Minigolf at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

A visit to the miniature golf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, West Midlands.

Hole 1 at Dorridge

We recently visited the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull for what would be the last minigolf tournament to be held on the 12-hole course - the 2015 MMGC Midlands Open. Over the years the venue has hosted many British Minigolf Association tournaments and we've competed in quite a few of them. The course has always been a pleasure to play (even when it's been punishing) and is far more difficult to master than it first appears.

The tricky second hole

Back in September 2008 the course became the 72nd played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. I visited the layout while en route to the Monday night league at Adventure Island Mini Golf at Star City, Birmingham.

Hole 3

There are plans to create a new adventure golf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre. The existing course will be removed. It will certainly be missed.

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 5's obstacle

An even closer look inside the castle on hole 5

And hole 5's green

Hole 6

Hole 7 - the scene of many a minigolfing nightmare!

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 10

Hole 11

Hole 12

Hole 2 from another angle

Playing hole 5

Having a shot on hole 9

Over the humps on hole 10

Emily playing the first

For more information check out the Four Ashes Golf Centre website.

Links:
- Four Ashes Golf Centre
- British Minigolf Association

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Dorridge
- Mini Golf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge (September 2017)

Chad Valley Miniature Golf

Playing a 1960's Miniature Golf set.

My fellow minigolf enthusiast Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson recently acquired a 1960's Miniature Golf set made by Chad Valley and he kindly donated it to The Crazy Golf Museum.

The 9-hole Chad Valley 'Miniature golf' course was designed for indoor and outdoor play and includes two putters, balls, flags and tin plate holes

While at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge last weekend we had to give the game a go.

Paul Johnson lines up a putt on a plateau hole

Putting using the Chad Valley miniature golf putters was very tricky

Chad Valley was founded in 1860 and the range of toys and games is now exclusively available at Argos.

Links:
- The Crazy Golf Museum
- Miniature Golf and Crazy Golf toys and games at The Crazy Golf Museum

Related blog posts:

- The Crazy Golf Museum

Minigolf report from the Midlands Open 2015

Richard Gottfried third at the Midlands Open minigolf tournament

Minigolfer Richard Gottfried with the bronze medal from the 2015 Midlands Open

Leagrave minigolfer Richard Gottfried continued his good form with a podium finish in the Midlands Open competition held at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull on Sunday 22 March.

Competing in a 24-player field on the 12-hole miniature golf course Richard shot rounds of 20, 22, 21 and 28 for a 48-hole score of 91.

Richard Gottfried playing hole 2 during the Hole in One Charity Challenge

Emily Gottfried was also in action and finished in 15th place after rounds of 26, 20, 27 and 30 for a total of 103.

Emily Gottfried playing hole 12 at Four Ashes Golf Centre

The tournament was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith with a score of 76, with London’s Will Donnelly runner-up with a score of 89.

The Midlands Open podium, from l-r Will Donnelly, Michael Smith, Richard Gottfried

Richard said “It’s great to get another medal and I’m pleased with my performance. Dorridge is a great course and a pleasure to play. I didn’t drop a shot for 42-holes which was nice. But then I had three bad holes in the final round to knock me from second place. Well played to Michael Smith on his win and to Will Donnelly for beating me to the silver medal.”

The third-place result was Richard’s best ever in the Midlands Open tournament, with his previous highest finish of fourth-place coming at the 2010 event.

The Midlands Minigolf Club are the reigning BMGA British Club Champions, winning the title in Hastings earlier this month. For more information check out the MMGC Facebook page.

Next up for Richard is a trip to Hastings for the BMGA British Minigolf Championships in May.

Links:
- Midlands Minigolf Club on Facebook
- Four Ashes Golf Centre
- British Minigolf Association

Dorridge Invitational Minigolf Tournament

Report from the Dorridge Invitational Tournament.

