Happy National Cheese Day 2021

Today is National Cheese Day!

Did you know there's a minigolf obstacle called Käse? It can be found on Eternit Miniature Golf courses.

The Käse obstacle on the Kelsey Park Mini Golf course in Beckenham

The official name of the obstacle / lane is "Schrager kreis mit hindernis" (Oblique circle with obstacle). Sometimes the obstacle is "schrager kreis mit niere" (oblique circle with kidney).

Miniaturegolf / Miniaturgolf courses (also known as Eternit / Eternite) are a type of course made using a thin concrete material. Courses consist of 18 holes made from a selection of 28 standardised designs.

Checking in the Overview for Beginners to Miniaturgolf booklet, the Käse obstacle is "erstaunlicherweise eher im norden verbreitet" (surprisingly more common in the north of Germany).

We don't have too many Eternit Miniature Golf courses here in the UK and some of those that do exist have been modified over the years.

Miniature Golf course at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

We have played two Schrager kreis mit hindernis holes where the obstacle was Käse. One was at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry, Shropshire, the other was in Kelsey Park in Beckenham, Greater London.

Miniature Golf course at Kelsey Park in Beckenham

What day is it?

Today is Penguin Appreciation Day and National Cheese Lover's Day.

Are you aware of the Putting Penguin minigolf review website?

Pat, Mandy & Putt of the Putting Penguin team and guest contributors have reviewed 366 courses on the site since 2001.

A penguin obstacle on the Surfside Crazy Golf course at Pensarn Beach in Abergele, Wales

Did you know there's a minigolf obstacle called "Käse"?

It can be found on Eternit Miniature Golf courses.

The Käse on the Kelsey Park Mini Golf course in Beckenham

National Cheese Lover's Day is not to be confused with National Cheese Day in June.

Happy National Cheese Day

Today is National Cheese Day.

Did you know there's a minigolf obstacle called Käse?

It can be found on Eternit Miniature Golf courses.

The Käse on the Kelsey Park Mini Golf course in Beckenham

The official name of the obstacle / lane is "Schrager kreis mit hindernis" (Oblique circle with obstacle). Sometimes the obstacle is "schrager kreis mit niere" (oblique circle with kidney). Many thanks to my friend, minigolf rival and Great Britain team-mate Steve 'F1' Gow for reminding me of the name in German.

Miniaturegolf / Miniaturgolf courses (also known as Eternit / Eternite) are a type of course made using a thin concrete material. Courses consist of 18 holes made from a selection of 28 standardised designs.

An official Schrager kreis mit hindernis - this was lane 15 at Tantogårdens Bangolf in Stockholm, Sweden

Checking in the Overview for Beginners to Miniaturgolf, the Käse obstacle is "erstaunlicherweise eher im norden verbreitet" (surprisingly more common in the north of Germany).

A very useful guide to playing Miniature Golf

We don't have too many Eternit Miniature Golf courses here in the UK and some of those that do exist have been modified over the years.

We played the Cae Glas Park Miniature Golf course in Oswestry in 2009 and 2012

We have played two Schrager kreis mit hindernis holes where the obstacle was Käse. One was at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry, Shropshire, the other was in Kelsey Park in Beckenham, Greater London.

Hole 7 at Kelsey Park has the cheese obstacle on a flat lane

The pyramid obstacles are normally found on hole 1, while the cheese obstacle should be on this base lane design with the raised green and cup

Mini Golf Set from Lidl

Picking up a new miniature golf game for my collection.

When I popped to Lidl to buy some Feta cheese to go with our tea yesterday I didn't expect to return with a Mini Golf Set. But I did.

99p for the Feta cheese. £9.99 for the Mini Golf Set

What you get in the box - two putters, two balls, two holes, four obstacles, scorecards and an instruction book. It's a well made set and the obstacles work when you putt throughover them

There are twenty scorecards in the pad - with details in German, English and French

A closer look at the obstacles - gate, seesaw, climb and wavy track

Links:
- Lidl
- Crazy Golf Museum 

Isabel's Gluten Free Dough Balls Mix

Cooking up some cheese dough balls with a free from mix from Isabel's.

On a recent shopping trip to Asda we spotted a product in the Free From section that we hadn't seen before - the Gluten Free Dough Balls Mix.

The 250g box makes approximately 24 dough balls and Emily made exactly two dozen delicious 'pão de queijo' snacks from the mix.

The pão de queijo' made from the Isabel's gluten free dough balls mix

They were really nice when eaten warm and with plenty leftover we've found them to be great cold too.

Putting a twist on the recipe on the packet Emily added brie to the mix, a good choice as it melted perfectly inside the dough balls.

As someone with Coeliac Disease I pore over the ingredients, claims and small-print on every single item of food and drink I buy to ensure it's safe to consume, it's pleasing to see that all of Isabel's products are naturally 100% gluten and wheat free.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Emily's Cooking

Links:
- Isabel's Free From website
- Isabel's Free From on Twitter
- Isabel's Free From on Facebook
- Asda
- Coeliac UK

London Skittles at the Hampstead Lawn Billiard and Skittle Club

Report from the Minigolfer's Christmas 'Do' 2014.

