Pontins Prestatyn Sands

A look at the Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Camp Site (May 2024).

Pontins Prestatyn Sands

I stopped off at the Pontins Prestatyn Sands holiday park back in May while en route to the Crazy Golf course in the seaside town.

The approach to the camp

Sadly Pontins Prestatyn Sands closed to guests in November 2023.

Pontins Prestatyn Sands

Pontins Prestatyn Sands

The 'P' signs on the gates are the originals from when the camp opened

We'd visited three times in recent years as part of the Holiday on the Buses fan club events held there.

The Holiday on the Buses Weekender 2014 at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands allowed fans of the series and films the opportunity to stay at the camp, meet fellow fans and go on a number of mystery tours of filming locations!

The plaque with details of the Holiday on the Buses film used to be on the pillar to the right of the front gates

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn, Wales

Revisiting the Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales.

Last September we revisited one of our favourite minigolf courses while on the Holiday on the Buses fan-club weekender in Prestatyn.

Playing hole 3

The Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course on Bastion Road is a superb layout and a real test of putting skill.

A view of the course

Once again we competed in The Butler Cup Holiday on the Buses Crazy Golf tournament, a title I was defending!

Emily playing hole 6

The tournament part of the Holiday on the Buses Weekender in Prestatyn is organised by the On the Buses fan-club and held at the Bastion Road Crazy Golf course.

Teeing-off on hole 6

Prior to 2018 the Butler Cup tournament had two categories - Pro and Amateur - as quite a few professional minigolfers are also members of the fan-club! In 2014 Emily won the first edition to feature the Pro category. Brad Shepherd won the 2015 event, no tournament was held in 2016, while I won in 2017.

Our group won in the On the Buses fan-club Crazy Golf tournament, quiz and raffle

In 2018 57 players competed in a single title 18-hole one round shoot-out with Brad Shepherd once again lifting the title - in a tie with a fellow fan-club member. I was next in the rankings after the joint winners.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 10

Hole 11

Hole 11

Hole 12

Hole 13

Hole 14 

Hole 15

Hole 16

Hole 17 

Hole 18

Top Hole - Hole 19

We're looking forward to our next visit to play the course.














Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 147 - Arnold Palmer Putting at Prestatyn
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn (2014)
- Prestatyn Crazy Golf (2017)
- The Butler Cup Holiday on the Buses Crazy Golf tournament 2017
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Prestatyn

Videos:
- Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Prestatyn
- Hole-in-one on the Windmill at Prestatyn Crazy Golf

Link:
- On the Buses fan-club

The Butler Cup Holiday on the Buses Crazy Golf tournament

Part of the Holiday on the Buses Weekender in Prestatyn is a Crazy Golf tournament organised by the On the Buses Fan-club and held at the Bastion Road Crazy Golf course.

The characters of the On the Buses Fan-club

The Butler Cup tournament has two categories - Pro and Amateur - as quite a few professional minigolfers are also members of the fan-club! In 2014 Emily won the first edition to feature the Pro category. Brad Shepherd won the 2015 event, while no tournament was held in 2016.

Playing a very tough plateau obstacle

The 2017 competition took place on Sunday 24th September and saw 23 players compete in one 18-hole round shoot-out.

Chris Jones leads off the tournament

In the Butler Cup contest for Pro players staying at Pontins for the Fan-club Weekender I scored a round of 35(-1) to take the win - a far-cry from my dismal sixth place finish in 2014. Alan 'Stormin' Norman shot a 37 to take the runner-up spot, with Emily in third on 38.

The Butler Cup Champion for 2017

Also competing in the Pro category were Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd who scored 39, Seth 'Wandsworth' Thomas who hit a 40 and Chris Jones who shot a 43.

The Holiday on the Buses and Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course get the thumbs-up

In the Holiday on the Buses Amateur category Ad Burton took the win with a score of 49, with Paul Thompson runner-up with a round of 51.

Ad Burton and me - Prestatyn's Crazy Golf Champions

Local minigolf professional Peter 'The Crazy Aced Assassin' Jones shot the low score of 33 to take the overall honours on the day.

Playing hole 2

Emily on the 1st

A classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course hole and a good chance of a hole-in-one

Check out the On the Buses Fan-club's website for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Prestatyn
- On the Buses
- Holiday on the Buses
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Link:
- The On the Buses Fan-club

50 years ago today Reg Varney used the world's first ATM

It was in Enfield.

Enfield’s branch of Barclay’s bank was the location of the world’s very first cash machine – opened and used by Reg Varney on this day in 1967!

There's a blue plaque at the site of the world's first ATM

As a big fan of On the Buses I had a chance to see the Reg Varney Star Plaque on the Elstree & Borehamwood Walk of Fame by the train station during the On The Buses Fan Club 40th Anniversary event in 2011 and it was great to follow this up with the chance to have a photo at ‘Stan Butler’s’ cashpoint!

Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness

Report and results from the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness.

The competitors watch Alan 'Stormin' Norman play hole 2

On the last day of our holiday weekender in Skegness, Lincolnshire we visited the Arnold Palmer Putting Courses on North Parade to complete the two-day Skegness Minigolf Championship. The one-round played on the 18-hole Grass Putting course was also a chance to play the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition with local competitors Eric Huckle and Steven Huckle.

The Mini Golf players in Skegness, from l-r Steven Huckle, Richard Gottfried, Emily Gottfried, Eric Huckle, Alan Norman, Brad Shepherd, Seth Thomas, Chris Jones

Brad lining up a shot as Steve plays the previous hole

In September last year we competed in 'The Butler Cup' On The Buses Fan Club Crazy Golf Tournament on the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Minigolf course in Prestatyn, Wales, and we'd planned to meet-up with our friends from the fan club when next in Skegness. In the Prestatyn event Emily had won the 'Pro' category, with Eric winning the 'Am' title.

Emily teeing-off at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course

The results of the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition 2015 were:
1. Richard Gottfried = 42(+6)
2. Alan Norman = 45(+9)
2. Brad Shepherd = 45(+9)
4. Chris Jones = 46(+10)
4. Seth Thomas = 46(+10)
6. Emily Gottfried = 49(+13)
7. Eric Huckle = 58(+22)
8. Steven Huckle = 74(+38)

Alan playing hole 14

It was a great fun event on a marvellous minigolf Putting course. We're looking forward to visiting Skegness again in the future.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Skegness
- 'The Butler Cup' On The Buses Crazy Golf Tournament
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
- Skegness Minigolf Championship 2015 report

Link:

- On the Buses Fan Club