Owen Johnson's skydive for Caudwell Children

Good luck to our friend and minigolf rival Owen Johnson who is doing a sponsored skydive for Caudwell Children!

You can find out more and donate on Owen's JustGiving page.

Mini Golf at Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham

Two new 18-hole Mini Golf courses now open at Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham.

The new Mini Golf centre at Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park opened this week and it looks great.

The new 36-hole Mini Golf course in Cannon Hill Park. Looking like some sort of driving game!? Photo by Paul Johnson

In brighter weather the course looks even better. Check out this post on the Golden Putter Mini Golf Facebook page for some more photos of the layout.

Photos of the course, before the downpour, by Paul Johnson are below.

Back in March our fellow Minigolf Explorers Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson, Owen Johnson, Steve Sturdy and Ruth Burke visited the site and got some snaps of the course being built. Check out the blog post about it at "New Mini Golf course opening soon in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham."

The mascot of the Golden Putter Minigolf Courses. 'Gordon Putter' as he's known doesn't always have a 'tache though!

Visit the Golden Putter Mini Golf website for details of the other Golden Putter Mini Golf courses at Warwick, Wroxham, Staines and Rotherham. As well as their portable course.

Emily and I have visited all of the Golden Putter courses so far, except Rotherham. We're looking forward to giving the two new ones in Birmingham a play.

Links:
- Golden Putter Mini Golf
- Greenspace Leisure Ltd

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- New Mini Golf course opening soon in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham

Indoor Pirate Adventure Golf in Whitby

Playing the Indoor Pirate Adventure Golf course at Whitby's Pleasure Island Amusement Arcade.

On Thursday 20th March 2014 Emily and I decided to head to the seaside resort of Whitby, one of the east coast towns we were yet to visit on our tour of the UK seaside.

Emily teeing-off on hole 1 of the Pleasure Island Adventure Golf course in Whitby

We hadn't planned to visit Whitby on our road-trip that saw us take a journey up to Newcastle Upon Tyne and back over four days, but having had a stopover in Northallerton we decided to make the relatively short trip to spend some time beside the seaside.

While walking along the harbour-side towards the beach the signs for the indoor Pirate Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Island Amusement Arcade caught my eye!

You will find the 9-hole course laid out in the left-hand corner of the well presented arcade.

On our travels we've visited and played at well over 500 courses and 30+ have been indoors. We thought the look and feel of the course at Pleasure Island was very well done. It was very piratey and nautical and when you climbed the stairs to the top deck of the course (hole 5) you'd never know you were in an amusement arcade in North Yorkshire!

It's well worth a play and is only £2 a round.

Our fellow Minigolfer Adventurers Paul and Owen Johnson visited the course in 2010 and you can see their photos on the excellent MiniatureGolfer.com. The course appears to have had a refurb since then.

The Pleasure Island Adventure Golf course is well worth a play if you're in Whitby and it's great to be able to have a Putt there whatever the weather.

A Crocodile (or Alligator) lurks below the bridge near the 1st and 9th holes

The course was the 544th visited and 327th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since 2006.

In our match-up I beat Emily, putting her to the sword 20 vs. 32. But she made me walk the plank!

Walking the plank on hole 9!

The amusement arcade is also home to that other seaside favourite - the shooting gallery.

The Treasure Cove Shooting Gallery at the Pleasure Island Amusement Arcade in Whitby

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

- Arnold Palmer Minigolf Putting Course in Whitby

- Not playing the Mini Golf course in Whitby
- Fake Crocodiles! Or are they Alligators?
- Indoor Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses

Quest Krazy Golf Video Now Online

Video Showcasing the 9-hole Krazy Golf course at the Quest Adventure and Entertainment Zone at Westfield Merry Hill.

While helping to launch the new 9-hole Krazy Golf course at Quest Merry Hill in Dudley me, Emily and our fellow BMGA Tour Pros and members of the Great Britain Minigolf Sport Team were filmed in action on the excellent course, as well as being interviewed!

Check out the video here.

Links:

- Quest Merry Hill

- Quest Krazy Golf

- British Minigolf Association

- Great Britain Minigolf Sport Team

- UrbanCrazy

- Westfield Merry Hill

Related Blog Posts:

- Krazy Golf at Quest Merry Hill
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

- Types and Variants of Miniature Golf visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Join the British Minigolf Association for the 2013 Minigolf Season

Krazy Golf at Quest Merry Hill

Visiting and playing the new 9-hole Krazy Golf course at Quest Merry Hill.

On Saturday 6th of April along with fellow members of the British Minigolf Association and Great Britain Minigolf Sport Team Emily and I were invited along to the grand opening of the new 9-hole indoor Krazy Golf course at the Quest adventure and entertainment zone at Westfield’s Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley.

