Putt'n Score minigolf game

A look at the Putt'n Score minigolf game by Hilco Corporation, 2001.

One of a number of minigolf games in the Crazy Golf Museum.

Do you have a favourite miniature golf game, board game or toy?

Putt-In-Play by Gibbs Toys, circa 1930

A look at a Parlor Golf putting game from the 1930s.

We love finding and showcasing games, interesting items, ephemera, stories and history from the world of minigolf.

The Crazy Golf Museum is home to a number of fun, old and interesting items.

Yesterday I posted about the Parlor Golf game made by Parlor Golf MFGR. Co. of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA in the USA.

Putt-In-Play

Today's putting game for Minigolf Monday is the Putt-In-Play set by Gibbs Toys of Canton, Ohio, USA.

A 9-hole set up of Putt-In-Play

Also known as The Parlor Golf Game, the 9-hole wooden set has a nice range of obstacles to putt through.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

 

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

The Putt-In-Play set originally consisted of the 9-holes, two wooden shafted 5 1/2" putters with metal heads, six steel golf balls, rules, blank score cards and a golf bag.

It's ace to look back at historic items from days gone by. The Putt-In-Play layout looks quite similar to Beton and Eternit types of miniature golf that were created in the 1950s and are still very popular in Continental Europe.

Do you have a favourite miniature golf game, or know of any others?

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website for more minigolf toys and games.

Parlor Golf

A look at a minigolf game from 1930.

The Crazy Golf Museum is home to a number of interesting, fun and old items from the world of miniature golf.

One such item that ticks all three boxes is this, Parlor Golf from 1930. The game was made by Parlor Golf MFGR. Co. of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA.

The set instructs players on how to create an 18-hole course by using the four wooden base plates and five obstacles.

By making the holes shorter and varying the placement of the obstacles you can create even more combinations.

Check out the Crazy Golf Museum website for more minigolf toys and games.

Do you have a favourite putting game, minigolf board game, or know of any others? Do let us know.

Related blog posts:
- Board Games
- Putt at home
- The Crazy Golf Museum

Pub quizzes during lockdown

Have you played a virtual pub quiz during lockdown?

Is anyone else missing that Friday feeling at their local as we all stay home?🍺🍻

Are any Stockport pubs hosting online pub quizzes? @TheVirtualPubQ1 are hosting an online pub quiz tomorrow evening: https://t.co/xA1JVtPqpy

📸@putting_gott pic.twitter.com/F762opT4rc

— Stockport Council (@StockportMBC) May 1, 2020

Our local The Micker Brook in Cheadle Hulme has been running a weekly online quiz with the excellent Mike Prince since lockdown began.

The Micker Brook in Cheadle Hulme

It's brilliant fun.

I've been taking snaps of the pubs of Stockport I pass while out on my daily exercise. You can see more on my Instagram.

Darts at The Players' Entrance in Stockport

Playing darts at The Players' Entrance indoor sports park in Stockport.

Darts at The Player's Entrance in Stockport

Earlier today I called in to The Players' Entrance in Stockport's Merseyway shopping centre as the venue was hosting a special darts event.

Stockport darts superstar Nathan 'The Asp' Aspinall is competing in the PDC World Championships this month and the event saw the launch of a new partnership with the Stockport Disability Darts League and a link up with The Players' Entrance and Stockport schools.

The Stockport Disability Darts League set-up at The Players' Entrance

Nathan Aspinall is ranked number 12 in the world and is the 2019 UK Open champion, the 2019 US Darts Masters champion and was a semi-finalist in the 2019 PDC World Championships.

It was brilliant to meet Nathan and I had the chance to play against him in two games on one of the electronic soft-tip dartboards.

Nathan 'The Asp' Aspinall and me after our two games of darts. Guess who won?

The Playerss Entrance now has a disability darts area with dartboards and oche set-up so that players of any ability can compete against each other. The backing board has two dartboards - one for standing players and one for those seated - that can be quickly flipped after each player's throw.

I'm a big fan of both playing and watching darts. It's an inclusive game and can be picked up and played easily.

Visit The Players' Entrance website for more info, opening times and prices for the sports and games on offer.

Check out Stockport Disability Darts League for more information.

Visit Nathan 'The Asp' Aspinall's official Facebook Page too.

Out to Play exhibition at the Manor House Museum in Kettering

A visit to the Out to Play exhibition at the Manor House Museum in Kettering.

While in Kettering last week we called in to the Manor House Museum in the town centre as we'd spotted a poster for the Out to Play exhibition there.

We're big fans of museums, sports and games and it's always interesting to see different displays and exhibitions.

Kettering is home to the famous Wicksteed Park and the exhibition included a number of items from the amusement park.

