Cambridgeshire and Essex Open minigolf championship

September 6, 2015, 4:34 am

≫ Next: Revisiting The Lost City Adventure Golf course in Nottingham

≪ Previous: Ireland in Bedfordshire

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Cambridgeshire and Essex Open championship to be held at Dunton Hills, Essex.

The Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club are hosting their first-ever Open Tournament on the 10th October.

The Cambridgeshire and Essex Open championship will be a three-round tournament played on the 18-hole Miniature Golf course at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Hordon, Essex. Play will tee-off at 1pm, with the course open for practice in the morning.

CEMGC member Emily in action on the Dunton Hills course

For more information on the tournament and the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club (CEMGC) check out the club's Facebook page.

Emily putting at Dunton Hills

The CEMGC have organised three Invitational events at the course, with Emily winning the first contest in December 2014, while I won the next event in February of this year. The Sussex Wasps Minigolf Club Captain Steve Lovell won the most recent competition at the venue in August.

Richard playing the 46 foot long 16th hole at Dunton Hills

The Dunton Hills Minigolf course was the 299th played and 499th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in July 2012.

Links:
- Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club on Facebook
- Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website
- Cambridgeshire and Essex Open competition event page on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex
- Minigolf at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in Essex
- CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament
- Dunton Hills Invitational Minigolf Tournament

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

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Revisiting The Lost City Adventure Golf course in Nottingham

September 6, 2015, 8:48 am

≫ Next: A visit to Bridlington

≪ Previous: Cambridgeshire and Essex Open minigolf championship

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A trip to Nottingham and a few rounds at The Lost City.

We recently visited The Lost City Adventure Golf course in Nottingham to compete in the Midlands Invitiational Minigolf Tournament played on the Temple Trail course.

The entrance to the two-course, 36-hole themed indoor adventure golf centre

We first visited the indoor 36-hole centre in 2014 when the two courses there became the 330th and 331st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The bridge hanging above the Temple Trail

A skull on the Sacred Skull course

The last hole on the Sacred Skull course where you can play to win a free game

The lucky last hole on the Temple Trail

The adventure golf centre has got great theming and since our last visit to play in the English Open competition The Lost City has had some updates. The theming can be seen beyond the courses themselves - from the nicely designed scorecards, down to the coasters that sit on the branded tables.

An adventure golf table!

There's also an amazing animatronic adventure golf alligator lurking on the Sacred Skull Pass course!

Scorecards and a coaster from The Lost City

You can find The Lost City Adventure Golf courses at The Cornerhouse in Nottingham City Centre. Check out the website for more info on opening times and prices.

For more photos and videos of the courses check out the post from our first visit to The Lost City.

Links:
- The Lost City Adventure Golf website
- The Cornerhouse website

Related blog posts:
- Visiting The Lost City Adventure Golf
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Nottingham

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

A visit to Bridlington

September 7, 2015, 1:59 pm

≫ Next: World Pickled Egg Championships 2015

≪ Previous: Revisiting The Lost City Adventure Golf course in Nottingham

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Blog from a couple of hours in Bridlington.

In July we had a fun, albeit short, trip to Bridlington. The seaside town has long been on our to-visit list and it did not disappoint. We're already really looking forward to going back for longer next summer.

By the Crazy Golf course on the Foreshore

Well be posting more pics and videos from the minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses we played there, but before we get to that I had to post a snap of this great inflatable that we saw at the Bayside Fun Park on the seafront!

'Homer' in Bridlington. Notice the little Frog bin too

A view of the Bayside Fun park in Bridlington. I picked up some great amusement park tokens for my collection of seaside exonumia there as well

I'm always on the lookout for quirky and fun stuff to spot on our travels. We see quite a few Wacky Waving Arm-Flailing Inflatable Tube Men aka Airdancers. And next door-but-one to the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course there was one sat atop the Tidal Treats shop!

Videos:
- Crazy Mini Golf Hole-in-One at Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Bridlington
- Mini Golf Hole in One at Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Bridlington
- Foreshore Sands Crazy Golf course in Bridlington

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

World Pickled Egg Championships 2015

September 12, 2015, 1:05 am

≫ Next: Minigolf competition at Gilmore's Golf in Newquay

≪ Previous: A visit to Bridlington

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The fourth edition of the World Pickled Egg Championships will be taking place at The Brewery Tap pub in Ipswich, Suffolk on Saturday 10th October!