Warming up before the Mini Golf Open competition at the Quest Krazy Golf course

The format of the day saw us practice playing the course, coach staff and the public and compete in challenge matches against shoppers! We also contested the Mini Golf Open amongst the six seasoned Tour veterans and GB team members, with former BMGA British Minigolf Champion Jon ‘The Stance’ Angel victorious with a score of 18(par) in his round.

2013 Quest Mini Golf Open competition results:

1. Jon ‘The Stance’ Angel – 18(par)

2. Chris ‘Who’ Harding – 19(+1)

3(T). Paul ‘The Overtaker’ Johnson – 21(+3)

3(T). Emily ‘Lemony’ Gottfried – 21(+3)

5. ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried – 23(+5)

6. Owen ‘Jackpot’ Johnson – 26(+8)

The course is great fun and interesting to play. The holes are unique and there are plenty of hole-in-one opportunities, along with some tricky shots too!

From l-r 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, Squire' Richard Gottfried and Squire' Richard Gottfried playing hole 2 

The course record before the Minigolf Open Day was held by the course manager Mark Knox with a great score of 17(-1), but by the end of the day two-time World Crazy Golf Champion Chris ‘Who’ Harding had managed to shoot a low of 16(-2) to set the course record.

Chris 'Who' Harding takes the course record

It was nice for us to be able to pass on Minigolf hints and tips through the coaching sessions and challenge matches, and plenty of people were giving the course and game a try.

Hole 4 has a steep hill and camber to deal with

In a challenge match between me and Emily I won with a score of 17(-1) to Emily’s 19(+1). And in a match between me, fellow Minigolf adventurer Owen ‘Jackpot’ Johnson and Chris, I won with a score of 17(-1) to Chris’ 18(par) and Owen’s 24(+6).

Almost an Ace on hole 2

For more information on the Quest Krazy Golf course do check out the Quest website. As well has the Minigolf course the adventure area has a Nerf combat arena, shooting galleries and high ropes activities for all ages!

After we’d played the main Minigolf event we had a go on the Nerf combat game which was fast paced, great fun and a little bit painful if you got hit by a Nerf foam ‘bullet’ at close range!

Nerfed

Emily and Owen also had a go on the High Ropes activity which is situated above the main Quest area – you could easily miss seeing it unless you look up when you enter/exit Quest!

Emily on the High Ropes Extreme

All-in-all it was a great day out. We’ll definitely be back to play the course again and hopefully there’ll be more Miniature Golf tournaments at the course in the future.

A laser effect surrounding the cup on hole 3 at Quest Merry Hill

The course was the 528th Emily and I have visited and the 317th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 9

Links:

- Quest Merry Hill

- Quest Krazy Golf

- British Minigolf Association

- Great Britain Minigolf Sport Team

- UrbanCrazy

- Westfield Merry Hill

Related Blog Posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

- Types and Variants of Miniature Golf visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Join the British Minigolf Association for the 2013 Minigolf Season

The Knowley Grail of Minigolf

Competing for a new Minigolf trophy.

Following the 2012 Midlands Open Minigolf Tournament at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge twelve BMGA Tour Professionals competed for a brand new Miniature Golf title and trophy in The Knowley Grail!

With the London Minigolf Club members having spent the Friday perusing the charity shops of nearby Knowle they had happened across a silver chalice on sale for £2.50. With players always eager to compete in side-competitions the trophy and a prize pot of £9.50 was up for grabs in a one-round shootout between the competitors.

There were a few specials rules in The Knowley Grail contest. Firstly, all players would use one type of ball – a “Pinky Diver” – and secondly, any player scoring a maximum of seven shots on any hole would be eliminated from the contest. With the Pinky Diver having an unprecedented amount of bounce on it the casualty rate was expected to be high!

However, despite Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd’s best efforts to jinx players it wasn’t until the 11th hole that play crumbled. In fact up until that point many of the competitors had actually scored better than they had in the Midlands Open!

Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd hoping for a 7 from Sethers

With the lead group of Brad, me, Seth and Chris Jones completing the round unscathed and with Brad holding the clubhouse lead with a score of 22(-2), and a new personal best for him at Dorridge, we were able to settle down to watch the remaining eight players take on the last two holes.

Alan 'Stormin' Norman lining-up a shot

The first player to crumble was Alan ‘Stormin’ Norman. The Brewmaster’s Open Champion managed to get the ball through the pipe but was unable to sink the putt when on the green and so was sent/dragged to a chair of shame.

Alan 'Stormin' Norman being dragged off the course by Brad

Alan 'Stormin' Norman sitting in a chair of shame

With ‘Stormin’ able to relax the wait was on to see if anyone else would hit a dreaded seven. We didn’t have to wait long as Ruth Burke was also unable to complete the hole and was therefore out of the chase for The Knowley Grail.

Alan 'Stormin' Norman watching Ruth Burke getting her 7 on the 11th

The other players were able to hole out on the eleventh, but no one was able to score as low as Brad’s 22(-2). The runner-up was Scott ‘Donkey Gringo’ Lancley with a 26(+2) followed by five players who couldn’t be bothered to have a sudden-death play-off tied for third-place!

Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd receives his winnings and The Knowley Grail from teammate 'Oh' Chris Jones

The Knowley Grail Champion - Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd

The final results of the inaugural Knowley Grail competition were:

1. Brad Shepherd – 22

2. Scott Lancley – 26

3. Seth Thomas – 27

3. Richard Gottfried – 27

3. Chris Jones – 27

3. Owen Johnson – 27

3. Sean Homer – 27

8. Paul Johnson – 29

9. Steve Sturdy – 32

9. Gareth Holmes – 32

DNF – Alan Norman

DNF – Ruth Burke

There is talk of The Knowley Grail being a regularly contested title. It’ll probably go the way of the League of Mediocrity and the Scrap Iron Cup and become an irregularly contested event.

Results of the Scrap Iron Cup Minigolf Tournament in Newport, Wales

Luton’s Richard Gottfried defeats Cwmbran’s Cindy Kukielka to win fifth Scrap Iron Cup title at competition played at Newport’s Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course.



A nice sign to see - the Crazy Golf course at Newport's Tredegar Park has re-opened for 2012



On Saturday 26th August the Scrap Iron Cup Minigolf Trophy and Title was contested between members of the Midlands Minigolf Club and a lone guest member from the Splash Point Mini Golf Club at the newly re-opened 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Tredegar Park in Newport, Wales.



'Squire' Richard Gottfried plays the first hole of the Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course in Newport, Wales



Seven players lined-up in the contest that for 2012 replaced the annual Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament). Reigning and defending two-time Scrap Iron Cup champion Owen ‘Jackpot’ Johnson decided that the competition would be played in a one-round shootout format to decide the winner.



Jas Kukielka takes on the refurbished 3rd hole at the Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course



The three players who had held the Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg title teed-off in group one, with Cindy and Emily, and Owen and Paul in the other groups. Jas took an early lead, but was pegged back by Owen and all was looking good for a decisive winner of the contest. That was until hole 9!



The agonising wait to see if the ball will drop in the hole on the 9th at Tredegar Park



At the end of the round there was a six-way tie for the lead after the majority of the field scored a round of 23(+5). The 9th hole at Tredegar Park is a killer hole and it certainly proved a round and contest killer for Leo ‘Leonard’ Kukielka who was unable to hole out and therefore was unable to qualify for the play-off.



The players putt away on the 9-hole Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course in Newport, Wales



The sudden-death play-off commenced and saw the players play holes chosen by the course manager, with hole 1, hole 6, hole 7 and finally hole 3 played to decide the winner. At the final hole Welsh Ladies Number One Cindy Kukielka scored a three and Richard Gottfried scored a hole-in-one to take the win in a rematch of the final of the fourth Scrap Iron Cup.

Final Rankings:

1st Richard Gottfried

2nd Cindy Kukielka

3rd Johnson Paul Johnson Paul Johnson

4th Owen Johnson

4th Jas Kukielka

4th Emily Gottfried

7th Leo Kukielka

Scrap Iron Cup - Hall of Fame

2012 - #11 - Richard Gottfried beat Cindy Kukielka - Newport

2011 - #10 - Owen Johnson beat Seth Thomas - Wroxham Barns

2011 - #9 - Paul Johnson beat Seth Thomas - Margate

2011 - #8 - Richard Gottfried beat Peter Jones - Liverpool

2011 - #7 - Seth Thomas beat Paul Johnson - Liverpool

2011 - #6 - Seth Thomas beat Owen Johnson - Hither Green

2011 - #5 - Seth Thomas beat Richard Gottfried - Bristol

2011 - #4 - Richard Gottfried beat Cindy Kukielka - Birmingham

2010 - #3 - Owen Johnson beat Richard Gottfried - Birmingham

2010 - #2 - Richard Gottfried beat Paul Johnson - Weymouth

2010 - #1 - Richard Gottfried beat Paul Johnson - Sandbanks

Rules of the Scrap Iron Cup (Subject to change)

• Played between members of the Midlands Minigolf Club

• Played in either groups of two, or one group, in round one

• Groups are drawn at random (often using the 'balls in a hat' technique)

• Round one is a strokeplay match played over 7, 9, 11, 12 or 18 holes

• The two players with the top scores after round one qualify for the second round/final

• Round two is a matchplay match played over 7, 9, 12 or 18 holes

• The winner of the matchplay match becomes the Scrap Iron Cup* Champion**

* The Johnson's Scrap Iron Cup (aka the 'NABBA ENGLAND 95 CLASS TWO WINNER' Trophy) remains the property of Owen and Paul Johnson

** The Reigning Scrap Iron Champion retains the cup until the next defence whereupon it is given up until the next Scrap Iron Cup tournament has been completed

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played

- Wales

- Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations