The Indoor Mini Golf course at The Palace Fun Centre amusement arcade in Rhyl, Wales

A look at the indoor Mini Golf course at The Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl, North Wales on Tuesday 2nd December 2025.

We first visited and played the Mini Golf course at The Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in June 2019.

Find out more.

Visit The Palace Fun Centre and Amusement Arcade website to find out more about the course.

Related blog posts:

• Rhyl
• Indoor Mini Golf
• Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
• Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

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• The indoor Mini Golf course at The Palace Fun Centre arcade in Rhyl, Wales

Blockbuster Golf & Games and Block Party

A look back at Blockbuster Golf & Games and Block Party venues in the USA.

With the news that the first Netflix House location will be home to a mini-golf course among the activities on offer, it's interesting to note how it's predecessor Blockbuster Video had some similar concepts back in the 1990s.

Blockbuster Golf & Games

Blockbuster Golf & Games was an entertainment centre that gathered together mini golf, batting cages, a giant arcade and more in one location. It didn't go as far as Netflix House in its use of popular brands and licences from the world of TV, film and entertainment though, with the Blockbuster branding being prominent.

Blockbuster Golf & Games was located in Sunrise, Florida, USA and opened in 1994. It closed in the year 2000.

Every so often old golf balls from Blockbuster Golf & Games appear for sale, however there isn't a lot of information or photos of the actual course available online.

Block Party

Also in 1994 Blockbuster Video opened two 'Block Party' locations - one in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and another in Indianapolis, Indiana. They closed in 2002.

Block Party was an indoor entertainment centre that brought together recreational activities in a retail environment including virtual reality games, laser tag, arcade games, indoor rides, 4D experiences and more.

Dead Mall Walking did a nice deep-dive into Block Party (and includes Blockbuster Golf & Games) and you can watch it at this link and the video below.

Did you ever visit Blockbuster Golf & Games or Block Party? Do you have memories of the place and the minigolf course at Blockbuster Golf & Games?

Blockbuster Video nostalgia

Nowadays there is nostalgia for the Blockbuster brand, and while there is still one solitary Blockbuster Video store still operating - in Bend, Oregon - you are more likely to see the Blockbuster name adorning pop-ups at events. One of the more recent was a collaboration with KitKat.

Blockbuster Crazy Golf

Interestingly there are 'Blockbuster' store-themed minigolf holes in the UK! They're part of the Golf Fang indoor crazy golf courses. This was the one at The Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham back in 2017.

Blockbuster Video crazy golf hole at Golf Fang in Digbeth, Birmingham (November 2017)

The remains of Blockbuster Video in the UK

I've enjoyed researching the lost brand and seeking out remnants of old Blockbuster stores over the last few years.

I found the preserved remains of a Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in 2019. Sadly that location was demolished in January 2024. This is what it looked like shortly before it was lost forever.

During the pandemic my interest in lost brands and retail history was piqued and since then I've been to several former Blockbuster Video stores around the UK, as well as finding some other old, and some still open, video shops on our travels!

Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton, Warwickshire (May 2021)

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster Video 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. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013.

Memories of The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze game experience

We played The Crystal Maze game at the CC2000 tenpin bowling & entertainment, near Narbeth in Wales back in 2009.

The Crystal Maze was a staple part TV diet during my childhood and teenage years, and it would've been brilliant to go on the show.

During our minigolfing road-trip around the Welsh coast in 2009 we took a break from playing Crazy Golf to visit the Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre - where we entered The Crystal Maze!

At that time it was the last remaining example of the 'Cyberdrome Crystal Maze' games in the UK. Sadly it closed for good in June 2010. It would've been brilliant to return for a few more games there.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was absolutely superb to play. We think more of them should have been built back in the day. There were only ever eight built - five in the UK, two in Japan, and one in Dubai.

Just like the TV show, games were played in four themed zones - Aztec, Futuristic, Medieval, and Ocean. But unlike the TV show players were guided around the maze by Merlin - a computerised Maze Master.

We managed to win six of the nine games we played, and in the Crystal Dome itself we collected 103 Gold and 28 Silver 'tokens' for a grand total of 75. So we didn't win the "super-duper" prize. However, we were first on the leaderboard for the day and got "1st of 1" printed on our souvenir certificate!

At that time the Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was the closest you could get to playing the real Crystal Maze. Now you can play The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience in London and Manchester. The Manchester venue is so close to us that we really ought to get a team together for a game there!

