The 8th October is World Octopus Day.
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| We've seen quite a few octopuses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour |
Find out more.
Visit the World Animal Protection website for more information about World Octopus Day.
Showing posts with label Octopus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Octopus. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 08, 2025
Today is World Octopus Day
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
Sunday, October 08, 2023
World Octopus Day
Today is World Octopus Day.
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
Monday, June 01, 2020
Pirate Mini Golf at the centre:MK in Milton Keynes
Playing the pop-up Pirate Mini Golf course at the centre:MK. Six years ago today.
On Sunday 1st June 2014 we headed over to Milton Keynes to make the 560th course visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
The 12-hole Pirate Mini Golf course became the 336th played since 2006.
The course was of the 'Eternit' type of Miniature Golf - with the addition of felt to the playing surface and a few non-standard hole types and obstacles.
The pirate-theming around the site was very well done and the striking blue of the felt on the course made a nice contrast with the green felt flooring surrounding it.
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
Tuesday, October 08, 2019
Happy World Octopus Day
Today is World Octopus Day.
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| The lurking octopus in Castleford |
International Octopus Day is the perfect time to celebrate these creatures of the deep.
We've seen quite a few octopuses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
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| Olga the Octopus at Southend Pier Crazy Golf |
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| A kraken on the pop-up Pirate Adventure Golf at the Centre MK in Milton Keynes |
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| Another kraken, this one was on the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Camp in Rhyl |
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| Playing the Sea Dwellers Crazy Golf course at Pensarn Beach in Abergele |
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| Playing the Olga the Octopus hole on Southend Pier |
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| The lesser-spotted octopus obstacle on a DK Fibreglass Crazy Golf course |
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| The course had five cups on each green. It's the only course of its kind we've played. It's also the only course I've shot a 'perfect' round on |
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| A destructive octopus at the indoor Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course in Blackpool |
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| A cephalopod on the Sea Dwellers Crazy Golf course at The Golden Palm Resort, Chapel St Leonards, near Skegness |
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| An octopus on the fibreglass Crazy Golf course at the MiniLinks in St Annes on the Sea |
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| An octopus in the glow-in-the-dark section of Mr Mulligan's Lost World Adventure Golf course in Stevenage |
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| The kraken on the pop-up Pirate Mini Golf course at the Galleria Shopping Centre in Hatfield |
Have you seen any octopus obstacles on a crazy, minigolf or adventure golf course? Do let us know where they were.
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Revisiting Hastings Pier
We recently visited Hastings for the first time since 2015 and it was great to have a walk on the new pier. We'd only ever been on it once before back in 2008.
We were really impressed with what has been built following the fire which almost totally destroyed it in 2010.
Visit the Hastings Pier website for more information.
We were really impressed with what has been built following the fire which almost totally destroyed it in 2010.
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| A view of the new pier from White Rock Gardens |
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| The end of the pier is a nice wide-open space. We've visited a lot of piers on our travels and Hastings Pier is certainly different to most |
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| A pair of Minions on the pier |
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| We visited the pier just after the Hastings Pier Yarn Bomb had opened! |
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| There was a lot of knitted bunting |
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| Having a nice sit down next to a mermaid |
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| A knitted beach hut |
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| The knitting got almost everywhere |
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| One of the un-yarn bombed benches at the end of the pier |
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| While we were on the pier on Sunday we spotted an ice cream cart going round offering free knitted ice creams! They were gluten free to boot |
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| Enjoying my knitted Ice Cream alongside Hastings character John 'Big Top Ted' McIver |
Visit the Hastings Pier website for more information.
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
Friday, July 08, 2016
Mr Mulligan's Lost World Adventure Golf in Stevenage
A visit to Mr Mulligan's latest Adventure Golf course.
Last year we heard about a new minigolf venue opening in Stevenage and Mr Mulligan's latest course - Lost World Golf - opened at Stevenage Leisure Park earlier this year.
We've been itching to get along for a game and earlier this week we had a round on the two nautical themed courses. We loved it.
The courses became the 685th and 686th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and were the 403rd and 404th played.
Our group hit the Jungle Explorers course for round one and followed this with a game on the Ocean Adventurers layout.
There is some excellent theming throughout the indoor Adventure Golf venue - not least the giant wooden submarine that sits in the middle of the two courses!
There's a real mix of obstacles and hole types and there's even a section of holes where you are plunged into blacklight - one of my favourite types of minigolf environments to play in.
As we're super competitive players we made sure we kept score and the results of our contest are below - it was very close indeed!
