Munch Man

Spotting 'Pac-Man' on a sandwich shop sign in Burnley.

Pac-Man is always munching

We've also seen the video-game character pop up on shop signs in Preston, Ipswich, Nottingham and Bristol.

Bar Billiards at The Railway pub in Stockport

Finding a Bar Billiards table at The Railway pub in Stockport.

We're big fans of the old pub game of Bar Billiards so were very pleased to find a table at The Railway pub in Stockport on Saturday!

Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to play it as the pub had problems with its water supply and had to close while the emergency works were completed.

Bar Billiards Rules

We're looking forward to returning for a game or two in the future.

The Railway Pub in Stockport - you can see the table if you look in through this window

In 2017 we played the Bar Billiards table at The Blossoms pub on the A6. Like The Blossoms, the table at The Railway uses the four peg arrangement.

The table looks to be popular!

Coming from down south we're more used to seeing three pegs. We haven't seen too many four-peg tables on our Barmy Bar Billiards Trail. The ones at The Cheshire Cheese pub in London and The Chequers Inn at Knebworth spring to mind.

The nice and 'easy' 50-point holes are guarded by the white mushrooms in the four peg game

Related blog posts:
- Bar Billiards
- Pub Games
- Stockport
- Pubs

Start of the Petanque season in Stockport

Today marks the start of the Pétanque season in Stockport as the Woodstock Pétanque Club take to the terrain at Alexandra Park in Edgeley.

The club meets on the second and fourth Sunday of the month and play between 1pm and 4pm.

Playing a shot last April

The club receiving coaching from the English Petanque Association last summer

Check out the Woodstock Pétanque Club Facebook Group, Twitter and website for more information.

The Woodstock Petanque Club

Golfer's Putter Pool

While perusing the charity shops in Felixstowe at the weekend Emily spotted this brilliant looking golf/pool crossover game - Golfer's Putter Pool! At three quid it was a must buy.

Golfer's Putter Pool

We've been collecting miniature golf items since 2006 and hadn't seen this particular game before.

The game was made in the year 2000

We have however seen a few variations of hybrid minigolf/golf/pool/snooker/billiards games including Crazy Golf Pool and Pit-Pat, as well as some Crazy Golf obstacles that have used pool and snooker tables.

In October we played Crazy Golf Pool at Krazy Golf Lydney in the Forest of Dean

I first saw the game of Pit-Pat (obstacle billiards) in Vienna, Austria - it's like Crazy Golf but played with cues

The 7th hole of the Golf Apocalypse course in London used a snooker table

Hole 5 of the Plonk Golf course at Efes Snooker Hall in Dalston, London involved a pool table

Emily spotted the Snooker Golf course in Blankenberge, Belgium

Betway, sponsors of the UK Snooker Championship, have also created a version of Crazy Snooker. Check out the Putterfingers blog to see more.

Even Father Christmas is playing the Circle Game!

Is anybody safe from the Circle Game?

Don't look at Santa's right hand!

Foot Pool at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands

Playing another new game on our travels.

We recently stayed at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands for a Holiday on the Buses fanclub event and while there we got to play a new game - Foot Pool!

The Foot Pool / Football Pool table at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp

It was great fun and an interesting mix of the two sports.

The Rules

In our match-up I defeated Emily two games to nil.

Emily playing a shot

Booting the footpool football

Link:
- Pontin's Prestatyn Sands

Related blog posts:
- Sports and Games Played
- Holiday on the Buses
- Pontins
- Prestatyn

Happy National Video Game Day!

Happy National Video Game Day 2017.

We were recently in Tamworth - to play the new Castle Adventure Golf course at Namco Funscape - and noticed this giant piece of video game graffiti on a legal graffiti wall on an underpass!

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 

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

Zombies!!! 13: DEFCON Z board game

Backing a Kickstarter campaign for the latest addition to the Zombies!!! board game series.

Earlier this year I spotted that the team at Twilight Creations were launching a Kickstarter campaign for the latest addition to the post-apocalyptic survival horror game series and knew I had to chip in to the funding.

I'm a big fan of games, horror and zombies and while playing many of the editions and expansions of the Zombies!!! and Humans!!! games I'd noticed that the ruined cityscapes and environments in the Zombies!!! universe were lacking something that many towns and cities have.

You guessed it - a miniature golf course!

I was one of fifteen Tile Designers who backed the project and so now 'Squires Minigolf' is a playable part of the game!

