A Walkabout Mini Golf VR Pencil

An interesting miniature golf pencil.

We always enjoy finding and seeing minigolf courses with branded pencils and our friend Pat Sheridan from The Putting Penguin minigolf review website has passed a fair few our way over the years.

But this one is most peculiar as it's a real life pencil for a virtual minigolf game!

Check out the Walkabout Mini Golf VR website for more information on the game.

American Mini Golf Alliance - AMA

There's a new minigolf organisation in the USA.

The American Mini Golf Alliance (AMA) was recently formed in the USA, with the organisation bringing together a number of groups and players.

Competitive miniature golfers and putting enthusiasts from across the US including A Couple of Putts (Minnesota), O-Street Mini Golf (New Jersey), and The Putting Penguin (Connecticut / DC) connected back in 2019 and have now come together to create the American Mini Golf Alliance.

The founders of the AMA have been actively involved in the US and the national world of mini golf for years across the realms of competitions, design, and documentation of the game. As the group were looking for ways to connect other people passionate about the game, they thought it would be valuable to find new ways to more broadly incorporate the myriad of ways people engage with the sport of mini golf. 

Check out the American Mini Golf Alliance website and social media channels for more information and updates.

Minigolf scorecards from New Jersey, USA

A big thank you to Pat Sheridan from The Putting Penguin for sending over some minigolf scorecards from New Jersey.

Pat was in New Jersey for a recent minigolf tournament with the O-Street Mini Golf team.

The first scorecard is from Tee Time Miniature Golf on the Boardwalk at Ocean City.

The second is from The Sandtrap at 23rd & Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom.

It's always brilliant scorecards and other ephemera from miniature golf courses around the world and Pat has provided lots from his travels for fun and tournaments in the USA. They are a marvellous addition to the archives of the Crazy Golf Museum.

Check out The Putting Penguin minigolf review website for details of lots of US courses and a number of others from around the world.

Happy World Penguin Day

Today is World Penguin Day.

This obstacle is at the Surfside Amusements at Pensarn Beach in Abergele, Wales.

In September 2017 the Surfside Crazy Golf course at Pensarn Beach in Abergele became the 463rd played and 782nd visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

To mark the day why not check out The Putting Penguin minigolf course review website.

What day is it?

Today is Penguin Appreciation Day and National Cheese Lover's Day.

Are you aware of the Putting Penguin minigolf review website?

Pat, Mandy & Putt of the Putting Penguin team and guest contributors have reviewed 366 courses on the site since 2001.

A penguin obstacle on the Surfside Crazy Golf course at Pensarn Beach in Abergele, Wales

Did you know there's a minigolf obstacle called "Käse"?

It can be found on Eternit Miniature Golf courses.

The Käse on the Kelsey Park Mini Golf course in Beckenham

National Cheese Lover's Day is not to be confused with National Cheese Day in June.

The Putting Penguin Pandemic Putt Off

Information about The Putting Penguin Pandemic Putt Off minigolf competition.

The team at The Putting Penguin minigolf review site have organised a Pandemic Putt Off.

Pat of the Putting Penguin playing minigolf in London when we were allowed outdoors

As many minigolfers around the world are in lockdown, self-isolation or quarantine the Putting Penguin has challenged all minigolf professionals, fanatics, and casual players to build a minigolf hole in their homes. Players who film themselves playing it, and post it to the Putting Penguin's Facebook page will be entered into the judging to win a prize pack of swag.

Putting Penguin team members Mandy and Pat will judge the holes based on the same criteria they use on their website: creativity, difficulty, and atmosphere.

More details and competition rules can be found on The Putting Penguin's Facebook Page.

The closing date for entries is Saturday 9th May (National Miniature Golf Day).

With Pat Sheridan of The Putting Penguin review site at Putt in the Park, Wandsworth in 2015

Penguin Awareness Day

Today is Penguin Awareness Day.

A penguin on the Surfside Crazy Golf course at Pensarn Beach in Abergele, Wales

Are you aware of the Putting Penguin minigolf review website?

Pat, Mandy & Putt of the Putting Penguin team and guest contributors have reviewed 345 courses on the site since 2001.