An unpickled egg that won me the World Egg Throwing Championships in 2012

The World Pickled Egg Championships (WPEC) is hosted by the pub and there are guidelines on how to enter your potentially prize winning egg in the prestigious contest in the latest newsletter from the pub.

The deadline for entries is midday on the 10th October, with celebrity judging taking place from 6pm and the winner announced at 7pm.

You can find The Brewery Tap on Cliff Road, Cliff Quay, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0AT. It's a nice spot and they've got a dartboard there too.

As you can imagine, with a blog called The Ham & Egger Files I've got quite a few egg-related stories and posts! One of the highlights of my sporting career was when me and my mate Jas Kukielka became the World Alternative Games Egg Throwing Champions in 2012!

A world championship winning throw of an egg in 2012

Links:
- The Brewery Tap website

Related blog posts:
- Ipswich
- Eggs
- Eggheads

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Minigolf competition at Gilmore's Golf in Newquay

September 12, 2015, 3:13 am

≫ Next: Crazy Golf at Greens Cafe in Padstow

≪ Previous: World Pickled Egg Championships 2015

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Gilmore's Golf on Tower Road in Newquay, Cornwall is holding a Celebrity* miniature golf tournament on Sunday 20th September! Tee-off for the end of summer charity night is 4pm.

The tournament at Gilmore's Golf is in aid of the Rosie May Foundation

We played the 18-hole minigolf course on our holiday roadtrip around the south west of England earlier this summer and had a great time.

Emily playing a loooooooong hole at Gilmore's Golf

Gilmore's Golf became the 639th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

An uphill shot on hole 4 at Gilmore's Golf

The tournament is taking place on the eve of Miniature Golf Day too.

Check out the links below for more info on Gilmore's Golf and the minigolf competition.

Links:
- Gilmores Golf website
- Gilmores Golf on Facebook
- Gilmores Golf on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Gilmores Golf in Newquay
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Mini Golf in the South West of England
- Christopher Gottfried celebrates seven years of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour by not playing Minigolf in Newquay, Cornwall
- UK Mini Golf Competitions in 2015
- Mini Golf Days in 2015

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Crazy Golf at Greens Cafe in Padstow

September 12, 2015, 9:23 am

≫ Next: Happy Miniature Golf Day 2015!

≪ Previous: Minigolf competition at Gilmore's Golf in Newquay

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Playing Crazy Golf in Padstow, Cornwall.

This summer we hit the BIG minigolf milestone of our 600th course visit as part of our holiday in the south west of England. During that trip we also made our 650th visit when we arrived at Greens Cafe, Crazy Golf and Grass Putting in Padstow Harbour, Cornwall.

We had great weather on our visit

Greens Cafe and Minigolf is very close to the harbour in Padstow

Greens Cafe is home to a brilliant Crazy Golf course that has 18 unique holes. We've played a lot of minigolf courses with concrete surfaces and they are not always that playable. The Green's course was not only playable, but skill-based and great fun too. We'd definitely play there again.

The Crazy Golf course is set out on four levels

An uphill shot from Emily

We had a whale of a time on the course visit

Emily heading towards a very good score

There are plenty of unique obstacles on the course

The course was the 629th visited in the UK and the 378th played overall. It was also the 51st visited and 12th played on our holiday roadtrip.

Some Egyptian-theming!

We really enjoyed our round on the course and both scored some great holes-in-one. In our match-up we tied on a score of 34.

On the home-straight

There's also a good looking Pitch & Putt course at Greens, however we didn't have time to play it this time.

The Pitch & Putt course was also called Grass Putting on some of the signs

The tiered grass miniature golf course

We really liked the scorecards at the course, and a really nice touch was receiving a sticker for scoring a hole-in-one. Some great minigolf souvenirs.

What a view

For more information, opening times and prices visit the Greens Cafe website.

There's a sprinkling of Arthurian legend on the course too

To date we've visited 670 minigolf courses on our Tour, with 21 of them overseas. This means the next course we visit will be the 650th in the UK. When we began travelling to visit all the courses in the UK there were around 600!

Links:
- Greens Cafe Padstow website
- Greens Cafe Padstow on Twitter
- Greens Cafe Padstow on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Mini Golf in the South West of England
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Happy Miniature Golf Day 2015!

