London, an Old Routemaster Bus, Crazy Golf and Bar Billiards

A blog post about a Bus on a Minigolf course. And Bar Billiards!

Reading the excellent website about London - Londonist - I spotted a story about new uses for old buses - "Recycled Routemasters: New Uses For Old Busses". One of the photos showed an old Routemaster Bus on the 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre in Chiswick, London.

I visited this course in April 2011 when it became the 214th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The old Bus at Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre in Turnham Green, Chiswick

Re-reading my blog post I noticed that the second hole at the course is called 'Bar Billiards'! This dog-leg right-hand hole doesn't look like any Bar Billiards table I've seen before, or played recently, but more like a right-angled Pool/Billiards table!

The 'Bar Billiards' second hole

Blog Links:

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in and around London

- The Crazy World of Minigolf Tour List

- Crazy Golf in Chiswick, London

- Bar Billiards Blog Posts

- On The Buses Event - 40th Anniversary of the First On The Buses film

- Revisit and Replay of the Windmill Theatre Indoor Adventure Golf Course in Great Yarmouth

Links:

- Londonist

- Londonist - "Recycled Routemasters: New Uses For Old Busses"

- Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre

Revisit and Replay of the Windmill Theatre Indoor Adventure Golf Course in Great Yarmouth

Playing the indoor Adventure Golf at Great Yarmouth's Windmill Theatre.

The course was originally the 26th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour way back on the 9th of June 2007. In that time two extra holes have been added. The first one is the 'Stars of the Windmill' hole, which features a 'Wall of Fame' showing all the stars that at one time or another performed at the Windmill Theatre.

As a big fan of On The Buses this was the best hole on the course and the most playable too, with Emily scoring a Hole-in-One.

On The Buses Stars Stephen Lewis, Bob Grant and Anna Karen all performed at the Windmill Theatre back when it was a theatre.

The second new extra hole is the 12th, which is the 'World's Biggest Pinball Machine'!? Both Emily and I won Free Games on this hole in our match!

All of the holes on the 12-hole course are really crazy, and they even have a Christmas theme on one hole now!

The Beach Hole is very crazy indeed, it's the only hole I've ever played where you must Putt over sand!?

The old last hole, now Hole 11, is a giant Roulette Wheel. In our match Emily managed to score Green 0!

In our Irregular Mini Golf Tour match-up Emily beat me 25-29.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Great Yarmouth
- On The Buses

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Dinosaur Safari Adventure Golf at the A1 Driving Range in Arkley

A new Minigolf course spotted in Hertfordshire!

A photo of the Dinosaur Adventure Golf course at the A1 Driving Range in Arkley and one of the 'inhabitants' on our visit in July 2011 

Me, Emily and Brad spotted the building work on a new Adventure Golf course while we were on the On The Buses Event around Elstree & Borehamwood on Saturday 18th June!

The course is not open yet (obviously), but digging around online I found the promotion for it (and the surrounding golf range etc.) has started, and it looks like it is planned to open in early-July 2011.

Fingers crossed all goes well with the rest of the build, we look forward to giving it a go when it opens.

I managed to take one quick photo of the construction site as we were passing, as it's visible from the road.

Dinosaur Safari website (under construction as at 20th June 2011)

A1 Golf Driving Range website (new website 'coming soon')

The address is:
Dinosaur Safari Adventure Golf
A1 Golf Driving Range, Rowley Lane
Arkley, Hertfordshire, EN5 3HW

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

On The Buses Event - 40th Anniversary of the First On The Buses film

Joining the On The Buses Fan Club for a day out to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the first On The Buses film.

Richard & Brad next to the tour bus. The tree to the left is where Blakey gets splashed by the big puddle in the first two On The Buses films!

On Saturday 18th June 2011 me, Emily and Brad Shepherd headed to Elstree & Borehamwood for the On The Buses Fan Club Event to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the first On The Buses film!

It was a great day out, and we took in such sites and locations from the films as 'Stan's house', 'The Cemetary Gates', 'Turnaround Betty's House' and the 'Laundrette', amongst many others!

We also got to meet the writers - Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney, and Producer Stuart Allen!

Unfortunately some of the other guest stars could not attend, including Anna Karen who played Olive in the series and movies.

The day was finished off with a 'Big Screen' viewing of the original On The Buses film! Brilliant stuff.

Photos from the event:

Richard and a tour Bus

Turnaround Betty's House

The Turnaround Point

Richard doing a 'Jack'

The Laundrette where Blakey gets hold of someone elses washing!

At the Cemetary Gates!

The Butler's House

Emily takes a photo of Richard taking a photo of Brad taking a photo of the other On The Buses Fan Club members taking photos of the drain that Olive fell down in Mutiny On The Buses!!!

Reg Varney's Star on the Elstree & Borehamwood Walk of Fame (near the train station)

More details about the On The Buses Fan Club can be found at - On The Buses Fan Club.

Crazy Golf in Chiswick, London

Minigolf at Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre.

On Monday 4th April 2011 I headed to the Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre in Chiswick, London to visit and play the 9-hole Crazy Golf course at the centre.



The Crazy Golf in Chiswick was the 214th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.



Each of the 9-holes is named after and designed to either resemble, or be associated with, another sport:
1 - Dominoes
2 - Bar Billiards
3 - Skittles
4 - Penalty Shoot Out
5 - Croquet
6 - St Andrews
7 - Monte Carlo
8 - 8 Ball Pool
9 - Pinball













Quite unmissable in the course layout is the London Bus! A first on a course I've visited!

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

The Inaugural Luxton & District Busman's Holiday Crazy Golf Competition

The Inaugural Luxton & District Busman's Holiday Crazy Golf Competition

1. Richard 'Stan' Gottfried - 249 (7 rounds)
2. Brad 'Jack' Shepherd - 251 (7 rounds)
3. Phil 'Olive' Exall - 218 (6 rounds)

* The competition rankings are based on the final results from the 2010 World Crazy Golf Championships and entry was open to players who like to watch (and talk about) "On The Buses" far too much!