The Knowley Grail of Minigolf

Competing for a new Minigolf trophy.

Following the 2012 Midlands Open Minigolf Tournament at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge twelve BMGA Tour Professionals competed for a brand new Miniature Golf title and trophy in The Knowley Grail!

With the London Minigolf Club members having spent the Friday perusing the charity shops of nearby Knowle they had happened across a silver chalice on sale for £2.50. With players always eager to compete in side-competitions the trophy and a prize pot of £9.50 was up for grabs in a one-round shootout between the competitors.

There were a few specials rules in The Knowley Grail contest. Firstly, all players would use one type of ball – a “Pinky Diver” – and secondly, any player scoring a maximum of seven shots on any hole would be eliminated from the contest. With the Pinky Diver having an unprecedented amount of bounce on it the casualty rate was expected to be high!

However, despite Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd’s best efforts to jinx players it wasn’t until the 11th hole that play crumbled. In fact up until that point many of the competitors had actually scored better than they had in the Midlands Open!

Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd hoping for a 7 from Sethers

With the lead group of Brad, me, Seth and Chris Jones completing the round unscathed and with Brad holding the clubhouse lead with a score of 22(-2), and a new personal best for him at Dorridge, we were able to settle down to watch the remaining eight players take on the last two holes.

Alan 'Stormin' Norman lining-up a shot

The first player to crumble was Alan ‘Stormin’ Norman. The Brewmaster’s Open Champion managed to get the ball through the pipe but was unable to sink the putt when on the green and so was sent/dragged to a chair of shame.

Alan 'Stormin' Norman being dragged off the course by Brad

Alan 'Stormin' Norman sitting in a chair of shame

With ‘Stormin’ able to relax the wait was on to see if anyone else would hit a dreaded seven. We didn’t have to wait long as Ruth Burke was also unable to complete the hole and was therefore out of the chase for The Knowley Grail.

Alan 'Stormin' Norman watching Ruth Burke getting her 7 on the 11th

The other players were able to hole out on the eleventh, but no one was able to score as low as Brad’s 22(-2). The runner-up was Scott ‘Donkey Gringo’ Lancley with a 26(+2) followed by five players who couldn’t be bothered to have a sudden-death play-off tied for third-place!

Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd receives his winnings and The Knowley Grail from teammate 'Oh' Chris Jones

The Knowley Grail Champion - Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd

The final results of the inaugural Knowley Grail competition were:

1. Brad Shepherd – 22

2. Scott Lancley – 26

3. Seth Thomas – 27

3. Richard Gottfried – 27

3. Chris Jones – 27

3. Owen Johnson – 27

3. Sean Homer – 27

8. Paul Johnson – 29

9. Steve Sturdy – 32

9. Gareth Holmes – 32

DNF – Alan Norman

DNF – Ruth Burke

There is talk of The Knowley Grail being a regularly contested title. It’ll probably go the way of the League of Mediocrity and the Scrap Iron Cup and become an irregularly contested event.