September 20, 2015, 10:20 pm

≫ Next: Mini Golf in Pyongyang, North Korea

≪ Previous: Crazy Golf at Greens Cafe in Padstow

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Today is a BIG day in minigolf!

According to various sources 'Miniature Golf Day' is always celebrated on the 21st of September - a date that is always highlighted on our calendar. So head out and have a putt, there are hundreds of courses in the UK (indoors and out) and tens of thousands of layouts around the world.

Playing in the World Crazy Golf Championship in Hastings - home to some fine minigolf courses

We've visited 670 miniature golf courses since September 2006, cracking our initial target of 600 earlier this summer.

Check out the post 'Mini Golf Days in 2015' for more info on days to celebrate the great game.

On Saturday 9th May it was 'National Miniature Golf Day' and for the occasion we headed to the English seaside resort of Skegness - a hotbed of minigolf!

Playing some Arnold Palmer Mini Golf in Skegness on National Miniature Golf Day 2015

Each Monday is #MinigolfMonday on Twitter, so hashtag your Crazy, Mini and Adventure Golf posts.

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Mini Golf in Pyongyang, North Korea

September 21, 2015, 3:41 am

≫ Next: Putt In The Park Mini Golf at Battersea Park in London

≪ Previous: Happy Miniature Golf Day 2015!

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Report from the first Pyongyang Minigolf Open Tournament in North Korea.

North Korea's first Miniature Golf course

My friend Dylan Harris runs Lupine Travel, a business that operates holidays and tours to the far flung reaches and hidden corners of our world. On his recent trip to North Korea he and his party competed in the first Pyongyang Minigolf Open Tournament!

The Pyongyang Minigolf course club house sign

The Pyongyang Minigolf Open Tournament was a warm-up event to the 2015 DPRK Amateur Golf Open competition which was part of the Lupine Travel trip.

Some coaching on the Flat Loop hole. A very tough obstacle

The competition was held on North Korea's first Miniature Golf course which is next to the Rungna People's Pleasureground. The course itself has a small clubhouse that sells beer and food.

One of the competitors in the tournament receives some tips from the course staff

Fourteen players competed in the one-round, 18-hole Pyongyang Minigolf Open Tournament. The competitors were from North Korea, the UK, Australia, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland and Estonia.

Caddies from the course accompanied each group of three players and marked their scores. Players were also able to choose from a selection of professional minigolf balls to use on the tricky course.

The winner of the Pyongyang Minigolf Open Tournament was Calum Slowther from the UK with a score of 46.

The Volcano hole

Organiser Dylan said "It was an interesting course to play. The staff there were very knowledgeable about minigolf and the various types of balls. We were told that the course used to be in Kim Jong Un's personal residence but he decided to gift it to the North Korean people and had it moved to its current location. The red velvet covered bench that can be seen on the photos is where it is claimed Kim Jong Un sat while he directed the workers on where to place each hole."

The Pyongyang Minigolf course and red velvet covered bench in the centre

Dylan added "We were told the course holds local competitions and we were introduced to one of the members of staff who'd won the most recent staff competition. I'm going to get lots of practice in for the event next year and hopefully come back as a winner next time."

Lupine Travel run trips every month, but the next minigolf event will take place in October 2016 to coincide with the DPRK Golf Open.

Lupine Travel was formed in 2007 and specialises in trips to unique destinations. You can travel to North Korea, Chernobyl, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Transnistria, Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan, Bhutan/Nepal, Somaliland/Ethiopia, Antarctica and more with Lupine Travel. Check out the Lupine Travel website for details of the trips available.

The Miniature Golf course in Pyongyang is of the 'Eternit' variety found in Continental Europe. Emily and I have played some of these courses in Finland, Sweden and in the UK. Emily also holds the British Women's Record score on the format with a round of 24(-12) when she competed at the WMF Nations Cup in Stockholm, Sweden in 2011.

Links:
- Lupine Travel website
- Lupine Travel on Twitter
- Lupine Travel on Facebook

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Putt In The Park Mini Golf at Battersea Park in London

September 21, 2015, 11:28 am

≫ Next: Mini Gulf minigolf at Dismaland

≪ Previous: Mini Golf in Pyongyang, North Korea

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Playing Minigolf at London's latest course.

On Monday 21st September* we made the 671st visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and played the 389th course since we began our Tour in September 2006. The location was London's newest course - Putt In The Park at Battersea Park.