A Penguin on the Sea Dwellers Crazy Golf course in Chapel St Leonards in Lincolnshire

Penguin Awareness Day is an annual event. Today's edition falls on a Minigolf Monday.

Pat of the Putting Penguin team and I started our quest to get our favourite game trending with the creation of #MinigolfMonday back in 2010.

We played against Pat at Putt in the Park in 2015

New scorecards in the Crazy Golf Museum

A look at two minigolf scorecards from the USA.

Pat Sheridan from The Putting Penguin minigolf review website has kindly contributed two new miniature golf scorecards to the Crazy Golf Museum's archives.

First is a scorecard from Mountasia Family Fun Center in Santa Clarita, California, USA.

The second is from the Hole 19 pop-up bar and minigolf course in Los Angeles.

It's always brilliant to see minigolf scorecards and items from courses around the world.

Check out the The Putting Penguin minigolf review website to see more from Pat's minigolfing travels.

#MinigolfMonday - nine years old this year

Today is the 441st #MinigolfMonday!

My friend and minigolf rival Pat Sheridan of The Putting Penguin Minigolf Review website and I started our quest to get our favourite game trending on Monday 25th October 2010. Where has the time gone since then!!!

Do check out, and use, the hashtag - #MinigolfMonday - on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and wherever else a hashtag works.

Related blog posts:
- Key minigolf dates for the year ahead
- #MinigolfMonday

Penguin Park at a Mini-Golf course on an old Newquay postcard

Finding another great scene on an old minigolf postcard.

I'm always on the look out for old minigolf postcards and I found a cracker at an antiques fair in Stockport today for just 25p.

No sign of the Mini-Golf course on this card, except on the caption

The Harvey Barton Viewcard shows the Penguin Park at the Mini-Golf Course, Newquay, Cornwall and was sent from Newquay on the 27 July 1970.

We played the course - now called Gilmore's Golf - during our two-week holiday around the coast of South West England back in 2015.

Gilmore's Golf in Newquay was the 639th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

There was no sign of the Penguin Park when we were there, however the course itself is largely unchanged from its original construction in the 1960's.

If you look at the right of the card you can see a man in a striped jumper paying for his round. This same man appears in the postcard below. The hole the ladies are playing and the one to the left of it can be seen in the photo we took when we visited the course in 2015

Gilmore's Crazy Golf course as it looked in the summer of 2015. Not much has changed since it was built in the 1960's. The course is something of a rarity on these shores as it's of the Beton / Concrete variety more commonly found in continental Europe

If you look closely you can see the ladies in the purple jackets from the other postcard in the middle of this card

I'm sure the old postcard will be of interest to our friends over at The Putting Penguin minigolf review site.

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

New in the Crazy Golf Museum

Update on new donations to the Crazy Golf Museum.

Our friend and minigolf rival Pat Sheridan has made some superb donations to the Crazy Golf Museum's archives with a selection of scorecards and coupons from his recent travels as a tournament player and minigolf reviewer at the Putting Penguin.

It's always wonderful to see - and share - minigolf ephemera from around the world and Pat has donated a number of marvellous items to the Museum's collection over the years.

Scorecard from Aloha Mini Golf in Myrtle Beach

The scoring side of the scorecard at Aloha Mini Golf

The latest haul from the USA come from his visit to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, USA - a real hotbed of minigolf courses - where Pat competed in the 2017 USPMGA Master's tournament. There are also some items from Missouri and Florida.

Scorecard from the 2017 USPMGA Master's minigolf competition held at the Hawaiian Rumble Mini Golf course in North Myrtle Beach

Scorecard from Cancun Lagoon Mayan Adventure Golf in Myrtle Beach

The scoring side of the card from Cancun Lagoon Adventure Golf

  

Scorecard from Dragons Lair Fantasy Golf in Myrtle Beach - one of five courses in the Myrtle Beach Family Golf group

Scoring side of the card from the Dragons Lair Fantasy Golf course in Myrtle Beach

Scorecard from Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf in Myrtle Beach. Another course in the Myrtle Beach Family Golf group

The scoring side of the card from Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf in Myrtle Beach

Scorecard from Mount Atlanticus Miniature Golf in Myrtle Beach - 'The Best Mini Golf Course in the World'!

