Adventure Golf at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Orpington, Sidcup, Kent

There are plans for a new adventure golf course at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Orpington, Sidcup, Kent.

Find out more.

Visit the Ruxley Manor Garden Centre website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The new adventure golf course at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre would be a new one for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Pukka Putters lorry mini golf course by The Professional Idiots

A mini golf course has been created inside a lorry!

Pukka Putters, a 9-hole mini golf course built inside two lorry trailers, has bene created by The Professional Idiots and is available to play in Tunbridge Wells until this Sunday.

Find out more.

Check out The Professional Idiots website to find out more about the Pukka Putters course and where it will next pop-up.

New mini golf at former Adventure Wonderland theme park site in Hurn, Christchurch

There are plans for a new mini golf course to be created at the former Adventure Wonderland theme park site in Hurn, Christchurch, Dorset.

The outdoor mini golf course would be part of improvements to the site following the closure of the Adventure Wonderland theme park.

It'll be interesting to see what the new course looks like and to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Halloween Pumpkin minigolf balls from Putterfingers Crazy Golf

Winning a Putterfingers competition.

I was very pleased to hear that I was a winner in the recent Putterfingers Crazy Golf online competition. The prize was a set of Halloween Pumpkin minigolf balls!

Related blog posts:

• Putterfingers Crazy Golf

Link:

• Putterfingers Crazy Golf

Minigolf in Leeds

A look at minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf and crazy pool courses in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

The minigolf boom.

Mini Golf (also known as Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf) is an incredibly popular leisure and sporting activity for all ages, and we're seeing an exciting boom in new courses opening up across the UK.

From the seaside to the city centre.

While minigolf was traditionally a seaside summer pastime in the UK, the last decade or so has seen its growth into more urban settings, with many venues now catering to a late night audience. It can be the perfect activity for groups of friends, families, and young and old alike. The game continues to evolve and captivate players all year round.

Looking for a minigolf course in Leeds.

If you're looking for a place to play a game of miniature golf in Leeds, check out this list below.

Adventure Golf.

• Adventure Golf at Mission Out at Tingley Garden Centre - an outdoor 9-hole adventure golf course.

Crazy Golf.

• Crazier Golf at Boom Battle Bar - an indoor 9-hole mini golf course.
• Junkyard Golf at The Light on The Headrow - three indoor 9-hole crazy golf courses.
• Roxy Golf at Roxy Ball Room Boar Lane - an indoor 9-hole crazy golf course.

Crazy Pool (think of a cross between pool and crazy golf).

• Crazy Pool at King Pins at the White Rose Shopping Centre - an indoor crazy pool course.
• Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Merrion Street - an indoor crazy pool course.
• Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Boar Lane - an indoor crazy pool course.

Minigolf.

• Mini Golf at Leeds Hollywood Bowl - an indoor 9-hole mini golf course.
• Putt & Play Leeds at The Springs - two indoor 9-hole mini golf courses.
• The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf at St John’s Centre - an indoor 9-hole mini golf course.

Are there others?

Have we missed any minigolf courses in Leeds? Do let us know.

Your favourite minigolf course.

Where's your favourite place for a round of minigolf in Leeds?

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We often visit Leeds and have visited most of the courses there on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We're looking forward to a return visit to Leeds to see what's new.

Planning to visit a Mini Golf course - check ahead of time.

Where possible please do check that the course is still there and open before travelling to it. The online presence of courses is improving, and the way businesses market themselves is always evolving, so it's becoming somewhat easier to find the opening and closing times of courses. That said, we've spent the last two decades attempting to play as many courses as possible, and even we've ended up finding courses to be derelict, abandoned or unplayable when we've arrived!

Related blog posts:

• Leeds
• Adventure Golf
• Crazy Golf
• Crazy Pool
• Minigolf
• Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

TGJones in Stockport

TGJones is now open in Stockport.

The rebrand of the former WHSmith shop in Stockport has taken place.

