Pirate Island Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking

November 17, 2014, 1:47 am

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A visit to the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking, Surrey.

On Sunday 16 November 2014 Emily and I headed to Surrey to compete in the inaugural Surrey Invitational Minigolf Tournament against our friends and fellow competition players Matt 'The Don' Dodd, Helen 'Hells Bells' Dodd and Oliver 'The Machine' Florence in a two-round, two-course contest.

We began the day at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking - home to the 18-hole Pirate Island Adventure Golf course.

The course was the 352nd played and 586th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Playing a shot on a big green

Matt holes out on the very long par-5 third-hole

In the drink

As is Matt

Oliver in great form at the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course

Helen plays a shot on the BIG minigolf loop-di-loop

Emily inspects the cannon as Oliver prepares to putt

The first hole at the stern of the pirate ship

The pirate ship has two holes and three tee-off points

Inside the pirate ship is a blacklit hole!

Emily plays a shot inside the pirate ship

A round of minigolf at the course costs £8.25 for adults and £5.25 for children (4-16 year olds). The course is open seven days a week and is open from 9am til late. There are deals for families and groups too and you can also find out more by signing-up to the Pirate Island Golf enewsletter.

More information can be found on the Hoebridge Golf Centre website, the Pirate Island Adventure Golf website and Facebook.

There are also Pirate Island Adventure Golf courses in Milton Keynes, Castleford and Nottingham. We've played the MK course at Abbey Hill Golf Centre on our Tour and are looking forward to visiting the Castleford and Nottingham courses in the future.

Links:

- Pirate Island Adventure Golf Woking

- Pirate Island Adventure Golf

- Pirate Island Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre

- Hoebridge Golf Centre

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Surrey Invitational Tournament Minigolf Report
- Woking
- Adventure Golf at Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Fake Crocodiles (or are they Alligators?) at Minigolf courses!

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Adventure Golf at Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom

November 17, 2014, 1:55 am

≫ Next: Gluten free chicken and beer

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A visit to the Jungle Island Adventure Golf course at Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom, Surrey.

On Sunday 16 November 2014 Emily and I headed to Surrey to compete in the inaugural Surrey Invitational Minigolf Tournament against our friends and fellow competition players Matt 'The Don' Dodd, Helen 'Hells Bells' Dodd and Oliver 'The Machine' Florence in a two-round, two-course contest.

The second course we played was the 18-hole Jungle Island Adventure Golf course at Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom.

The course was the 353rd played and 587th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

A round of minigolf at the course costs £9.25 for adults and £7.25 for children. The course is open seven days a week and is open from 9am.

There's currently a limited offer to buy an annual pass to play the Jungle Island Adventure Golf that looks like a good deal.

The limited edition annual pass at Jungle Island Adventure Golf

More information can be found on the Horton Park Golf Club website, Twitter and Facebook.

Links:
- Jungle Island Adventure Golf
- Horton Park Golf Club

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking
- Surrey Invitational Tournament Minigolf Report
- Fake Crocodiles (or are they Alligators?) at Minigolf courses!

Gluten free chicken and beer

November 19, 2014, 1:11 pm

≫ Next: Latest Tat Challenges in Hastings

≪ Previous: Adventure Golf at Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom

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Chicken and beer - a great combination.

Emily's a great cook and makes some delicious gluten free treats - both sweet and savoury. We've blogged about some of them here on The Ham & Egger Files and also posted photos and details on her Twitter feed.

The latest creation Emily has perfected is oven baked cornflake chicken (think kind of southern fried, but healthier if you will).

Southern-style baked chicken coated with crushed Nestle Gluten Free Corn Flakes, served with paprika potato wedges, BBQ beans and an avocado. Washed down with a chilled Estrella Damm Daura gluten free beer. Delicious food, gluten free or otherwise

Since my diagnosis with Coeliac Disease in 2008 I've tried a fair few of the gluten free beers available and Estrella Damm Daura is one of my favourites.

While recently shopping for a gluten free Chocolate Yule Log in Tesco's Free From section I noticed that Estrella Damm Daura were included in a 3 for 2 offer and so twelve bottles of the great gluten free beer were £12 - a great buy for a savvy coeliac like me.

