Report from the Third Knowley Grail Minigolf Tournament

Results, report and photos from the third Knowley Grail Minigolf Competition.

The third edition of the Knowley Grail was contested between ten BMGA Tour Pro players and US Minigolfer Jon Drexler at the Hastings Crazy Golf course following the final of the 2012 'Castle Golf' World Crazy Golf Championship after the players had decided that two days of international competition just wasn't enough and that they enjoyed the freezing cold weather conditions too much to head to the warmth of indoors/their transport home.

David Donnelly plays the Waterwheel hole of the Hastings Crazy Golf course

The 'age-old' rules of the Knowley Grail state that all players in the competition must use the same Minigolf ball - a 'Pinky Diver' by Reisinger - renowned for its super bouncy qualities. Any player scoring a seven during the round of Minigolf is automatically eliminated from the rest of the one-round competition. If eliminated the unfortunate player must take up residence on the nearest chair/bench of shame.

With two Pinky Diver balls available the group of eleven split into two groups and commenced play on the 18-hole Seafront Crazy Golf course in Hastings. Defending champion James 'The Rocket' Rutherford was in group two.

In a first for the Knowley Grail not one player was eliminated from the round. Adam 'Ak47' Kelly came remarkably close to being sent to a seat of shame with a score of six, but apart from that score most players were grinding out the twos, getting 'robbed' off of the metal cups, and scoring a smattering of threes and not enough aces.

Play the 'Tony Kelly Spot The Ball Contest'...

A remarkable shot was played by Jon Drexler on hole four when he was able to miss an ace and end up in the left hand bunker having travelled through one of the other bunkers on the course. This 'Drexed' shot was repeated moments later by AK47!

The Perplexing Drexler Shot

Two players were standouts in the Knowley Grail in Hastings, with Hastings' own John 'Big Top Ted' McIver setting the clubhouse lead with a score of 38(+2). John 'Johnny Waffles' Moore was also looking to record a good score and also came in with a 38 to force a play-off. The sudden-death play-off was the second in a row in the Knowley Grail tournament, following Rutherford's win in Margate in September.

On hole two of the Hastings Crazy Golf course Ted beat John to lift the title and take the £11 prize money.

Big Al messes up the 18 hole





Ted wins



Bexhill-on-Sea's number one Minigolfer Alex 'Perfect Par' Pragnell awards Hastings' number two Crazy Golfer 'Big Top Ted' John McIver the Knowley Grail trophy

Results of the third Knowley Grail competition:
1. John/Ted McIver 38
2. John/Al Moore - 38
3. Richard Gottfried - 41
3. Brad Shepherd - 41
5. Will Donnelly - 43
6. Adam Kelly - 44
6. Tony Kelly - 44
6. Jon Drexler (USA) - 44
6. James Rutherford - 44
10. David Hartley - 46
11. David Donnelly - 49

 

The Knowley Grail minigolf competition was created by members of the London Minigolf Club following the Midlands Open tournament held at the 12-hole Minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull. The LMGC members had spent the Friday perusing the charity shops of nearby Knowle and found a silver chalice on sale for £2.50. This became the trophy for the Knowley Grail tournaments.

Related Blog Posts:
- Report from the Second Knowley Grail Minigolf Tournament
- The Knowley Grail of Minigolf