Bar Billiards at the Marine View Hotel in Worthing

An evening playing Bar Billiards at the Marine View Hotel in Worthing.

While in sunny Worthing for the recent BMGA British Masters Minigolf tournament played at the town's Splash Point Mini Golf we decided to seek out a Bar Billiards table near the seafront for the evening's entertainment.

The Bar Billiards league table at the Marine View Hotel in Worthing

Last year a group of us had played Bar Billiards at The Swan and having looked again on the excellent Bar Billiards table map we spotted that the Marine View Bed & Breakfast on the promenade had a table.

Richard plays a shot in an attempt to score 400-points!

We arrived to a nice welcome and a warm venue to spend the evening playing one of our favourite games. The Marin View hotel bar also has a Dartboard and there is plenty of space around the Bar Billiards to play, little wonder as it's a tournament quality table and part of the Worthing & District Bar Billiards League.

John Moore fires a rocket of a shot against Richard

We had some great matches amongst ourselves and it was all good preparation for the upcoming Minigolfer's Bar Billiards competition and 'do' in London! There were some nice high scores (for us) of over a thousand points and a few really good breaks. These were however unfortunately followed by some calamatous wipe-outs! It's still a great fun pub game and if you've never played it then I do suggest you find your nearest table and give it a go.

Emily begins a game against John Moore

If you're in Worthing then you should definitely give the Marine View hotel bar a visit, it's very close to the town centre, the Bar Billiards table is in great condition and plays very nicely. We'll be heading back for another game there in the future.

Links:
- Bar Billiards-related Blog Posts on the Ham & Egger Files
- The All England Bar Billiards' Association (AEBBA)
- Worthing & District Bar Billiards League
- Marine View B&B
- Worthing Blog Posts

Bar Billiards at the King Charles I pub in London

Playing some Bar Billiards at the King Charles I pub.

Prior to attending the CELIA Time Gluten Free Craft Beer event at the Prince Regent Pub me, Emily and Brad Shepherd headed to the King Charles I pub for a game or three of Bar Billiards.

Finding the spot for the red, ready for a break

We haven't managed to play a game there since our first visit back in February last year. Every time we've been back since, the pub has been so busy that playing a game would be too difficult. Arriving soon after it opened on Monday night we were in luck and able to have a game and a drink.

When the barman uncovered the table we were surprised to see the green baize replaced with red material, it certainly looked different. The 'House Rules' however, remained the same.

Last year's green baized table

The red baized table this year

The pub is well worth a visit and can be found on Northdown Road (just off the Caledonian Road and near to King's Cross). While there we had the pleasure of having a chat with the barman about the pub game of Aunt Sally - it's big in Oxfordshire - and a pub character who was really pleased to see some 'young uns' playing Bar Billiards. He gave us some tips and also some suggestions of other pubs he'd played the game at (stretching back over the last 40 or so years!). One of which, that made me chuckle, was the brilliantly named Dog and Sausage in St Helier, Jersey. We also discussed the many variations of Dart Boards that exist.

It was thanks to Brad that we got into playing Bar Billiards after he pointed me in the direction of the old TV show Indoor League, which featured amongst the 'pub sports' a Bar Billiards contest. We played our first game soon after on the 27th of January 2012!

In the first game at the King Charles I on Monday I beat Emily 750 to 510 after Emily managed to make the 200-point shot on the sudden-death shoot-out, although this meant I couldn't wipe-out.

Emily playing against Richard while Brad is engaged in pub chat

In game two I won a close match-up against Brad after he wiped-out a score of 370 on a shot at the 200 hole with the red ball. The final score was 440 to nil.

Richard on his way to victory against Brad

A short break followed before Brad managed to defeat me 750 to 390 in the final game before we headed off to the CELIA Lager gluten free/craft beer event down the road near Angel.

Brad lining up a shot with the red onto a white for a crack at 100 points

None of us got near the 'Table Record' of 3,040 points, that included a break of 2,860, set by Julian Coles on the 13th of October 2009.

The King Charles I is a great little pub, with a cracking Bar Billiards table and a nice and friendly atmosphere. We're looking forward to our next visit.