Links:
- Estrella Damm Daura website
- Estrella Damm Daura gluten free beer on Twitter
- Tesco Free From website
- Nestlé Cereals website

Related blog posts:
- Gluten free Ale, Beer and Lager
- New Nestlé Gluten Free Corn Flakes and Honey Corn Flakes

- Coeliac

- Gluten Free

Latest Tat Challenges in Hastings

November 26, 2014, 12:39 pm

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≪ Previous: Gluten free chicken and beer

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Results of the first-ever 60p Tat Challenges.

Tat Challenge veteran in action at the first 60 pence Tat Challenge in Hastings

Last month saw Kate Kelly crowned the Worlds £2 Tat Challenge Champion at the Old Town Amusements in Hastings and this month saw two more Tat Challenge contests take place in the East Sussex seaside resort.

The variation on the classic format of the sport saw competitors use 60 pence worth of two penny pence pieces to win as much tat from the buttons at the amusement arcade next door and a few from the Old Town Amusements.

The loot won by the winner of the first-ever 60p Tat Challenge

The first shootout took place on the evening of Saturday 22 November and five of the finest exponents of the endurance game took on the challenge to see how much they could win with just thirty bronzes.

The gold medal went to Will Donnelly who scored an amazing four pieces of Tat with his stake.

Will 'The Winner' Donnelly and his haul at the amusement arcade in Hastings

Results from 60p Tat Challenge Player's Championship #2 - Hastings, 23 November 2014
1st - Will Donnelly - 4 pieces of tat
2nd - John Moore - 3 pieces of tat
3rd - Seth Thomas - 2 pieces of tat
4th - Richard Gottfried - 1 piece of tat
5th - Dave Donnelly - 0 piece of tat whatsoever

A happy/surprise John 'Big Al' Moore with three minions in his winnings

Seth 'Two Bits' Thomas and his winnings

Richard Gottfried and a 'lego' man from the tupenny falls

The biggest hands in the sport of Tat Challenging, but Dave Donnelly drew a blank in the first-ever 60p Tat Challenge

Shootout two in the short form of the game saw Seth, Richard and Big Al return and were joined by Huntingdonshire's newest son and avid tatter Steve Lovell. Local competitor John 'Big Top Ted' McIver was unfortunate as he missed the start of the contest, as well as the end, as he was waylaid en route to the arena by his need to buy some chips.

With a bit apiece Steve and Seth picked up the win. The other competitors blanked. But at least Ted got some chips.

Steve Lovell and Seth Thomas are happy with their 'haul'. Each winner got to keep the one piece they'd won

Results from 60p Tat Challenge Player's Championship #2 - Hastings, 23 November 2014
1st (tied) - Steve Lovell and Seth Thomas - 1 piece of tat each
3rd (tied) - John Moore and Richard Gottfried - 0 pieces of tat each
DNS/DNF - John McIver

Following both contests the players continued to amass quite a haul of prize goodies, including an awful lot of minions and 'lego'.

Lots of Minions in the Buttons

A Lego logo above some not Lego bricks and figures in the two pence falls

60p Tat Challenge Hall of Fame
#1 - Will Donnelly
#2 - Steve Lovell and Seth Thomas

Related blog posts:
- Report from the 2014 Worlds Tat Challenge in Hastings
- Tat Challenges

Another gluten free menu fail

November 26, 2014, 2:18 pm

≫ Next: A #GetUpandGo experience at the Travelodge in Hastings

≪ Previous: Latest Tat Challenges in Hastings

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On a recent trip to the seaside town of Hastings I spotted a great typo caveat/warning/disclaimer on a menu in a restaurant.

I'm guessing the word 'FREE' was meant to appear between the words 'GLUTEN' and 'DESSERTS'!

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac-related blog posts
- Gluten Free-related blog posts
- Funny things about being a Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #5 - Menu fails
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #9 - Menu disclaimers

A #GetUpandGo experience at the Travelodge in Hastings

November 27, 2014, 1:33 am

≫ Next: Come Home at Once postcard book by Guy Atkins

≪ Previous: Another gluten free menu fail

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Travelling to Hastings for a minigolfing #GetUpandGo experience.

Greetings from Hastings - minigolf kit laid out and ready for a weekend of Crazy Golf action in Hastings

On our travels around the UK on our Crazy World of Minigolf TourEmily and I often stay in Travelodge hotels, and on our many trips to compete in Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf tournaments in the mecca of minigolf - Hastings, East Sussex - we'll often be found checking in at the Travelodge on Bohemia Road.