The ruined, derelict and overrun Squires Minigolf course in the new Zombies!!! board game

Zombies!!! 13: DEFCON Z sees the military, the CDC and others begin the fightback against the zombie menace and takes place in the years after the original outbreak caused the end of the world as we know it!

Zombies!!! 13: DEFCON Z box front

The Zombies!!! games are very high quality - with great artwork on the event cards and game board tiles. There are also quite a few different types of zombie figures to kill (or avoid) in the game's universe - including humans, clowns, military enhanced zombies and zombie zoo animals!

Zombies!!! 13: DEFCON Z box reverse

Zombies!!! 13: DEFCON Z is a standalone expansion can be played in combination with Zombies!!! or in its own right. The set includes 25 map tiles (including the Minigolf course), 50 event cards, heart, bullet and new 'infection' tokens, dice, new player figures and 100 Zombies in four new poses.

What you get in the box - all ready to play!

The cast of characters - Zombies and Survivors

Check out the Twilight Creations website for more details and stockists of the Zombies!!! games and expansions, as well as other board and card games they make.

Back in 2011 we played in a Zombie Apocalypse outdoor laser tag event in Hastings. We were told that our group were the worst to ever play and so in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse we can all now rest easy in the knowledge that we would make better Zombies than survivors.

This year World Zombie Day is scheduled for Saturday 11 October!

Links:
- Twilight Creations website
- Twilight Creations on Facebook
- Zombies!!! 13: DEFCON Z Kickstarter page

Bushell's Best Bits – a new book by BBC TV's Mike Bushell

I recently received the book Bushell’s Best Bits as a birthday present from Emily. It’s written by BBC TV sports presenter by Mike Bushell and is a great read, with a view into many odd, obscure and alternative sports and games.

Mike Bushell has taken part in and profiled over 350 different sports and events and a lot of these are covered in the book – with the 2012 World Alternative Games getting a great write-up. Other sports covered include many that I compete in, including Finger Jousting, Crazy Golf, Rock Paper Scissors, Dodgeball.

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for someone I highly recommend Bushell’s Best Bits – who knows, they may be inspired to try out a new sport, game or recreational activity in 2014!

Links:

- John Blake Publishing

- Buy Bushell’s Best Bits at John Blake Publishing’s onlineshop

- Follow Mike Bushell on Twitter

Related blog posts:

- Book-related posts
- Behold...

Playing Archery Tag in Guildford

Trying out the new sport of Archery Tag.

As a fan of all manner of sports and games, whether old or new, traditional or obscure, I'm always on the lookout for new ones to have a go of. Following my blog post on the 1st of January 2013 where I asked the question "What sport or game that we haven't tried already should we give a go in 2013?" I had some responses via the comments, Facebook and Twitter.

One of these came from fellow sporting polymath Oliver 'Lawrence' Florence who suggested we give Archery Tag a go. He had heard an upcoming event would be taking place in Guildford and so it'd be a chance to have a play of the game for free!

Me, Guy Martin (grey) and Oliver Florence (red) in Archery Tag action

After a busy day of Minigolfing in Beckenham, Croydon and Carshalton Emily and I headed to Guildford and the Spectrum Leisure Complex which was the host venue for the Archery Tag event. Our group had been booked in for the 7pm session so we took some time beforehand to watch the action in the busy sports hall from the spectator's gantry. 

Before we got stuck into the game our group decided to warm-up with some target practice using the specific Archery Tag equipment. The bow and arrows differ from those used in Archery and the main thing you notice is the foam pad on the end of the arrows, these ensure that if (when!) you get hit by a shot it doesn't injure the competitor.

Richard 'Michael Skaggs' Skeggs (left) and Oliver 'The Machine' Florence warming-up before the main-event

Our group was then ready to hit the court (arena, course, battlefield?) and after a briefing by the Archery Tag organiser - Joshua from Discover Archery - we were provided with protective face masks, a bow and two arrows.

The game mixes Archery with rules similar to Dodgeball, Paintball and Laser Tag with two teams of players taking up positions on either side of the battlefield and once the whistle goes it's a free-for-all of arrows firing at the opposing force. In a competitive match we were told that if you get hit you are eliminated from the game for a one-minute period before re-entering the fray. For our have-a-go session we were involved in two seven-minute games, played with 'no outs'. So it gave us a great opportunity to practice our aim and have fun, without the fear and threat of elimination.

The Archery Tag 'battleground'

Once you've used up your initial two arrows you can then collect any arrows from the floor and re-use them - just be careful not to get hit while retrieving them! The arena also had a number of inflatable bases and barriers to hide behind and you certainly needed to use them as the game is non-stop with a constant hail of arrows coming in from the opposing team.

