Roasted Gluten

Many 'thanks' to my mate Paul O'Connor for sending me this snap of a bag of Roasted Gluten he spotted in a Chinese supermarket.

As a Coeliac this is my version of Kryptonite!

They look like croutons to me

It's not the first time Paul has documented his gluten discoveries.

Related blog posts:
- Fried Gluten in a Can
- Gluten - my Kryptonite

'Driving' a Train at Falkirk High Station

Emily and I have just returned from a great holiday in Scotland where we rode the rails along the coast from Ardrossan to Ayr and then inland to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and a few nights stay in Falkirk.

Falkirk High station was the scene of one of my favourite photos from the holiday!

'Driving' a miniature barrel train at Falkirk High station as the ScotRail train we arrived on prepares to depart 

Further blog posts with details of the Miniature Golf courses we visited and played in Ardrossan, Largs, Millport - on the Isle of Cumbrae, Troon, Prestwick, Ayr and Falkirk will follow in the coming weeks.

Gluten - my Kryptonite

My friend (and perhaps enemy!) Paul O'Conner was recently shopping in London's Chinatown and sent me this photo of what he described as "my kryptonite". He's not wrong!

Mmmm, Kimlan Peanut Gluten. Warning: Contains Gluten. Photo by Paul O'Connor (June 2014)

I know what I'll be getting from Paul for my next birthday then.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, oats and barley (and peanuts 'cut' with Fried Wheat Gluten by the look of that bottle in the picture). For people with Coeliac Disease gluten is a very dangerous substance that causes all manner of health problems. Check out the Coeliac UK website for more information on Coeliac Disease.

Paul's interesting (and evil) find reminds me of the time Emily and I spotted some terrible merchandising in a health food shop in Kentish Town. On that occasion we found the 'Gluten Free Vegetable Suet' right next to bags of pure 'Gluten'!

One of my bugbears about shopping as a Coeliac is that I often see shops (including the big supermarkets) stocking bags of gluten free and gluten-containing flour side-by-side on the shelf. Such a waste, as due to the cross-contamination I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.

A bag of Vital Wheat Gluten Flour. Deadly to Coeliacs

Related blog posts:
- Hmm, Some Bizarre Gluten & Gluten Free Shelf Stacking!
- Funny things about being a Coeliac
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac

New Adventure Golf course opening in Brighton

Photos of the new seafront minigolf course being built in Brighton.

The new Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf course in Brighton is beginning to take shape (photo by Paul O'Connor, May 2014)

My friend, and fan of bizarre photos, Paul 'Flip Flops' O'Connor was recently in Brighton and sent me through some snaps of the new Adventure Golf course being built on the seafront.

Another view of the Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf course under construction (photo by Paul O'Connor, May 2014)

The new minigolf course is from the team behind the Bristol and Liverpool 'Jungle Rumble' Adventure Golf courses.

A tiki type of totem behind the base of a new minigolf hole at the Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf course in Brighton (photo by Paul O'Connor, May 2014)

The new course will replace the Peter Pan's Adventure Golf course on Madeira Drive.

Over the year's we've been to Brighton a few times and played, or at least visited, the Miniature Golf courses in the town when we've been there.

Peter Pan's Adventure Golf course was the 13th course visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in March 2007. That same year I returned to the course for the Brighton Open minigolf tournament where I finished in 18th place. It was also the venue of my brother Christopher's one and only appearance (to date) on the BMGA Tour - in the 2008 Brighton Open.

We've also visited and played the other two Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf courses, with both the Bristol and Liverpool courses hosting British Minigolf Association tournaments in recent years.

We're looking forward to giving the new Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf layout in Brighton a play in the future.

Links:

- Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf website

- Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf on Twitter

- Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf on Facebook

Related blog posts:

- Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf Bristol

- Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf Liverpool

- Peter Pan's Adventure Golf in Brighton

- Brighton blog posts

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Not playing Crazy Golf at Clerkenwell Design Week 2014

Having heard that one of the showrooms at Clerkenwell Design Week 2014 was going to set-up a Crazy Golf course themed with its office furniture and chair designs as obstacles I was intrigued and interested in giving the course a play. Especially as it was a temporary course available to be played between 9am and 7pm at the GGI showroom during the three days of #CDW2014.

A group of us had registered to attend and were really excited to be heading to play the course.

The first of our party arrived at the GGI showroom at 5.25pm on the 20th of May (the first day of CDW) to find the course closed - as Emily and I have found a number of courses closed when we arrive to play on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour I assumed it was a rib from them.

But it wasn't! We arrived at 5.35pm to find the showroom (one of over 60 taking part in Clerkenwell Design Week) to be closed.

Outside the closed GGI showroom at Clerkenwell Design Week. A disappointed Richard Gottfried (centre) with from l-r Chris Jones, Brad Shepherd and Paul O'Connor. Not pictured is a distraught Emily Gottfried

The closest we got to playing the course was peering through the high windows from street level and spotting a bucket of putters.

The bucket of putters and some chairs. Yesterday

Annoyingly when we checked our emails later in the evening we'd received an email from Clerkenwell Design Week which had details of the GGI Crazy Golf course and a reminder of the opening times!?

