13 years of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Marking 13 years of our crazy golf travels.

Today we're celebrating 13 years of our minigolfing adventures.

At our 900th minigolf course visit earlier this year

While we were visiting my brother Christopher at uni in Portsmouth back in 2006 we played the Victory Trail course at Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea. At the end of our round on Saturday 30th September I won a free game by firing the cannon on the lucky last hole.

We last played the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course in Southsea on the 30th September 2016 to celebrate ten years of our travels. I won another free game then too. I also won a free game when we revisited the course on the fifth anniversary of our tour on the 30th September 2011. Incredibly I won again on the 7th August 2015

That was the beginning of our minigolf travels. We've now visited 925 courses, 39 of which have been overseas.

The first course we visited on what would become our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

How different would our lives have been if I'd missed my shot on the final hole?

The lucky last hole at Treasure Island Adventure Golf

When our travels began there were around 600 courses in the UK. That number has grown massively in the last eight years. When we first set out to visit all the courses in the country there were only two indoor courses, one in Felixstowe and one in Great Yarmouth. Both are still open and have been joined by around 100 other indoor minigolf venues!

My brother Christopher has now been to 30 courses in the UK and nine overseas countries on his own branch of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Altogether we've visited 947 courses.

Check out our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses for links to the courses we've been to.

Happy birthday Putt-Putt - 65 years old today

Today marks 65 years since the world's first Putt-Putt course opened.

The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA back in 1954.

Over the years a number of our fellow miniature golf enthusiasts, bloggers, minigolf rivals and friends have shared photos of some of their favourite Putt-Putt courses.

Putt Putt in Richmond, Indiana. Photo by Tom and Robin at A Couple of Putts

Putt-Putt is the only patented game of miniature golf and began in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1954. In the 1960's Putt-Putt franchises began opening outside of the US, in locations such as South Africa, Australia and Japan. There were also courses in the UK, the first of which opened in Sunderland in 1968. Others followed at Flamingo Land in Yorkshire and in Buxton, Derbyshire. However, information on these UK courses is limited. You can read the Putt-Putt story on the Putt-Putt Fun Centres website.

The Putt-Putt miniature golf course in Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point / Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals

The Putt Putt Fun Center course in Hickory, North Carolina photographed by Pat Sheridan of The Putting Penguin minigolf website

Putt Putt Pro Matt Bellner playing the course in Arlington, TX

Matt Bellner playing the Putt Putt course in Lake Charles, LA, USA

On the competitive side of the game, Putt-Putt tournaments have been played since 1959. You can read about the history of the PPA and APA on the Professional Putters Association website.

Putt Putt Fun Center in Richmond, Indiana. Photo by Tom and Robin at A Couple of Putts

Allan Cox, aka The Putter King, has been playing Putt-Putt in tournaments and for fun for a number of years and has perfected his shots on a lot of Putt-Putt courses down under.



Unfortunately the closest Emily and I have got to playing Putt-Putt are some postcards, some game tokens, a jigsaw puzzle and a photo one of my family took of a course while in South Africa!

A photo of the Three Anchor Bay Putt-Putt course in January 2017. Photo by Adam Trigg

A Putt-Putt postcard from South Africa

I do have a lot of Putt-Putt tokens in my collection

A Putt-Putt Puzzle of a very crazy Miniature Golf course. Published by Hallmark Cards Inc. Many thanks to our friend 'Hacksaw' Jon Drexler for sending it across the pond to live in the Crazy Golf Museum

Check out the Putt-Putt Golf website for more information on Putt-Putt brand minigolf. You can find out more information about Putt-Putt tournaments on the Professional Putters Association (PPA) website.

Hopefully we'll get to play the Putt-Putt format of the game on our travels in the future.

Related blog posts:
- Putt-Putt
- A token blog post
- Putt-Putt in Cape Town, South Africa
- A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa
- Putt-Putt Germiston in Johannesburg, South Africa
- Putt-Putt at Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point/Sea Point in Cape Town

Links:
- Putt-Putt Golf
- PPA Database
- Professional Putters Association (PPA)

Eleven years gluten free

Today marks my eleven year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Eleven years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and began my journey into the gluten free world.

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

Why I avoid gluten at all times!

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's been very much appreciated. I've also found some funny things about being a Coeliac along the way.

And a BIG thank you to Emily for all of her help and support throughout my struggles with the illness.

For more information on Coeliac Disease do check out the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

You can also view the very first blog post I wrote about gluten free / Coeliac stuff at 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea'.

Happy birthday Putt-Putt

Today marks the 64th anniversary of the first Putt-Putt course, set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA back in 1954.

To mark the occasion I've spoken to a number of my fellow miniature golf enthusiasts and bloggers and they've shared photos of some of their favourite Putt-Putt courses.

Putt Putt in Richmond, Indiana. Photo by Tom & Robin at A Couple of Putts

Putt-Putt is the only patented game of miniature golf and began in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1954. In the 1960's Putt-Putt franchises began opening outside of the US, in locations such as the one on the postcard shown below, as well as Australia and Japan. You can read the Putt-Putt story on the Putt-Putt Fun Centres website.

The Putt Putt Fun Center course in Hickory, North Carolina photographed by Pat Sheridan of The Putting Penguin minigolf website

Putt Putt Pro Matt Bellner playing the course in Arlington, TX

Matt Bellner playing the Putt Putt course in Lake Charles, LA, USA

On the competitive side of the game, Putt-Putt tournaments have been played since 1959. You can read about the history of the PPA and APA on the Professional Putters Association website.

Putt Putt Fun Center in Richmond, Indiana. Photo by Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman at A Couple of Putts

Unfortunately the closest Emily and I have got to playing a Putt-Putt course is a postcard, some game tokens, a jigsaw puzzle and a photo one of my family took while in South Africa!

A Putt-Putt postcard from South Africa

I do have a lot of Putt-Putt tokens in my collection

The Putt-Putt course at Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point/Sea Point in Cape Town, photo by Adam Trigg

A Putt-Putt Puzzle of a very crazy Miniature Golf course. Published by Hallmark Cards Inc. Many thanks to our friend 'Hacksaw' Jon Drexler for sending it across the pond to live in the Crazy Golf Museum

There used to be Putt-Putt brand minigolf courses in the UK, but they're long gone.

Check out the Putt-Putt website for more information on Putt-Putt brand minigolf. You can find out more information about Putt-Putt tournaments on the Professional Putters Association website.

Between 1958 and 2000 there were a number of newsletters and magazines produced and the online archive is a mine of information. My favourite Putt-Putt World cover is definitely that of the Summer 1982 edition (volume 24, number 3)!

Related blog posts:
- A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa
- Putt-Putt at Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point/Sea Point in Cape Town
- A token blog post

Links:
- Putt-Putt
- Professional Putters Association (PPA)

Ten years gluten free

Today marks my ten year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Ten years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and so I began my journey into the world of all things gluten free.

I'm gluten free, not a glutton (or any number of other misspellings of gluten)

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

Why I avoid gluten at all times!

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with my Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's been very much appreciated. I've also found some funny things about being a Coeliac along the way.

And a MASSIVE thank you to Emily for all of her help and support throughout my struggles with the illness.

For more information on Coeliac Disease do check out the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

You can also view the very first blog post I wrote about gluten free / Coeliac stuff at 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea'.

From Stockport to Stockholm on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

A Crazy World of Minigolf Tour update from our trip to Sweden.

The 800th course we've visited - Swing by Golfbaren

Last weekend we headed to Stockholm for a mini-minigolfing trip to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the opening of the excellent Swing by Golfbaren miniature golf course run by our friend and minigolf rival Hans Olofsson.

Hans and me at his minigolf course in Aspudden

While in Sweden we managed to visit nine courses in 42 hours. The visit to Swing by Golfbaren was also the 800th course visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

At Golfbaren Aspudden

The nine minigolf courses we visited on the trip were:

• 798 (29th overseas) Solna, Sweden (Solna Bangolfklubb) - Eternit Miniature Golf

The Eternit Miniature Golf course at Solna Bangolfklubb

• 799 (30th overseas) Solna, Sweden (Solna Bangolfklubb) - NIFO Steel Minigolf

This was the first NIFO Steel minigolf course we've seen

• 800 (31st overseas and 472nd played) Vasastan, Stockholm, Sweden (Swing by Golfbaren) - indoor minigolf course and speakeasy

Emily on the 'secret' downstairs course at Swing by Golfbaren 

• 801 (32nd overseas and 473rd played) Solna, Sweden (Mall of Scandinavia) - Sports World Minigolf at O'Leary's

Playing Ice Hockey on the indoor minigolf course at the Mall of Scandinavia

• 802 (33rd overseas) Vasastan, Stockholm, Sweden (Bangolf Vasaparken) - Swedish Felt Minigolf

The Bangolf course at the Vasaparken in Stockholm

• 803 (34th overseas) Kristineberg (Golfbaren Kristineberg) - Minigolf

Golfbaren Kristineberg - it's right next to Kristineberg railway station!

