The Derelict Minigolf Course on Bournemouth's Exeter Road

Revisiting a derelict Miniature Golf course in Bournemouth, Dorset.

The derelict Minigolf course on Bournemouth's Exeter Road

In June 2009 we found a derelict Minigolf course in Bournemouth and when we revisited in July 2013 it was still there.

Hole 1 has no felt left on it, but many of the holes still do

The formerly 18-hole course is on Exeter Road and next to the cafe/restaurant. When we last visited we weren't able to have a good look at the course as a group of Gentleman of the Road were enjoying a refreshment break on one of the holes!

This time round we managed to have a good look. It's such a shame the course was left to get in such a state.

It's very similar in design to the course that can be found over the road in the Lower Gardens and the championship course in the Boscombe Chine Gardens, though in an entirely unplayable state.

Some of the holes have almost disappeared entirely! It's quite a haunting and apocalyptic site!

A ramp-less ramp

Nature reclaiming the land!

Hole 18 - I think 

Related Blog Posts:

- A derelict Minigolf course in Bournemouth

- Derelicts

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Gluten Free in Bournemouth, Boscombe and Southbourne, Dorset

Dining out Gluten Free in three Dorset seasides.

Before we headed to Boscombe, Dorset for the 2013 BMGA British Matchplay Minigolf Championships and a mini-holiday Emily and I had a search to see what options we had for dining out Gluten Free.

The best place we found for Gluten Free options was the brilliant Gluten Free Vegetarian UK blog that had lots of reviews and suggestions for restaurants and takeaways in the Bournemouth, Boscombe and Southbourne area.

We duly made a list of all the places to try. On our promenading through the seaside town we spotted most of the places on our list. One of the restaurants we were most looking forward to visiting was Natural Bourne Grillers. The online menu had certainly whetted our appetites and it was the first place we dined on Thursday.

So good was the food and service that we also booked a table for Friday night!

Natural Bourne Grillers is a steakhouse & grill and all meals can be prepared gluten free! The chef told us that he has friends with coeliac disease so he makes a real effort to make sure the food at the restaurant is safe and tasty. It really was great and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Enjoying the BIG burger at Natural Bourne Grillers

On both days I opted for the 10oz bacon cheeseburger! It was a big burger (two 5oz steak mince patties in a good gluten free bun with plenty of cheese and nice bacon) and came with hand cut fries and a great coleslaw. On the Saturday we also went for the BBQ chicken wings which were very good. 

We will definitely be heading back again. There are plenty of other items on the menu and they have a number of daily specials and offers during the week. There is also no corkage fee when you take your own alcohol which is great.

On Saturday evening we headed to Tomlin’s Fish & Chip shop and restaurant. Another gluten free chippy to add to our list.

Fish & Chips at Tomlin's

We stayed in the Balincourt Hotel in Bournemouth (great location for the Boscombe Chine Mini Golf course), which can cater for Coeliacs for breakfast (and evening meals if required). There were gluten free cereals available and the full English breakfast was a great way to start the day.

We also saw that The Crooked Book shop in Boscombe has some gluten free options, but didn’t eat there on this occasion.

We're looking forward to our return to the Dorset coast already!

Links:

- Gluten Free Vegetarian UK blog

- Gluten free restaurant list – Bournemouth, Poole and day trips around

- Natural Bourne Grillers

Related blog posts:

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

- Gluten Free in Weymouth, Dorset

- Gluten Free blog posts

Emily Gottfried third in the BMGA British Matchplay Minigolf Championships in Boscombe

8th July 2013

Press Information

For Immediate Release

Emily Gottfried third in the BMGA British Matchplay Minigolf Championships in Boscombe

Luton Minigolfer Emily Gottfried finished in third place of 17-players in the British Minigolf Association’s British Matchplay Championships at the Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course in Dorset on Sunday 7th July, winning four of six matches in the national event.

Emily Gottfried playing the 17th hole at Boscombe Chine Mini Golf

The 2013 competition was the sixth edition of the tournament, but Emily’s debut in the event and her first tournament played on the 18-hole Boscombe course.

