95 years of Mini Golf in Worthing's Denton Gardens

A look at the history of miniature golf in Worthing's Denton Gardens.

Minigolf was first played in Denton Gardens on Tuesday 1st July 1924!

Almost a century later and the relatively new Splash Point Mini Golf course there is going strong and is popular with locals, tourists, enthusiasts and the characters of the British Minigolf Association tour.

Playing hole 7 - the hardest hole on the course

The first miniature golf courses in Denton Gardens were of the grass Putting variety, when both sides of the lawn in the gardens were given over to minigolf Putting courses.

Worthing, Denton Gardens, Putting Green. The Photochrom Co Ltd. Posted to Birchington, Kent on 30 July 1928

Putting Green, Denton Gardens, Worthing. Photogravure by S. & E. Ltd., Hastings. Postally unused. Undated

The Putting Green, Denton Gardens, Worthing. Picture Post Card by Wardell's. Postally unused. Undated

In 2010 our friends Anthony Pope and Peter Emmerson created the 18-hole Splash Point Mini Golf course. It was the 181st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Interestingly the same kiosk that can be seen in the postcards above is still in use today.

Playing hole 13 on the 3rd July 2010. The course has a lot more foliage now!

We've returned on many occasions to compete in tournaments and to play for fun. You can see what the course looked like on our return to the course in April this year.

Emily playing hole 12

Check out the Splash Point Mini Golf course website and give the course a follow on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Related blog posts:
- Worthing
- Splash Point Mini Golf
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Splash Point Mini Golf in Denton Gardens, Worthing
- A look at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing's Denton Gardens

Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf in Littlehampton

Playing the Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf course at Norfolk Gardens in Littlehampton.

On Sunday we met up with our friend and minigolf rival 'His Excellency' Anthony Pope for a game at the Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf course at Norfolk Gardens in Littlehampton.

A wild tee-shot on hole 5!

The course was the 381st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2015 and I first visited it in 2012.

Teeing-off on hole 2

Since then the course has been given a refurbishment, with fresh felt, new borders and a new pirate theme.

Emily on hole 6

The Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf course is one of the largest miniature golf courses we've played and some of the holes are really long.

Emily tees-off on hole 4

And holes out for a 2

A view of Anthony teeing-off on hole 4 - look how long the hole is!

The first part of hole 4

About to play my tee shot on hole 4

In our minigolf match-up on the 9-hole layout I managed to win with a score of 28. Anthony was runner-up on 32, while Emily took third place with a round of 34 having scored a 7 on the last hole.

On the green on hole 2

Emily on hole 8

Unfortunately we didn't have time for a ride on the miniature railway in Norfolk Gardens on this occasion.

The Littlehampton Miniature Railway runs alongside the Par 3 Golf course at Norfolk Gardens

The train at Norfolk Gardens

The Littlehampton Miniature Railway station at Norfolk Gardens

Check out the Tivoli Lifestyle website for details of the Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf course and the other minigolf courses they operate in Littlehampton and Bognor Regis.

There's plenty to do in Norfolk Gardens

The work to upgrade the course and transform it into Buccaneer Bay Adventure Golf was done by the team at HM Adventure Golf.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 3

 

Hole 4

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 5

Hole 5

Hole 6 

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 7

Hole 8 

Hole 9 

Hole 9  

A bench next to the course has a wonderful message

Related blog posts:
- Littlehampton
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Tivoli Lifestyle

A revisit to Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing

A BIG day for Splash Point Mini Golf.

Minigolf is hard work

We were in Worthing on Saturday for my brother's birthday party, which also coincided with the annual Jet Wash Day down at the Splash Point Mini Golf course in Denton Gardens.

There was no sign of Top Gull, but some pigeons were enjoying walking on the newly cleaned course

Course owners Anthony and Peter were part-way through their nine-hour shift to blast the dirt and grime from the 18-hole course ahead of the opening of the course for the 2016 season.

A local squirrel admires the newly refreshed course

We also spotted a new feature on the course for this year. A bench.

The bespoke bench at Splash Point Mini Golf course. Hand crafted by co-owner Peter 'Empton' Emmerson

It's always nice to have a sit down

In addition to Jet Wash Day Splash Point Mini Golf will be hosting two competitions this year. Check out details of other BIG 'days' in the minigolf calendar too.

We always enjoy our visits to sunny Worthing

While in town we were lucky enough to find a nice old postcard in a flea market just off the seafront. The card, published by Valentine & Sons Ltd and posted on the 7th July 1958, shows the Putting Green in Denton Park. Always a nice sight to see on old postcards.

The old multi-view postcard showing the Putting Green in Denton Park

A view of the new Mini Golf course in Denton Gardens

Links:
- Splash Point Mini Golf course website
- Splash Point Mini Golf course on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Mini Golf Dates for your Diary 2016
- Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems.

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