The Ham and Egger Files: Crazy Golf at the Strand Leisure Park in Gillingham

Friday, May 16, 2014

Crazy Golf at the Strand Leisure Park in Gillingham

Playing the 18-hole Wild Frontier Crazy Golf course at the Strand Leisure Park in Gillingham as part of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

At the Wild Frontier Crazy Golf course at the Strand Leisure Park in Gillingham, Kent

On our way to Whitstable on the 8th of May we decided to make a stop in Gillingham, Kent to visit the Strand Leisure Park and play the Crazy Golf course we’d heard was there.

On this occasion the course was open to play. Emily decided she didn’t want to play so I paid the man the £2.70 for a round on the 18-hole ‘Wild Frontier Crazy Golf course’, plus the £2.50 deposit required for the putter and ball and headed off for a quick round as the weather wasn’t all that great.

Oddly the course didn't have a pathway, or stepping stones, between holes, just grass – which was a bit annoying as it was wet underfoot.

Each of the holes on the good looking scorecard had a different ‘Wild West’ name and the course was split into three parts – Holes 1 to 6 were in ‘Dodge City’, holes 7 to 12 were in ‘Indian Country’ and holes 13 to 18 were in ‘Gold Valley'.

Hole 1 - Cowboy Hat

There was a big cowboy hat on hole 1, some horseshoes on hole 6, a snake on hole 7, wig-wams on hole 9, a US flag on hole 10 (named ‘Death Valley’) and a peace pipe on hole 11.

Wild Frontier Crazy Golf at the Strand Leisure Park in Gillingham, Kent

Playing hole 1 - Cowboy Hat

Hole 2 - Cliff Edge

Hole 3 - Wagon Wheel

Hole 4 - Deadmans Creek

Hole 5 - Horse Shoe

Hole 6 - Six Shooter

Hole 7 - Snake

Hole 8 - Canyon

Hole 9 - Wig-Wam

Hole 10 - Death Valley

Hole 11 - Peace Pipe

Hole 12 - Ravine

Hole 13 - Gold Pan

Hole 14 - Hill Billy Ridge

As we approached hole 15 (‘Rock Tunnel’) and the end of our round we noticed the man emerge from the hut and walk along the path away from the course towards the car park. He didn’t say anything to us, but we assumed he’d be back in a couple of minutes to take the putter and ball back and refund me my £2.50 deposit.

However, he never reappeared!

So, for only the second time* on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we’d returned to the hut to find it abandoned and so had to leave the putter and ball leant up against the door. On our walk back to the car park we saw no sign of the man – or anyone else for that matter.

Hole 15 - Rock Tunnel

Hole 16 - Devil's Drop

Hole 17 - Mine Collapse

We left the Strand Leisure Park slightly dejected and £2.50 lighter.

Having arrived back home and looked at the prices for the Crazy Golf course on the Medway Council website it says that the Crazy Golf is £2.20 for adults and £1.50 for the club deposit and 50p for a ball!

The highlight of playing the course was the solitary hole-in-one I scored on the 18^th hole (‘Mine Entrance’) – which in my mind was the hardest hole out there.

Hole 18 - Mine Entrance

As well as the 18-hole Crazy Golf there was also a Pitch & Putt miniature golf course at the park. But with the man doing a disappearing act we were unable to find out how much it was to play.