The first stage was played in a round robin format. After a one-hole loss to London’s Gareth Holmes in the first match Emily rallied to win against London’s Alan Norman by one-hole before defeating Bexhill-on-Sea’s Alex Pragnell 3&2.

Qualifying as the group runner-up Emily was drawn to face Cambridge’s Tony Kelly in the quarter finals. Their match was tied after 18-holes and went to a sudden-death play-off that Emily won with a hole-in-one at the fourth extra-hole.

The semi-final draw saw Emily face BMGA British number one Michael Smith. Going two holes up on the front nine holes Emily eventually lost 2&1 after a fightback from the defending champion.

In the third/fourth place play-off Emily was matched against Kent’s Mark Wood. The match ended in victory for Emily with a 3&2 win.

Emily said "I am extremely pleased with my performance in the tournament. To finish in third place in my first British Matchplay tournament is better than I expected. The course has its tough holes, but I enjoyed it and feel I that played well all day, throughout the beautiful hot weather and did myself proud."

Ends

Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Dorset

Details of the Adventure Golf, Crazy Golf, Minigolf and Golf Putting Green courses we've played in Dorset since October 2008.

On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour travels Emily and I have visited over 500 courses to date. The furthest along the south coast of England we've managed to reach so far is the county of Dorset, where we've played a variety of Miniature Golf courses.

The first course I visited in the county (and 76th overall) was the 18-hole Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course in Weymouth. Situated at the town's Sea Life Centre at Lodmoor Country Park, the course hosted the first-ever Weymouth Open Minigolf tournament in October 2008, a contest I won!

2008 Weymouth Open Minigolf champion

We revisited the town for further editions of the event, when I finished as the runner-up in 2009 & 2011, and seventh in 2010. Alongside Chris Harding I won the Weymouth Open Team Tournament in 2011.

2011 Weymouth Open Team Champions

The next visit to Dorset came in June 2009 when the 106th course played was the 18-hole Crazy Golf course in Sandbanks. We were in the area for the British Minigolf Association's British Doubles Championship event at the Boscombe Chine Gardens Minigolf course and took the opportunity explore the courses down there.

Me and my Minigolf Doubles Partner Kevin Moseley at Boscombe Chine Gardens Minigolf course

In total we've visited fifteen courses in Dorset and played eleven of them. Check out the list below for links to blog posts about our visits.

Miniature Golf Courses Played in Dorset:

76 Weymouth (Sea Life Centre) - Adventure Golf

77 Weymouth (Bowleaze Cove) - Crazy Golf

106 Sandbanks - Crazy Golf

107 Bournemouth (Lower Gardens) - Minigolf

108 Boscombe (Chine Gardens) - Minigolf

109 Southbourne/Fisherman's Walk (Cafe Riva) - Crazy Golf - this course has been refurbished since our visit

110 Fordingbridge (Tudor Rose Inn) - Miniature Golf - Update: October 2012 - the beer garden has had a makeover and the course is no longer there

153 Poole (Poole Park) - Crazy Golf - Course removed and replaced in Summer 2010. See also 203
154 Poole (Poole Park) - Putting Green
203 Poole (Poole Park) - New 12-hole Crazy Golf - revisit in October 2011

204 Weymouth (Greenhill Gardens) - Putting

Unplayed Miniature Golf Course Visits in Dorset:
- Weymouth - Putting Green - Now played, see #204
- Bournemouth (Near Lower Gardens) - Derelict course
- Sandbanks - Putting Green
- Weymouth (Riviera Hotel) - Crazy Golf - Visited again in October 2010 - the Hotel and Course were derelict!
- Christchurch (Hoburne Holiday Park) - Crazy Golf

Note: The number next to the course denotes the 'visit number' on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. You can click through from the list above to the webpage on the Ham & Egger Files detailing our visit to the course.

Two of the most viewed videos on my YouTube Channel were filmed on Poole Park's old Crazy Golf course. Hole 9 used to be a Pinball layout and in the video I show you how the 'Pro's play it'...

If you've got a spare £375,000 knocking about the place you can currently purchase a house in Bournemouth that comes with its own Huxley Golf Putting Green!

The Southbourne Crazy Golf course had the strangest prices I've ever seen!