Playing the skull hole on the Pirate Golf course in Hastings

The hotel is in a good spot, has nice clean rooms, parking and great customer service. It all helps to make a stay there pleasant and with the introduction of new and very comfortable beds we're ready to #GetUpandGo in the many individual and team tournaments we play in at the seaside resort.

The Midlands Minigolf Club line-up ahead of the 2014 BMGA British Club Championships in Hastings

On my latest trip to the town I finished 11th of 26 players in the two-round, 36-hole Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open competition played on the 18-hole Adventure Golf course on the seafront.

On the 18th at Hastings' Pirate Golf

I look forward to more stays at Travelodge hotels in the future.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Hastings

Links:
- Travelodge
- Travelodge on Twitter
- Travelodge on Facebook
- #GetUpandGo
- Hastings Adventure Golf 

Come Home at Once postcard book by Guy Atkins

November 27, 2014, 2:36 am

≫ Next: Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

≪ Previous: A #GetUpandGo experience at the Travelodge in Hastings

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A new book about Edwardian postcards by Guy Atkins.

Postcard collector, writer and blogger Guy Atkins has a book out and it's well worth a look.

Come Home at Once by Guy Atkins. Currently the number one read on our coffee table

Published by Bantam Press the book, 'Come Home at Once', has a lot of great Edwardian postcards (showing both the fronts and the messages on the back) from Guy's collection that he has built up over the last decade.

You can buy the very nice hardback book in the shops and online. More info on how and where to order can be found on Guy's excellent Postcardese blog.

After speaking with Guy via postcards, twitter and email over the years it was great to meet Guy in person at the recent launch event for his book

I've been corresponding with Guy for the last couple of years - mostly by Twitter and Postcard - and he recently wrote a piece in his regular column in Stamp and Coin Mart about my minigolfing and postcard hobbies and how I've combined the two.

Links:
- Postcardese
- Bantam Press
- Picture Postcard Monthly
- Stamp and Coin Mart
- Guy Atkins on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Postcard
- Postcards

Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

November 29, 2014, 3:17 am

≫ Next: Crazy Golf Crocodiles in Surrey

≪ Previous: Come Home at Once postcard book by Guy Atkins

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Not getting lost in a Christmas Tree Maze in London.

While having a day out in London Emily and I had a wander along the Southbank and spotted a Christmas Tree Maze!

The Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

Unfortunately when we went to the Box Office to buy a ticket (£4 each) we were told that the maze was being resurfaced and wouldn't be open again for a few hours. A bit of a shame.

Bah humbug. The theme of finding things we want to do to be closed, abandoned or derelict, continued at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival as we weren't able to get lost or find the centre of the Christmas Tree Maze

Instead we went for a drinking chocolate and bought an excellent prize from the Christmas Market for our upcoming Christmas 'Do' at The Freemason's Arms in Hampstead.

The Southbank Centre's Christmas Tree Maze is filled with 300 Black Forest Christmas Trees and we think it'll look great at night.

Emily's going to another festive 'do' soon at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, which is also home to a Christmas Tree Maze.

Link:
- Southbank Centre's Winter Festival with NatWest

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Maze
- Fun and Games at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete
- Christmas Tree Maze at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

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Crazy Golf Crocodiles in Surrey

November 29, 2014, 6:48 am

≫ Next: Christmas-themed Crazy Golf

≪ Previous: Christmas Tree Maze at the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

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Or Adventure Golf Alligators in Woking and Epsom.

A big old crocodile at the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course in Woking. Thankfully there are handy rafts to traverse the treacherous waters surrounding the minigolf course

On our recent visit to Surrey we played the new minigolf courses at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking and Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom and we saw a LOT of minigolf reptiles!

Always heed the warnings at a minigolf course

We've seen many crocs and gators on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, but never quite as many in one place as in and around the wilds of the Jungle Island Adventure Golf at Horton Park Golf Club.

  

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- More Fake Crocodiles & Alligators - Bluewater, New Malden & Milton Keynes
- Fake Crocodiles! Or are they Alligators?
- Minigolf Report from the Surrey Invitational Tournament
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking
- Adventure Golf at Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom

Links:
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf Woking
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre
- Hoebridge Golf Centre
- Jungle Island Adventure Golf
- Horton Park Golf Club

Christmas-themed Crazy Golf

November 29, 2014, 10:11 pm

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≪ Previous: Crazy Golf Crocodiles in Surrey

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Playing 'Chrizy Golf' in Manchester.