• 804 (35th overseas) Hägersten, Sweden (Golfbaren Aspudden) - Minigolf

A great looking obstacle on a downhill hole at Golfbaren Aspudden

• 805 (36th overseas and 474th played) Täby, Sweden (Täby Centrum) - Paradise Adventure Golf, Inca course

Playing hole 2 of the Inca course at Paradise Adventure Golf course in Täby 

• 806 (37th overseas and 475th played) Täby, Sweden (Täby Centrum) - Paradise Adventure Golf, Explorers course

We're now up to 806 minigolf course visits since we began our travels in September 2006. There are a lot of new courses opening up too, so who knows what number we'll end the year on!

Minigolf course visit 800!

We've reached another big minigolf milestone - the 800th course visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

This weekend we were in Stockholm, Sweden to visit our friend, and minigolf legend, Hans Olofsson and help celebrate the 1st anniversary of his 1920's themed indoor minigolf course and speakeasy at Swing by Golfbaren.

Swinging into action on the brilliant indoor minigolf course

The course is one of the best we've ever played, it's a real must-visit venue.

We loved the 1920's theme at Swing by Golfbaren and really enjoyed the big celebration party on Saturday night

Check out the Swing by Golfbaren website for more info.

We had a brilliant time in Stockholm and visited a total of nine courses in 36-hours! What a wonderful trip on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've got LOTS of great photos, videos and blog posts to follow from the trip.

Celebrating nine years gluten free

Marking my Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Nine years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and began my journey into the world of all things gluten free.

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease, the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

I'm still alive and kicking as I've avoided gluten (my Kryptonite) since 2008

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with my Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

I can't thank Emily enough for her help and support throughout my struggles with the illness. She's been bloody marvellous.

We've tried not to let Coeliac Disease get in the way of things and we're always keen to get out and about to explore new places and try different things. Check out this minigolf/gluten free/coeliac awareness crossover blog post for example

Working together we've plotted the minefield of 'going gluten free' and barring the odd 'explosion' along the way we've found what works for us. At home we're a Gluten Free Zone, however there are a lot of hazards when I venture outside the house. I've reached the point now that except for anywhere that can offer 100% gluten free food and zero risks of cross-contamination I've more or less given up on dining out. The last meal out we had together was in Leeds last December. Happily we've got a return meal at 2 Oxford Place booked for later this month.

I do often wonder how many manufacturers, retailers, restaurants and take-aways consider the impact selling gluten free products (or not) has on their bottom line? If I find somewhere offering gluten free options and no cross-contamination then I'm going to spend some money there (my Coeliac Pound if you will). Plus I'll tell other Coeliacs. A Coeliac will travel a long way to eat safely and with confidence.

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the food and drink I've found since 2008.

Why I avoid gluten

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's been very much appreciated.

For more info do check out NHS Choices and Coeliac UK.

You can also view the first blog post I wrote about gluten free / Coeliac stuff at 'Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea'.

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Coeliac UK
- Coeliac Disease on NHS Choices

Crazy Golf in Hastings

A revisit to the Crazy Golf course in Hastings.

On the 21 March 2015 the minigolf course complex in Hastings, East Sussex celebrates its 40th birthday!

The first few holes of the Crazy Golf course in Hastings

On the 28 February we were back in Hastings ahead of the BMGA British Club Championships - held on the Pirate Golf course - and so took a look at the Adventure Golf course and the classic Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course.

Each October the course is home to the World Crazy Golf Championships, an event Emily and I have competed in since 2007

The lucky last hole on the left and the infamous 18th hole - the site of triumph, defeat and incredible moments in Crazy Golf over the years

  

A plateau hole on the Crazy Golf course

The classic windmill standing in the background

A view of the Crazy Golf course in Hastings. It was the 39th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

As well as the Crazy Golf course Hastings is home to an 18-hole Adventure Golf course and an 18-hole Pirate Golf course.

We've visited the town many times since 2007 and spent a lot of time putting around on the courses.

Minigolf adventurers in Hastings

Two of the courses we've played are no longer there. The Miniature Golf course on the seafront was removed and turned into the Pirate Golf course in 2011, while the Adventure Golf course at White Rock Gardens also closed in 2011 and was changed into an outdoor laser tag arena!