In 2013 the British Minigolf Association Tour will be returning to Dorset when the Boscombe Chine Minigolf course hosts the BMGA British Matchplay Championships and the Sandbanks Crazy Golf course hosts the Dorset Pro-Am Crazy Golf Championship.

The Midlands Minigolf Club at the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships in Sandbanks

According to the excellent Miniature Golf course list at MiniatureGolfer.com there are also Minigolf / Crazy Golf courses in Bere Regis, Bridport, Charmouth, Rousden, Warmwell and Wimbourne. The journey continues...

Putting at the 'Flintstone's' Crazy Golf course at Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth

Links:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- MiniatureGolfer.com Miniature Golf Course List (England and the Islands)

- British Minigolf Association (BMGA)
- Pirate Adventure Mini Golf at Weymouth Sea Life Centre
- Bournemouth Lower Gardens Minigolf
- Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf
- Sandbanks Crazy Golf

A Nice Cup of Tea in Weymouth

While in Weymouth for the Weymouth Open Minigolf Tournament we popped over to 5js Cafe which is also at Lodmoor Country Park.

I'm not normally a tea drinker, but the advertising offer of a 'Nice cup of Tea' drew me in.

I must say it was a very nice cup of tea indeed.

I may start drinking Tea more often, as it may have played a part in fuelling the victory Chris Harding and I had in the Weymouth Open Team Tournament that afternoon!

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Gluten Free Fish & Chips in Weymouth at the Old Harbour Fish Bar

To round off a successful weekend of minigolf on the course we headed for the Old Harbour Fish Bar (formerly Maguires) in Weymouth for some well earned Gluten Free Fish and Chips.

I must say that it was one of the best portions of Fish and Chips I've ever had (Gluten Free or 'normal')!

Midlands Minigolf Club vs Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club at Sandbanks Hole 5 part 2

Footage from the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships match between the Midlands Minigolf Club B team and Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club A team. Played at Sandbanks Crazy Golf course on Sunday 4th October 2009.

 

The Midlands Minigolf Club can now be found on Facebook.

Sandbanks Crazy Golf website.

British Minigolf Association website.

Midlands Minigolf Club vs Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club at Sandbanks Hole 5 part 1

Footage from the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships match between the Midlands Minigolf Club B team and Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club A team. Played at Sandbanks Crazy Golf course on Sunday 4th October 2009.

 

The Midlands Minigolf Club can now be found on Facebook.

Sandbanks Crazy Golf website.

British Minigolf Association website.

Midlands Minigolf Club vs Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club at Sandbanks Hole 4 part 2

Footage from the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships match between the Midlands Minigolf Club B team and Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club A team. Played at Sandbanks Crazy Golf course on Sunday 4th October 2009.

  

The Midlands Minigolf Club can now be found on Facebook.

Sandbanks Crazy Golf website.

British Minigolf Association website.

Midlands Minigolf Club vs Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club at Sandbanks Hole 4 part 1

Footage from the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships match between the Midlands Minigolf Club B team and Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club A team. Played at Sandbanks Crazy Golf course on Sunday 4th October 2009.

 

The Midlands Minigolf Club can now be found on Facebook.

Sandbanks Crazy Golf website.

British Minigolf Association website.

Midlands Minigolf Club Photos

Midlands Minigolf Club Photos from the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships in Sandbanks.

MMGC Coach Emily Gottfried shows Midlands A Team member Jas Kukielka some tips for hole one at Sandbanks Crazy Golf.

2008 National Club Champions - the Midlands Minigolf Club

Midlands A

Midlands B

Coach Emily taking the BMGA British Club Championship trophy to the club house before the tourney teed off

Top Midlands Junior Owen 'Jackpot' Johnson plays a shot.

Midlands Captain 'Squire' Richard Gottfried plays a shot on the first hole.

The Midlands team watches Leo Kukielka on the fourth hole during the B Team's match with Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club's Z Team.

Leo Kukielka tees-off on the third hole.

Midlands A Team members 'Squire' Richard Gottfried and Jas Kukielka have a moment to reflect on 'what went wrong'.

The Midlands Minigolf Club can now be found on Facebook.

Sandbanks Crazy Golf website.

British Minigolf Association website.