Round 1 - Jungle Explorers Championship
1st - Simon 'Local Athlete' Hinton - 45
2nd (tied) - Cat 'Helter Skelter' Patterson - 46
2nd (tied) - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 46
4th - Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 51
5th - Simon 'Practice' Hall - 52
6th - 'First Game' Salimeh - 71
Round 2 - Ocean Adventurers Championship
1st - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 47
2nd - Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 51
3rd - Simon 'Local Athlete' Hinton - 52
4th - Cat 'Helter Skelter' Patterson - 56
Overall - Stevenage Invitational Tournament
1st - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 46 + 47 = 93
2nd - Simon 'Local Athlete' Hinton - 45 + 52 = 97
3rd (tied) - Cat 'Helter Skelter' Patterson - 46 + 56 = 102
3rd (tied) - Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 51 + 51 = 102
5th - Simon 'Practice' Hall - 52 + DNF
6th - 'First Game' Salimeh - 71 + DNF
Aces Championship
1st (tied) - Cat Patterson - hole 4 (Jungle) and hole 9 (Ocean)
1st (tied) - Simon Hinton - hole 13 and 18 (Jungle)
3rd - Emily Gottfried - hole 7 (Jungle)
It was also nice to have a break between rounds with a drink at the bar. We also had a celebratory/consolation drink at the end of our second round.
Visit Mr Mulligan's website for opening times and prices, as well as details of his courses in Milton Keynes, Sidcup, Castleford, Nottingham and Woking. We've yet to visit the Nottingham course at Ramsdale Park Golf Centre.
Links:
- Adventure Golf Limited website
- Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf website
- Stevenage Leisure Park website
Related blog posts:
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Hertfordshire
- Stevenage
- Shark
Video:
- Playing the Doomsday Device at Mr Mulligan's Lost World Adventure Golf in Stevenage
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.
You can also now sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter.
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| You can't miss the entrance to the Lost World Golf! |
Last year we heard about a new minigolf venue opening in Stevenage and Mr Mulligan's latest course - Lost World Golf - opened at Stevenage Leisure Park earlier this year.
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| Mr Mulligan's Lost World Golf gets the thumbs up from the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour |
We've been itching to get along for a game and earlier this week we had a round on the two nautical themed courses. We loved it.
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| Our crew of adventure golfers in Stevenage |
The courses became the 685th and 686th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and were the 403rd and 404th played.
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| A view of the Jungle course |
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| The 16th hole in the Jungle |
Our group hit the Jungle Explorers course for round one and followed this with a game on the Ocean Adventurers layout.
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| Emily on the 15th about to putt to the ground floor green |
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| If you press this button... |
There is some excellent theming throughout the indoor Adventure Golf venue - not least the giant wooden submarine that sits in the middle of the two courses!
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| Local competitor Simon Hinton and the wooden submarine |
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| What an obstacle/hole/feature! |
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| The inside of the submarine contains a very very tough hole to play! |
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| The blacklight area on the Ocean Adventurers course |
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| A glow in the dark octopus |
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| Meeting Mr Mulligan |
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| Emily putting under the sea |
As we're super competitive players we made sure we kept score and the results of our contest are below - it was very close indeed!
Round 1 - Jungle Explorers Championship
1st - Simon 'Local Athlete' Hinton - 45
2nd (tied) - Cat 'Helter Skelter' Patterson - 46
2nd (tied) - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 46
4th - Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 51
5th - Simon 'Practice' Hall - 52
6th - 'First Game' Salimeh - 71
Round 2 - Ocean Adventurers Championship
1st - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 47
2nd - Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 51
3rd - Simon 'Local Athlete' Hinton - 52
4th - Cat 'Helter Skelter' Patterson - 56
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| The champ |
Overall - Stevenage Invitational Tournament
1st - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 46 + 47 = 93
2nd - Simon 'Local Athlete' Hinton - 45 + 52 = 97
3rd (tied) - Cat 'Helter Skelter' Patterson - 46 + 56 = 102
3rd (tied) - Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 51 + 51 = 102
5th - Simon 'Practice' Hall - 52 + DNF
6th - 'First Game' Salimeh - 71 + DNF
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| Always nice to see a shark on a minigolf course. And a large mouthed sea monster |
Aces Championship
1st (tied) - Cat Patterson - hole 4 (Jungle) and hole 9 (Ocean)
1st (tied) - Simon Hinton - hole 13 and 18 (Jungle)
3rd - Emily Gottfried - hole 7 (Jungle)
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| Another fine minigolf scorecard added to The Crazy Golf Museum archives |
It was also nice to have a break between rounds with a drink at the bar. We also had a celebratory/consolation drink at the end of our second round.
Visit Mr Mulligan's website for opening times and prices, as well as details of his courses in Milton Keynes, Sidcup, Castleford, Nottingham and Woking. We've yet to visit the Nottingham course at Ramsdale Park Golf Centre.