TGJones has opened its store in the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

The new TGJones in Stockport town centre is now also home to a Toys R Us!

The end of WHSmith, and the start of TGJones.

The start of July 2025 marked the end of WHSmith on the British high street after 233 years. Following the sale of the business to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital earlier this year WHSmith shops have been undergoing a rebrand to the new name of TGJones.

As the shop in the Merseyway looked when it was still a WHSmith in July this year

WHSmith on the high street, and travel stores.

There were around 500 high street WHSmith shops, and another 580 travel stores in the UK. The WHSmith shops at railway stations, service stations and airports etc. are not affected by the rebrand as they were not part of the sale.

Toys R Us at TGJones and WHSmith.

As well being inside the rebranded TGJones shops, the relaunched Toys R Us brand can be found in sections of some travel hub WHSmith stores.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WH Smith shops in 2023. There are currently 95 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

The shelves were still being filled on my visit

Working at Toys R Us.

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

The old Toys R Us.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited several of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Find out more.

Visit the TGJones, Toys R Us and WHSmith websites for more information on the brands and their locations.

Related blog posts:

• TGJones
• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail
• Stockport
• Merseyway

Links:

• TGJones
• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Merseyway

Mini Golf at Matrix Hereford

There's a mini golf course at Matrix in Hereford.

Matrix Hereford is an indoor entertainment venue and home to a mini golf course, laser tag, axe throwing, darts and arcade games.

Find out more.

Check out the Matrix Hereford website for more information on the venue.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Matrix Hereford is a new location and course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golfish at Maidenhead Aquatics in St Albans

Playing the Crazy Golfish course at Maidenhead Aquatics in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Crazy Golfish at Maidenhead Aquatics in St Albans is an outdoor aquatic-themed 15-hole crazy golf course.

Find out more.

Visit the Maidenhead Aquatics website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Crazy Golfish course was the 593rd course played and 1,109th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Oasis Beach Pool Pyramid in Bedford

Did you know there's a pyramid in Bedford?

I didn't until fairly recently! Crazy really as we lived in Bedfordshire for many years, and visited Bedford quite often.

A look at the Oasis Beach Pool Pyramid in Bedford.

The Oasis Beach Pool in Bedford opened in 1991. The site is currently up for sale with Bedford Borough Council offering a long leasehold basis for leisure use, with all activities at the venue ceasing from the 3rd November 2025.

Not one but two pyramids there.

There are actually two pyramids on the site, with a smaller second pyramid home to Camrider Motorcycle Training Bedford.

If you look a little further between the two pyramids you can see the Tesco Extra store is also topped with a pyramid!

More lesser-known UK pyramids.

Check out this thread on Twitter/X from the Twentieth Century Society for more examples of lesser-known pyramids in the UK.

Pyramid hunting.

I enjoy seeing and discovering different and interesting examples of architecture. And living in Stockport we have a myriad of intriguing buildings. Most notable of which is possibly the Stockport Pyramid! It's a striking sight and clearly seen by thousands of people passing by on the M60 and railway lines each day. The Stockport Pyramid is 37m tall. And, by some reckonings, is the 16th tallest pyramid in the world!

How tall is the Bedford Pyramid?

I'd be interested in finding out how tall the Oasis Beach Pool Pyramid in Bedford is, and how it compares in size to the Stockport Pyramid.

Links:

• Bedford Borough Council
• Oasis Beach Pool at Better Leisure
• Camrider Motorcycle Training Bedford

Related blog posts:

• Pyramid
• Pyramids
• Bedford
• Architecture

Ronald Myers or Michael McDonald?

What would you call this crazy golf course clown?

Michael McDonald or Ronald Myers at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham

Wild Golf Mini Golf at Thoulstone Park in Wiltshire

A new mini golf course is opening at Thoulstone Park near Warminster in Wiltshire.

Thoulstone Park in Chapmanslade, Westbury, near Warminster in Wiltshire will soon be opening a new 18-hole outdoor mini golf course.