Photos of The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in Tenby (2009).

Being set a task by Merlin

Aztec Zone

Futuristic Zone

Medieval Zone

Ocean Zone

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Inside the Crystal Dome ready to 'collect' some prize tokens

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze

Playing The Crystal Maze game at CC2000, near Narbeth, Wales.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Challenge TV are showing repeats of The Crystal Maze every weekday evening at 6pm and I'm addicted to watching it. It was a staple of my childhood and teenage years, and it would've been brilliant to go on the show. Perhaps I should apply if and when a new series is made.

Rewatching the show has reminded me of our holiday around the Welsh coast in 2009 when we took a break from playing Crazy Golf to visit the Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre - where we entered The Crystal Maze!

At that time it was the last remaining Cyberdrome Crystal Maze game in the UK. Sadly it closed for good in June 2010. It would've been brilliant to return for a few more games there.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was absolutely awesome to play. More of them should have been built back in the day. There were a total of eight built - five in the UK, two in Japan, and one in Dubai.

Just like the TV show, games were played in four themed zones - Aztec, Futuristic, Medieval, and Ocean. But unlike the TV show players were guided around the maze by Merlin - a computerised Maze Master.

Being set a task by Merlin

Aztec Zone

Futuristic Zone

Medieval Zone

Ocean Zone

We managed to win six of the nine games we played, and in the Crystal Dome itself we collected 103 Gold and 28 Silver 'tokens' for a grand total of 75. So we didn't win the "super-duper" prize, but we were first on the leaderboard for the day and got 1st of 1 on our souvenir certificate!

Inside the Crystal Dome

At that time the Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was the closest you could get to playing the real Crystal Maze. Now you can play The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience in London and Manchester. The Manchester venue is so close, we really ought to get a team together for a game there.

Photos of The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in Tenby

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Adventure Golf at Jimmy G's amusement arcade in Leysdown

A new Adventure Golf course is planned for Leysdown-on-Sea, Isle of Sheppey.

The new adventure golf course at Jimmy G’s Amusements on The Promenade in Leysdown will be created as part of a refurbishment of the amusement arcade.

Visit the Jimmy G's Amusements website for more information.

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

Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl, Wales

A revisit to the Palace Fun Centre Mini Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.

We swung by the indoor Mini Golf course at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl on our day trip to the seaside resort yesterday.

We last visited the town in December last year.

I played the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in June 2019.

Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Revisiting the Palace Fun Centre Mini Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

We took a look at the indoor Mini Golf course at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl on our day trip to the seaside resort on Saturday.

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Sign of the pandemic times at the Mini Golf course at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

The course was the 523rd played and 911th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in June 2019.

The last time either of us were in Rhyl was when I had a day out there in September 2019! Crazy to think as it's one of our most local seaside towns.

Related blog posts:

• Mini Golf courses in Rhyl, Wales
• Rhyl

The 'Simpsons'

This is some of the best worst Simpsons bootleggery I've seen.

Not the best prizes in the world

Wac-Man Crazy Golf

A look at the 'Wac-Man' minigolf hole at Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf course inside Fletcher's Arcade in Cofton Hackett, South Birmingham.

We played Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf course in August 2018. The 9-hole indoor layout was the 829th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The course at Fletcher's Arcade and game-play has to be seen and experienced to be believed. It really is Crazy Crazy Golf!

Creative Folkestone Triennial to feature Crazy Golf

The Creative Folkestone Triennial art festival will feature a Crazy Golf course.

Folkestone in 2010

Folkestone will play host to the fifth Folkestone Triennial with 20 artworks being set up around the seaside town in Kent.

One of those will be amusement arcade and crazy golf-themed.

The artist genuinefake (Rachel Stella Jenkins) will be setting up a pavilion with an amusement arcade and crazy golf course on the site of the old Rotunda amusement arcades.

The Creative Folkestone Triennial, formerly the Folkestone Triennial, takes place between Saturday 5th September and Sunday 8th November 2020.

Find out more on the Creative Folkestone Triennial website.

It's not the first time that Crazy Golf has been a part of the Folkestone Triennial. The first edition saw the 18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson. This permanent artwork was made using the old Arnold Palmer Putting Course from The Rotunda to resemble three beach huts!

18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson in Folkestone

What a wonderful use of an old minigolf course

A nice view

It was nice to see the old minigolf course used for something as the site of The Rotunda resembled a desolate wasteland when we visited in 2010.

The Rotunda in Folkestone