NO GOLF at Woodlands Park in Gravesend, Kent

While visiting the Crazy Golf course at Woodlands Park in Gravesend, Kent we saw a NO GOLF sign.

As the Crazy Golf course is an abandoned one we couldn't have a game of minigolf there either.

Darts and Skittles at the Jolly Drayman in Gravesend

Playing some darts at the Jolly Drayman Pub in Gravesend.

On a recent trip to Gravesend, Kent we visited the Jolly Drayman pub that's a short walk from the town centre. It's well worth a visit.

We played a fair few games of darts at the Jolly Drayman. Luckily I didn't score under eleven in our matches. The pub has a nice, spacious and bright darts area. You can also buy darts, flights and spares there. I was undefeated in my games of 301 against Brad Shepherd and Seth Thomas so treated myself to some new flights

As we were leaving the pub we spotted a skittles table! I'll definitely try and give it a play in my next visit to Gravesend

I've played a few different types of pub skittles, including the rare London Skittles. In 2012 we played Northamptonshire Skittles on a table that was a little wider, but shorter than the one in the lobby of the Jolly Drayman.

Related blog posts:

- Darts
- Skittles
- Pub

- Gravesend
- Pub games

Bar Billiards at the Three Daws pub in Gravesend

Playing some Bar Billiards at the Three Daws in Gravesend.

Playing some Bar Billiards in Gravesend

I added another Bar Billiards table played and pub visited while in Gravesend, Kent as Brad, Seth and I headed to the Three Daws pub.

Seth taking advice/ignoring the local knowledge from Brad

The table was a bit on the wobbly side. And a bit wonky! It certainly made for an interesting three-player match. I won with a score of 780. Seth was second on 400, while hometown player Brad scored 330

Related blog posts:

- Bar Billiards

- Pub

- Gravesend
- Pub games

Links:

- Three Daws pub website
- Three Daws on Twitter
- Three Daws on Facebook
- Bar Billiards Forum
- The All England Bar Billiards Association (AEBBA)

Bar Billiards and Darts at The Cock Inn, Luddesdowne

Playing some Darts and Bar Billiards at The Cock Inn, Luddesdowne.

Brad Shepherd playing some Bar Billiards at The Cock Inn at Luddesdowne

I do enjoy playing pub games, and ever since my mate Brad Shepherd introduced me to the sport of Bar Billiards, via the Indoor League, I've looked to play as many tables as I can find.

On a recent trip to Gravesend we made the short journey to the village of Luddesdowne - between Meopham and Cobham - to visit The Cock Inn to see the traditional pub games there.

Brad and I had a cracking game of Bar Billiards. Having not played in a while we got off to a bit of a slow start, but Brad then took the lead, only for me to mount a comeback (curtailed by a break wipeout), followed by another fightback to eventually win 990 to 810

There's also a 'standard' dartboard at The Cock Inn...

...as well as three examples of variant dartboards! This was the first time I'd seen a London Fives, Yorkshire Board or a Manchester Log-End Board in the flesh. Brilliant to see

There was also a Shove Ha'penny slate at the pub. I've played on a wooden board, but never seen the game on a slate before

Check out the Patrick Chaplin (aka Dr Darts) website for more on the history of the dartboard.

Related blog posts:

- Bar Billiards
- Darts

- Pub
- Pub games

Links:

- The Cock Inn website
- The Cock Inn on Twitter
- The Cock Inn on Facebook
- Bar Billiards Forum
- The All England Bar Billiards Association (AEBBA)

Crazy Golf at Woodlands Park in Gravesend, Kent

A revisit to the Mini Golf course in Gravesend's Woodlands Park.

Back in February 2009 we visited Gravesend and had a play of the abandoned Crazy Golf course in Woodlands Park. Six years on and I was in town again and had to have a look at the course.

Nothing much had changed.

The course on 28 February 2009

As the course looked on Valentines Day 2015

The course is still in an abandoned, derelict state, but surprisingly the felt and frame of the 18-hole layout still looks to be in a pretty decent condition.

At another unplayable course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Interestingly when you look beyond the existing holes you can see the foundations of the course that was originally there. It looks like the course used to be similar to some of the Beton and Eternit courses more often found in continental Europe.

My guide for the day was Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd who had a walk round the course and reminisced about some of the holes-in-one he scored on the miniature golf course when he was a lad.

Local lad Brad showed me around the Crazy Golf course

  

 

The Woodlands Park Crazy Golf course was the 79th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 79 - Woodlands Park, Gravesend
- Hole...in...one
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Latest Irregular Mini Golf Tour Results - Gravesend

28th February 2009

Woodlands Park BYO Open
Richard Gottfried - 43(+7)
Emily Gottfried - 43(+7)

Play-off:
5th Hole - EG 2 & RG 2
5th Hole - EG 2 & RG 2
14the Hole - EG 4 & RG 1

Richard wins at the third extra hole with an Ace.

Gravesend Classic
Emily Gottfried beats Richard Gottfried 3 & 2.

Hole...in...one

An Ace on the 5th hole at Woodlands Park in Gravesend, Kent.




Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 79 - Woodlands Park, Gravesend
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Course Visit No. 79 - Woodlands Park, Gravesend

On Saturday 28th February 2009 we visited Woodlands Park in Gravesend, Kent to play the 79th course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.


No 'Big' Golf allowed!

The course itself was in the park right next to the hotel we were staying in. Unfortunately the course was no longer actually open and in a bit of a derelict state.

We had brought our own putters and some golf balls on our trip so we were able to have a round. The course was actually OK (and good enough to score a hole-in-one on), so it was odd the course had been shut down.

In our minigolf match-up on the course - the Woodlands Park BYO Open - we drew:
- Richard - 43(+7)
- Emily - 43(+7)

Play-off:
- 5th Hole - EG 2 & RG 2
- 5th Hole - EG 2 & RG 2
- 14the Hole - EG 4 & RG 1

Richard won at the third extra-hole with an Ace.

Gravesend Classic matchplay contest:
- Emily beat Richard 3 & 2.

Related blog posts:
- Hole...in...one
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour