Crazy Golf at Basildon's Christmas Lights Switch-On

There will be a Crazy Golf course at Basildon's Christmas Lights Switch-On on Saturday 16th November.

Glow Sports Zone opening at the Eastgate Shopping Centre Basildon

The Crazy Golf course at the Eastgate Centre in Basildon, Essex will be re-opening under new branding this month.

Glow Sports Zone will be opening at the Eastgate Centre in Basildon later this month. The venue is being opened by Vlogger Charlie Davis.

The course venue has been known as Neon 9s Golf Bar. And before that had been a Jurassic Mini-Golf experience.

We haven't been to Basildon yet on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Halloween Adventure Golf at Golf World Stansted

Golf World Stansted is hosting a Halloween Adventure Golf event.

The Halloween Adventure Golf at Golf World Stansted will be taking place on Thursday 31st October, Friday 1st November and Sunday 3rd November.

Find out more on the Golf World Stansted website.

Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend-on-Sea

Playing at Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.

Caddies Crazy Golf is home to two 9-hole indoor courses.

Each has a distinct design and style, with one course using a fantasy minigolf style, while the other utilises Swedish Felt B-Run 'lanes' as the base for the course. It's a unique set-up and looks very nice.

The Blue course at Caddies Crazy Golf became the 1,020th visited (564th played) while the Red course was the 1,021st visited (565th played) on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out the Caddies Crazy Golf website for more information, opening times and prices. As well as the Southend venue you can also find Caddies Crazy Golf in Crawley.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Since 2006 Emily and I have visited 1,064 miniature golf courses around the UK and overseas on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. As well as playing minigolf in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man we’ve travelled to minigolf courses in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (Lanzarote and Majorca), Sweden and the USA.

When added to the courses my brother Christopher and his family have visited around the British Isles and Türkiye, Spain (Majorca), Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Indonesia, Croatia and the USA, the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour stands at a combined 1,111 courses visited!

Arnold Palmer Mini Golf course in Southend

Here's a look at the Arnold Palmer Mini Golf course in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.

We revisited the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Mini Golf course on the Esplanade in Southend-on-Sea on our trip to the seaside town in April 2023.

The course was originally the 16th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in March 2007 and we've returned a number of times since then.

The layout at the site is the 'East course' and is one of what were two courses there. When we first visited the remains of the 'West course' could still be seen.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Since 2006 Emily and I have visited 1,064 miniature golf courses around the UK and overseas on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. As well as playing minigolf in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man we’ve travelled to minigolf courses in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (Lanzarote and Majorca), Sweden and the USA.

When added to the courses my brother Christopher and his family have visited around the British Isles and Türkiye, Spain (Majorca), Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Indonesia, Croatia and the USA, the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour stands at a combined 1,111 courses visited!

Adventure Golf at Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea

Here's a look at the Adventure Golf course at Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.

We revisited the Adventure Golf at Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea on our trip to the seaside town in April 2023.

There are two 9-hole courses there and they were originally the 14th and 15th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in March 2007 and we've returned a number of times since then.

We actually played the Aztec and Inca Adventure Golf courses at Adventure Island in 2003, three years before our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began. Sadly the results of that contest are lost in the ether!

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Since 2006 Emily and I have visited 1,064 miniature golf courses around the UK and overseas on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. As well as playing minigolf in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man we’ve travelled to minigolf courses in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (Lanzarote and Majorca), Sweden and the USA.

When added to the courses my brother Christopher and his family have visited around the British Isles and Türkiye, Spain (Majorca), Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Indonesia, Croatia and the USA, the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour stands at a combined 1,111 courses visited!

From Jurassic Golf to Glo Golf in Basildon

The indoor minigolf course at the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon, Essex is in the process of changing from a Jurassic-themed course to a glo-golf, with UV paint and lighting effects.

We haven't been to Basildon yet on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Putt Putt Social in Colchester

A new Putt Putt Social indoor minigolf venue is planned to open in Colchester.