It was nice to spot something minigolf related on display.

There were a lot of postcards used in the exhibition.

A nice old postcard of Wicksteed Park

Visit the Manor House Museum website for more information.

Our main reason for being in Kettering was to play the indoor Adventure Golf course at the New York Thunderbowl, our 900th course visit in the British Isles.

There is a Crazy Golf course and a Putting Green at Wicksteed Park and it's on our to visit list when the weather is nicer.

Retro Arcade in Warrington

A visit to the Retro Arcade in Warrington.

We've been to quite a few arcades, retro bars and barcades over the last few years and Retro Arcade is easily one of the best.

As I grew up playing in the amusement arcades of the 1980s and 90s I remember how brilliant it was back then.

I also remember how far I ever managed to get in games. Even though I played back in the days when a game was 10p a go I never had enough money - or patience - to play anything all the way through. I used to love having a go on as many games as I could with my pocket of change. A lot of the time my brothers and I spent in the arcades would be waiting our turn while watching older and better players on the machines. That and making out we were playing while watching the attract screens, the FBI Warning from William S. Sessions and demo modes.

Just a small selection of the original arcade cabinets available to play

There's a marvellous range of original cabinets at Retro Arcade and when I first walked in it took a few seconds for me to take it all in. Some of the rare titles on offer include Tron and Video Pinball.

As well as the quirky and rare Video Pinball cabinet Retro Arcade has a number of real pinball machines

For an £8 entry fee you receive unlimited play on stacks of arcade machines. There's also a SEGA Mega Drive, NES and PSone tucked away at the back near the bar area and I enjoyed playing Wardner on the Mega Drive. It's one of my all-time favourite arcade games.

Retro Arcade has made very good use of the space in the old railway arch

When I got inside I had a quick play on RoboCop and died on level one. I then had a go on Hyper Sports and then had a wander.

What a game

What a cool menu

We went to the bar and then I went back to the Data East RoboCop cabinet. As the machines are all set to free play mode I knew this was my opportunity to finally complete the game. And I did. If I had been spending 10p or 20p a go on it I'm certain I would've spent all my pocket money for the month playing the game the way I went through continues.

It's taken me three decades to see this screen

It was worth the wait

After accomplishing a feat 31 years in the making I had a bit of a break before stepping up to play Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Another coin eating beast and certainly a machine to play to get your money's worth at Retro Arcade. I managed to get further than I ever had before but had to give up after quite a while as my trigger finger was getting worn out.

What really made the experience perfect for me was that you could actually hear the games you were playing. Quite a feat considering all of the sounds coming from dozens of arcade cabinets. There's also a free play jukebox and that was kicking out some superb tunes from the 80's and 90's.

Part of the fun of playing a game is hearing the sound and music of it. So often I've been to an arcade bar only to find that the music at the venue is far too loud and so therefore drowns out the music and sound effects from the game.

The staff on our visit were great and it was fantastic to see a real mix of people enjoying the experience.

Retro Arcade is a must visit venue.

I'll be back

Check out the Retro Arcade website for more info, opening times and prices.

The SEGA Bus

Hopping aboard the SEGA Mega Drive Mini Bus in Manchester.

Last week I heard that the SEGA Bus was hitting the road again!

The SEGA Game Bus on Market Street in Manchester

My brothers and I went on one (a lot) when it stopped off at Barry Island Holiday Camp in the early 90s.

It was such a fun thing to do and I remember we played challenge games of Sonic the Hedgehog for prizes as well as receiving goody bags for visiting. Once we left the bus we immediately joined the queue to get on board for another game of Sonic on the Mega Drive.

The 2019 SEGA Game Bus

The version of the double decker bus that called in to Manchester on it's week-long tour housed a number of the new SEGA Mega Drive Mini consoles and allowed players to have a go on the system's 42 games. I played Road Rash II, Darius and Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition.

Playing Darius on the SEGA Mega Drive Mini

I hope it isn't another 28 years before I go on another SEGA Bus. The year 2047 is AGES away.

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.

Foot Bowl at MFA Bowl in Leeds

While in Leeds we had a couple of games of tenpin bowling at the MFA Bowl below the Merrion Centre. While there we spotted a new game - Foot Bowl.

Foot Bowl (or Footbowl) at MFA Bowl in Leeds

The MFA Bowl in Leeds is home to the only Foot Bowl alley/pitch.

We didn't have time for a game, but we did see a few people giving it a go.

It's interesting to see how many variations of sports and games are being created at the moment, with the likes of Footgolf, Rugby Golf and Football Pool either growing in popularity or being tested. All good stuff to get people more active and having fun.

The Social Fun and Games Club at Roof East

Birdies Crazy Golf to be a part of the Social Fun and Games Club in London.

