2009 - Ham & Egger Files - The Year in Review

2009 has been a great year for both me and Emily, with some excellent finishes on the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) Tour, stacks of crazy golf courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and lots of competition on the Irregular Mini Golf Tour.

Below is a month by month run down of the highs (and lows) of 2009 as documented here on the Ham & Egger Files.

January
- BMGA Tour 2009 Season Begins (my third year on the Tour and Emily's second)
- 24th place finish in the Star City Open minigolf tournament in Birmingham
- 8th place in the Nayland Classic

February
- A quiet month, with no minigolf or crazy golf events, but one which saw me buy a new sledge

March
- Minigolf course visits 79, 80 and 81 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour are made
- 6th place finish in the New Malden Invitational minigolf tournament
- 5th place in the Motspur Park Classic competition

April
- Minigolf course visits 82 & 83 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour take place in the USA at Boondocks Fun Center in Northglenn, Denver, Colorado
- Won the Manchester Mini Masters tournament at Championship MiniatureGolf, Emily is 6th
- Ham & Eggers Ten Pin Bowling Team win the Macmillan Annual Bowling Challenge
- 23rd place in the BMGA British Masters minigolf tournament
- 2nd place finish in the Double-I Double-O (IIOO) competition
- First round win in the BMGA British Matchplay Championships against Phil Exall in Southend
- 4th place in the Luton Sports Network Luton Sports Awards for 2008

May
- Won the Tampere Reunion Classic competition at Wroxham Barns, Norfolk
- Played the 88th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at the Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby
- 16th place finish in the BMGA English Open
- Visited the 100th course overall on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at Pops Meadow Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Seait was closed
- Minigolf Tour of Glasgow
- 5th place finish in the Midlands Invitational Tournament in Stratford-Upon-Avon, 7th place for Emily
- Ham & Eggers Team play in the F.U.N. Charity Ten Pin Bowling Competition
- Help set a new Guinness World Record for "The Largest Picnic across multiple venues" at the picnic in Wardown Park, Luton
- 99th minigolf course played in Windsor

June
- Visit and play minigolf course 100 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf at South Shields, Tyneside
- 2nd place in the Newcastle Invitational Tournament, Emily 3rd
- Won the Second Division Play-offs at the BMGA British Doubles at Boscombe Chine with new Minigolf Doubles Partner Kevin Moseley
- 10th place in the Midland Open minigolf tournament

July
- Minigolf course visit 111 was right under our noses in Luton, at Tea Green Golf at Wandon End
- Lost to John 'Big Top Ted' McIver by one-hole in the second-round of the BMGA British Matchplay Championships in Hastings
- 25th place in the BMGA British Championships
- Gottfrieds finish first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament
- Appeared on BBC2 Quiz Show 'Eggheads' as Captain of the Crazy Golf Team - Nutters with Putters

August
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Tour of Wales takes place with 28 Crazy Golf (Golff Gwyllt) courses played in a week
- 2nd place in the Boules Invitational Tournament at The Mumbles in Swansea (Abertawe)
- 2nd place finish in the first-ever Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament) in Swansea (Abertawe)
- Entered the Crystal Maze near Narbeth, Wales

September
- Visited and played my 150th minigolf course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at the Arnold Palmer Crazee Golf in Southport
- Won the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament
- Set a new BMGA and all-time Course Record of 24 (par) during the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open, beating Emily's old BMGA record by three shots
- 21st place in the BMGA Players Championships in Margate
- 25th place finish in the BMGA British Open

October
- Won the Johnson's Scrap Iron Cup in Sandbanks
- Captain of the defending BMGA British Club Champions - the Midlands Minigolf Club
- 7th place finish in the BMGA British Club Championships
- 2nd place in the London Open minigolf competition
- 2nd place finish in the Weymouth Open tournament
- Set a new BMGA course record of 41(+5) at the Weymouth Sealife Pirate Adventure Golf Course at Lodmoor Country Park during the Weymouth Open
- Retains the Scrap Iron Cup in Weymouth
- 3rd place in the "www.miniaturegolfer.com 'Nine Best' Crazy Golf Championship"
- Represented England for the third time at the Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings, finished 17th, Emily 45th

November
- 8th place finish in the Kent Open minigolf tournament in Margate
- BMGA Tour 2009 Season Ends
- Ranked 8th in the BMGA Season-only Rankings, Emily 37th
- Ranked 16th in the BMGA Order of Merit Rankings, Emily 39th
- Ranked 418th in the World Minigolfsport Federation Mens Rankings, Emily 130th in the Womens Rankings List
- Ranked 31st in the Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Rankings, Emily 50th
- Ranked 1st in the Irregular Mini Golf Tour Rankings for 2008-2009, Emily 2nd
- Ranked 2nd within the Midlands Minigolf Club (based on 2009 BMGA Season-only Rankings), Emily 10th
- Ranked 3rd within the Midlands Minigolf Club (based on 2008-2009 BMGA Order of Merit Rankings), Emily 6th

December
- 5th place finish in the 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge minigolf competition, Emily ties for 9th spot
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour course visit number 200 overall is at the 9-hole Crazy Golf Course at the Kingsway Golf Centre in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire
- Used the sledge I bought in February for the first time
- An attempt to break the Guinness World Record for "How many Brussels Sprouts can you eat in one minute" fails
- The Ham & Egger Files Blog celebrates its third birthday

A peek ahead at 2010?
Who knows what will happen, or where we'll be going on our various minigolf, crazy golf and other strange sporting adventures in 2010 - what is known is that a lot of fun will be had on the way!