Find out more.

Visit the Thoulstone Park website and Wild Golf on Instagram and Facebook for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Wild Golf at Thoulstone Park will be a new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Watford Pyramid

A look at the pyramid in Watford town centre.

Watford Pyramid was built in 1985 and was designed by Arthurell and Kirkland Architects to be home to a Blockbuster Video store!

The front of the pyramid (or should that be pyramids?)

The shop - located at 161-165 High Street, Watford - is now home to a Cotswold Outdoor store.

A view from the side

More lesser-known UK pyramids.

Check out this thread on Twitter/X from the Twentieth Century Society for more examples of lesser-known pyramids in the UK.

The other side of the pyramid

Pyramid hunting.

I enjoy seeing and discovering different and interesting examples of architecture. And living in Stockport we have a myriad of intriguing buildings. Most notable of which is possibly the Stockport Pyramid! It's a striking sight and clearly seen by thousands of people passing by on the M60 and railway lines each day.

The rear of the Watford pyramid

The Watford Pyramid was doubly interesting to me as it was a) a pyramid, and b) a former Blockbuster Video store - another area of study of mine.

How tall is the Watford Pyramid?

I'd be interested in finding out how tall the Watford Pyramid is, and how it compares in size to the Stockport Pyramid.

Links:

• Arthurell and Kirkland Architects
• Cotswold Outdoor Watford
• Twentieth Century Society

Related blog posts:

• Pyramid
• Pyramids
• Watford
• Architecture
• Blockbuster Video

95 years since the first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place

The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place almost 100 years ago.

The first National Tom Thumb Championship was contested in Chattanooga, Tennessee 95 years ago today.

Garnet Carter created the first artificial miniature golf course in the USA in 1926. The first of the 'Tom Thumb Golf' brand of miniature golf course was an 18-hole layout located near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

By 1930 there were some 25,000 miniature golf courses in the USA, 3,000 of which were the now patented Tom Thumb course franchises.

The course and fantasy theming caught the imagination of visitors and on the 23rd October 1930 the final of the first-ever National Tom Thumb Championship took place.

Qualifying events had taken place in all of the then 48 states of the USA, with 200 players representing 30 states in the grand final. The event had a total prize fund of $10,000, with the champion winning $2,000!

We haven't played a Tom Thumb Golf course on our travels, but we do have some nice old postcards of Tom Thumb courses in our collection. This one is of a course at Westende Bains in Belgium

Check out the Crazy Golf Museum for more minigolf history.

Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Boar Lane in Leeds

You can now play Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Boar Lane in Leeds.

Roxy Ball Room Boar Lane in Leeds is now home to a Crazy Pool course.

What is Crazy Pool?

Crazy Pool is a cross-between Crazy Golf and Pool, played on tables using golf balls and a cue.

Playing Crazy Pool.

We've played Crazy Pool at the Roxy Ball Room location at Merrion Street in Leeds, and the Arndale and Deansgate venues in Manchester on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Pool at other Roxy Ball Room locations.

Currently twelve of Roxy Ball Room's 19 venues are home to Crazy Pool layouts, they are:

• Birmingham (Victoria Square)
• Bristol (Union Street)
• Leeds (Boar Lane)
• Leeds (Merrion Street)
• Leicester (Humberstone Gate)
• Liverpool (Hanover Street)
• London (St Mary Axe)
• Manchester (Arndale)
• Manchester (Deansgate)
• Nottingham (The Cornerhouse)
• Sheffield (Charter Square)
• York (The Stonebow)

Roxy Ball Room's sister brand King Pins has a new venue at the White Rose Centre in Leeds and that is also home to a Crazy Pool course.

Find out more.

Visit the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.

Crazy Golf at Mulligans Hemel Hempstead

Playing crazy golf at Mulligans Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

I played the indoor 18-hole crazy golf course at Mulligans in Hemel Hempstead on my recent Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip to the area.

Find out more.