Scoring side of the card from Mount Atlanticus Miniature Golf in Myrtle Beach

Pat has been reviewing minigolf courses since 2001 and there are 295 course reviews on the Putting Penguin website.

Scorecard from the minigolf course at Cool Crest Family Fun Center in Independence, Missouri

The scoring side of the card from Cool Crest in Missouri

A coupon from Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Florida

You can find out more about the Crazy Golf Museum on its website, Facebook Page and Twitter.

Halloween minigolf!

With the season of the witch almost upon us it's worth taking a look at the minigolf courses offering scares and frights this year!

- Spooky Golf at Coal Country Miniature Golf in Fairmont, West Virginia, USA - Spooky Golf weekends throughout October.

- Spooky Adventure Golf at Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, England - October half-term.

- Haunted Holes at Aly's Mini Putt And Fun Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - throughout October.

- Halloween Minigolf at Jurassic Globalls in Brighton - between Friday the 13th and Halloween night.

- Puttin for Paws, a pawsitively spooktacular event - Halloween Mini Putt Fun Tournament at Aly's Mini Putt And Fun Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - Sunday 22nd October.

- Trick or treat at Tee Rex Golf at Cardiff Golf Centre, Wales - 28th-31st October.

- Spooktacular Mini Golf at Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa, Arizona, USA - selected dates in October.

- Haunted Mill & Blacklight MiniGolf in Belmont, North Carolina, USA.

One of the more morbid obstacles we've seen on a minigolf course on our travels

Our friends over at The Putting Penguin minigolf review site are also BIG fans of Halloween and their local course at Farmington Miniature Golf & Ice Cream Parlor in Connecticut always does something to celebrate.

- Haunted Miniature Golf at Farmington Miniature Golf & Ice Cream Parlor in Connecticut, USA - Thursday-Sunday throughout October.

If you know of other Halloween events at minigolf, crazy golf or adventure golf courses do let us know via the comments below, or on Twitter and Facebook.

While it's not specifically Halloween-themed you can play miniature golf in a Funeral Parlor at Ahlgrim Family Funeral Services in Palatine, Ilinois, USA.

If you're in or near Southport then Pleasureland is well worth visiting at Halloween as it's the 'Happy Halloween Capital of the UK!' While there's no minigolf there anymore there are a lot of pumpkins and scares to be had. We had a great time there last year.

A few of the pumpkins at Southport Pleasureland last Halloween

Related blog posts:
- Halloween
- Summerween

The Putting Penguin Minigolf App

Minigolf reviewing through the Putting Penguin App.

Our friends over at the Putting Penguin website have created a new app!

With Pat Sheridan of the Putting Penguin team on his visit to the UK in March

The minigolf app allows you to access a mobile version of the site, courses reviews and links. You can also submit course reviews through it.

I downloaded the app last week through the Play Store and reviewed the new Peterborough Minigolf course - the 382nd course played and 662nd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Playing the Peterborough Minigolf course at Dobbies Garden Centre

Check out my review on the Putting Penguin website.

Download the Putting Penguin app for free in the Google Play Store.

Links:
- The Putting Penguin website
- The Putting Penguin on Twitter
- The Putting Penguin on Facebook
- Peterborough Minigolf

Related blog posts:
- The Putting Penguin
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Playing the new Mini Golf course at Dobbies Garden Centre in Peterborough
- 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.

A new minigolf blog by The Putting Penguin

My fellow minigolf enthusiast Pat Sheridan has entered the world of blogging.

Having had his entry to the USPMGA US Open tournament accepted, pro-putter Pat Sheridan is readying himself for a tilt at the title. In the lead-up to tee-off he'll be keeping the world up-to-date on his new blog.

Since 2001 Pat and his colleague Mandy Ranslow have operated the world's largest miniature golf course review website - The Putting Penguin.

Veteran minigolfer and rookie blogger Pat Sheridan about to tee-off at Putt in the Park in London, England

The 2015 US Open competition will be hosted by the Champions Golf Learning Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina on 15 and 16 May.

Pat has played in 36 minigolf tournaments in his career, winning three events in 2011 - the Ice Breaker Tournament, Ocean's 18 Tournament and Mulligan's Warm Up Tournament. In USPMGA events Pat recorded a 12th place finish at the 2014 US Open, and was 5th in the 2014 Maine State Dolphin Open.