We'll play minigolf whatever the weather

The 12-hole venue opened earlier this summer and is the second course from the team behind the Wandsworth Park Minigolf course.

Quite autumnal

In our match-up Emily defeated me by one shot - 36 to 37. I was incredibly fortunate that Emily was unlucky on the last hole or the margin of my defeat would've been much much worse!

Emily on the first

Richard tees-off

Emily shot a great 2 on the 2nd hole

The tricky 4th

Putting on hole 5

Emily on the 3rd - the wheels truly came off Richard's game at this hole!

Hole 11

Emily making easy work of the 4th

The Battersea Park course is three miles from its sister course at Wandsworth Park. That Putt In The Park venue was the 323rd played on our Tour.

For more information on the Putt In The Park courses, opening times and prices visit the Putt In The Park website.

When we began traveling around and playing minigolf there were an estimated 600 courses in the UK. This year we visited our 600th overall and 600th in the UK - at Swanage and Goodrington Sands respectively. On our road-trip around the South West of England we also visited the 650th course in the UK - in Padstow.

Having visited 21 miniature golf courses overseas means that the Putt In The Park course in Battersea became the landmark 650th we've visited in the UK.

Link:
- Putt In The Park website

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses in and around London
- Putt in the Park Minigolf at Wandsworth Park, London
- Minigolf with The Putting Penguin at Putt in the Park

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

* It was apt that such a BIG minigolf course visit would take place on the 21st September as the date is always Miniature Golf Day!

Mini Gulf minigolf at Dismaland

September 25, 2015, 1:42 pm

≫ Next: Minigolf Spot-the-Ball competition

≪ Previous: Putt In The Park Mini Golf at Battersea Park in London

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Photos of the miniature golf course at Banksy's Dismaland Bemusement Park.

The oil caliphate themed crazy golf course at Dismaland

Our fellow minigolf enthusiasts Matt and Helen Dodd recently visited the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare and went along to the Dismaland theme-park created by renowned street artist Banksy. They were kind enough to send along some photos of the five-hole Mini Gulf course which features an oil caliphate theme.

A flamingo looks on

When I asked Matt, the reigning Surrey Invitational Minigolf Champion, what the it was like, he said "It was a dreadful course."

The corner of the flamingo hole

"But it's Dismaland after all." he added.

It might've been dismal, but it was only a quid a go. Although for five-holes after you've already paid to go in and it doesn't look so cheap. That grey sky looks bleak too

With the Dismaland site closing this weekend it's a course we won't ever get to play on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. But it's great to know that plenty of people got to have a go on the layout before it shut down.

Some barrels

A green

Matt and Helen recently hit 102 minigolf courses visited on their travels! Their landmark 100th course visit was the Tropical Trail course at Treetop Adventure Golf in Cardiff, Wales. That's another course on our 'to play' list! Matt also let me know there's an Adventure Golf course at Fishers Farm Park in Wisborough Green, West Sussex - that was their 101st course played.

Minigolf explorer Helen Dodd putting through an old tyre obstacle. In the Dismaland battle of the Dodds the result was a draw with a score of 18 apiece. There was no official par for the course. Nor were there scorecards

The Dismaland Bemusement Park was built on the site of the old Tropicana Lido on Marine Parade in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. You can watch the Dismaland advert on YouTube to see what you've missed.

Weston-super-Mare has some permanent mini and crazy golf courses that we have played. We've also played a few art installation miniature golf on our tour too.

Link:
- Dismaland website

Related blog posts:
- Banksy's Dismaland Bemusement Park
- New indoor adventure golf course in Cardiff, Wales
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Spot-the-Ball competition

September 27, 2015, 6:26 am

≫ Next: Nine years of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

≪ Previous: Mini Gulf minigolf at Dismaland

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Picking up a prize in a Splash Point Mini Golf course online competition.

Emily recently used her years of minigolf knowledge and experience to claim first-place in the Splash Point Mini Golf 'Spot-the-Ball' contest!

Emily won a decommissioned flag from Splash Point Mini Golf. The course has now introduced new red flags

Emily had to guess where the ball - played by Portugal's Nuno Cunha (the reigning British Masters champion) - was. You can see the answer here

Splash Point Mini Golf is an 18-hole course in Worthing's Denton Gardens. The game has been played on the site since the 1920's, with the Splash Point Mini Golf course a new addition to the town's attractions in 2010.

