Mini Golf dates for your 2016 diary

Details of minigolf events and competitions for the year ahead.

Minigolf is 149 years old in 2016, while the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour turns ten

2016 is going to be a BIG year in minigolf. Check out the details below for the landmarks and milestones, anniversaries, days, and other key dates.


Anniversaries in 2016
There are some very interesting key dates being celebrated in 2016:

• The first minigolf course in the USA opened in 1916. It was called 'Thistle Dhu' and located in Pinehurst, NC.
• Putting will return to the Olympic Games at Rio 2016 after a break of 112 years, albeit as part of the big Golf tournament. A Miniature Golf contest was held as part the 1904 St Louis Games!
• Crazy Golf is 90 years old in 2016! The very first course opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England. There's still a course on the same spot - we managed to play it in 2015.

A visit to England's first-ever Crazy Golf course on National Miniature Golf Day 2015

• 1926 also saw the first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA, with the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course opening near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
• Friday 30th September 2016 will mark the tenth anniversary of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. To date we've visited 672 mini, crazy, putting and adventure golf courses.
• Minigolf course reviewers at The Putting Penguin celebrate their 15th year in 2016, while fellow minigolf bloggers A Couple of Putts reach their fourth year.
• Miniature Golf will be 149 years old! The world's first Grass Putting course was set-up at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867. The Himalayas is still there now and is a real pleasure to play.

Recurring minigolf 'days'
Each year there are two quasi-official days to celebrate the game:

• National Miniature Golf Day takes place on the second Saturday in May and in 2016 will be on Saturday 14th May.
• Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September, which falls on a Wednesday in 2016.

Emily playing a round at Putt in the Park in Battersea Park, London on Miniature Golf Day 2015

Minigolf Tag (day) has been celebrated in Austria since 2010. Keep an eye on the Minigolf Tag website for details of the 2016 event.

Every Monday is #MinigolfMonday on Twitter.


Competitions
Hundreds of competitions take place around the world, below are some of the highlights of the 2016 calendar.

UK tournaments
The British Minigolf Association Tour calendar for 2016 has been announced.

• Sunday 28th February – English Open at the Lost City Adventure Golf course in Nottingham.
• Sunday 6th March – Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open at the three seafront courses in Hastings.
• Sunday 10th April – British Masters at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing.

Emily playing in the 2015 Splash Point Open tournament at the Splash Point Mini Golf course in Worthing

• Sunday 24th April – British Club Championships at Strokes Adventure Golf Course in Margate.
• Friday 6th May – British Championships Pro-Am at Wroxham Barns in Hoveton.
• Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th May – British Championships at Wroxham Barns in Hoveton.
• Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th June – World Crazy Golf Championship at the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf Course in Hastings.
• Saturday 16th July – Cambridgeshire & Essex Open at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon.
• Sunday 17th July - British Doubles Championship at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon.
• Friday 16th September – Players Championship.
• Friday 16th September – International Players Championship.
• Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September – British Open at the Pirate Course in Hastings.
• Sunday 16th October – Welsh Open is at the Treetop Adventure Golf Course in Cardiff.
• Sunday 13th November – Kent Open at the Lost Island Encounter Adventure Golf course in Sidcup.
• Sunday 4th December – Star City Open at Adventure Island Mini Golf in Birmingham.
• Season-long – British Matchplay Championship.

There will also be club Open events throughout the year.

International events
World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF):

• 25th and 26th June – World Adventure Golf Masters in Prishtina, Kosovo.
• 14th and 15th May – Youth Nations Cup in Bischofshofen, Austria.
• 10th to 13th August – Youth World Championships in Bischofshofen, Austria.

The Great Britain 3 team that finished 5th in the 2013 WMF World Adventure Golf Masters tournament

European Minigolf Sport Federation (EMF):

• 14th and 15th May – Nations Cup in Vizela, Portugal
• 10th to 13th August – Seniors European Championships in Lahti, Finland.
• 24th to 27th August – General Class European Championships in Vizela, Portugal.
• 29th September to 1st October - European Cup for club teams in Neutraubling, Germany.

Asian Minigolf Sport Federation (AMF):

• 8th to 10th October - Open Asian Championships in Yokohama, Japan.

Contests in North America
USPMGA:
In the USA the USPMGA organises two major events – US Masters and US Open – and a number of local and regional events.

• October 13-15 – USPMGA Master’s National Championship in North Myrtle Beach, SC.
• May 14th and 15th – US Open at Putt U Miniature Golf in Center Valley, PA.

PPA:
There are also miniature golf competitions organised in the USA by the PPA. You can find out more about Putt-Putt, the Professional Putters Association, the Amateur Putters Association and the competitions hosted on Putt-Putt miniature golf courses on the PPA website.

Mini-Putt:
In Canada the Mini-Putt tour holds a number of tournaments. Find out more on the Mini-Putt website.

If you know of any other miniature golf contests taking place do let us know via the comments below or via email.

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