Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts

Monday, July 15, 2024

Happy 14th birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is 14 years old today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks its 14th birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010.

Since then we've continued to fill the virtual online museum to make it a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf, miniature golf, Putt Putt, and putting.

It's certainly been a very interesting 14 years!

A BIG thank you to everyone who has shared their minigolfing memories, crazy golf items and adventure golf updates over the years. We're looking forward to continuing our promotion of the game for many more years to come.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum's website, like the Page and join the Group on Facebook, check it out on X, and see Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...


If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Happy 13th birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is 13 years old today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's 13th birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010.

Since then we've continued to fill the virtual museum to make it a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

It's certainly been a very interesting 13 years!

A massive thank you to everyone who has shared their minigolfing memories, crazy golf items and adventure golf updates over the years. We're looking forward to continuing our promotion of the game for many more years to come.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum's website, like the Page and join the Group on Facebook, check it out on Twitter, and see Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...


If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Happy birthday Putt-Putt - 69 years old today

Today marks 69 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 on this day back in 1954.

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

Ephemera from the Putt-Putt Golf centre at Moullie Point in South Africa. From PJ Goedhals
Ephemera from the Putt-Putt Golf centre at Moullie Point in South Africa. From PJ Goedhals

A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa
A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa

A selection of Putt-Putt tokens
A selection of Putt-Putt tokens

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.

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
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.

Friday, July 15, 2022

Happy twelfth birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is twelve years old today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's twelfth birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010.

Since then we've continued to fill the virtual museum to make it a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

It's certainly been a very interesting twelve years!

A massive thank you to everyone who has shared their minigolfing memories, crazy golf items and adventure golf updates over the years. We're looking forward to continuing our promotion of the game for many more years to come.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum's website, like the Page and join the Group on Facebook, check it out on Twitter, and see Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...


If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Happy eleventh birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is eleven years old today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's eleventh birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010, the virtual museum is a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

It's certainly been an incredibly interesting eleven years!

A big thank you to everyone who has shared their minigolfing memories, crazy golf items and adventure golf updates. We're looking forward to continuing our promotion of the game for many more years to come.

The future of minigolf

Minigolf has continued to be played during the coronavirus pandemic and new courses continue to be planned, developed and built. Thankfully the game will go on, albeit in a different form for a while.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum's website, like the Page and join the Group on Facebook, check it out on Twitter, and see Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...


If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

Saturday, October 10, 2020

Happy 40th birthday Pac-Man

Pac-Man was first released in North American on this day in 1980.


Happy 40th birthday Pac Man

The 22nd May is considered to be Pac-Man's 'official' birthday as the game was first released in Japan on that date.

I like to celebrate the brilliant video game character as often as possible!

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Happy tenth birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is ten years old today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's tenth birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010, the virtual museum is a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

It's been an incredibly interesting decade!

Prior to the pandemic

There were so many marvellous things going in the world of minigolf prior to the Coronavirus pandemic. New courses were being built, tournaments held and interesting items and ephemera were being created.

Some of this is on-hold as the world tackles Covid-19.

Minigolf in the time of Coronavirus

I've been using some of my time during lockdown documenting 'Minigolf in the time of coronavirus' and creating a time line of the game during the pandemic.

After the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 and during part of the Great Depression minigolf boomed and we have some records of the time. But to actually be living through such a life changing time is something else!

There are still milestones and anniversaries to be celebrated and courses to be supported for when it's ready to get out and play again.

The future of minigolf

Minigolf is still being played and new courses continue to be planned, developed and built. Thankfully the game will go on, albeit in a different form for a while.

There will be lots of minigolf fun to be had again.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website, like our Page and join our Group on Facebook, check us out on Twitter, and see our Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...

If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Happy 12th birthday to Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Today is the twelfth birthday of Paradise Island Adventure Golf at Manchester's Trafford Centre.


The Tiki Hut Trail course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in the Trafford Centre, Manchester
The Tiki Hut Trail course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in January this year

The 36-hole indoor Adventure Golf venue at the Trafford Centre opened on this day in 2008. How time flies!

The Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses were the 85th and 86th courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester
The Temple Ruins Adventure Golf course at PIAG Manchester

We've returned a number of times since then and following our move north in 2016 Paradise Island Adventure Golf became one of our local places to play.


I won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships in 2018 and Emily is the reigning champion having won the tournament in 2019.




Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for more information about the courses in Cheshire Oaks, Derby, Glasgow, Livingston, Manchester, Plymouth, Rushden Lakes and Sheffield.



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Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Putt-Putt miniature golf is 66 years old today

Today marks 66 years since the world's first Putt-Putt course opened.


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

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.

Tournament Putt-Putt


On the competitive side of the game, official Putt-Putt tournaments have been played since 1959. The first local competition took place in 1955. You can read about the history of the PPA and APA on the Professional Putters Association website.

Televised events


The game has been televised quite a bit over the years, with ESPN in the USA carrying tournaments. Every year they air repeats of Putt-Putt tournaments as part of ESPN 8: The Ocho's programming.

You can watch a number of events from the 1970s to the 2000s on the Putt-Putt Funhouse YouTube Channel.



Playing Putt-Putt


The closest Emily and I have got to being at a Putt-Putt course are some postcards, game tokens, a jigsaw puzzle and a photo one of my family took at a course while in South Africa.

Saying that however, I did win a free round at Putt-Putt of Warren in Ohio last month. I'm looking forward to playing there in the future.


A Putt-Putt postcard from South Africa
A Putt-Putt postcard from South Africa

I do have some Putt-Putt tokens in my collection. I'm always on the lookout for more though
I do have some Putt-Putt tokens in my collection. I'm always on the lookout for more though

A look at Putt-Putt courses in the USA and South Africa


Luckily some of our fellow miniature golf enthusiasts, bloggers, minigolf rivals and friends have shared photos of some of their favourite Putt-Putt courses with us.

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

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

Pro Putter Matt Bellner playing the Putt-Putt course in Arlington, Texas. Photo by Matt Bellner
Pro Putter Matt Bellner playing the Putt-Putt course in Arlington, Texas
  
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 miniature golf course in Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point / Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals

Find out more


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.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Happy birthday to the Golfbaren minigolf courses in Sweden

Golfbaren Kristineberg and Golfbaren Aspudden celebrated their birthdays this week.


Golfbaren minigolf courses in Sweden

Golfbaren Kristineberg opened seven years ago yesterday, while Golfbaren Aspudden opened on the same day three years ago.


We visited Golfbaren Kristineberg and Golfbaren Aspudden during our long weekend in Stockholm to help celebrate Swing By Golfbaren's first birthday in February 2018.

At Golfbaren Aspudden
At Golfbaren Aspudden

Golfbaren Kristineberg was the 803rd course we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Golfbaren Aspudden in Hägersten was the 804th.

Golfbaren Kristineberg is right next to the railway station
Golfbaren Kristineberg is right next to the railway station

Golfbaren Aspudden
A snow covered Golfbaren Aspudden

Swing by Golfbaren was the landmark 800th course we visited.

Swing by Golfbaren indoor miniature golf course and speakeasy
Swing by Golfbaren indoor miniature golf course and speakeasy

The Golfbaren courses are owned by our friend, minigolf rival and legend of the game Hans Olofsson. As well as Golfbaren Kristineberg and Golfbaren Aspudden you can also play outdoors at the new Golfbaren Jungfrusund course.

Visit the Golfbaren website for more information.


Our trip to Sweden in 2018 was the second time we'd been there to play minigolf. The first was in June 2011 when we were in Stockholm playing for Great Britain in the WMF Nations Cup tournament.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Friday, May 22, 2020

Happy 40th birthday Pac-Man

Pac-Man was first released in Japan on this day in 1980.


Happy 40th birthday Pac Man
A small selection of my Pac-Man collection

I like to celebrate the brilliant video game character as often as possible!

Playing Pac-Man in Morecambe last summer
Playing Pac-Man in Morecambe last summer

Related blog posts:
- Pac-Man

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Happy Birthday Hastings Crazy Golf

The 18-hole Crazy Golf course at Hastings Adventure Golf in East Sussex is 45 years old today, having opened on Saturday 21st March 1975.


It's one of the very best examples of an Arnold Palmer Putting Course.