The course was the 181st played on our tour and we've revisited a number of times since. It's well worth a visit.

Splash Point Mini Golf has hosted a number of tournaments since opening and the layout is a real test of minigolf skill. Check out the great video from the 2012 British Masters filmed by the team at 2dogimaging.



Visit the Splash Point Mini Golf website for more details. The @Worthing_Golf Twitter feed is also worth following as there are frequent reports on local weather conditions, just in case you turn-up in Sunny Worthing to find the course closed owing to inclement weather.

Links:
- Splash Point Mini Golf website
- Splash Point Mini Golf on Twitter
- Splash Point Mini Golf on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing
- Worthing

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Nine years of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

September 29, 2015, 4:01 pm

≫ Next: Launch of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter

≪ Previous: Minigolf Spot-the-Ball competition

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Today marks nine years since the start of our crazy golfing travels!

Back on the 30th September 2006 we visited my brother Christopher down in Southsea, Hampshire and while there had a game on the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course on Long Curtain Road near Clarence Pier. On the lucky last hole I managed to 'fire the cannon' and won a free game. The rest is history!

The Free Game Pass that set the ball rolling!

Since that first course visit we've visited a grand total of 671 courses around the world. Of these we've played 389, while 282 of them have been unplayable for a variety of reasons.

Who knows why so many courses around the country fall into disrepair!?

Earlier this year we hit some BIG minigolf landmarks on our tour, with visits to the 600th and 650th courses in overall and in the UK while on holiday in the South West of England.

This summer I also revisited Southsea for Christopher's Stag Do and managed to squeeze in a round on the Victory Trail Adventure Golf course at Treasure Island - and I once again hit the top hole to win a free game!

The Victory Trail at Treasure Island - where our tour began

There's some nice theming on the Pirate course

As well as some tricky holes

The 8th on the Victory Trail

The last hole

The Lucky Last Hole in Southsea - scene of a few Free Game wins. None have ever been claimed

We estimate there are around 50 more courses we're yet to visit in the UK. Although when we began there were around 600 courses!

Check out the photos and links below from some of our landmark course visits.

#1 Southsea (Treasure Island Adventure Golf - Victory Trail)

Southsea has been a happy hunting ground for free game cards

#25 Great Yarmouth (Jungle Golf at the Gardens)

The Jungle Golf course is now the site of a Segway Grand Prix track

#50 Tampere, Finland (Beton Concrete Minigolf)

Emily on international duty with the GB team in Finland

#75 Guildford (Swedish Felt Minigolf at Stoke Park)

The tricky minigolf course in Guildford

#100 visited overall and played #173 Gorleston-on-Sea (Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow Putting Green)

A felt-less Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course

#100 South Shields, Tyneside (Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf)

The BIG 100th course played

#125 Swansea/Abertawe (Crazy Golf at Singleton Boating Lake)

The Crazy Golf course in Swansea

#150 Southport (The Masters Arnold Palmer Putting Course)

A windmill on the Masters course in Southport

#175 Las Vegas - King Putt (North West Las Vegas, USA) - Indoor Mini Golf

King Putt Mini Golf course was a cool stop on our tour

#200 Castleford Cosmic Golf Indoor Blacklight Minigolf at Xscape - Curse of the Mummy in 3D

The 200th course played was a blacklight indoor minigolf in Castleford

#250 Stockholm, Sweden (Beton Minigolf at Tantogårdens BGK, Tantolunden Park)

Emily playing the Beton Minigolf course in Stockholm, Sweden ahead of the 2011 Nations Cup tournament

#258 played and #400 visited overall Clevedon - Crazy Golf

Crazy Golfing on at the 400th course visited

5-Year Anniversary Revisit - Southsea (Treasure Island Adventure Golf - Victory Trail)

Five years after first playing the Victory Trail we revisited the course for a game

5-Year Anniversary Revisit - Southsea (Treasure Island Adventure Golf - Warrior Trail)

The Warrior Trail course in Southsea. The second course ever played on our tour

#275 Bognor Regis (Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf at Waterloo Place)

Playing Crazy Golf in Bognor Regis

#292 St Andrews (The Himalayas at St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club) - The world's first Minigolf Course

Playing minigolf on the world's first course!