Crazy Skittlers

This year our annual festive jaunt took us to The Freemasons Arms, home to London's last remaining Skittle Alley and the historic Hampstead Lawn Billiard and Skittle Club.

Emily playing London Skittles

After reading about the game some years ago and a visit to the pub after a Hopping tournament in 2012 we made the booking to play a game of London Skittles in the basement alley for our Christmas tournament.

Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd launches into action

With reigning champion Emily leading one team and multiple-time former winner of Christmas shenanigans Brad captaining the other the other players were picked by number before we got straight into playing.

'Squire' Richard throwing a little off course

Emily led the proceedings and with a choice of three different 'cheeses' stepped up and scored an end of 5 with her three goes to get the competition underway.

A pair of 'Cheeses'

The winner's of the team tournament were 'Lemony's Lobbers' who defeated 'Team Frugal' with a scoreline of 178 to 176!

Lemony's Lobbers - 2014 Christmas 'Do' Champions. From l-r Jon Angel, Steve Gow, Alan Norman, John Moore, Emily Gottfried, Richard Gottfried

This year's losers and runners-up, Team Frugal. From l-r Paul O'Connor, Chris Jones, Brad Shepherd, Trevor 'Lord of Smeeth' Robertson, Richard Linden, Seth Thomas

The overall individual was once again Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd with a total of 44, having been the only player to score a double-digit end in the two-hour tournament. Newcastle's John Moore and Surrey's Steve Gow tied for second.

The Big Cheese - Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd

Baby Bel - Alan 'Stormin' Norman

Our instructor for the evening, Pete, was a great coach and referee giving us plenty of hints & tips and history of the game and venue. We also learned some of the terminology of the game for good shots, bad shots, pin layouts and more.

The final scores

We'd definitely play again and recommend London Skittles at the Freemasons Arms as a great night out.

The Freemasons Arms, Hampstead

Check out the Hampstead Lawn Billiard and Skittle Club website for more information on London Skittles and for booking enquiries, as well as some videos showing the game as it was in the 1930's and as it is now.

The Lawn Billiards game that forms part of the club's name is a long extinct sport, but you can still view Lawn Billiards artifacts in the club's alley.

While one team is throwing, two of the opposing team's players act as pin setters and cheese returners

Emily readying herself for a lob

Richard preparing for a shot

John Moore getting in the swing

Five scored

Pin setting and cheese rolling

Chris 'Stretch' Jones on a leisurely stroll up the alley

Trevino in action

Big Al in full flight

Jon Angel with a great shot up the middle

  

Alan 'Stormin' Norman throwing a cheese

London Skittles team competition results

London Skittles individual competition results

Minigolfer's Christmas Shenanigans Hall of Fame
2014 - Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd - London Skittles Individual Championship
2014 - Lemony's Lobbers (Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, Alan 'Stormin' Norman, John 'Big Al' Moore, Jon 'Occasional' Angel, 'Big' Stevie Gow) - London Skittles Team Championship
2013 – Emily ‘Lemony’ Gottfried – World Boules Le Noël Champignonship
2012 – Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd – Riverclose Worlds UnProfessional Minigolfer's Darts Championship
2011 – Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd – Rivernear Worlds Professional Crazy Golfers Darts Championships
2010 – Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd – Christmas Minigolf 9-Hole Putting Green Sudden Death Challenge
2010 – Keith 'Doc' Kellard & Jon 'El Pato' Angel (Team KJ Choice) – Sim BIG Golf Par-3's of the World Doubles Challenge
2009 – Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd – Christmas-themed Crazy Golf at Devonshire Square
Before Records Began – Lionel ‘The Spoon’ Bender – Crazy Golf Contest

Links
- London Skittles at the Hampstead Lawn Billiard and Skittle Club
- London Skittles on Facebook
- The Freemasons Arms, Hampstead

Related blog posts:
- Report from the Minigolfer’s Annual Christmas Shenanigans ‘Do’ in London 2013
- The Minigolfer’s Annual Christmas Darts ‘Do’ 2012 in London
- Crazy Golfers Christmas 'Do' in London 2011 - Darts Tournament at Rileys Victoria!
- The Minigolfers Christmas 'Do' 2010
- 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge at Devonshire Square
- A London Pub & Jumble Sale Crawl
- Another New Game Played - Northamptonshire Skittles
- Behold...
- Tenpin Bowling

The Piece of Cheese Cottage in Hastings

While in Hastings old town recently I spotted a very eye-catching building - the Piece of Cheese Cottage!

In all my many visits to the town for Crazy and Mini Golf tournaments I've never seen the place before. It's certainly very different.

One of the sides of the building - the only three-sided cottage in England - has a blue heritage plaque on it that makes an interesting claim!

The cottage was built for a £5 bet in 1871 and is the second smallest in the country. The Piece of Cheese Cottage is also available to stay in from only £55 per night! I may be making a booking soon as it's very close to the seafront and the town's Miniature Golf courses.

Link:

- The Piece of Cheese Cottage