Related Blog Posts:

- Bar Billiards and a little bit of Mini-Golf in London

- Bar Billiards
- Another new game played – Bar Billiards

Links:

- All England Bar Billiards' Association

Fish & Chips, Gluten Free Dessert and some Bar Billiards in Baldock

A fun Tuesday night out in Baldock.

With the Fish 'n' Chick'n' fish & chip shop in Baldock, Hertfordshire continuing to offer Gluten Free fish & chips (and battered mushrooms!) on the last Tuesday of the month, a group of us (including a pair of Coeliacs) headed there for a slap-up feed. As the Orange Tree Pub in Baldock also does Gluten Free food we decided to head there for some post-fish & chips Desserts and Bar Billiards.

The Orange Tree is a great pub and there's always a nice welcome on offer. As I was driving I couldn't have a Gluten Free beer (Hambleton's Ale is stocked there), but our party ordered the Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie that was being freshly prepared! While we waited we had a mini Bar Billiards tournament.

The Bar Billiards table has been moved into its own little room at the pub and it's also been refurbished and has a brand new baize!

Emily ready to take to the newly baized Bar Billiards table

In game one Emily took on Simon 'Practice' Hall in a closely fought contest that saw Simon win 440 to 380.

In the second match I faced off against the debuting Cat 'Corner' Patterson in a game that went to a sudden-death shootout on the black mushroom 200-hole! I won in a 870 to 420 match.

Following the Gluten Free pudding we contested a doubles match that also went to a sudden-death shootout and after I missed the first attempt at the 200-hole Simon stepped up and nailed the shot to win the tie 740 to 650 for his pairing with Emily.

The pub has had a garden renovation too and there is a great looking outside seating area that we'll be making use of in the summer.

Related Blog Posts:

- Results of a three town 'Octathlon' sporting challenge series

- Gluten Free Food & Beer (and Bar Billiards) in Baldock

- Bar Billiards in Baldock & Knebworth

- All Bar Billiards Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

- Gluten Free Fish & Chips that we've found on our travels

- Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers

Links:

- The Orange Tree Baldock

- Fish 'n' Chick'n' Baldock

- Coeliac UK

A new sport or game for 2013?

What sport or game that we haven't tried already should we give a go in 2013?

As well as playing lots of Minigolf on our travels around on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, Emily and I also regularly compete in British Minigolf Association competitions at Crazy Golf, Miniature Golf and Adventure Golf courses. We also enjoy participating in 'side-tournaments' and trying out new sports and games.

2012 was the year of Bar Billiards and 2011 saw us play a fair bit of Laser Tag, but what sport or game shall we take-up in 2013?

Related Blog Post:

- Behold...

Bar Billiards and other pub games at the East Kent in Whitstable

Pool, Bar Billiards and Table Football at pubs in Whitstable and Tankerton-on-Sea.

 

Last Thursday Emily and I visited the lovely seaside town of Whitstable in Kent. Next to our B&B on Oxford Road was the East Kent pub, which advertised itself as having the best beer garden in the town. We didn't get as far as the garden as we spotted a Pool table (with Free Play on a Thursday) and a room with a Bar Billiards table and a very old Table Football!

 

The East Kent had a pub dog that was keen for customers to play with it, along with a squawking Parrot next to the bar and the Bar Billiards table!

 

Bar Billiards and Table Football in the Games Room at the East Kent in Whitstable

 

Our Pool competiton began at The Royal in Tankerton-on-Sea, another nice pub that is worth a visit, and saw me take a 2-nil lead in our first-to-three competition. In the first game at the East Kent Emily took the win to force another game. I won that one to win 3-1.

 

In our Bar Billards match I was victorious 1,050-nil after Emily wiped out her total of 190 by knocking down the black peg.

 

The final game in our pub games series was on the brilliant old Table Football machine. The table was in great condition and it was far superior to modern machines. I won the game 6-3 in a match that lasted a good 20 minutes! One of the attempts on goal took about 5 minutes!

 

The Table Football in the Games Room at the East Kent pub in Whitstable

 

The East Kent is a great pub. It's nice and friendly with lots to do (there are two dart boards as well) and a good selection of drinks. I could easily spend a day in there.