I hope other visitors are luckier than our group was and get to play the course.

Check out my blog post on the Adventure Golf, Crazy Golf, Minigolf and Golf Putting Green courses we've played in and around London since July 2008.

We have been lucky in London before and played some interesting temporary courses and installations over the years, including at Devonshire Square, the roof of Selfridges, Alexandra Palace, Golf Apocalypse, the Tintype Gallery, Wooly Golf, Carnaby Street, the London Golf Show, Regent's Place and at the 2012 Brewmaster's Open at the Camden Town Brewery.

London will soon be getting a brand new minigolf course, as Moby Adventure Golf opens in Chadwell Heath, Romford later this month!

Indoor Adventure Golf at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe

My friend, sometime Minigolfer, and fan of ludicrous photos Paul 'Flip Flops' O'Conner recently sent me some photos with the message "Spotted this mysterious crazy golf course at the back of an odd amusement arcade in Felixstowe."

The course is the Magical Golf at Mannings Amusements in the seaside town.

Hole 1 of the Magical Golf indoor Adventure Golf course at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe, Suffolk (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)

A view of a tricky uphill hole the indoor course at Mannings Amusements (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)

The lucky last hole and the course behind it at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)

Thanks to Paul for sending the pics through. The indoor minigolf course is worth a visit if you're in Felixstowe.

Golf FX (as it was then known) was the fifth course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour way back in November 2006. Emily and I have visited and played the course on numerous occasions since.

Links:

- Mannings Amusements

- Felixstowe-related blog posts

- Indoor Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses

Putt in the Park Minigolf at Wandsworth Park, London

Visit to the new Putt in the Park Miniature Golf course at Wandsworth Park, Putney, London.

A view of the Putt in the Park Minigolf course in Wandsworth Park, London

On Friday 18^th October I headed to the new 12-hole Putt in the Park Minigolf course at Wandsworth Park in London for a ‘friendly’ round of Crazy Golf against some of my friends and Minigolf rivals Gareth, Alan and Paul.

Alan playing the long and tricky 10th hole at Wandsworth Park's Putt in the Park Minigolf course

The course was the 538^th visited overall on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, the 323^rd played and the 321^st course I’ve played since September 2006.

Another course visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

In the Putney Putting Invitational I faced off against BMGA Tour rivals and London Minigolf Club members Alan ‘Stormin’ Norman and Gareth ‘The Owl’ Holmes, and fan of ludicrous photos Paul ‘Flip Flops’ O’Connor.

The competitors line-up at the Putt in the Park Minigolf course at Wandsworth Park in London

The match-up started well for Alan who shot a magnificent hole-in-one on the first hole! His form (luck!) continued through the match and it was clear early on that the rest of us were playing for second/not to be last!

Alan 'Stormin' Norman plays his first shot and lands an ace on hole one

Paul also managed a hole-in-one on the course, scoring a brilliant ace on the 11th hole (or as I kept calling it - "The 17th").

Paul signalling an Ace is in his sights! Like the Babe Ruth of Miniature Golf!

The course looks great and has some very long and winding holes. The water features are both pleasant to look at as well as being integrated as obstacles on some of the holes. Especially on the 7^th hole where I found the water twice, and the 9^th where Gareth almost helped Alan into the water while he was retrieving his ball while stood on a stepping stone.

Gareth lends Alan a helping hand

The unlucky 7th hole for Squire, finding the water twice as Alan looks on

The course has a par of 27, with holes 6, 7 and 8 par-3 and the others par-2. In our contest Alan had a storming 31(+7 on a BMGA par rating), Gareth was runner-up with a score of 36(+12) and I was the bronze medallist on 38(+14). Paul, the novice of the group and a player with a very strong swing, shot a 48(+24).

Gareth holes out on the 12th for an almost ace two

Results:

1. Alan ‘Stormin’ Norman = 31(+7)

2. Gareth ‘The Owl’ Holmes = 36(+12)

3. ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried = 38(+14)

4. Paul ‘Flip Flops’ O’Connor = 48(+24)

Alan 'Stormin' Norman - Champion Minigolfer

The 12-hole layout opened four months ago and has been a popular attraction in the nice setting of Wandsworth Park. We received a fine welcome by Jack at the course who told us the area used to be a disused Bowling Green. The renovation is a brilliant use of the space and the Putt in the Park course has its own clubhouse with bar and cafe. 

Putt in the Park at Wandsworth Park serves "Putney's Finest Bacon or Sausage Sandwiches" - the clubhouse pavilion also has a bar and we enjoyed an alcholic beverage after our round

There’s plenty of seating too for players to rest between rounds and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat, and a great vantage point for spectators.

The Putt in the Park Minigolf course is open until dusk 

I look forward to returning for more Minigolf match-ups on the course, and hopefully get close to, or beat the course record of 25 shots!

Related blog posts:

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

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London

Links:

- Putt in the Park at Wandsworth Park website

- Putt in the Park at Wandsworth Park Twitter

- Putt in the Park at Wandsworth Park Facebook

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