Gottfried’s compete in the first Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Championship

Report from the first CEMGC Open minigolf competition.

Leagrave minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in the inaugural Cambridgeshire and Essex Open Minigolf Championship held on the 18-hole Miniature Golf course at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, near Brentwood on Saturday 10th October.



Richard finished in 9th place in the 28-player field after scoring rounds of 48, 49 and 47 for a total of 144(+36).

Emily recorded rounds of 54, 55 and 55 for a 164(+56) total and 27th place overall. Emily finished the CEMGC Club Championship in 6th place, with that contest won by Mark Wood.



Richard said “The Miniature Golf course at Dunton Hills is a really tough layout and I’m pleased with my consistent rounds to finish in the top-ten of a very competitive field of players. The CEMGC’s first Open event was a great success and brilliant fun.”



Emily said “My overall performance was not particularly good, but I did score a hole-in-one on a really tricky hole, which was a silver lining for me. The Dunton Hills course is unique and I really enjoy the random element of the rough-brick borders, as well as long, wide greens, which are very different to other courses we play regularly. My CEMGC team mates are a great bunch and did a fantastic job organising and hosting the event.”



The tournament was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith with a total of 123(+15). Sussex’s Steve Lovell was runner-up with 129(+21), with Portugal’s Nuno Cunha finished in third-place on 132(+24) after defeating Essex’s Mark Wood at the fifth hole of a sudden-death play-off.

In addition to the Miniature Golf layout, Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre is home to a full Golf course and an 18-hole par-3 course. The venue has hosted three Invitational minigolf contests in the lead-up to the CEMGC's first Open.

CEMCGC / Dunton Hills Hall of Fame
• CEMGC Invitational Tournament, Dec 2014 - Emily Gottfried won a two-round event with 99
• Dunton Hills Invitational, Feb 2015 - Richard Gottfried won a three-round event with 140
• Dunton Hills Invitational II, Aug 2015 - Steve Lovell won a three-round event with 140
• Cambridgeshire and Essex Open, Oct 2015 - Michael Smith won a three-round event with 123
• Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club Championship, Oct 2015 – Mark Wood won a two-round event with 85

Next up for the Richard and Emily is a trip to Hastings, East Sussex for the 13th annual World Crazy Golf Championships held on the Arnold Palmer Putting Course at Hastings Adventure Golf.

CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament

Results of the CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in Essex.

CEMGC Invitational Tournament winner Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried receives her prize from Mark 'The Natural' Wood

On Saturday 6 December 2014 Emily Gottfried won the first-ever CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament in a five-player Pro contest.

The Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club members line-up at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre. From l-r Adrian Amey, Chris Wood, Mark Wood, Emily Gottfried

The contest was held over two 18-hole rounds on the tough layout at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, Brentwood, Essex with players from the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club taking part along with Richard Gottfried of the Midlands Minigolf Club. Each competitor used a Golf ball in the event, with Emily winning using a Putter King ball.

Emily Gottfried playing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

Emily scored rounds of 50 and 49 for a total of 99, with Chris Wood also scoring a 99 to join the sub-100 club after rounds of 51 and 48. Wood's second round also included the tournament's only hole-in-one.

Chris Wood playing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

The title was decided by a four-hole cumulative score play-off, with holes 1, 2, 8 and 9 used to decide the winner. Emily shot a total of 9, with Chris scoring 13.

Emily Gottfried and Chris Wood on the 8th hole in the play-off at the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

After her victory Emily said "I am, of course, ecstatic to win the first CEMGC Invitational Tournament. Its a really enjoyable course, and playing on a bright, if chilly day, with a great group of my club-mates and the guest competitor, was brilliant. Although the holes are long and there are some very tricky greens, I liked it. Playing somewhere new and individual was fun. Congrats to Chris 'Bunker' Wood on coming in with a 99, but commiserations for losing the play-off."

Richard said "I enjoyed competing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament and while the Dunton Hills miniature golf course is incredibly tough, it was still great fun. Well done to Emily on her well deserved win and thanks to the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club for organising the event."

With a total length of 734 feet, including a 62ft long 17th hole the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf course saw players battling for twos in the frosty conditions.

Mark Wood launches a shot at the CEMGC Invitational

Adrian Amey playing the 9th hole during round two of the CEMGC Invitational

The course record was set at 48 by Richard Gottfried during round one, with Chris Wood equaling the score in round two.