This summer the Social Fun and Games Club is launching on a rooftop in East London. From Thursday 4th of May you can visit Roof East in Stratford to have a game of minigolf on the Birdies Crazy Golf course.

Loopy for Crazy Golf

The Social Fun and Games Club looks brilliant fun. In addition to playing rooftop Crazy Golf you can also have a game of bowls or play baseball. if sport isn't your thing then you can relax at the Rooftop Film Club or have a dance and skate at Rooftop Rollers - the first rooftop roller disco in London. There will also be cocktails and street food available.

Birdies Crazy Golf was the 672nd course visited on our tour

We played Birdies Crazy Golf back in 2015! How time flies.



Visit the Social Fun and Games Club and Roof East websites for more information, opening times and prices.

Check out this list of Crazy Golf courses in London to see where you can get your fix of the game in the capital.

Links:
- Social Fun and Games Club website
- Roof East website

Related blog posts:
- Details of Crazy Golf, Minigolf and Adventure Golf courses in London
- Rooftop Minigolf Courses in London
- Playing Mini Golf in London at Birdies Crazy Golf Club
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Videos:
- Minigolf at Birdies Crazy Golf Club in Waterloo, London (1 of 2)
- Minigolf at Birdies Crazy Golf Club in Waterloo, London (2 of 2)

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Post-Apocalyptic Minigolf at Somerset House

Play a Post-Apocalyptic Minigolf course at the Now Play This festival in London.

My mate and minigolf rival Gareth Holmes spotted a piece in Time Out about the Now Play This event taking place at Somerset House in London from the 7th to the 9th April. The festival of experimental games design will feature a post-apocalyptic minigolf course!

The Now Play This miniature golf course has been created by Gary Campbell and Jeannine Inglis Hall and is called 'Anthropo-Scenic Golf'. It will be available to play on Saturday 8th April.

Back in 2012 our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour took us to East London where we played at the Golf Apocalypse. That was indeed a crazy game of minigolf.

Playing the 'Golf Apocalypse' Mini Golf course at London's Pleasure Gardens, near Pontoon Dock

Now Play This coincides with the city-wide games initiative, the London Games Festival. Check out the Now Play This, London Games Festival and Somerset House websites for more information.

If you're visiting the event you may want to check out some of the other miniature golf courses in London while you're in the city.

End of the Petanque season in Stockport. Or is it...

Playing Pétanque at Alexandra Park in Edgeley, Stockport.

Today's session of Pétanque in the Park with the Woodstock Pétanque Club was scheduled to be the last of the season. But with the nice weather and good turnout of players the club are looking at rolling on into the winter months, weather permitting.

Lovely weather and excellent company. What sport is all about

In today's session I walked away with a 100% win record. Albeit having only played one match as I was otherwise engaged prior to the normal 1pm start time.

My bright new coche. With my shinyish newish boules

The format of play at the Woodstock Pétanque Club is great fun. It's easy to get involved and pick up the sport and well worth a go if you've never played before.

In our game - the last of three in the afternoon - I was drawn in a triples team with Jackie and Barbara to take on the pair of Paul and Andrew. In this type of situation each of the players in the team of three use two boules each, while the duo get to use three boules each.

What a match-up the blind drew created

With some very close ends played and some fine shooting and pointing from all the players we emerged as winners with a 13-8 scoreline.

The Woodstock Pétanque Club meets-up on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. New players are very welcome. It costs just £10 for the annual membership, with a £1 fee per week when you play - with prizes up for grabs for results over the three games played. The 'normal' season runs from March to October. Check out the Woodstock Pétanque Club's website for more details.

Related blog posts:
- Pétanque
- Petanque
- Boules
- Petanque in Stockport

Links:
- Woodstock Pétanque Club on Twitter
- Woodstock Pétanque Club on Facebook
- Woodstock Pétanque Club website
- English Pétanque Association
- Geologic

Anglo-American Summit of the World Finger Jousting Federation

News from the Anglo-American Summit of the World Finger Jousting Federation.

Visit the World Finger Jousting Federation website for details of the recent Anglo-American Summit of the WFJF. An historic and landmark event in the fine sport of finger jousting.

President of the WFJF, and Lord of the Joust, Julian Gluck meets Richard Gottfried, British Consul to the Federation and head of operations in Europe

Back in 2006 I became the first international member of the WFJF. Check out the news item heralding my arrival.

Check out this video of a finger jousting contest between Squire Richard of Surleigh and Sir Myles of Hampshire.



Related blog posts:
- Finger Jousting
- The second ever blog post on the Ham & Egger Files

Links:
- World Finger Jousting Federation website
- World Finger Jousting Federation on Facebook