Read the first posts of the new blog at 'The Check is No Longer in the Mail' and 'What's in a tournament? (Part I)'. I'm looking forward to following his progress and wish him all the very best in the US Open.

The Pro Minigolfers at Putt in the Park

Last month Emily and I had the pleasure of meeting Pat while he was on a trip to the UK. We had a fun round at Putt in the Park in Wandsworth, London.

Links:
- The Putting Penguin blog
- The Putting Penguin website
- US Pro Mini Golf Association (USPMGA) website
- Champions Golf Learning Center website

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf with The Putting Penguin at Putt in the Park
- The Putting Penguin

Minigolf with The Putting Penguin at Putt in the Park

A round of minigolf with Pat Sheridan at the Putt in the Park miniature golf course in Wandsworth.

The Ham and Egger Files meets The Putting Penguin in Putney. A perfect minigolfing mix

On Monday 2 March 2015 Emily and I met up with one half of the Putting Penguin team - Pat Sheridan.

The Putting Penguin's ambassador to the UK receives a warm welcome to King's Cross station 

Pat was in the UK on business and with a little free time upon arrival we headed to one of London's minigolf courses for a round.

Pat taking a photo of Duffer the penguin as Squire putts

It was great to meet up with a friend, fellow minigolf enthusiast and multiple time minigolf champion in the USA, and we had a fun round on the 12-hole Putt in the Park miniature golf course at Wandsworth Park in (aptly named) Putney.

For the record, the results of the international encounter were:
1st - Richard Gottfried 32
2nd - Pat Sheridan (USA) 34
3rd - Emily Gottfried 35

The prize giving ceremony on the 12th green at Putt in the Park

We're already looking forward to the return contest in the USA!

Pat Sheridan playing his first shot on a UK minigolf course. He scored a hole-in-one! 

The long second hole is tackled by Pat

Emily tapping in on the third

Pat taking a long route to the hole

A tough shot from the bunker

Emily played an incredible second putt from the wrong side of the water to almost get a two

A tricky second putt on the island green

 

Playing the final hole

A Putting Penguin Mascot and Putting Penguin logo golf ball

The Putt in the Park course was the 538th visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on the 18 October 2013. It was the 323rd course played.

Taking a shot on the eleventh hole

Crossing the water twice in one day

Check out the links below for more details on the Putting Penguin - the world's largest minigolf review website. The site, run by Pat and fellow minigolf fanatic Mandy Ranslow, has recently reached the 250 reviews mark. If you play a course anywhere in the world do submit a review.

And of course here's the link to Pat's review of the Putt in the Park course on the Putting Penguin.

Links:
- The Putting Penguin website
- The Putting Penguin on Twitter
- The Putting Penguin on Facebook
- Putt in the Park website
- #MinigolfMonday

Related blog posts:
- The Putting Penguin
- Let's get Minigolf 'trending' - Twitter, Minigolf and #MinigolfMonday
- Putt in the Park Minigolf at Wandsworth Park, London
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London

Arnold Palmer Putting Courses Crazy Golf pencils

Receiving some Arnold Palmer Putting Courses pencils in the post.

Pencils from the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Prestatyn

I'm a big fan of Crazy Golf and I love collecting ephemera and merchandise from the game. Together Tim 'Ace Man' Davies and I have built up quite the collection of stuff. Among the items in The Crazy Golf Museum are a range of pens and pencils from courses around the world. While most Minigolf courses have plain pencils for players to mark the scores on their rounds, others have created branded ones.

After our recent visit to the excellent 18-hole Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course at Central Beach in Prestatyn, Wales I received a lovely gift in the post from the course owner. The two 'Arnold Palmer Putting Courses' pencils are very rare items indeed and only recently uncovered at the course.

The Crazy Golf course on Bastion Road in Prestatyn is a marvellous attraction and well worth a visit

The team at The Putting Penguin have also found some great pencils at miniature golf courses in the USA over the years.

Links:
- The Crazy Golf Museum
- Miniature Golf and Crazy Golf Pens and Pencils
- The Putting Penguin

Related blog posts:
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
- Crazy Golf Museum
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Ephemera