Guest player Richard Gottfried of the MMGC plays at the CEMGC Invitational

Round one leaderboard:
- Richard Gottfried - 48
- Chris Wood - 49
- Emily Gottfried - 50
- Chris Wood - 51
- Adrian Amey - 61

The 2014 CEMGC Invitational Champion Emily Gottfried

Final results:
1. Emily Gottfried - 50 & 49 = 99* won four-hole play-off
2. Chris Wood - 51 & 48 = 99
3. Mark Wood - 49 & 56 = 105
4. Richard Gottfried - 48 & 59 = 107
5. Adrian Amey - 61 & 58 = 119

Links:
- Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website
- Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club on Facebook
- CEMGC Invitational event result, report, photos and update on the CEMGC Facebook page
- CMGC website

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf at Dunton Hills Golf Course in Essex
- Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Minigolf at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in Essex

A revisit to the miniature golf course in West Horndon.

A view of the miniature golf course and clubhouse at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, Essex

On Saturday 6 December Emily and I headed to the 18-hole minigolf course at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, near Brentwood, Essex where we would be competing in the first CEMGC Invitational competition.

Emily putting during the CEMGC Invitational Tournament

We first visited and played the 18-hole course in July 2012 when it became the 299th played and 499th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Playing minigolf at Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre

It's a very tough layout, with some incredibly tricky second (and third!) putts on the big greens. The holes vary in length from 27 to 62 feet!

On our visit in 2012 I scored a 48 (Out in 24, In in 24), with Emily scoring 51 (Out in 27, In in 24). On this occasion playing in the CEMGC Invitational Tournament Emily won the two round contest with scores of 50 and 49, while I shot a course record 48 (once again Out in 24, In in 24), followed by a 59 to finish fourth in the five-player Pro contest.

The minigolf putting course is great value at £3 for adults and £2 for juniors.

As well as the miniature golf course Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre is home to an 18-hole Golf course, driving range, bar and restaurant and meeting rooms. For more information check out the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website.

The Dunton Hills Miniature Golf course

Links:
- Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website
- Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club on Facebook
- CEMGC Invitational event result, report, photos and update on the CEMGC Facebook page
- CMGC website

Related blog posts:
- CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament

- Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex

Minigolf Course #499 visited / #299 Played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

On Wednesday 11th July Emily and I visited the 499th Miniature Golf course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The course at Dunton Hills Golf Course became the 299th played since September 2006!



A view of the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex



In addition to the regular Golf course and Driving Range at the Dunton Hills Golf Centre there is an 18-hole Miniature Golf course layout. And very good it is too.



Playing onto a plateau

We arrived in West Horndon just as a storm had hit and there was enough lightning flashing about for us to not venture out on the course. Thankfully this summer downpour finished after five minutes and we were able to get out and play.

The Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course, Regular Golf Course in the background and some ominous clouds!

In our Irregular Mini Golf Tour Match-up I shot a round of 48(+12) with a 24 on both the front nine and back nine. Emily scored a 51(+15), heading out in 27 and in with a 24.

Teeing-off on hole one of the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course

In our Matchplay contest Emily picked up the win 3&2.

Emily Putting on the way to Matchplay victory

The holes range from the 27 feet long 4th hole, to the 62 foot 17th hole. With a nice rebound I very almost scored a hole-in-one on the 17th in our match-up, with the ball rolling up to the lip of the hole, only to roll back a few inches :-( There were a few other “1.5’s”, but no holes-in-one scored.



The 46 foot long16th hole at Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course

It was a great 18-hole course, a tricky layout with some nice hills and plateaus. It's well priced at £3 a round for adults and we’d definitely play there again.



Emily plays the second hole at Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex

The logo of the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf course is very interesting indeed (a hen perched on a golf ball sat on a tee!) and you can see it on the very well made course scorecard. It’s one of the nicest scorecards we’ve collected on our travels.

The regular Golf course looks immaculate and there were some nice looking water hazards there. While we were there was a family of geese making themselves at home on the green next to the pond nearest to the Miniature Golf.

You can find the Dunton Hills Golf Centre on Tilbury Road in West Horndon, near Brentwood in Essex. It’s also called Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre and you can see it on Google Maps at the postcode CM13 3LT.

With Minigolf visit #499 completed, where will the 500th course visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour be?

If we play #500 it’ll be the 300th Minigolf course played on our Tour!

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

Brentwood (King George Playing Fields) - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit - Course Unable to be Opened!?

On our way to Southend on Sea on Saturday 10th July 2010 we had a check online to see if Brentwood was home to any minigolf or crazy golf courses, and we were in luck!

At the King George Playing Fields in Brentwood, Essex, there is a fine looking 18-hole Miniature Golf course. However it was not to be the 182nd course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour*, but would be added to the long-line of course visits that end in disappointment as the course was only open between 11am and 3pm.








I'm not too sure when I'll next be in Brentwood between 11am and 3pm. Hopefully I'll get to play the course in the future, as me and Emily were looking forward to a competitive round.

* The eventual 182nd course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the 18-hole Novelty Golf course at Billericay's Lake Meadows Park.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Essex