As a warm-up to the MMGC Midlands Open competition held at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge the seven players still practicing on Saturday evening competed in the second ever Dorridge Invitational Tournament.

The Dorridge Invitational Tournament competitors, from l-r Adrian Amey, Emily Gottfried, Will Donnelly, Richard Gottfried, Steve Sturdy, Ruth Burke, Dave Donnelly

In the one-round Pro Player shootout local competitor Ruth Burke won with a score of 20(-4), two shots clear of runner-up Dave Donnelly.

D.I.T. minigolf champion Ruth Burke putting on the final hole and sealing victory

Emily Gottfried and Will Donnelly tied for third place having scored 23(-1).

Emily Gottfried playing on hole 11 at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

Richard Gottfried was fifth on 26(+2), with Steve Sturdy in sixth place on 28(+4) and Adrian Amey in seventh spot after scoring 30(+6).

The only previous edition of the Dorridge Invitational Tournament was held in 2011 and won by Seth Thomas in an eight-player field.

Dorridge Invitational Tournament (D.I.T.) Hall of Fame
2015 - Ruth Burke
2011 - Seth Thomas

Related blog posts:
- Dorridge
- The Dorridge Invitational Minigolf Competition 2011

Links:
- Midlands Minigolf Club on Facebook
- Four Ashes Golf Centre
- British Minigolf Association

Minigolf Report from Dorridge

8th September 2014
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report from Dorridge

Results from the Midlands Open competition and BMGA British Doubles Championships held at the Four Ashes Golf Centre.

Luton Minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in two Minigolf tournaments at the 12-hole course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull on the 6th and 7th September.

In the Midlands Open competition held on Saturday Emily finished in 17th place overall in the 29 player field. Richard was 19th.

Emily playing the fourth hole at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

Emily scored a four-round total of 98(+2) with rounds of 26, 24, 24 and 24.

Richard scored a total of 100(+4) after rounds of 25, 24, 25 and 26.

Richard Gottfried playing hole five at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

On Sunday the pair teamed-up for the first time since 2008 to take on thirteen other duos in the BMGA British Doubles Championship. After six rounds of play the team finished in 6th place.

A score of 22(-2) in the first qualifying round saw them top the rankings. This was followed up with a 24(par) to finish 5th in the preliminary classification round.

In the seeded matchplay knockout stages they were drawn against the London pair of Max Plaice and Becky Statham and would go on to win 3&2.

In the quarter-finals the duo were defeated 3&2 by Margate’s Scott Lancley and Hastings’ John ‘Ted’ McIver.

The team bounced back in the classification match against Cambridge’s James Rutherford and Canterbury’s Marc Chapman with Emily scoring holes-in-one on four of the six holes she played and Richard acing the final hole for a 1up victory.

The pair were defeated by Brechin’s Freddie Blackburn-Shaw and London’s Will Donnelly in the match for 5th place, with Donnelly scoring a hole-in-one at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.

Commenting after the weekend’s events Emily said “I was really pleased with my 17th place finish in the Midlands Open. I felt that I played well, scoring quite a few aces, however I was let down by my performance on one particularly tricky hole. I carried that level of performance over into the Doubles on the second day of competition, achieving consistent aces through the day. Richard and I were a great team, helping and motivating each other and I was pleased with sixth place.”

Richard said “Emily played well all weekend and was a great partner in the British Doubles, scoring a huge amount of aces and we picked up some good wins and a great first round score.”

Michael Smith of Oxford won the Midlands Open, with Birmingham’s Chris Harding teaming with Smith to win the BMGA British Doubles Championship.

Ends

Sponsor us in the Minigolf British Doubles Championship

Sponsorship available for Minigolf Doubles Team at event in September.

Minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried in Putter King kits at the BMGA English Open minigolf tournament

We'll be competing at the BMGA British Doubles Championship at the 18-hole Minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull in September. The doubles event will be preceded by the Midlands Open singles competition at the same venue.