Christmas + Crazy Golf = Chrizy Golf

Two years ago today me and John 'Big Al' Moore headed to Manchester to compete in the first, and to-date only, Chrizy Golf Masters minigolf tournament on a 9-hole Christmas-themed Crazy Golf course.

Me and John 'Thighs' Moore at the Chrizy Golf course in Manchester

The course was the 313th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Chrizy Golf!

The Christmas Crazy Golf championship trophy was awarded in November 2012!

Back in 2009 we also played a Christmas-themed course in Devonshire Square, London.

If you know of any Christmas-themed miniature golf courses out there do let me know through the comments below, or via Twitter.

Related blog posts:
- Christmas
- Manchester
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Winning the Chrizy Golf Masters Minigolf Tournament!
- Festive Mini Golf – Christmas jumper themed! by Putterfingers.co.uk

Nacho nacho man

November 30, 2014, 1:36 pm

≫ Next: Gluten free at Brasserie Blanc

≪ Previous: Christmas-themed Crazy Golf

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Five new gluten free tortilla chip flavours available at Marks & Spencer.

There are Jalapeno, Fire Roasted Chilli and Nacho Cheese flavour Tortillas, as well as the Lime Salsa Chickpea & Cumin Tortilla Scoops.

After a great early-Christmas meal at the nearby Brasserie Blanc in St Albans our group of Coeliacs headed to M&S as three of the party don't live near a store and were desperate to get some of the gluten & wheat free Scotch Eggs. I was very pleased to see the new range of gluten free Tortilla chips in stock - as were some other shoppers as they were flying off the shelves!

I've had the lime salsa scoops before and they were very tasty. But nacho cheese tortilla chips are a flavour I've missed over the years as you can't always find gluten free packs available.

There is also a lightly salted flavour in the range. I didn't bother getting a packet of those as I've never been a big fan of less-flavoured tortillas.

In the St Albans M&S you can find the gluten free tortillas in amongst the other 'normal' crisps and snacks, whereas in the Ipswich branch the lime salsa tortillas are in the Made Without Wheat section.

While on a lunchbreak last week I popped along to the M&S in Angel, London and was pleased to see two new products in the Made Without Wheat range - a Quiche Lorraine and a Cheese & Onion Quiche.

Hopefully the Luton branch begins stocking more gluten free products (Made Without Wheat Scotch Eggs hint hint).

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

Related blog posts:
- New gluten free products at Marks & Spencer
- New Gluten Free Beer and Cakes at M&S
- Gluten Free blog posts on The Ham & Egger Files
- Gluten Free Finds in London (and beyond) - October 2010

Gluten free at Brasserie Blanc

November 30, 2014, 2:26 pm

≫ Next: A little bit of indoor minigolf in Woking

≪ Previous: Nacho nacho man

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A great meal at Brasserie Blanc in St Albans.

To celebrate the beginning of the festive season I booked a meal at Brasserie Blanc for a group of friends (who also happen to be fellow coeliacs).

Emily and I have dined there before and have eaten from the summer menu, so we were looking forward to seeing what the winter selection had to offer gluten free diners. We weren't disappointed.

There's a good choice on the gluten free menu (which is also marked with vegetarian and dairy free options) so we took our time picking while enjoying some wine. It makes a real change to have a good range of options, rather than having a 'choice' of one dish for starter, main and dessert (if you're lucky).

I had the salt beef salad to start, followed by the pork belly - it had great crackling - and the excellent chocolate souffle for dessert.

What a pudding! The Chocolate Souffle was delicious. The first I've had since my diagnosis of Coeliac Disease in 2008!

The meal was the third I've had at Brasserie Blanc in St Albans and I've thoroughly enjoyed each one. We're looking forward to returning in the New Year.

As a coeliac dining out gluten free can be fraught, but the staff at Brasserie Blanc are able to answer gluten/gluten free-related questions, or double check with the kitchen, which adds to the confidence that you are going to eat safely.

One thing that is missing, and something I mentioned to a barman there on a previous visit, is the lack of gluten free beer/ale/lager on the drinks menu.

My friend, fellow coeliac and blogger Gemma also had the Chocolate Souffle and we think our friend Cat had #souffleenvy after seeing how great it was!