There are 13 Mulligans sites across the UK, including venues in Basildon, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cheltenham, Guildford, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Norwich, Stevenage, Tonbridge and Worcester.

Visit the Mulligans website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Mulligans Crazy Golf course at Jarman Park in Hemel Hempstead was the 594th course played and 1,111th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Putt Putt Social crazy golf in Bedford

Swinging by Putt Putt Social Bedford.

Putt Putt Social Bedford is home to three 9-hole indoor crazy golf courses - Dragon Quest, Tokyo Drift and Cherry Blossom.

Unfortunately on this occasion I was there too early in the morning before the doors opened.

Find out more.

There are Putt Putt Social venues in Bedford, Coventry, Gloucester, Norwich and Telford.

Visit the Putt Putt Social website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've also been to the Gloucester and Norwich Putt Putt Social locations on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Landmark Golf at The Kiosk in Russell Park, Bedford

Playing the Landmark Golf miniature golf course at The Kiosk in Russell Park, Bedford.

I had a round on the Landmark Golf minigolf course in Russell Park, Bedford on my recent trip to the town.

The 12-hole outdoor mini golf course features local landmarks from the town.

Find out more.

Visit The Kiosk website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Landmark Golf course in Bedford was the 592nd course played and 1,103rd visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The location of the current course used to be a grass Putting course - we played that on our tour back in 2010.

Rockin' Romans Golf at Verulamium Park in St Albans

Swinging by the Rockin' Romans Golf course at Verulamium Park in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

On my recent trip to Hertfordshire I made a quick detour visit to Verulamium Park in St Albans to take a look at the Rockin' Romans Golf course. As it was a Friday and out of peak season the outdoor adventure golf course was closed.

Find out more.

Visit the Rockin' Romans Golf website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Rockin' Romans Golf at Verulamium Park in St Albans was the 1,110th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It's actually the third miniature golf course we've visited on the same spot in the park on our travels! Back in 2007 I played a 12-hole course on the site, and in 2013 we visited a 9-hole course there.

Globalls Mini-Golf in Weymouth

A new Globalls Mini-Golf venue is planned to open in Weymouth, Dorset.

The team at Globalls Mini-Golf are planning to open a new indoor glow-in-the-dark venue in Weymouth, Dorset.

The new Globalls Mini-Golf course location is opening on St Thomas Street in Weymouth and will be home to two indoor 12-hole crazy golf courses.

Find out more.

The first Globalls UV Mini Golf & Games venue opened at Brighton Marina. Check out the Globalls website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Globalls Mini-Golf in Weymouth would be a new place for us to visit in the seaside town on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've been to Weymouth several times on our travels over the years - including a number of visits to play in championships in the seaside town.

Related blog posts:

• Globalls
• Weymouth
• Dorset

Happy Back to the Future Day 2025

Today is Back to the Future Day.

The 21st October is 'Back to the Future Day' as Marty McFly and Doc Brown travelled from 1985 to the 21st October 2015. So, the future was actually ten years ago now!

I got to see a DeLorean time machine at MediaCity in Salford back on the 13th March 2020. How different times were then!

Puttshack in Watford

A look at Puttshack in Watford.

I swung by Puttshack on a recent trip to Watford, Hertfordshire on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The venue is home to four 9-hole indoor high-tech minigolf courses - Amber, Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire.

Find out more.

You can also find Puttshack venues in Bank and White City in London, and at Lakeside in Essex.

Visit the Puttshack website for more information.

Putt Above Mini Golf in Bristol

Putt Above Mini Golf is now open in Bristol.

The latest Putt Above Mini Golf has opened in Bristol.

Putt Above's minigolf courses differ from others in that each hole on a courses is projection mapped onto the same lane, so you don't walk the course - more like it's brought to you.

Find out more.

Check out the Putt Above website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We're yet to have a game of the Putt Above brand of minigolf on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, but look forward to a game at Putt Above's venues in Dudley, Blackpool and Bristol in the future.