 

Links:

- The East Kent at Shepherd Neame

- The All England Bar Billiards' Association (AEBBA)

 

Related Blog Posts:

- All Bar Billiards-related Blog Posts on the Ham & Egger Files

Minigolfer's Bar Billiards side-tournament in Worthing

Bar Billiards at The Swan pub in Worthing

Following the conclusion of the practice session for the BMGA British Masters minigolf tournament at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing, attention turned to the evening’s side-game entertainment.

‘Traditional’ events for us to play while away on tour include Air Hockey & Tat Challenges, but in Worthing a group of us decided to hunt out a Bar Billiards table for a mini-competition.

I had used the excellent Bar Billiards table map resource at AEBBA to locate a number of pubs and tables in the area and we decided to pay The Swan Inn on the High Street a visit.

Bar Billiards at The Swan in Worthing - The well lit and nicely positioned table

We arrived and immediately saw the table in a good location to the left of the entrance. We ordered our drinks and decided on a format for the matches. The pub is a competition table and according to the notice board next to the table it's a location for matches in the Worthing & District Bar Billiards League.

Bar Billiards at The Swan in Worthing - the rules & league information

In the first match-up Chris ‘Who’ Harding of the Midlands Minigolf Club took on Scott ‘Donkey Gringo’ Lancley of the Kent Minigolf Club. Both players had played the game before, but neither had picked up a Bar Billiards cue in a number of years. After a quick rules reminder the game was underway and Chris built-up an early lead against Scott. The final result of the match was a 1,550 to 460 win to Chris, cleaning up the last two balls so no sudden-death shot was required.

Chris lines-up a shot in his match against Scott

My opponent was Paul ‘Johnson Paul Johnson’ Johnson who would be playing his first-ever game of Bar Billiards. In a very closely fought match-up there were quite a few white pegs knocked over by me before the final shoot-out. The final ball available was the red, but unfortunately for Paul the scores stood at 870 to 460 at the shoot-out stage and even if he had sunk the red he’d have only managed to reach 860.

Scott in action as Paul looks on

The third/fourth place play-off match saw Donkey Gringo take on The Johnson. Paul did manage to score 200 with his last shot, but it wasn’t enough to win and the game ended with a score-line of 710 to 520 in Scott’s favour.

Chris takes on a sudden-death shoot-out shot

Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson takes on a sudden-death shoot-out shot

The final match was a battle between me and Chris and saw me receive a new Bar Billiards nickname – The Black Peg – due to my innate ability to wipe out a half-decent break by knocking over the dreaded black peg. The final was won by Chris 840 to 700 to make him the side-tourney champion of Worthing.

The evening also saw the official handing over of the Midlands Minigolf ClubCaptain’s armband to Paul ‘The Overtaker’ Johnson who takes charge of the MMGC from departing Captain Chris ‘Who’ Harding, who has led the team for a number of years and captained the MMGC to national tournament victory in the 2008 BMGA British Club Championships in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The Captaincy Handover for the Midlands Minigolf Club

A shell-shocked Paul 'The Capitan' Johnson with his new MMGC Captain's armband

Following the Singles contest a Doubles match saw me and Scott reprise our team from last year's BMGA British Doubles Championships as ‘Team Sqonkey’ to face-off against Paul and Chris, who were known as ‘The Capitans’.

With Scott carrying our team we picked up the win 560 to nil after The Capitans had wiped-out a score of 350 in the sudden-death shoot-out at the 200-hole. In this match we had decided that each team had to go for the 200-hole on the final shot.

I play a shot

The Swan Inn was a nice spot to spend a Saturday night and there was a DJ and Disco going on, which provided a nice soundtrack to the competition. It’s also the first time I’ve played a game (of Bar Billiards, or anything) to the song “Nellie the Elephant”!!!

Links:

- All Bar Billiards-related Blog Posts on the Ham & Egger Files

- The All England Bar Billiards' Association (AEBBA)

- Worthing & District Bar Billiards League

- The Swan Inn

Games in Guildford, a visit to the Castle and seeing a Giant Beetle

Playing Bar Billiards, Table Tennis and a new version of Ping Pong in Guildford!