Links:
- Brasserie Blanc St Albans
- Brasserie Blanc on Twitter
- Brasserie Blanc on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free

A little bit of indoor minigolf in Woking

November 30, 2014, 10:36 pm

≫ Next: Crazy about Mini Golf Balls

≪ Previous: Gluten free at Brasserie Blanc

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Climbing aboard a pirate ship to play some adventure golf.

All hands on deck! The crew of the pirate ship at Pirate Island Adventure Golf in Woking taking aim

On our travels we've found a few indoor Miniature Golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, but on a recent trip to Woking we weren't expecting to find an indoor hole on a pirate ship!

The loot, map and weapons safely stowed aboard the ship

The UV / Black Light indoor hole on the 12-hole Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Hoebridge Golf Centre is a great hole-in-one opportunity, but unless there are fellow players inside to see the end of the shot you won't know if the ball is in or not until you step aboard the ship.

You begin playing the first of two minigolf holes aboard the pirate ship OUTSIDE. From the tee you have to successfully get the ball up the pipe beyond the blue crate. And if you're lucky you'll be rewarded with an ace

Emily firing in a shot at Pirate Island Adventure Golf

The outdoor Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Hoebridge Golf Centre is open seven-days-a-week and will be open through the winter. Check out the website for opening times and prices.

Helen Dodd putting aboard the ship during the Surrey Invitational Tournament

As the weather is getting colder and wetter you may want to head indoors for a bit of minigolf fun. Do check out my blog post on Indoor Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses we've found to date.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Minigolf Report from the Surrey Invitational Tournament
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre in Woking

Links:
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf Woking
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf
- Pirate Island Adventure Golf at Hoebridge Golf Centre
- Hoebridge Golf Centre

Crazy about Mini Golf Balls

December 1, 2014, 7:20 am

≫ Next: Sunny Worthing's 'Sunniest Leisure and Tourism 2014' Award

≪ Previous: A little bit of indoor minigolf in Woking

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A blog about golf balls.

Practicing for the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open - one of them went in. Eventually

As an avid collector of ephemera and souvenirs from the world of miniature golf I was interested to recently receive a follow on Twitter from Martyn Vallance @Logo_Golf_Balls.

Martyn is crazy about golf balls and has a collection of over 70,000!

Before I mentioned it, Martyn didn't realise there were quite so many specialist balls used in the sport of minigolf (not many people do unless they dip their toe into the sporty side of crazy golf).

Over 10,000 minigolf sport balls have been produced in the last 70 years!

With a Metro Golf Centre Mini Golf branded golf ball on a visit to play the 9-hole course in Barnet in 2010

Each minigolf sport ball has special qualities that allow for a variety of shots to be played on the range of different courses and obstacles - the balls range from 'dead' where there is no bounce, through to super bouncy balls for multiple rebounds.

A selection of minigolf sport balls I took to a recent tournament weekend in Hastings

Together with my fellow curator of the Virtual Crazy Golf Museum, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies, we've built up quite a collection of stuff from all types of minigolf, from scorecards, pencils, leaflets and postcard, to pin badges, tokens, jigsaw puzzles and games. Tim has even found a sugar cube from a minigolf course!

We've also got a lot of balls between us. Check out the 'Other Miniature Golf Ephemera' page on the Crazy Golf Museum website for more info and pics.

A set of four golf balls from the KISS Glow-in-the-Dark Indoor Minigolf course in Las Vegas

I've also had a look through my collection and dug out the following 'normal' golf balls that are branded with minigolf-specific info and/or are tournament approved balls. I've also picked out a selection of my favourite minigolf sport balls.

The other side of a KISS by Monster Mini Golf ball

A World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) approved competition ball

The other side of a special WMF branded ball given to delegates at the WMF Media Workshop in Vienna, Austria in 2010

A British Minigolf Association golf ball used at the 2013 World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

The other side of the World Crazy Golf Championship ball

A ball from the Japanese Putter King minigolf franchise and app

The other side of the Putter King minigolf ball

The official ball of the World Crazy Golf Championship 2014

A ball from the mini-golf course that was in Devonshire Square, London in 2009

A ball given to people who played the Lyle & Scott 'Wooly Golf' course in Covent Garden, London in 2012

The official ball of the 2008 Nations Cup minigolf tournament in Tampere, Finland - the event was me and Emily's debut for the Great Britain team

The official ball of the 2011 World Adventure Golf Masters competition held in Hastings. The ball was made by 3D-Minigolf

The Finnish Heavy Gentlemen 100 Year Anniversary ball by 3D-Minigolf

The Minigolfnews.com ball #5 by Ravensburg

A Tim 'Ace Man' Davies Legends ball by M&G

A NIFO 2 minigolf sport ball - a great ball to use on many minigolf lanes (holes). Made by NIFO

A Fun-Sports 2 ball - there are a number of Fun-Sports balls and they're a good entry level type of ball to use

Check out the @Logo_Golf_Balls to keep up-to-date with Martyn's collection as it continues to grow, as well as The Crazy Golf Museum for all things mini and crazy golf-related.

