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Monday, May 04, 2020

The Coronavirus (Ham & Egger) Files

A look at minigolf and competitive socialising in the time of coronavirus and social distancing.


I've been blogging about the world of minigolf since 2006 and have seen how the game boomed in the last decade.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works into the whole world and as such minigolf courses and competitive socialising venues have taken a hit.

I recently took a look at 'The next normal rules of minigolf' with a dive into how minigolf will be played after lockdown.

A look at minigolf and competitive socialising in the time of coronavirus and social distancing

The Coronavirus (Ham & Egger) Files

I've collated a number of blog posts from recent months, looking at the rise of competitive socialising, tenpin bowling and minigolf combinations, minigolf in a retail setting, technological innovations through minigolf scoring and loyalty apps, as well as the popularity of mixing art and minigolf.

These pre-pandemic posts are joined by the posts I've written about minigolf, competitive socialising and competitive isolation during the time of Covid-19.

Pre-pandemic

Shopping mall minigolf - The growth of shopping centre crazy golf and retailtainment.

Garden centre minigolf - A look at garden centres with miniature golf courses.

Artainment and the world of minigolf - A look at how minigolf has been used in artistic creations.

Minigolf and tenpin bowling - Where to find minigolf and tenpin bowling entertainment centres.

Minigolf Scoring and Loyalty Apps - A look at minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf scorecard and loyalty apps.

New minigolf courses - Details of new minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses opening.

During the time of Covid-19

Keeping minigolf rolling - Prior to the coronavirus pandemic the minigolf and wider competitive socialising sectors were booming. Something we're very keen to continue once the world gets back to a semblance of normality.

The Big Mini Golf Bucket List - Ideas to while away the hours, days, weeks and months of lockdown.

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour update - Out-of-Home Putting Paused by Pandemic.

Competitive socialising in isolation - Keeping social and competitive in the new world of physical distancing.

The next normal rules of minigolf - A look at how minigolf will be played after lockdown.

Minigolf in the time of Coronavirus - Posts written about new courses opening or planned, course visits, information and examples of social distancing measures, competitions and tournaments, putt at home activities and more.

Social distancing minigolf - Examples of minigolf in the time of coronavirus and social distancing.

Gator Adventure Golf in Chorley - Blog post about the first course we played during the pandemic.

The retailtainment and minigolf boom - Minigolf is a big part of the retailtainment boom, with courses opening as standalone entertainment activities, or as part of large shoppingtainment leisure offerings in malls, high streets and retail parks.

After the pandemic

Watch this space...

Putting at home

There are also a number of Putt at Home events taking place around the world and it's been brilliant to see how popular home and garden minigolf has been during lockdown.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn, Wales
We're looking forward to launching back into the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when it's safe to do so

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With over twenty years of marketing and sales experience each we offer consultancy services to people and businesses looking to set-up miniature golf courses, review their operations, hole designs, contests, tournaments and more. Do get in touch for a chat to see how we can help and work together.

159 comments:

  1. Check out my new blog post looking at the social distancing measures in place on The Secret Garden Crazy Golf course at The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre in Preston, Lancashire.

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  2. Looking back through our photo archive I noticed an interesting sign on a minigolf course we played in Essex back in May 2009.

    A precursor to social distancing...?

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  3. We visited Wythenshawe Park over the border in Manchester for our daily outdoor exercise yesterday.

    The Crazy Golf course there is the first previously played Crazy Golf location we've revisited during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The park is also home to a Pitch & Putt miniature golf course. That became the first new course we've been to during the pandemic and the 949th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

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  4. The first socially distanced minigolf tournament in the UK is taking place on Sunday 26th July.

    Organised by the Welsh Minigolf Club the 2020 Dragon Classic will be held on the Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry.

    Entry is limited to 18 players and more information can be found on the Welsh Minigolf Club's website and Facebook Page.

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  5. Plans for the new Iron Age themed Adventure Golf course in Andover, Hampshire have been approved.

    The plans for the new Adventure Golf course in Andover were the first I heard about for a new course since before the coronavirus pandemic.

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  6. Hastings Adventure Golf: social distancing in numbers - a look at the work of Hastings Adventure Golf in the time of Coronavirus.

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  7. A look at the Adventure Golf course in Telford Town Park (September 2020).

    The course is open but currently has restrictions on the opening times, with online bookings required to enter the course.