#300 played and #500 visited overall Telford (Crazy Golf at Wonderland in Telford Town Park) - Crazy Golf

Putting at the 300th course played, and 500th visited, on our tour

#350 Billington, near Leighton Buzzard (Swedish Felt B-Run Mini Golf at Mead Open Farm)

Some more Swedish Felt minigolf

#364 played and #600 visited overall Swanage (Jurassic Adventure Golf at Santa Fe Fun Park)

At the 600th course visited!

#370 played and #600 visited in the UK Goodrington Sands, Paignton (Beton Mini Golf)

Emily putting in Goodrington Sands

#378 played and #650 visited overall Padstow (Crazy Golf at Greens Cafe) - Crazy Golf

Emily in Padstow

#389 played, #671 visited overall and #600 visited in the UK London (Putt in the Park in Battersea Park)

Emily putting in Battersea Park

Many thanks to everyone who has helped us out with tips of where to play over the last nine years. It's much appreciated.

I wonder where we'll have traveled to by this time next year!

How many more scorecards and free game passes we'll have added to our collection too?

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

Links:
- Treasure Island Adventure Golf website
- MiniatureGolfer.com website

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.
 

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Launch of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter

October 1, 2015, 11:50 am

≫ Next: Adventure Golf at The Manor House & Ashbury

≪ Previous: Nine years of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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Subscribe to the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter.

We've been blogging about our minigolf travels since 2006 and in that time we've visited over 670 courses.

As well as following our adventures here on the Ham & Egger Files you can find us over on Facebook, and Emily and I both tweet.

And now, we've launched our own Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter!

Sign-up below to receive news, updates, events and other fun and interesting stuff.

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Adventure Golf at The Manor House & Ashbury

October 5, 2015, 12:36 pm

≫ Next: Officially Britain’s Craziest Golfer

≪ Previous: Launch of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter

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Photos of the Adventure Golf course at The Manor House & Ashbury near Okehampton, Devon.

Our friend and minigolf rival Adrian Amey recently sent us through some snaps of a course he'd played - and it's one we haven't been to on our tour.

The new Adventure Golf course is at The Manor House near Okehampton

Even though we haven't visited the course I was able to guess the location with my first try. What a skill.

Earlier this year we explored much of the South West of England and visited 62 minigolf courses in Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. Unfortunately The Manor House & Ashbury Hotels don't allow day visitors so it seems unlikely we'll get along to have a game on the course.

Another of our friends, and my Midlands Minigolf Club team-mate, Tiger 'Galactus' Pragnell is a big fan of The Manor House & Ashbury and has played both the old Crazy Golf course and new Adventure Golf on his holidays down there.

Fellow golf stuff collector Martin Vallance is a Greenkeeper at The Ashbury Golf Hotel and has a collection of over 70,000 logo golf balls! Crazy.

Link:
- The Manor House & Ashbury Hotels website

Related blog posts:
- Mini Golf in the South West of England
- Crazy About Minigolf Balls
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Officially Britain’s Craziest Golfer

October 7, 2015, 12:08 am

≫ Next: World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

≪ Previous: Adventure Golf at The Manor House & Ashbury

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Richard named ‘Officially Britain’s Craziest Golfer’ by Today’s Golfer magazine!

Crazy Golfer Richard Gottfried minigolfing on the Adventure Golf course in Littlehampton

What that makes Emily we don’t know.

You can read the interview about the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the November 2015 edition of Today’s Golfer.

Link:
- Today's Golfer magazine

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter. You can also sign-up to receive our newsletter.

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World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

October 11, 2015, 1:45 am

≫ Next: Report from the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship

≪ Previous: Officially Britain’s Craziest Golfer

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The 2015 World Crazy Golf Championships are fast approaching.



Emily playing the classic windmill obstacle in last year's event

The 13th annual World Crazy Golf Championships will be taking place on the 24th and 25th October in Hastings, East Sussex. The town has hosted the event since its first staging in 2003.



A crowd gathers to watch the Hole-in-One Shootout

Emily and I have competed in the tournament since 2007 - back when it was played out over two courses - and we'll be back for another crack at the world title again this year.



Playing in the final of the 2009 World Crazy Golf Championships

The Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Hastings was the 39th we played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and we've played countless rounds on the links course since 2007.



Playing hole 4 in the 2014 event

If you fancy having a crack at being the next World Crazy Golf Champion you can still sign-up to enter.

