Mini Golf at Hotel Palma Nova, Mallorca

We found some old miniature golf postcards at a collector's fair in Stockport yesterday, including this very nice one showing the minigolf course at the Hotel Palma Nova in Mallorca.

Hotel Palma Nova, Mallorca. Postally used. Date unknown

Emily and I haven't been to Mallorca yet, but fellow Crazy World of Minigolf Tour member Christopher Gottfried has. He visited the minigolf course at Vista Alegre in Porto Cristo in 2015.

Looking at maps of the area it doesn't look like the hotel's course is still there. However, there is a large minigolf course at Golf Fantasia in Palma Nova.

Greetings from Pontin's Holiday Village, Camber Sands

We found this nice old Pontin's postcard at a collector's fair in Stockport yesterday.

Greetings from Pontin's Holiday Village, Camber Sands. Photo Precision Limited. Posted on 14 July 1975

The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine contains an article I wrote about Pontins postcards.

The Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Camber Sands is where the playground and grass is in the top left image of the postcard above

My family stayed at Pontin's Camber Sands in the 1990's and we swung by the holiday camp to play the Adventure Golf there in 2014.

The course was the 585th visited and 351st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Pontins postcards in Picture Postcard Monthly

Check out the feature on Pontins postcards in the new issue of Picture Postcard Monthly.

The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine contains an article I wrote about Pontins postcards.

The new issue of Picture Postcard Monthly is out now

Over the years I've collected quite a few postcards showing Pontins holiday camps dating back to the 1960s.

Greetings from Pontin's at Pakefield, Suffolk, Photo Precision Limited. PLC13118. Postally used on 28 Aug 1969

The majority of the cards I have are from the 1970s and 1980s and a lot of them show miniature golf courses.

One of my prized minigolf possessions and something of a crazy golf postcard holy grail as the sender wrote about the course depicted on the card

You can buy Picture Postcard Monthly magazine via the PPM website, or at postcard fairs around the country.

I'm a big fan of the seaside, holiday camps and crazy golf and have collected a large number of postcards showing various locations. In recent years we've also been on holiday to Pontins Prestatyn Sands for On the Buses fan club events.

Pontin's Holiday Centre Prestatyn, Bamforth & Co. Ltd. WT948. Postally used, date unknown

Growing up, my family went on holidays to camps at Barry Island, Minehead, Bognor Regis and Camber Sands. The November 2016 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly includes a feature I wrote about Butlin's cards.

Links:
- Picture Postcard Monthly magazine
- Pontins

Related blog posts:
- Postcards
- Pontins

Four years ago today we visited our 600th minigolf course in the UK!

Reaching a landmark on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Goodrington Sands Crazy Golf course in Devon

The Crazy Golf course in Goodrington Sands, Devon was the 600th course visited and the 370th we had played up until that point. A large number of courses we visit on our travels tend to be closed, derelict, abandoned or out-of-season.

Playing the Crazy Golf course in Goodrington Sands

Emily playing the Goodrington Sands Crazy Golf course

We visited a total of 62 miniature golf courses during our brilliant two-week holiday around the coast of South West England in the summer of 2015.

At Goodrington Sands

The 600th course visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the Jurassic Golf course at Santa-Fe Adventure Park in Swanage, Dorset on Sunday 31st May 2015.

At minigolf course visit 600 in Swanage, Dorset

When our travels began in September 2006 there were around 600 courses in the UK. We've now been to 895 minigolf courses, including 39 overseas, and there are still a fair few for us to visit.

Course visit number 900 is getting very very close!

A Crazy Golf postcard from Blackpool

A look at a 'new' old Crazy Golf postcard from Blackpool.

As a collector of minigolf postcards I've found quite a few over the years. Among the most photographed location in my collection is the Crazy Golf course at Blackpool's North Shore and at the recent Stockport Postcard Fair I managed to find a new view of the course.

I've got 21 postcards showing the North Shore Crazy Golf course with ten different views. Some of the cards have been postally used, while others are unused.

The card below is the earliest posted example I have of the course and was sent to Manchester on the 4th June 1969.

The latest posted card of the course was sent to Porthmadog on the 6th August 1986.

Plans are underway to bring the North Shore Crazy Golf course back to life as it's been in a dormant state for a few years now.

How the North Shore Crazy Golf course looked on the 20th May 2019

I'm looking forward to seeing and playing the bright and fresh refurbished course.

Related blog posts:
- Postcards
- Blackpool
- Crazy Golf
- The North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
- Renovation of the North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

Renovation of the North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

The old Crazy Golf course behind the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool is re-opening soon.

The North Shore Crazy Golf course last August

Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and Fylde Street Angels have come together on a new project to breathe life into the old North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool.

The project will help homeless people in Blackpool by giving them a chance to work on the Crazy Golf course so it is playable and then staffing it for the upcoming summer season and beyond. It sounds like a brilliant plan to give people the opportunity to receive work experience, while also bringing a disused minigolf course back to life.

You can find out more about the project on the Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and Fylde Street Angels websites and social media channels.

We always enjoy visiting Blackpool and have wanted to play the North Shore Crazy Golf course since we first saw it back in 2009. We've been back a number of times since and it's always been so sad to see it closed. We're looking forward to playing the refurbished course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Even though we've never played the course we have collected a large number of old postcards showing the course over the years. Here are four of them.