Links:
- @Logo_Golf_Balls
- The Crazy Golf Museum
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Sunny Worthing's 'Sunniest Leisure and Tourism 2014' Award

December 3, 2014, 1:38 am

≫ Next: Dinner at Vozars gluten free restaurant in Brixton

≪ Previous: Crazy about Mini Golf Balls

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Vote for Splash Point Mini Golf in the Sunny Worthing 'Sunniest Leisure and Tourism 2014' Awards.

The excellent 18-hole Splash Point Mini Golf course in Denton Gardens, Worthing is in the running to win the Sunny Worthing Award for 'Sunniest Leisure and Tourism Attraction' in the seaside resort's 2014 awards.

Splash Point Mini Golf at Worthing's Denton Gardens in April 2014

Voting ends on 31 December 2014. You can vote for your favourite leisure and tourism attraction in Worthing on the Sunniest Leisure and Tourism 2014 Awards voting website.

Splash Point Mini Golf is one of my favourite courses and I always enjoy a trip to the town to have a round on the course. We've visited Worthing quite a lot over the last few years and it's all because of Splash Point Mini Golf.

Playing hole 13 at Worthing's Splash Point Mini Golf during the 2014 BMGA British Masters tournament

Links:
- Sunniest Leisure and Tourism 2014 Awards voting website
- Sunny Worthing website
- Splash Point Mini Golf website
- Splash Point Mini Golf on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit #181
- Worthing Splash Point Minigolf - Course Revisit - May 2011
- Worthing

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Dinner at Vozars gluten free restaurant in Brixton

December 3, 2014, 6:05 am

≫ Next: End of 2014 minigolf season BMGA rankings

≪ Previous: Sunny Worthing's 'Sunniest Leisure and Tourism 2014' Award

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Enjoying a three-course gluten & wheat free meal at the Spiced Winter Warmer event at Vozars restaurant.

Emily and I enjoying dining at Vozars restaurant in Brixton Village Market as it offers great food and drink - and is safe and suitable for coeliac diners as the menu is all gluten and wheat free!

My first turkey dinner of the festive season

Being on the Vozars mailing list and keeping an eye on what they are up to on Twitter and Facebook we heard about the Spiced Winter Warmer event taking place and decided to treat ourselves to a 'festive season' meal.

Once again the food and service was excellent. Check out the photos for a view of two of the six dishes we had (between us). To get an idea of the taste and smell you'll have to go along yourself.

Emily was pleased with the risotto cake

An excellent chocolate pudding for dessert

I really enjoyed the duck carpaccio as a starter and Emily had a risotto cake (ball!) with grilled mushrooms and salad. The risotto cake had a great crispy coating.

For main I had the confit turkey breast with traditional Czech Christmas stuffing, cranberry sauce and the yellowest sweet potato mash I have ever seen! Emily had the ham hock cooked in shallots and horseradish served with butternut squash and a chilli and apple compote.

The desserts were brilliant. Although the Chocolate pudding defeated me, enabling Emily to have some of it too. It was served with Celia caramel and Crème Anglaise. Emily tells me the berry crumble with cinnamon ice cream was great too. I was too full to try any.

Of course the meal went very well with a Celia lager or two.

As well as lunch and dinner, Vozars has a number of special pop-up events throughout the year, and you can also pop in to grab a cake or savoury snack to takeaway.

The 2014 Christmas menu at Vozars begins today (3 December) and one of the dishes is a beer battered cod! One of my favourite dishes.

Visit the Vozars website and Twitter feed and keep up-to-date with Vozars and Celia Lager via Facebook and Twitter for news, events and competitions.

Links:

- Vozars Cafe Deli Restaurant

- Celia Lager

Related blog posts:
- Vozars Gluten Free Cafe Deli Restaurant in Brixton Village Market

- Celia Lager

- Gluten Free

End of 2014 minigolf season BMGA rankings

December 3, 2014, 10:57 pm

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National Strokeplay Order of Merit and Season Only ranking updates from the British Minigolf Association at the end of the 2014 season.

