2009 BMGA British Matchplay Championships

The First Round draw of the 2009 BMGA British Matchplay Championships took place at the BMGA’s HQ in Kent this evening and I was drawn to play against Phil Exall of Tunbridge Wells.

In last years contest I was defeated by Phil's brother Andy Exall in a first round match played at Southend's Adventure Island Course on the 29th March 2008. I finished the inaugural BMGA British Matchplay Championships in 26th place of 29 players.

The 2008 champion was Tim ‘Ace Man’ Davies who defeated Andy ‘Number 2’ Exall 5&4 on the Hastings Seafront Crazy Golf course to lift the title. In the 2008 third/fourth place play-off match Trevor ‘Pumbah’ Exall defeated Kevin ‘Legendus Maximus’ Botto 1up to take the final podium place.

This year the tournament contains 32 players and I'll be looking to do a lot better than in 2008!

The full first round draw is as follows:
1. Cindy Kukielka vs Matthew Harding
2. Chris Jones vs Kevin Botto
3. James Trubridge vs Peter Emmerson
4. Elliott Ward vs Andy Exall
5. Anthony Pope vs Matt Wood
6. Seve Kukielka vs Jas Kukielka
7. Marc Chapman vs Rocky Bullin
8. Keith Kellard vs Terry Exall
9. Gareth Holmes vs Ruth Bullin
10. Chris Harding vs Alan Norman
11. Sean Homer vs Tim Davis
12. Trevor Robertson vs Martin Robertson
13. John Moore vs Den Exall
14. Brad Shepherd vs Marion Homer
15. Phil Exall vs Richard Gottfried
16. Ted McIver vs Leo Kukielka
All first round matches to be played before the 31st May 2009

Minigolf Report – Gottfried tees-off in BMGA Star City Open

18th January 2009
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Gottfried tees-off in BMGA Star City Open

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried played in the first tournament of the British Minigolf Association’s 2009 Season at the BMGA Star City Open at Birmingham’s 36-hole Adventure Island Mini Golf course on Sunday 18th January.

Playing one round on the Hidden Cove course and two rounds on the Lost Hut Trail course Richard finished in 24th place in a field of 33 players with a three round total of 111 (+3), after rounds of 36 (par), 37 (+1) and 38 (+2). An average of 2.06 shots per hole

Richard’s round of 36 included five holes-in-one but these were negated by a run of threes to level out the score.

Richard said “I was a bit disappointed with my finish as in practice I had been scoring in the low thirties, but in the competition I just seemed to be hitting too many threes and fours which were cancelling out any aces I hit. The field was pretty close outside of the top five with only a few shots separating the players. I had nine holes in one in total and was playing well but just missed a few of my second shots and had an unlucky four and that did for me.”

The BMGA Star City Open was won by Birmingham’s Chris Harding with a three round total of 89 (-19) which included a new course record of 25 (-11) which is also the lowest ever score on a UK 18-hole minigolf course by a British player.

Second was Jam Trubridge on 98 (-10), and following a play-off win against Kevin Moseley Peter Emmerson took third place with a score of 100 (-8).

Richard is currently ranked 14th in the 2008-09 BMGA Order of Merit, and is in 24th spot in the 2009 BMGA Season Only Rankings.

Richard has signed up to play in a further 15 competitions in 2009 including the BMGA British Matchplay Championships and will next be in action in the ninth annual Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open in late March. He will also be defending both the Weymouth Open title and the BMGA British Club Championship in October.

Ends

Star City Weekend - 17th & 18th January 2009

The BMGA Tour rolled into Birmingham's Star City at the weekend to tee-off the new 2009 Minigolf Season and to hold the first ever BMGA Indoor Open Minigolf Tournament.

In the run up to the main event - the BMGA Star City Open - there were a number of warm-up competitons that I was competing in, including the EqPD Invitational and the Nayland Classic.

EqPD Invitational, 17/01/09
Rank Player R1 R2 Total
1 John "Thighs" Moore 38 34 72
2 "Squire" Richard Gottfried 38 36 74
3 Mark "The Horse Whisperer" Swain 38 41 79
4 Craig McCallister 40 43 83



Nayland Classic, 18/01/09
Rank Player R1 R2 Total
1 Jam Trubridge 32 34 66
2 Brad "The Fist" Shepherd 35 33 68
3 Chris "Stretch" Jones 31 38 69
4 John "Big Top Ted" McIver 34 36 70
4 Rob Dodd 33 37 70
6 Alan "Storming" Norman 33 39 72
6 Mark "The Horse Whisperer" Swain 30 42 72
8 "Squire" Richard Gottfried 36 37 73
9 Gareth Holmes 36 38 74