Simon Tompkins of Hastings Adventure Golf, said “We always look forward to this competition. There are players of all abilities, from top flight to complete novices, some crazy outfits and always a great spirit of fun over the whole weekend.”

Hastings Adventure Golf has been dubbed the ‘spiritual home of crazy golf’and the competition will see last year’s winner and three-time World Crazy Golf Champion, Chris Harding from Birmingham defending his title against a competitive field of players. You can follow the results live online and if you'd like to enter contact the BMGA.

There's a top prize of £1,000, with runner-up prizes of £750, £500, £200 and £100. For a shot at the title competitors must beat the windmill and water mill as well as negotiate the bends, twists and ramps on the traditional seaside course. Not to mention the British seaside weather in late October!

All entrants benefit from a free practice session on Friday 23rd October.

Links:
- Hastings Adventure Golf
- British Minigolf Association
- World Crazy Golf Championship blog posts

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter. You can also sign-up to receive our newsletter.

Report from the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship

October 11, 2015, 1:45 am

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11th October 2015
News release
For immediate use

Report from the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship

Open minigolf tournament held in West Horndon.

Twenty-eight minigolfers from the British Minigolf Association tour competed in the inaugural Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship held on the 18-hole Miniature Golf course at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, near Brentwood on Saturday 10th October.

The competitors in the CEMGC Open minigolf tournament

The tournament was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith with a total of 123(+15). Sussex’s Steve Lovell was runner-up with 129(+21), with Portugal’s Nuno Cunha finishing in third-place on 132(+24) after defeating Essex’s Mark Wood at the fifth hole of a sudden-death play-off.

Portugal's Nuno Cunha in action at the CEMGC Open

The three-round competition was organised by the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club, and co-tournament organiser Emily Gottfried said “The Dunton Hills course is unique and a real test for the pro players as it’s so different to other courses we play on the tour. We received a wonderful welcome from the team at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre and the CEMGC really enjoyed organising and taking part in the event. We hope to come back soon.”

CEMGC Open Champion Michael Smith sinking the final putt of the tournament

Players from four other club teams, including Planet Hastings, The Midlands, Sussex Wasps and Kent made the journey to take part CEMGC Open and compete for the variety of cash and spot prizes on offer.

Full results of the Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship can be found here.

For more information on the Cambridgeshire and Essex Mini Golf Club (CEMGC) please visit the club's Facebook page.

Further information on the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre can be found on the course website.

Many of the competitors will be in action at the 13th annual World Crazy Golf Championships that will be held on the Arnold Palmer Putting Course at Hastings Adventure Golf on the 24th and 25th October.

CEMCGC / Dunton Hills Hall of Fame:
• CEMGC Invitational Tournament, Dec 2014 - Emily Gottfried won a two-round event with 99
• Dunton Hills Invitational, Feb 2015 - Richard Gottfried won a three-round event with 140
• Dunton Hills Invitational II, Aug 2015 - Steve Lovell won a three-round event with 140
• Cambridgeshire and Essex Open, Oct 2015 - Michael Smith won a three-round event with 123
• Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club Championship, Oct 2015 – Mark Wood won a two-round event with 85

Gottfried’s compete in the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Championship

October 11, 2015, 6:56 am

≫ Next: Minigolf in Sirmione, Italy

≪ Previous: Report from the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship

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Report from the first CEMGC Open minigolf competition.

Leagrave minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in the inaugural Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship held on the 18-hole Miniature Golf course at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, near Brentwood on Saturday 10th October.



Richard finished in 9th place in the 28-player field after scoring rounds of 48, 49 and 47 for a total of 144(+36).

Emily recorded rounds of 54, 55 and 55 for a 164(+56) total and 27th place overall. Emily finished the CEMGC Club Championship in 6th place, with that contest won by Mark Wood.



Richard said “The Miniature Golf course at Dunton Hills is a really tough layout and I’m pleased with my consistent rounds to finish in the top-ten of a very competitive field of players. The CEMGC’s first Open event was a great success and brilliant fun.”



Emily said “My overall performance was not particularly good, but I did score a hole-in-one on a really tricky hole, which was a silver lining for me. The Dunton Hills course is unique and I really enjoy the random element of the rough-brick borders, as well as long, wide greens, which are very different to other courses we play regularly. My CEMGC team mates are a great bunch and did a fantastic job organising and hosting the event.”