If you'd like to sponsor us in this event, or others throughout the year, then please get in touch. You can also follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems.

Sixteen teams will line-up to compete for the BMGA British Doubles title and we're offering naming rights for our team, along with kit branding opportunities (polo shirts, shorts/trousers, hat, umbrella in case of rain! and logo placement with patches/badges etc.).

Emily Gottfried at the Midlands Open at Dorridge in 2011

The Midlands Open/British Doubles weekend is a great minigolfing event, with players from around the UK competing for the titles.

Richard Gottfried playing in the Midlands Open at Dorridge in 2012

We can be available to sponsors for interviews, photo opportunities, training and events.

My best result in the BMGA British Doubles was third place, when teaming with Bath's Kevin Moseley at Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010.

Richard Gottfried playing at Four Ashes Golf Centre in the BMGA British Club Championships in 2011

Emily's best finish in the BMGA British Doubles was fourth place when she partnered with Welsh Ladies Number One Cindy Kukielka at the same event.

Emily Gottfried playing in the BMGA British Doubles Championship in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010

We are both active on the national minigolf tour and have competed in over 100 tournaments, league events and club nights since our debuts in 2007. We have also represented Great Britain at international level in World Minigolf Sport Federation and European Minigolf Sport Federation tournaments in Finland, Sweden and England.

Emily is a member of the Cambridgeshire Mini Golf Club, and I am a member of the Midlands Minigolf Club. Both clubs are comprised of players that compete around the UK and overseas, including the annual BMGA British Club Championship, which was won by Midlands MGC in 2008.

Emily Gottfried at the WMF Nations Cup in Stockholm, Sweden in 2011

Richard Gottfried at the WMF Nations Cup in Stockholm, Sweden in 2011

For further information about sponsorship opportunities please get in touch.

Related blog posts:
- Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile
- Emily Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile

Links:
- British Minigolf Association
- Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

Minigolf Report from the 2012 Midlands Open & BMGA British Doubles Championships

10th September 2012

Press Information

For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Midlands Open & BMGA British Doubles Championships

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried was in action over the weekend as he competed in two tournaments at the 12-hole Minigolf Course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull.

Midlands Open

First up was the Midlands Open competition held on Saturday 8th September.

The competitors at the 2012 Midlands Open in Dorridge

Richard finished in tied tenth place in the 34-player field with a score of 94(-2) following rounds of 22, 23, 26 and 23. The four-round competition was won by the reigning World Crazy Golf Champion, Oxford’s Michael Smith with a score of 78(-18).



Richard Gottfried playing at the 2012 Midlands Open minigolf tournament as Oliver 'The Machine' Florence and Alastair Shaw look on

BMGA British Doubles Championships

The 2012 BMGA British Doubles Championships were held on Sunday 9th September. Richard teamed with Margate’s Scott Lancley for the second year in a row. The team finished in seventh place overall in the 16-team competition.

Commenting on the weekend’s events Richard said “The Minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge is one of my favourite courses and always presents a great challenge. I’m pleased with achieving another pair of top ten finishes on the BMGA Tour in two very competitive fields. It was a pleasure to once again team with Scott Lancley in our attempt to win the British Doubles, unfortunately we lost our quarter final match against the eventual champions, but we’ll have another crack at the titles next year.”

In the BMGA British Doubles Championships each of the competing 16 teams played in a round robin group qualifying stage, before moving on to a knockout stage to determine the final rankings.

Team Sqonky at the 2012 BMGA British Doubles Championships in Dorridge - l-r 'Squire' Richard Gottfried and Scott 'Donkey Gringo' Lancley

Richard and Scott were second in their group with two wins and a draw, after defeating Marina Breeden and Adam Breeden, Alex Pragnell and Alastair Shaw and tying with Michael Smith and James Rutherford. This meant they qualified for the play-off matches for positions 1-8.