Putt Putt Social Minigolf in Norwich. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, September 2023

There are plans to turn the former Debenhams department store in Colchester, Essex into an indoor crazy golf course.

Visit the Putt Putt Social website to find out more about the brand's existing courses.

It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Noah’s Park Adventure Golf at Barleylands in Billericay

Barleylands in Billericay has a new minigolf course.

A new Adventure Golf course has opened at Barleylands in Billericay, Essex.

The Noah’s Park Adventure Golf course is an 18-hole outdoor layout.

Check out the Barleylands website for more information.

It's another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

A look at the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

We visited the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea in April. It was nice to see some of the signage was still in place, even though there was a lot of scaffolding up around it.

I've since heard that all of the Blockbuster signage has now been removed.

My friend and fellow blogger Mark Routh sent me photos of this particular Blockbuster Video Express store back in July 2020.

It's always fun to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and interesting signage while out and about on our travels. Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in October 2019 I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence on the high street. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013!

Our travels have taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

BUNKERS! Crazy Golf now open in Romford, Essex

The new BUNKERS! indoor entertainment venue in Romford, Essex is now open.

BUNKERS! at The Brewery shopping centre in Romford, Essex is home to a crazy golf course, shuffleboard, and axe throwing.

Visit the BUNKERS! website for more information about the new venue, as well as the existing BUNKERS! location in Swansea.

It's another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Jurassic Mini-Golf at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon

A new Jurassic-themed Mini-Golf course is opening at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon, Essex.

The indoor dinosaur-themed Mini-Golf course will be part of the new Jurassica Live venue at the shopping centre.

Visit the Jurassica Live website for more information.

BUNKERS! Crazy Golf opening in Romford

A new BUNKERS! indoor entertainment venue is planned to open in November.

BUNKERS! at The Brewery shopping centre in Romford, Essex will be home to a crazy golf course, shuffleboard, and axe throwing.

Visit the BUNKERS! website for more information about the new venue, as well as the existing BUNKERS! location in Swansea.

It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars Minigolf in Colchester

A new Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars minigolf venue is heading to Colchester, Essex.

Puttstars Minigolf

Hollywood Bowl is opening a Puttstars indoor minigolf course and a tenpin bowling centre at the Northern Gateway leisure area in the town.

The location was first announced in January 2020.

There are now Puttstars minigolf centres in Leeds, Harrow, York, Rochdale and Peterborough.

Check out the Puttstars website for more information.

The retailtainment and minigolf boom

Minigolf is a big part of the retailtainment boom, with courses opening as standalone entertainment activities, or as part of large shoppingtainment leisure offerings in shopping centres, malls, high streets and retail parks.

Playing Puttstars

We played Puttstars Minigolf in Rochdale on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in June 2021. It was the first course we played in ten months following coronavirus pandemic lockdowns!

Puttstars Minigolf in Rochdale

Boom Battle Bar in Southend

A new Boom Battle Bar venue is opening in Southend, Essex this year.

Boom Battle Bar will soon have a location at the Victoria Shopping Centre in Southend on Sea, Essex.

The venue will be home to a crazy golf course, as well as games such as shuffleboard and beer pong.

Boom Battle Bar Southend is due to open in October 2023.

Visit the Boom Battle Bar website for more information.

BUNKERS! Crazy Golf opening in Romford

A new BUNKERS! Crazy Golf venue is opening in Romford, Essex.

Two 12-hole BUNKERS! Crazy Golf courses are being created at the Brewery in Romford, Essex.

The Romford location will be the second site for the BUNKERS! brand. The first venue opened in Swansea.

BUNKERS! Crazy Golf is from Adventure Leisure Ltd, the team behind Mr Mulligans Adventure Golf.

Visit the BUNKERS! Crazy Golf website for more information.

Mini Golf at No Name Bar and Games in Colchester

A new entertainment venue in Colchester, Essex is adding a mini golf course.

The new mini golf course will be inside No Name Bar and Games in Colchester.

Visit the No Name Bar and Games website for more information.