Sport Federation tournaments in Finland, Sweden and England.

Emily is a member of the Cambridgeshire Mini Golf Club, and I am a member of the Midlands Minigolf Club. Both clubs are comprised of players that compete around the UK and overseas, including the annual BMGA British Club Championship, which was won by Midlands MGC in 2008.

Emily Gottfried at the WMF Nations Cup in Stockholm, Sweden in 2011

Richard Gottfried at the WMF Nations Cup in Stockholm, Sweden in 2011

For further information about sponsorship opportunities please get in touch.

Related blog posts:
- Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile
- Emily Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile

Links:
- British Minigolf Association
- Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

Hide N Seek tournament to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Sunday 10th August.

Amongst the 60+ sports and games events on offer at the upcoming World Alternative Games will be a Hide N Seek competition!

Taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales in the afternoon of the 10th August the Hide N Seek competition ('Chwarae Cwato' in Welsh) will feature both adult and junior team categories.

The Japan Hide-and-Seek Promotion Committee was established in 2010 and aims to have the sport in the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan!

The rules of tournament Hide N Seek sees two teams of seven players face each other in a ten minute match. In the first five minutes, half of one team is given two minutes to hide within an area that measures 65ft x 65ft. The opponents then have to locate and tag the hiding players, with the second half of the match mirroring the first. The rules are the same for children under the age of 12, but the area measures 55ft x 88ft.

Hide N Seek in Llanwrtyd Wells - can you spot me and Emily in this photo in the town centre?

To register to take part in the Hide N Seek event, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 interesting sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

Worm Charming Competition to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Sunday 10th August.

Amongst the many sports, games and events on offer at the upcoming World Alternative Games will be a Worm Charming Championship!

Taking place at the Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales on the morning of the 10th August the Worm Charming Championships ('Pencampwriaethau Hudo Mwydod' in Welsh) will be using the official IFCWAP (International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes) rules for the event.

To register to take part in the Welsh Worm Charming Championships, and other events, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

In July 2011 alongside my friend (and champion worm charmer) Oliver 'The Machine' Florence, and my nephew Kallum Harper, I competed in the Worm Charming Competition at St Mary’s Village Carnival in Edlesborough, Buckinghamshire. What an event that was!

Action from Plot 68 at the Worm Charming Competition at St Mary’s Village Carnival in 2011

The World Alternative Games will be taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 interesting sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female categories for athletes to compete in on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- IFCWAP (International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes) website
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games
- Worm Charming Competition at St Mary’s Village Carnival in Edlesborough

- Congratulations to Oliver Florence & Team for winning the South of England Earthworm Charming Championships

Rock, Paper, Scissors competition to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Monday 11th August.

The upcoming World Alternative Games will feature a Rock, Paper, Scissors competition!

Taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales in the PM session of Monday 11th August the Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament ('Pencampw riaeth Carreg Papur Siswrn' in Welsh) is an Open event where everyone can compete on the same level and one person will become the Corinthian Rock, Paper, Scissors Champion.

We're big fans of Rock, Paper, Scissors and have competed in many of the Wacky Nation RPS events over the years. In 2012 we were fourth (as San Marino) in the International Team Rock, Paper, Scissors Championships in London.

Facing off against Neil 'Razor' Ruddock in an International Rock Paper Scissors 'friendly' match in 2012!

To register to take part in the Rock, Paper, Scissors event, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- Wacky Nation website
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

Zombie Race to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Monday 11th August.

A Zombie Fun Run will be taking place at the upcoming World Alternative Games!

The race (shouldn't it be a shamble?) will be held in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales during the PM session on Monday 11th August.

Anybody can enter the The Zombie Fun Run ('Râs Hwyl Sombi' in Welsh) and there will be many different categories. The main rule is that you MUST be dressed up as a zombie!!! Runners should start thinking about their costume and make-up now, as the 'best dressed' zombie will win.

The closest I've ever been to a Zombie Race was trying to evade the hordes at the Halloween Zombie Apocalypse in Hastings outdoor laser tag event in 2011!

A Zombie Apocalypse victim and a future victim in Hastings

Christopher Gottfried and two new friends at the Zombie Apocalypse in Hastings

To enter the Zombie Fun Run, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

Llanwrtyd Wells is renowned for its quirky and odd sporting events. One of the most physically demanding contests is the annual Man vs Horse Marathon that began in 1980! For more information check out the Green Events website.

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

Conker Championships to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Friday 15th August.

The upcoming World Alternative Games will feature a Conkers competition!

Taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales in the AM session on Friday 15th August the Conker Championships ('Pencampwriaethau Concyrs' in Welsh) will see competitors split into three groups - men, women and children.

At the start of each game, the competitors will be given a new lace and conker and each player then takes three alternate strikes on the opponent’s conker. The game's outcome is decided when one of the conkers is smashed.

To register to take part in the Conker Championships, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

My friend Chris 'Stretch' Jones was the official World Conker Champion in 2006! At the 2007 Midlands Minigolf Open tournament in Warwick I got to see some world class conker action as the then World Conker Champion was challenged by preliminary competitor Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd!

Chris 'Stretch' Jones - 2006 World Conkers Champion - holding out his conker for enhancement talent Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd to take a shot

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

Egg Throwing competition to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Sunday 10th August.

The upcoming World Alternative Games will once again feature an Egg Throwing competition!

Taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales during the morning session on Sunday 10th August the Egg Throwing tournament ('Taflu Wyau' in Welsh) is an Open event.

Players compete in pairs and the aim is to throw and catch a raw egg without breakage. After each round the teams must move further apart until there is just one team left standing with a whole unbroken egg.

Its a great, fun event and at the 2012 World Alternative Games me and my team-mate Jas Kukielka won the competition!

Egg Throwing at the World Alternative Games

The 2012 World Alternative Games Egg Throwing Championships Gold Medal winning team and the Silver Medallists - from l-r Jas 'Jasain Bolt' Kukielka, Richard Gottfried (with Egg), Seve Kukielka

To register to take part in the Egg Throwing event, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

Throwing an egg to Jas Kukielka

Egg Throwing can be a messy sport!

In the morning session on the 15th August there will also be a Russian Egg Roulette competition ('Rwlet y Rwsiaid â Wyau')! Each player takes it in turn to crack an egg on their forehead until one unlucky competitor finds they have the one fresh egg in six smashed on them. The winner moves into the next round.

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place in the afternoon session on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Becoming a World Champion in Egg Throwing!
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

World Alternative Games - Go West!

UrbanCrazy Blog Post - The UrbanCrazy World Of Miniature Golf

Funny things about being a Coeliac #8

Vote for the Midlands Minigolf Club in the Mars Milk Play Fund

Observations of FootGolf

Windsor Adventure Golf

The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia

A blogger's gluten free sandwich

Playing FootGolf in Luton

New Gluten Free Beer and Cakes at M&S

Miniature Golf and the Olympic Games

New products from Udi's Gluten Free

Latest BMGA minigolf matchplay rankings

Sponsor us in the Minigolf British Doubles Championship

Hide N Seek at the World Alternative Games

Worm Charming at the World Alternative Games

Rock, Paper, Scissors at the World Alternative Games

Zombie Fun Run at the World Alternative Games!

Conker Championships at the World Alternative Games

Egg Throwing at the World Alternative Games