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| You can read about Mr Mulligan's exploits at the course |
Links:
- Adventure Golf Limited website
- Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf website
- Stevenage Leisure Park website
Related blog posts:
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Hertfordshire
- Stevenage
- Shark
Video:
- Playing the Doomsday Device at Mr Mulligan's Lost World Adventure Golf in Stevenage
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.
You can also now sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter.
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Playing Crazy Golf on Southend Pier
A visit to the miniature golf course at the end of Southend Pier.
On Saturday 25th June we headed to the seaside town of Southend on Sea for a day out of fun and games. Starting with a visit to the new Southend Pier Crazy Golf course - 1.3 miles out at sea!
The 12-hole layout is on the world's longest pleasure pier and is brilliant fun.
It's a great layout and even though there are some tough holes and obstacles, there are still plenty of hole in one opportunities.
The course became the 402nd played and 683rd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
During our visit we competed in a 12-player contest to crown the end of the pier champion. Featuring a cast of veterans, GB internationals, national tour champions and a sprinkling of rookies, the highly competitive event saw me take the win. Former British Master Chris Jones and regular 'do' champion Brad Shepherd were second and third.
Results of the Southend Pier Invitational Tournament 2016:
1st ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried – 31
2nd Chris ‘Stretch’ Jones – 34
3rd Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd – 37
4th (tied) Lionel ‘The Spoon’ Bender – 39
4th (tied) Gareth ‘Lemsip’ Holmes – 39
6th (tied) Marc ‘The Roller’ Bazeley – 42
6th (tied) Alan ‘Stormin’ Norman – 42
8th Taji ‘Not Seth’ Rafferty – 44
9th Emily ‘Lemony’ Gottfried – 46
10th Paul ‘Flip Flops’ O’Connor – 50
11th Cat ‘Helter Skelter’ Patterson – 52
12th Lhurlyn 'Hole-ing' Holmes – 59
DNS Madeleine 'The Caddy' Bender
DNS Steve 'F1' Gow
The Southend Pier Crazy Golf course is well worth a play and it's a great addition to the entertainment on offer in the town. Visit the Southend Pier Crazy Golf course website for prices and opening times.
Video:
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf course hole in one
Links:
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf website
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf on Facebook
Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Southend
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf course
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.
You can also now sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter.
On Saturday 25th June we headed to the seaside town of Southend on Sea for a day out of fun and games. Starting with a visit to the new Southend Pier Crazy Golf course - 1.3 miles out at sea!
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| Olga the Octopus |
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| Emily in action on the pier's latest attraction |
The 12-hole layout is on the world's longest pleasure pier and is brilliant fun.
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| Putting through Olga the Octopus |
It's a great layout and even though there are some tough holes and obstacles, there are still plenty of hole in one opportunities.
The course became the 402nd played and 683rd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
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| A hole in one |
During our visit we competed in a 12-player contest to crown the end of the pier champion. Featuring a cast of veterans, GB internationals, national tour champions and a sprinkling of rookies, the highly competitive event saw me take the win. Former British Master Chris Jones and regular 'do' champion Brad Shepherd were second and third.
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| The competitors give the course a double thumbs up |
Results of the Southend Pier Invitational Tournament 2016:
1st ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried – 31
2nd Chris ‘Stretch’ Jones – 34
3rd Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd – 37
4th (tied) Lionel ‘The Spoon’ Bender – 39
4th (tied) Gareth ‘Lemsip’ Holmes – 39
6th (tied) Marc ‘The Roller’ Bazeley – 42
6th (tied) Alan ‘Stormin’ Norman – 42
8th Taji ‘Not Seth’ Rafferty – 44
9th Emily ‘Lemony’ Gottfried – 46
10th Paul ‘Flip Flops’ O’Connor – 50
11th Cat ‘Helter Skelter’ Patterson – 52
12th Lhurlyn 'Hole-ing' Holmes – 59
DNS Madeleine 'The Caddy' Bender
DNS Steve 'F1' Gow
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| The tournament in full swing |
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| Gareth on hole 1 |
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| Brad teeing-off |
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| Chris lining up a putt |
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| Lionel in action |
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| Brad on a tricky obstacle |
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| Chris and Lionel putting |
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| Emily on the tee |
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| Marc on a very tough middle hill hole |
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| Emily on the pier |
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| Emily and Olga |
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| Lhurlyn finishing her round with a hole in one |
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| Paul O'Connor on the last hole |
The Southend Pier Crazy Golf course is well worth a play and it's a great addition to the entertainment on offer in the town. Visit the Southend Pier Crazy Golf course website for prices and opening times.
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| The pier Crazy Golf course |
Video:
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf course hole in one
Links:
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf website
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf on Facebook
Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Southend
- Southend Pier Crazy Golf course
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.
You can also now sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter.
I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Guinness World Record Holder for 'Most miniature golf courses visited'. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Mediocre polymath. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer. Always feeling nostalgic about something.
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