The official British minigolf rankings have been updated following the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open tournament.

Playing minigolf in Hastings during the final weekend of the 2014 BMGA Tour season

There were eleven strokeplay ranking competitions in the 2014 season. I competed in nine of the events, with Emily competing in six of the tournaments.

Emily and I also competed in the BMGA British Doubles Championship, which counted towards the national matchplay Order of Merit. We were unable to play in the BMGA British Matchplay Championships this year.

Richard Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit for the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 12th of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 11th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 7th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 10th of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Splash Point Open - 11th of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Midlands Open - 10th of 86 places (140 players)
- Following the BMGA Players Championship and BMGA British Open - 8th of 88 places (142 players)
- Following the BMGA English Open - 8th of 91 places (147 players)
- Following the World Crazy Golf Championships - 11th of 101 places (157 players)
- Following the Kent Open - 12th of 104 places (160 players)
- Following the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open - 12th of 105 places (161 players)

Emily had a great season in 2014 with a career high end of season ranking in the BMGA Strokeplay Order of Merit

Emily Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit for the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 42nd of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 34th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 26th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 21st of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Splash Point Open - 21st of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Midlands Open - 21st of 86 places (140 players)
- Following the BMGA Players Championship and BMGA British Open - 26th of 88 places (142 players)
- Following the BMGA English Open - 26th of 91 places (147 players)
- Following the World Crazy Golf Championships - 28th of 101 places (157 players)
- Following the Kent Open - 29th of 104 places (160 players)
- Following the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open - 29th of 105 places (161 players)

In the BMGA Season Only Rankings at the end of the 2014 season Emily finished 21st of 91 players, I was ranked in 25th position.

The BMGA Season Only Rankings also contain a team listing. I am a member of the Midlands Minigolf Club that is ranked 2nd of five clubs. Emily is a member of the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club that finished the year in 4th place.

The BMGA's season-ending British Club Championships was abandoned due to weather on the 23 November.

In the BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit Rankings Emily finished the 2014 season tied in 20th place of 55 players, I was 38th.

We are both listed in the World Minigolf Sport Federation's General Class rankings. In the women's rankings Emily is in tied 120th position of 128 places (132 players). In the men's rankings I am ranked in tied 397th place of 413 places (419 players).

Worldwide there are over 38,000 Minigolf players registered with the WMF, 1,000 courses approved for competitions, 900 clubs and over 1,500 Minigolf tournaments held each year.

Related blog posts:
- Rankings
- Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile
- Emily Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile
- World Minigolf Rankings for 2014

Links:
- British Minigolf Association (BMGA)
- BMGA on Facebook
- BMGA on Twitter
- World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF)
- WMF on Facebook
- WMF on Twitter

UrbanCrazy Mini Golf at a wedding

December 4, 2014, 9:32 am

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Playing an UrbanCrazy minigolf hole at a wedding aboard the HMS President on the River Thames!

Minigolf aboard the HMS President

Last week (on the 5th of Kislev 5775!) Emily and I attended the wedding of our friends Jon & Cheryl as they tied the knot aboard the HMS President moored on the River Thames in London.

Jon is a BIG minigolf fan, veteran of many a tournament and a Great Britain international. He also runs UrbanCrazy and to entertain guests at the reception they had a minigolf hole set-up with a wedding cake obstacle and photo-walls to hinder players.

Putting on the UrbanCrazy minigolf hole at the wedding 'do'

The UrbanCrazy minigolf layout for Jon & Cheryl Angel's big day

I had a putting shootout against veteran player Lionel 'The Spoon' Bender that I think ended in a tie. neither of us got a hole-in-one, that I remember.

A lot of people are hiring minigolf and crazy golf courses for their wedding receptions. The layout at Jon and Cheryl's 'do' had lots of partygoers having a putt. As the UrbanCrazy portable courses are modular I noticed that some of the guests had been having a go at re-arranging the hole too.

Emily lines up a shot on the UrbanCrazy minigolf hole

The course was the 354th played and 588th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006 and was certainly unique!

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- UrbanCrazy
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London

Links:
- UrbanCrazy
- UrbanCrazy on Twitter
- HMS President
- The UrbanCrazy World Of Miniature Golf
- UrbanCrazy says “I do”
- #purpleweddingonaboat

Minigolf at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in Essex

December 7, 2014, 2:04 am

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A revisit to the miniature golf course in West Horndon.