Following my quick stop off at Woking Park (via Shepperton) I recently visited Guildford, Surrey for an afternoon of sporting activity and games with fellow blogger and BMGA Tour rival Oliver ‘The Machine’ Florence.

Our planned day of fun & games in February had been thwarted by the snow, but with rain and “blusterous” conditions forecast for Wednesday the weather was not going to be as pleasant as on my last visit to the town back in September 2008. On that occasion I managed to play the Stoke Park Minigolf course, was turned away from the Lido as it was not yet open for the season and saw a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man.

Before meeting up with Ollie I had a wander around the town and went to Guildford Museum, which is worth a visit. I spotted a few places that offered Gluten Free food too, the best named place was ‘Glutton & Glee’ - see photo.

Walking around Allen House Grounds I saw that they had a Jabberwocky Maze (it wasn’t difficult). Ollie later told me that the grounds are home to a Golf Putting Green course in the summer season and the websites for Allen House Grounds and Allen House Pavilion have more details on the course.

Allen House Gardens - home to a Jabberwocky Maze and a Minigolf Putting Green

The Jabberwocky Maze

With Wednesday 18th April 2012 marking 100 days until the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games the date of 18/04/12 also marked an unspecified countdown until the ‘Guildford Games’ – a multi-sport event ‘planned’ to take place in the summer and consisting of the disciplines of Minigolf, Darts, Bar Billiards and ‘some sort of game involving the Castle’.

As part of the preparation for the Guildford Games, Ollie and I headed to the Royal Oak pub for a few games of Bar Billiards. The table is in a good position in the pub and was in very good condition indeed. Each of the tables I’ve played to date have had their own subtle differences and I really enjoyed playing the table at the Royal Oak – perhaps it was because the Mushroom didn’t wobble precariously at all on rebound shots at the 200-hole!

The Royal Oak Pub in Guildford has Free Bar Billiards on a Sunday

We decided to play a best-of-3 games match and in game one I defeated Ollie 1,300 to 480 after holing-out with a white ball to the 100-hole in the shootout.

Partway through the game the barman mentioned to us that we were playing the game incorrectly, as the Royal Oak Rules use a variation whereby the red ball is replaced on the spot and a white ball is used as the cue ball each time the red ball is potted. After a quick look online we found these ‘variant’ rules (amongst others) on the excellent Masters Traditional Games website.

Playing a shot on the Royal Oak's Bar Billiards table

Our second game saw us invoke the “R’oak Rules” and the game was a very close fought battle. The match once again went to a sudden-death shootout. Ollie managed to score 100 by potting the white ball with an 'in off' the Mushroom on the right of the table, but was still on the losing end of a 1,400 to 1,100 scoreline.

Ollie plays a shot on the Royal Oak's Bar Billiards table - note the use of 'Royal Oak Rules'

After play at the Royal Oak we headed to Guildford Castle for a look around. The Castle Grounds are home to a Bowls Club – perhaps Lawn Bowls will be an event in the Guildford Games too.

Guildford Castle

We then moved on to Stoke Park for a look at the Minigolf course and new Table Tennis table that has been installed. We found that ahead of the new summer season the 12-hole Stoke Park Minigolf course has had a lick of paint on the obstacles and also had a new ‘obstacle’ added in the shape of a Tractor!?

The new Tractor on the Stoke Park Swedish Felt Minigolf course

Despite my 'retirement' from competitive Table Tennis/Ping Pong/Wiff Waff/Pong I brought my Ping Pong bats and balls along to give the Stoke Park Table Tennis table a go.  After a knock-up our best-of-3 games Aqua Table Tennis match began and Ollie took a quick lead before winning the first game 9-6. After switching sides Ollie put his ‘local knowledge’ to good use and served to the puddle on my side of the table to pick up a 9-7 win and victory in the match. This was despite my best attempts to unnerve ‘The Machine' on the journey to Stoke Park!

The new Table Tennis table in Guildford's Stoke Park

Playing some Ping Pong at Stoke Park

The final game we played (and one that will be very unlikely to make an appearance in the Guildford Games) was 'Ping Pong Crazy Golf'. After several unsuccessful hole-in-one attempts on the Net hole and the Flat Loop (with scores ranging from 4 to 12!?) Ollie scored the only Ace of our ‘round’ on hole number four.