The tournament was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith with a total of 123(+15). Sussex’s Steve Lovell was runner-up with 129(+21), with Portugal’s Nuno Cunha finished in third-place on 132(+24) after defeating Essex’s Mark Wood at the fifth hole of a sudden-death play-off.

In addition to the Miniature Golf layout, Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre is home to a full Golf course and an 18-hole par-3 course. The venue has hosted three Invitational minigolf contests in the lead-up to the CEMGC's first Open.

CEMCGC / Dunton Hills Hall of Fame
• CEMGC Invitational Tournament, Dec 2014 - Emily Gottfried won a two-round event with 99
• Dunton Hills Invitational, Feb 2015 - Richard Gottfried won a three-round event with 140
• Dunton Hills Invitational II, Aug 2015 - Steve Lovell won a three-round event with 140
• Cambridgeshire and Essex Open, Oct 2015 - Michael Smith won a three-round event with 123
• Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club Championship, Oct 2015 – Mark Wood won a two-round event with 85

Next up for the Richard and Emily is a trip to Hastings, East Sussex for the 13th annual World Crazy Golf Championships held on the Arnold Palmer Putting Course at Hastings Adventure Golf.

Minigolf in Sirmione, Italy

October 15, 2015, 12:11 pm

≫ Next: Minigolf Sport Club Sanremo in Arma, Italy

≪ Previous: Gottfried’s compete in the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Championship

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A visit to the Mini Golf course in Sirmione, Italy.


Charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf TourChristopher Gottfried has found another miniature golf course while overseas!

A wavy and long hole

On his mini-honeymoon in Sirmione with the new Mrs Gottfried they spotted a Mini Golf course!

A bit of a dip. We played a hole similar to this (without the plateau) in Lyme Regis

Christopher told us they were having an afternoon stroll and about half a mile from where they were staying in Sirmione they spotted the 18-hole course. He said they saw only two people playing there.


Sirmione is the small peninsula that points out at the southern part of Lake Garda. Christopher tells me that apart from the thermal spas and the ice cream parlours, the Crazy Golf course was the only other nearby attraction in the historic town.

The course is a style of minigolf called Concrete or Beton. We've played a few of them on our travels. Most notably in Finland and Sweden while on international duty with the Great Britain team.

It looks like a nice setting for a course

You can see links to other courses visited by Christopher and Nina at the bottom of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour links page.

Link:
- Minigolf Sirmione website

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Christopher Gottfried
- Nina Gottfried, née Dukes
- Letoonia Golf Resort, Belek, Turkey - Minigolf
- Majorca (Vista Alegre, Porto Cristo, Mallorca) - Minigolf

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter. You can also sign-up to receive our newsletter.

Minigolf Sport Club Sanremo in Arma, Italy

October 18, 2015, 6:13 am

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Photos of the minigolf course in Arma, Italy.

Our friends Karl and Sophia Moles were recently on holiday in Arma, Italy and sent through some snaps of the minigolf course they found there.


Sophia and Karl Moles at the course



Action on the Arma minigolf course

Karl told me "I came joint first with 61. There was one hole that was dead straight down the fairway and the green was a circle about three metres in diameter, depending on where your ball stopped there was a code round the outside with instructions on a sign which you had to decode which then gave you the direction to hit the ball to get it in the hole. For example when you worked it out it would say 3cm to the left of the hole! It was in Italian which made it even harder!"

The Moles family are big minigolf fans and always give a course a play if they see one. We've also had some matches against Karl while daytripping in Felixstowe.

The course is a Concrete (Beton) variety of minigolf. We've played a few Beton minigolf courses on our travels. Most notably in Finland and Sweden while playing for the Great Britain team in Nations Cup international tournaments.

You can find out more about the different types of minigolf in the World Minigolf Sport Federation's Starting Out In Minigolf guide.


The minigolf course is approved by the World Minigolf Sport Federation


Check out the Minigolf Sport Club Sanremo Facebook page for more information.


The trophies won by Minigolf Sport Club Sanremo!

Links:
- Minigolf Sport Club Sanremo Facebook
- World Minigolf Sport Federation website
- Federazione Italiana Golf su Pista / Italian Minigolf Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Italy
- Karl Moles
- Sophia Moles

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter. You can also sign-up to receive our newsletter.