For more information, prices and opening times of the seafront miniature golf courses check out the Hastings Adventure Golf website.

Links:
- Hastings Adventure Golf website
- Hastings Adventure Golf on Facebook
- Hastings Adventure Golf on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf in Hastings

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Hastings

Video:
- A walkround the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf in Hastings

Eight years of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

Eighth anniversary of our minigolf travels.

A big skull and green on the tricky Treasure Island Adventure Golf course in Southsea

Back on the 30 September 2006 we visited the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course on the seafront in Southsea, Hampshire and since that day we've gone on to visit 583 courses in the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Finland and Sweden.

Playing at the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course's Victory Trail

Emily putting at Treasure Island Adventure Golf as an Alligator lurks

Treasure Island Adventure Golf is home to two 9-hole courses - and a lucky last hole where you have to 'fire the cannon' with your putt! Something I managed on that very first visit, but seldom have on the many courses with a 'top hole' since!

Winning another FREE GAME on the Treasure Island course, this time on a visit in 2011

The Victory Trail became the first course played on what would become the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The next day we played the Warrior Trail.

Charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Christopher Gottfried about to play a shot in Southsea

Many thanks to Tim 'Ace Man' Davies for running MiniatureGolfer.com, everyone who has let us know about new courses out there, and all the minigolf course owners and operators keeping the game alive.

Check out the blog post links below for more on our visits to Southsea's Treasure Island Adventure Golf course over the years.

Links:
- Treasure Island Adventure Golf, Southsea website
- MiniatureGolfer.com

Related blog posts:
- From the Vault - Southsea Minigolf 2006
- Southsea Pirate Masters 2010 - Irregular Mini Golf Tour Competition and Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Re-visit
- Minigolf Revisit - Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea - Five Years Later...
- A revisit to Southsea on a lovely sunny day
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Courses Visited List

Five years on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

Back on the 30th September 2006 we played our first course on what would become the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, when we played the 9-hole Victory Trail Adventure Golf course at Treasure Island in Southsea. The second course we played was the Warrior Trail course at Treasure Island on the 1st of October!

We've since gone on to visit a total of 419 courses in eleven countries to date, playing 268 of them. These 419 courses have gone under various names and guises (not all Miniature Golf courses are the same), in fact we've played the game at courses using a total of 43 synonyms!

The tour itself and the many road trips we've been on since 2006 came about after Emily and I set about visiting as many seasides in the UK as we could. So far we've made it to 149 coastal resorts, towns and villages by the sea. We've played Minigolf in 89 of these places.

Photo: Richard plays Hole 7 of the Oddballs Crazy Golf Course in Cleethorpes, Lincs

Photo: Emily putts through a Rocketship hole at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

So to celebrate the half-decade landmark point of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we've put together the following facts and stats.

Number of courses played = 268

Number of holes played on the 268 courses = 3,675

Number of courses visited but not played = 151

Number of courses visited overall = 419

Number of courses played that had a Windmill obstacle = 16

1. Brighton #12

2. Southend-on-Sea #16

3. Great Yarmouth #26

4. Broadstairs #35

5. Margate/Cliftonville #36

6. Margate/Cliftonville #37

7. Hastings #39

8. Blackpool #45

9. Bury St Edmonds #71

10. Rhyl #145

11. Prestatyn #147

12. Southport #150

13. Gorleston-on-Sea #173

14. Cleethorpes #226

15. Skegness #234

16. Great Yarmouth #265

- Rottingdean’s Putting Course and Miniature Golf #223 was at an actual Windmill!
- The Extraordinary Golf at Alton Towers has a Windmill on it but the course was flooded on our visit, so we could not play there

Number of countries Emily and I have played Minigolf in = 11 – England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Finland, USA, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden

Number of Piers that we’ve played Minigolf on = Two – Sandown, Isle of Wight & Clacton-on-Sea

Number of Piers that have got a Minigolf course on, but which wasn’t open on our visit = One – Southsea

Number of Piers that advertise that they have got a Minigolf course on, but haven’t = One – Brighton

Number of Seasides we’ve played Minigolf in = 89

Number of Capital Cities we’ve played Minigolf in = 6 – London, England; Stockholm, Sweden; Auckland, New Zealand; Vienna, Austria; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Edinburgh, Scotland

Islands in the British Isles we’ve played Minigolf on = 7 – Portsea Island, Isle of Wight, Thanet, Isle of Anglesey, Barry Island, Canvey Island, Hayling Island

View the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour courses played and visited list.

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