Merry Christmas 2023!

Happy Christmas!

We wish you a very merry Christmas.

Christmas Crazy Golf courses from our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Blogiversary of the Ham and Egger Files

I've been blogging for 17 years today.

I'm often asked how is it that a blog about minigolf has the name the 'Ham and Egger Files'? The answer is that it didn't initially start out life as a minigolf blog.

The first post

I published my first post about how I planned to participate in as many obscure and minority sports as I could and see what would happen with the (limited amount of) sporting ability I had!

What is a Ham & Egger?

The term 'ham and egger' has connotations ranging from that of 'ordinary person' to that of 'loser'. The origin of the term comes from prize fighters whose modest skills wouldn’t let them win large purses. Therefore, the fighter or their manager - who received a percentage of any purses won - were never able to afford to eat better than ham and eggs.

Lots of blogs

Since that first post 17 years ago I have published more than 5,400 posts and received more than 3 million pageviews!

Admittedly, a large number of the blog posts have been about minigolf.

The Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Our interest in minigolf and what would soon become our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour had actually begun on the 30th September 2006, but I didn't publish a post about the sport until the 29th January 2007 when I announced that I had joined the British Minigolf Association - a competition circuit I made my actual debut on in Southend-on-Sea on the 28th April 2007.

Since then we've visited 1,043 miniature golf courses. 996 of those have been in the British Isles, while 47 have been in overseas countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (& Lanzarote, Canary Islands), Sweden and the USA.

When we began our travels there were around 600 courses in the UK. There are now more than 1,000, with new courses opening all the time.

Other sports & games are available

If you're wondering what happened to the quest to play lots of different sports, that has continued and I've participated in some very interesting events over the years!

A massive thank you goes out to everyone who has ever read one of my posts, commented, shared, or guest blogged on the site, it really is very much appreciated.

Putt Putt Noodle in Bedford

A new Putt Putt Noodle indoor minigolf centre is now open in Bedford.

The katakana characters on the left of the logo translate as 'Lucky'

Bedford's Harpur Centre is now home to a new Putt Putt Noodle indoor minigolf venue.

Putt Putt Noodle Bedford has three indoor adventure golf courses to play.

It'll be another new place to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out the Putt Putt Noodle website for more information.

Bermuda Falls Adventure Golf in Henlow

A new Adventure Golf course is opening in Henlow, Bedfordshire.

Perfect Aquatics is opening an Adventure Golf course in Henlow, Bedfordshire.

The 18-hole outdoor Adventure Golf layout will have an aquatic theme.

It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out the Perfect Aquatics website for more information.

New minigolf course opening in Hinkley

A new indoor minigolf centre is opening in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

It was nice to hear that a new minigolf course is opening at Hinckley’s Britannia Shopping Centre.

Our friend - and fellow fan of lost shops & retail history - Mason Moore from the Hinckley Reporter got in touch to tell us about the venue and find out what we thought about the course opening.

Check out the story about The Birdie Bunker at "Exclusive: New 18 hole minigolf course with cocktail bar and cafe opening in former Britannia Centre discount shop."

We're looking forward to playing at The Birdie Bunker on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and visiting Hinckley when the venue opens next year.

You can find out more about on the The Birdie Bunker Facebook Page.

The end of Blockbuster Video in the UK

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on this day in 2013.

Blockbuster Video entered the UK video rental market in 1989 following the purchase of Ritz Video.

In 2013 there were over 500 Blockbuster locations in the UK. Throughout that year the number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. On the 16th December 2013 all stores ceased operations.

It's amazing that there are still clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks ten years later.

If you're lucky, and know where to look, you might find a QuikDrop box hiding in plain sight

The first Blockbuster Video store had opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on the 19th October 1985.

The very last Blockbuster Video store in operation is in Bend, Oregon, USA.

We live near an abandoned Blockbuster Video store here in Manchester. It's always an eerie, interesting and nostalgic thing to drive past the old shop at Fallowfield Retail Park.

Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

The sign about the closure was still visible on the window there before it was boarded up earlier this year.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

Blockbuster certainly wasn't the first video rental shop brand, but it was at one time the market leader.

Blockbuster Video store locations we've visited on our travels

Our interest in lost brands and retail history has taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

Lane7 London Victoria

There's a new Lane7 venue in London.

The new Lane7 indoor entertainment centre recently opened its doors in London Victoria. The venue is home to a Crazy Golf course and other games.

Check out the Lane7 website for more information.

We played the 9-hole indoor minigolf course at Lane7 in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2019. It was the 840th course visited and 495th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Lane7 indoor mini golf in Newcastle upon Tyne

Crazy Golf at Hukd Golf in Bury

There are two new indoor Crazy Golf courses at Hukd Golf in Bury.

Hukd Golf, a new golf venue in Bury, Greater Manchester, has two indoor Crazy Golf courses the Roll Up Course and the Kick Off Course.

Check out the Hukd Golf website for more information.

It's another new venue for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Abergele

A new Safari Adventure Golf course is opening at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Abergele.

Check out the Lyons Holiday Parks website for more information.

We've played the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Camp in Rhyl. It was one of the best courses I've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf at Moors Valley Country Park

There's a new Adventure Golf course at Moors Valley Country Park & Forest in Ringwood, Dorset.

Visit the Moors Valley Country Park & Forest website for more information.

It's another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

54 Problems minigolf podcast - miniature golf and Guinness World Records

Have a listen to the latest 54 Problems minigolf podcast about miniature golf and Guinness World Records.

I was a guest on the latest episode of the 54 Problems minigolf podcast.

You can listen to episode 37 of the show on the 54 Problems website.

Miniature Golf Days in 2024

Details of National Miniature Golf Day and Miniature Golf Day 2024.

Each year there are two Miniature Golf Days - National Miniature Golf Day on the second Saturday in May and Miniature Golf Day on the 21st September.

In 2024 National Miniature Golf Day will be on Saturday 11th May.

In 2024 Miniature Golf Day will be on Saturday 21st September.

2024 British Minigolf Association Tournament Calendar

Details of the 2024 British Minigolf Association Tournament Events Calendar.

The British Minigolf Association has published the tournament calendar for the 2024 season.

Visit the British Minigolf Association website to find out more, and details of how you can join the BMGA and take part in events.

Please note: events are subject to change. Further events may be added to the BMGA Tour schedule.

The Dull Men's Club Calendar 2024: Unique and Quirky Passions

The new Dull Men's Club Calendar for 2024 is out now.

About the Dull Men's Club

The Dull Men's Club celebrates the ordinary and the life-changing magic of simple, everyday, run-of-the-mill things.

As can be seen by the featured 'dullards' for 2024 it's no just a club for men!

Visit the Dull Men's Club website for more information and to buy a copy of the calendar.

The Dull Men's Club Calendar

We featured in the club's calendar back in 2017 for our never-ending quest to visit and document every minigolf course in the UK.

Crazy Golf heading to Eldon Square in Newcastle

Crazy Golf will be part of a new development at Eldon Square in Newcastle city centre.

We've been to Newcastle several times and played a few minigolf courses there. The new venue at Eldon Square will be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Lost City Apocalypse Adventure Golf in Belfast

A new apocalypse-themed adventure golf course is opening in Belfast.

The Lost City Apocalypse Adventure Golf at Odyssey Place in Belfast will be the second venue for The Lost City brand.

Visit The Lost City Adventure Golf website for more information.

It'll be another new location for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New minigolf course opening in Edinburgh

There will be a minigolf layout at the new Level X venue in Edinburgh.

Visit the Level X website for more information.

It'll be another new location for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf in Kilmarnock

Two new Adventure Golf courses are being created at The Garage Leisure Complex in Kilmarnock.

The Garage Leisure Complex in Kilmarnock is creating two new indoor Adventure Golf courses - Sports Swings & Forest Fairways.

Visit The Garage website for more information.

It'll be another new venue for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.