Ollie lines up a shot for a hole-in-one in the new game of Ping Pong Crazy Golf

Playing some Ping Pong Crazy Golf on Stoke Park's Minigolf course

We then went for a wander to Guildford Lido to see if we could see the Minigolf course in there. We could, but couldn’t play it as the Lido is only open from May. A swimming event is a possible inclusion in the competition calendar for the Guildford Games too!

The Guildford Lido was closed on this visit - so the Minigolf course remains unplayed by me

Instead of playing any Minigolf to finish out the afternoon's entertainment, Ollie pointed out the Giant Guildford Beetle that is amongst some trees beyond the Lido!!!

A gate that is lacking a fence. And a Gigantic Beetle beyond it!

Getting scared off of a Giant Beetle in Guildford

Commenting on the day’s sporting endeavours Ollie said "It was great to see Squire finally make a return to Guildford after the previously aborted attempts. We managed to fit quite a few sporting activities in to the day and it proved to be a good test for the up-and-coming Guildford Games. We are going to need to tweak a few of the rules ahead of the event though, particularly after Richard's run-in with the barman over the correct use of the red ball in bar billiards.

The Machine added "I was pleased that I managed to beat him at the new form of Ping Pong despite an extremely unsettling incident in the car on the way to the park. He took his defeat well though and I'm pleased he seemed genuinely delighted when I showed him a massive sculpture of a beetle."

Related Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files:

- Snow causes blog post in Guildford

- Not course number 75! Guildford Lido
- Actual Minigolf Course 75 - Guildford

- Bar Billiards-related blog posts

- Ping Pong & Table Tennis-related blog posts

- Maze-related blog posts

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:

- The Minigolfer Blog

-- "Snow luck for Gottfried as Guildford curse strikes again"

- The English Table Tennis Association (ETTA)

- ETTA Instant Ping Pong video

A day out of Bun Throwing, Crazy Golf and Bar Billiards in Abingdon-on-Thames

Returning to Abingdon-on-Thames for a World Championship!

On Saturday 14th April we headed back to my hometown of Abingdon-on-Thames to compete in the first-ever World Bun Throwing Championships taking place at the Abingdon Vale Cricket Club.

The visit was the first-time I’ve been able to get back since the Royal Bun Throwing held last April and also the first-time I’ve been home since the town officially reverted back to its previous name of Abingdon-on-Thames!

Prior to the main-event in the World Bun Throwing Championships we had a quick wander around the town and had a drink in the Bun Throwing-themed cafe Throwing Buns and then headed to the Abbey Grounds.

Bun Throwing press cuttings at Throwing Buns cafe in Abingdon-on-Thames

The Abbey Grounds has some nice parks and gardens, some ‘ancient’ abbey ruins, the River Thames running through it, an outdoor swimming pool (due to re-open in the summer) and a Tennis and Golf Centre.

While we were there, and with 45 minutes until the 2pm start of the World Bun Throwing Championships, my brother Jon and I decided to have a Minigolf Challenge Match on the 10-hole Crazy Golf course.

The game was the first one we’ve had against each other since a holiday at Barry Island Holiday Camp in the 1990’s and the first on the Abingdon Abbey Meadows Crazy Golf Course since 1986, when a match between the six and five-year-old versions of us had fought to a draw (most likely to save any arguments).

The Abingdon Classic crazy golf competitors - Jon & Richard Gottfried

Emily and I have previously played the course (it became #31 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in August 2007) and since our last visit in 2011 the layout has had a lick of paint and hole 6 has had a new half-pipe laid over the bridge obstacle.

I play a shot on hole 4 of the Abbey Meadows Crazy Golf course as my brother Jon strikes a 'Golf Pose'

In the 26-year anniversary match-up between us, Jon showed his natural Miniature Golf ability and took an early lead by winning the first hole with a three, to my four! Hole 2 saw us both score twos, but hole 3 (a very tricky hole with a nasty dip at the back of the ‘green’) saw Jon hit a five to my two.