Hastings Crazy Golf course
Hole 7 of the course on our last visit in 2015

We're looking forward to playing there again in the future.


Check out the Hastings Adventure Golf website for more information.

The course was the 39th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in October 2007.

A postally unused Hastings Mini Golf postcard C6911 by Judges Limited Hastings. The player is on hole 12
A postally unused Hastings Mini Golf postcard C6911 by Judges Limited Hastings. The player is on hole 12 

My brother Christopher found this Free Game Pass for the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Hastings while looking through our old family photo albums. One of us must have won it on a holiday there in the 80's or 90's!
My brother Christopher found this Free Game Pass for the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Hastings while looking through our old family photo albums. One of us must have won it on a holiday there in the 80's or 90's!

Related blog posts:

- Hastings
- Crazy Golf in Hastings
- A postcard of Hastings Mini Golf
- Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in the UK

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Happy 39th 'birthday' to Pac Man

Pac Man was first released in North American on this day in 1980.


A small selection of the Pac-Man stuff in my ever-growing collection
A small selection of the Pac-Man stuff in my ever-growing collection

The 22nd May is considered to be Pac Man's 'official' birthday.


Pac-Man merch
Waka waka waka

Back in the 1980's you could get Pac-Man breakfast cereal. I saw this old box at the Cereal Killer Cafe in Birmingham
Back in the 1980's you could get Pac-Man breakfast cereal. I saw this old box at the Cereal Killer Cafe in Birmingham

But hey, why not celebrate the brilliant video game character as often as possible!


Playing the Pac-Man arcade cabinet at Soul Bowl in Morecambe earlier this year
I've been playing Pac-Man arcade games for years

It'll soon be time to dig out my Pac-Man Christmas jumper for the festive season
It'll soon be time to dig out my Pac-Man Christmas jumper for the festive season

A Pac-Man Smash air hockey table at Namco Funscape at the Trafford Centre
A Pac-Man Smash air hockey table at Namco Funscape at the Trafford Centre

We've seen Pac-Man pop-up in a number of official and unofficial spots on our travels.

Credit Cruncher in Bristol
Credit Cruncher in Bristol

Pac-Man graffiti on the wall at Ghetto Golf in Liverpool
Pac-Man graffiti on the wall at Ghetto Golf in Liverpool

Munch Mart in Ipswich
Munch Mart in Ipswich

Munchies in Nottingham
Munchies in Nottingham

Munch in Bury
Munch in Burnley

Scof in Preston
Scof in Preston

Level in Preston
Level in Preston
 
Pac-Man graffiti in Luton
Pac-Man graffiti in Luton
 
The very nice official Pac-Man pin badge arcade cabinet set
The very nice official Pac-Man pin badge arcade cabinet set

Pac-Man ghost sticker in Düsseldorf, Germany
Pac-Man ghost sticker in Düsseldorf, Germany

Monday, July 15, 2019

Happy ninth birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is nine years old today.


Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's ninth birthday today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Set up by Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies and me back on the 15th July 2010, the virtual musuem is a treasure trove and archive for all things minigolf.


There are so many marvellous things going in the world of miniature golf that there's new stuff to log and record every single day. The future of the game is looking bright too, with new courses opening, new tournaments to play in, milestones and anniversaries to be celebrated, and lots of minigolf fun to be had.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more!

Friday, June 21, 2019

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.


The Putt Putt Fun Center in Richmond, Indiana. Photo by Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman at A Couple of Putts
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 by PJ Goedhals 2 May 2019
The Putt-Putt miniature golf course in Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point / Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals

Putt Putt Fun Center in Hickory, North Carolina by Pat Sheridan
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
Putt Putt Pro Matt Bellner playing the course in Arlington, TX

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

The Putt Putt Fun Center in Richmond, Indiana. Photo by Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman at A Couple of Putts
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 postcardssome game tokensa jigsaw puzzle and a photo one of my family took of a course while in South Africa!

Putt Putt in Cape Town South Africa by Adam Trigg 150118
A photo of the Three Anchor Bay Putt-Putt course in January 2017. Photo by Adam Trigg

A Putt-Putt postcard from South Africa
A Putt-Putt postcard from South Africa

Putt-Putt tokens
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
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)