Launching a shot towards the opposition

One of the great things about the game is that you can also get 'catches'! So, if you see an arrow coming towards you and fancy grabbing it from mid-air then that is perfectly allowable - and quite an achievement too! I managed a couple of catches in the two games and hit some of the opposition too. Fellow sports enthusiast Richard 'Richard' Skeggs got really stuck into the sport and planted a perfect shot on my face - thank goodness for the protective face masks! I did get a couple of catches off him to slightly make up for it though.

Richard Skeggs - the 'one man gang' of Archery Tag!

It was great fun and I'd definitely like to play a competitive match. Perhaps a Luton team could travel to Guildford, or vice versa...

Emily models the Archery Tag 'look'

Check out details of Archery Tag on the Discover Archery website.

Links:

- Discover Archery

- Discover Archery - Archery Tag

- Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex

- Archery Tag

Related Blog Posts:

- A new sport or game for 2013?

- 2012 - A Big Year of Sport
- Behold...
- Underdog Day and meeting an Olympic Archer!

A new sport or game for 2013?

What sport or game that we haven't tried already should we give a go in 2013?

As well as playing lots of Minigolf on our travels around on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, Emily and I also regularly compete in British Minigolf Association competitions at Crazy Golf, Miniature Golf and Adventure Golf courses. We also enjoy participating in 'side-tournaments' and trying out new sports and games.

2012 was the year of Bar Billiards and 2011 saw us play a fair bit of Laser Tag, but what sport or game shall we take-up in 2013?

Related Blog Post:

- Behold...

The World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells

I recently found out about The World Alternative Games 2012 that are taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales from the 17th of August and the 2nd of September. It sounds brilliant.

The multi-sport event features a number of weird and wacky, bizarre, odd and obscure, fringe sports - some of which I have participated in over the years!

Looking at the website there will be a total of 49 events during the fortnight, including an opening & closing ceremony.

As an avid fan of alternative sports and games I've heard of a fair few of them, but others, like Underwater Rugby, The Mad Shopper and Welsh Crempog Race are new to me!

Some of the sports/championships on offer include the World Bathtubbing Championships, Gravy Wrestling, the International Under Water Hockey Championships, Conkers, Barrel Rolling and a Ditch Race! Of those sports I've heard of there will be events in Worm Charming, Rock Paper Scissors, Pea Shooting and Pooh Sticks.

The World Alternative Games is planned to become a bi-annual event, so if you can't make 2012, there's always 2014. Fingers crossed that Crazy Golf, Thumb Wrestling and Finger Jousting make the schedule in two years time...

Link:

- The World Alternative Games - Brochure

Related Blog Posts:

- Rock Paper Scissors

- Worm Charming

- Behold...

Inventing a New Game with Food Allergens

Discovering a dodgy looking condiment.

While dining in a pub restaurant in Seahouses, Northumberland I discovered a condiment packet of 'generic' Mint Sauce.

I was very surprised to see that, while lacking an ingredients list, it had a comprehensive list of allergens it may contain!?

The 'Mint Sauce' that is best avoided if you have an allergy/intolerance

The Salad Cream, Mayonnaise and Tomato Sauce (or Tomato Ketchup - what's the difference?) weren't much better on the ingredients/allergen front!

I was wondering if spotting this sachet could create a new game - Intolerance Top Trumps, Allergy Snap or Aversion Bingo perhaps...?

Behold...the sports and games we've played so far

Minigolf* and Finger Jousting isn't all that he can do, behold the great Richard Gottfried - a gift from me to you...

Adventure Golf

Air Hockey
Archery
Archery Tag

Arm Champs II Arm Wrestling
Bagatelle
Bar Billiards

Brussels Sprout Competitive Eating
Bun Throwing
Christmas Tree Throwing
Conga Dancing

Crazy Air Squash
Crazy Golf
Crazy Golf Pool

Dodgeball
Egg Throwing
FootGolf
FootPool
Football Pool

Guinness World Records
Laser Tag
London Skittles
Pétanque

Picnicking

(Ping) Pong
Pit-Pat
PongCrazy

Pirate Flyer Laser Monorails

Rock Paper Scissors
Shooting Shacks
Shuffleboard

'Tat' Challenges
Thumb Wrestling
World of Grip
Worm Charming

What's next?

Keep following The Ham & Egger Files to find out!

Richard Gottfried - Out Standing In His Field

* check out the post Types and Variants of Miniature Golf visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour for details of other versions of the game