In the quarter final match against Ted McIver and Nick Chitty they were handed their first loss and entered the pool for positions 5-8. McIver and Chitty were the eventual champions, defeating the duo of Seth Thomas and Chris Smith in the final. Gottfried and Lancley lost their next classification match against Marion Homer and Sean Homer, but were victorious in their match against Oliver Florence and Richard Skeggs in the play-off for 7th/8th place.

The immaculately turned out players of Team Sqonkey at the 2012 BMGA British Doubles Championships

The Gottfried & Lancley team finished the BMGA British Doubles Championships with a win/loss record of three wins, one draw and two defeats. The team’s career record stands at seven wins, one draw and five losses in thirteen matches on the British Minigolf Association Tour.

Ends

Minigolf Report – End of BMGA Tour Season Competitions at Dorridge

30th November 2011
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – End of BMGA Tour Season Competitions at Dorridge

Luton Minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried’s 2011 BMGA Tour Minigolf Season came to an end over the weekend of the 26th and 27th November as the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull hosted the final tournaments on the 2011 BMGA Tour

Richard competed in 14 BMGA Tour events, with Emily playing in 11 tournaments. 2011 was the pair’s fifth year as BMGA Tour players.

The Cambridgeshire MGC Invitational Tournament

On Saturday 26th November Emily competed in the first-ever Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club Invitational Tournament and finished in fourth place with a score of 79(+7).

Photo: The Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club team from l-r Brenda Smith, James Rutherford (Captain), Oliver Florence, Emily Gottfried

The three-round tournament was won by Cambridge’s James Rutherford. Oliver Florence was runner-up. Brenda Smith was third.

The Green MGC Invitational Tournament

On Saturday 26th November Richard competed in the first-ever Green Minigolf Club Invitational Tournament and finished in fourth place with a score of 75(+3).

The competition was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith, with Chris Smith runner-up and Seth Thomas of Wandsworth third.

The BMGA British Club Championships

In the BMGA British Club Championships on Sunday 27th November Richard played for the Midlands Minigolf Club and he and this three team mates finished the event in third place.

Photo: The Midlands Minigolf Club A-Team from l-r Richard Gottfried, Jam Trubridge (front), Chris Harding (Captain), Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson

Emily and her Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club team were fifth in the seven team event, which featured teams from five of the BMGA’s Minigolf Clubs.

In the first group match Richard and Emily’s teams faced-off, with the Midlands winning 4&3 in the 12-hole Matchplay Match. The Midlands Minigolf Club went on to defeat the Allstars team by two-holes, before losing to the Kent Hurricanes team 2&1. In the semi-finals the team lost to eventual champions, the Kent Spitfires, 2&1, before winning the 3rd/4th place play-off match against the Kent Hurricanes 3&2.

Following the defeat to the Midlands in their first match Cambridgeshire went on to lose against the Kent Hurricanes by one-hole. Following the opening two defeats the Cambridge Team went on to score wins against the Allstars 5&4, and 2&1 and beating the London Minigolf Club by one-hole in the 5th/6th place play-off match.

Ends

Dorridge Putting Courses - Visited But Not Played

While at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull for the Midlands Open and BMGA British Doubles Championships tournaments at the weekend I noticed that since my last visit to the course last July, for the Midlands Invitational Tournament, they have added two new Putting areas. One is a small synthetic Putting surface, while the other is a Grass surface.

The 12-hole Minigolf Course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre was the 72nd course visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on a very soggy 1st of September back in 2008. Emily's first visit to play the Minigolf course was in late September 2008.

The Sqonkey Classic minigolf competition in Dorridge

Following the 2011 BMGA British Doubles Championships on Sunday 31st July, team mates ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried and Scott ‘Donkey Gringo’ Lancley faced-off in a 12-hole match for the Sqonkey Classic minigolf title at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull.

In an exciting tussle the ‘Sq’ (but no ‘u’) portion of the team defeated the ‘onkey’ 24-26.

Photo: From l-r, Sq and onkey