A view of the miniature golf course and clubhouse at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, Essex

On Saturday 6 December Emily and I headed to the 18-hole minigolf course at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, near Brentwood, Essex where we would be competing in the first CEMGC Invitational competition.

Emily putting during the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

We first visited and played the 18-hole course in July 2012 when it became the 299th played and 499th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Playing minigolf at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre

It's a very tough layout, with some incredibly tricky second (and third!) putts on the big greens. The holes vary in length from 27 to 62 feet!

On our visit in 2012 I scored a 48 (Out in 24, In in 24), with Emily scoring 51 (Out in 27, In in 24). On this occasion playing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament Emily won the two round contest with scores of 50 and 49, while I shot a course record 48 (once again Out in 24, In in 24), followed by a 59 to finish fourth in the five-player Pro contest.

The minigolf putting course is great value at £3 for adults and £2 for juniors.

As well as the miniature golf course Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre is home to an 18-hole Golf course, driving range, bar and restaurant and meeting rooms. For more information check out the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website.

The Dunton Hills Miniature Golf course

Links:
- Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website
- Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club on Facebook
- CEMGC Invitational event result, report, photos and update on the CEMGC Facebook page
- CMGC website

Related blog posts:
- CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament

- Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament

December 7, 2014, 3:52 am

≫ Next: End of minigolf season report for 2014

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Results of the CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in Essex.

CEMGC Invitational Tournament winner Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried receives her prize from Mark 'The Natural' Wood

On Saturday 6 December 2014 Emily Gottfried won the first-ever CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament in a five-player Pro contest.

The Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club members line-up at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre. From l-r Adrian Amey, Chris Wood, Mark Wood, Emily Gottfried

The contest was held over two 18-hole rounds on the tough layout at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, Brentwood, Essex with players from the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club taking part along with Richard Gottfried of the Midlands Minigolf Club. Each competitor used a Golf ball in the event, with Emily winning using a Putter Kingball.

Emily Gottfried playing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

Emily scored rounds of 50 and 49 for a total of 99, with Chris Wood also scoring a 99 to join the sub-100 club after rounds of 51 and 48. Wood's second round also included the tournament's only hole-in-one.

Chris Wood playing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

The title was decided by a four-hole cumulative score play-off, with holes 1, 2, 8 and 9 used to decide the winner. Emily shot a total of 9, with Chris scoring 13.

Emily Gottfried and Chris Wood on the 8th hole in the play-off at the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

After her victory Emily said "I am, of course, ecstatic to win the first CEMGC Invitational Tournament. Its a really enjoyable course, and playing on a bright, if chilly day, with a great group of my club-mates and the guest competitor, was brilliant. Although the holes are long and there are some very tricky greens, I liked it. Playing somewhere new and individual was fun. Congrats to Chris 'Bunker' Wood on coming in with a 99, but commiserations for losing the play-off."

Richard said "I enjoyed competing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament and while the Dunton Hills miniature golf course is incredibly tough, it was still great fun. Well done to Emily on her well deserved win and thanks to the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club for organising the event."

With a total length of 734 feet, including a 62ft long 17th hole the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf course saw players battling for twos in the frosty conditions.

Mark Wood launches at shot at the CEMGC Invitational

Adrian Amey playing the 9th hole during round two of the CEMGC Invitational

The course record was set at 48 by Richard Gottfried during round one, with Chris Wood equaling the score in round two.

Guest player Richard Gottfried of the MMGC plays at the CEMGC Invitational

Round one leaderboard:
- Richard Gottfried - 48
- Chris Wood - 49
- Emily Gottfried - 50
- Chris Wood - 51
- Adrian Amey - 61

The 2014 CEMGC Invitational Champion Emily Gottfried

Final results:
1. Emily Gottfried - 50 & 49 = 99* won four-hole play-off
2. Chris Wood - 51 & 48 = 99
3. Mark Wood - 49 & 56 = 105
4. Richard Gottfried - 48 & 59 = 107
5. Adrian Amey - 61 & 58 = 119

Links:
- Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website
- Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club on Facebook
- CEMGC Invitational event result, report, photos and update on the CEMGC Facebook page
- CMGC website

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf at Dunton Hills Golf Course in Essex
- Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date