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  8. Check out my latest blog post on Minigolfnews - Minigolf in the time of Covid-19

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  9. I've been Putting at Home and competing in the inaugural Putt18 World Pro League during the pandemic. Six of the seven events in the first season have now been completed.

    Check out my blog post from week 6 of the Putt18 World Pro League.

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  10. We visited Blackpool for the first time this year on the 3rd September. It was really nice to get back to the seaside.

    While there we had a catch-up with Ian and Paul from the Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels - the two groups that have joined forces to refresh and reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course on Blackpool's North Shore.

    It was brilliant to talk to people in real life for a change!

    It's a pleasure to be a part of the Princess Parade Crazy Golf project and I've enjoyed working with the teams at Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool & the Fylde Street Angels, Blackpool Council and the Blackpool Civic Trust to get the course reopened.

    The area has been given a massive clean up by the project team and a number of the holes have required repairs. You can see how the course looked in May 2019 and October 2019 in my blog post.

    Take a look at my blog post about the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course for more info and photos of the course.

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  11. A new Boom: Battle Bar with minigolf and more is planned to open in Liverpool next year.

    Boom: Battle Bars are a relatively new entrant to the world of competitive socialising and retailtainment. A number of shopping malls, town centres and retail parks are adding minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf and other experiential entertainment and activity leisure offerings to their sites to attract and retain customers.

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  12. Emily swung by Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea on the way back from her trip to the Isle of Wight last month.

    You can see some of the Covid-19 signage in place.

    We first played the Victory Trail course at Treasure Island Adventure Golf on Saturday 30th September 2006. I won a free game by firing the cannon on the lucky last hole and our minigolfing adventures have been rolling ever since!

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  13. There are a number of new minigolf courses opening in the UK.

    You can see further details in my blog post "New minigolf courses in the UK".

    Minigolf was experiencing a boom period before the coronavirus pandemic with new courses opening up every month. This boom has continued over the last 18 months with more new venues - indoors and out - being built, in development or planned to open across the UK.

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  14. Our friend, long-time minigolf rival and often time team-mate Seve Kukielka has created Aces Minigolf Gloucester - a superb 12-hole miniature golf layout at Dobbies Garden Centre in Gloucester.

    We visited the course to play a few rounds and compete in the Aces Minigolf Gloucester Invitational Tournament.

    Read more about it in my blog post "Aces Minigolf Gloucester at Dobbies Garden Centre".

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  15. We had a superb time at the launch of the brand new Filwood Fantastic Crazy Golf course in Knowle West, Bristol.

    The real life miniature golf course was created during the pandemic and the ideas for the hole designs were generated by members of the Knowle West community during Lockdown 1.

    Find out more in my blog post "Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf in Knowle West, Bristol".

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  16. A big thanks go to my friend and minigolf rival Stephen Skinner of the Welsh Minigolf Club for sending me these photos from his recent visit to Putters Adventure Golf at the Superbowl UK fun centre in Merthyr Tydfil.

    Check out this blog post to see more - Putters Adventure Golf at the Superbowl in Merthyr Tydfil.

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  17. Here's look at the Puttshack indoor miniature golf venue at Lakeside shopping centre in Grays, Essex. Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Simon Brown for sending me some photos from his recent visit.

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  18. We were in Northwich at the weekend and while there had to swing by the Crazy Golf course at Vickersway Park.

    The 9-hole layout was the 700th course overall we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in September 2016. We returned in January last year - it was one of the last courses we visited before the pandemic hit!

    The course has a couple of Covid-19 signs on it.

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  19. The Tidal Bay Crazy Adventure Golf course at the Wyevale Garden Centre in Sherfield on Loddon, Hampshire has closed down (October 2021).

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  20. We were very sad to heard that the minigolf course at the Recreation Ground in Stratford-upon-Avon has closed after 20 years in operation.

    The course was the 49th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2008 and a venue for a number of British Minigolf Association tournaments over the years.

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  21. Here's a look at the Crazy Golf course at Jocks Lane Park in Bracknell, Berkshire.

    We played the Jocks Lane Park Crazy Golf course back in July 2011. It was the 254th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

    Back then it was an 18-hole layout, with half of the holes being a Swedish Felt B-Run type and the other half being farm-themed.

    It's still an 18-hole course, however the 9 Swedish Felt holes have been replaced by 9 others.

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  22. The new Putt Noodle indoor crazy golf and Asian food venue at the Castle Quarter shopping and entertainment centre in Norwich is planned to open this month.

    We were a little too early when we swung by on a trip to Norwich last weekend.

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