Jon plays out hole 4 of the Abbey Meadows Crazy Golf course as Emily and Kim look on

The match continued in a back and forth manner and Jon was unfortunate to hit a five on the bridge hole (number 6) to finish with a total of 31(+11). I was victorious with a score of 28(+8). Neither of us scored any Aces – although with a ‘clause’ inserted into the rules by Jon part-way through the game it was a good thing neither of us scored a hole-in-one! The matchplay match ended in a tie. A return Abingdon-on-Thames Crazy Golf Classic tournament is already scheduled to take place in June prior to the Royal Bun Throwing for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

I play a shot on hole 5

Jon tackles the trickiest hole on the course - hole 6 and the bridge

As he had played well Jon was 'allowed' an Ice Cream as we wandered back over the bridge and down to Culham Road for the day’s big Bun Throwing contest.

For a full report from the inaugural World Bun Throwing Championships please see the story “Competing in the first-ever World Bun Throwing Championships in Abingdon-on-Thames” on my World of Bun Throwing Blog.

Throwing a bun at the World Bun Throwing Championships in Abingdon-on-Thames

After the fun of the Bun Throwing we nipped to the bookies for Jon and Kim to put a bet on the Grand National and headed to the re-opened pub on Old Station Yard, The Harp. When I lived in the town it was known as The Plough. The pub is worth a visit, it’s nice and friendly with a big screen and there is also a dartboard in there.

We then headed over to the village of Drayton and The Red Lion pub where we’d heard there was a Bar Billiards table. There indeed was, so Jon and I had a two-game challenge where I introduced him to the game. After a quick run through of the rules I then watched him score a 400 with his first shot, having rebounded the Red (double) ball into the 200-hole!

Jon lines up a shot on the Bar Billiards table at The Red Lion pub in Drayton

In our first match-up I picked up the win 760 to Jon’s 680 after I shot a white ball into the 100-hole in the sudden-death shootout.

In the second match Jon built-up steadily and had a score of 850 to my 150 when we reached a sudden-death shootout. After both of us had taken a few shots at the 100-hole Jon managed to sink a white ball to win the match 950 to 150.

A return match of Bar Billiards is also on the cards later in the summer...

Links:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- World of Bun Throwing
- Abingdon Blog - "The Saving of Crazy Golf"

Related Blog Posts:

- Links to all Bar Billiards Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

- Crazy Golf in Abingdon, Oxfordshire

- The Crazy Golf course in Abingdon's Abbey Meadows

- Abingdon Abbey Meadows Crazy Golf Course Replay on a Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Revisit

Gluten Free Food & Beer (and Bar Billiards) in Baldock

Coeliac-friendly Fish & Chips and Beer. And a game or three of Bar Billiards.

The Fish 'n' Chick'n' fish & chip shop in Baldock, Hertfordshire caters for Coeliacs on the last Tuesday of the month when many of the items on the menu can be made Gluten Free. Emily and I revisited recently and once again found the food and service to be very good. It's well worth a visit.

We also visited the Orange Tree pub in the town for a few games of our new favourite pub game - Bar Billiards. I had previously played the table at the pub in February and on this visit we had a chat to the landlord Rob, who inbetween running the Pub Quiz, showed us the new extension to the pub (host to a pub games sporting event later this summer!) and also told us about the Gluten Free food and drinks they offer. The beer they have is the Hambleton's Gluten Free Ale and Gluten Free Lager.

In our games of Bar Billiards Emily defeated me two games to one. In Game one I picked up a win 980 to nil after Emily had wiped-out her score of 350 and I scored a white ball to the 200 hole on the sudden-death shoot-out.

In game two Emily shot her highest score to date to pick up a victory 1,160 points to 320, with Emily hitting a red ball to 20 and a white to a 50 hole to finish.

In the final game of the series Emily won a close game 580 to 430, scoring 100 in the sudden-death shoot-out.

A different view of the Bar Billiards table at The Orange Tree

Knocking down two mushrooms with one shot

Related Blog Posts:

- Bar Billiards in Baldock & Knebworth

- All Bar Billiards Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

- Gluten Free Fish & Chips that we've found on our travels

- Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers

Links:

- The Orange Tree Baldock

- Fish 'n' Chick'n' Baldock

- Coeliac UK