Crazy Golf at Blackpool. B.1531. A Dennis Postcard. Postally used and sent from Oldham to Luton. Undated

Crazy Golf, North Shore, Blackpool. Bamforth Postcard. Postally unused, but the words 'Visited 14th April 1979' are on the reverse

Princess Parade, Blackpool PT18819. Publisher unknown. Posted 15 September 1970

Sending you lots of LUCK from Blackpool. Bamforth Postcard. Postally used 6 August 1986

Related blog posts:
- Blackpool
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- North Shore Crazy Golf in Blackpool in 2018
- North Shore Crazy Golf in Blackpool in 2016
- North Shore Crazy Golf in Blackpool in 2009

Penguin Park at a Mini-Golf course on an old Newquay postcard

Finding another great scene on an old minigolf postcard.

I'm always on the look out for old minigolf postcards and I found a cracker at an antiques fair in Stockport today for just 25p.

No sign of the Mini-Golf course on this card, except on the caption

The Harvey Barton Viewcard shows the Penguin Park at the Mini-Golf Course, Newquay, Cornwall and was sent from Newquay on the 27 July 1970.

We played the course - now called Gilmore's Golf - during our two-week holiday around the coast of South West England back in 2015.

Gilmore's Golf in Newquay was the 639th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

There was no sign of the Penguin Park when we were there, however the course itself is largely unchanged from its original construction in the 1960's.

If you look at the right of the card you can see a man in a striped jumper paying for his round. This same man appears in the postcard below. The hole the ladies are playing and the one to the left of it can be seen in the photo we took when we visited the course in 2015

Gilmore's Crazy Golf course as it looked in the summer of 2015. Not much has changed since it was built in the 1960's. The course is something of a rarity on these shores as it's of the Beton / Concrete variety more commonly found in continental Europe

If you look closely you can see the ladies in the purple jackets from the other postcard in the middle of this card

I'm sure the old postcard will be of interest to our friends over at The Putting Penguin minigolf review site.

Related blog posts:
- Newquay
- Postcards
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Mini Golf in the South West of England

Butlin's Postcards - minigolf and monorails

A look at some superb old Butlin's postcards.

I love the British seaside with all its quirks, eccentricity and traditional entertainment. I grew up on holidays at Butlin's holiday camps in Minehead, Bognor Regis and Ayr - and spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp which used to be a Butlin's camp.

I've got brilliant memories of the monorail, funfair, laser tag and arcades there. It's little wonder that even now I'm such a big fan of the British seaside, monorails, crazy golf and video-games.

My brother Christopher was recently looking through some old family photos and spotted this snap of us riding the monorail at Butlin's Minehead back in the early 90's

It's probably in no small part because of our childhood stays at holiday camps - and all the fun they had to offer - that Emily and I have spent the last thirteen years travelling around the UK on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We also visited Butlin's Minehead (formerly Somerwest World) on one of our first holidays together in 2004.

Butlin's Holidays postcard from Somerwest World Minehead. Postally unused. Undated

Over the years we've built up a great collection of miniature golf postcards, and we always keep an eye out for Butlin's cards. They're such colourful and fun cards, and seeing the monorail at Minehead brings back many happy memories.

Butlin's Minehead postcard M13. The Monorail. Postally unused. Undated

Butlin's Minehead postcard M15. Monorail over a Main Avenue. Postally unused. Undated

Butlin's Minehead - Monorail over Outdoor Swimming Pool by John Hinde Studios. Postally unused. Undated

A Typical Butlin Monorail. Postcard S25. I also have a variation of this postcard with the caption 'BUTLIN'S SKEGNESS Monorail'. That card was posted on 27 July 1971

It's brilliant collecting old postcards of minigolf courses, monorails and holiday camps as they are superb pieces of social history.

Butlin's Minehead postcard M 28. The Chair Lift. Postally unused. Undated

Back in the 1970's the minigolf courses at Butlin's holiday camps featured some very big golf balls and tees and make for a striking image.

Butlinland Skegness - Putting Green and Monorail by John Hinde Studios. Sent on 4 Aug 1980

Butlin's Bognor Regis postcard B39. Putting Green. Postally used 29 Sep 1975

Butlin's Bognor Regis postcard by Golden Shield. Postally used on 2 Sep 1985

Butlin's Holiday Worlds - Southcoast World (Bognor Regis). Printed by E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd. Posted. Date unknown

Visit the John Hinde Collection postcard website for more information on Butlin's postcards and their history and follow them on Twitter to see lots more examples of their brilliant postcards.

Check out the Butlin's website for more information on the holiday camps.

Links:
- John Hinde postcards
- Butlin's

Related blog posts:
- Butlin's
- Postcards
- Happy Birthday Butlin's!
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Monorails and Minigolf at Butlin's Minehead
- Butlin's postcards in November's Picture Postcard Monthly magazine

A Crazy Golf postcard from Boscombe

A look at an old Crazy Golf postcard from Boscombe.

I recently bought 50 more postcards for my collection and among them was this card of the Crazy Golf course near Boscombe Pier.

A Boscombe Crazy Golf postcard. JH 40 Plastichrome by Colourpicture. Pub. by J. Hammersley, Boscombe, Bournemouth. Posted in 1967

The course on the postcard is long gone, but Boscombe Pier itself does now have it's own Crazy Golf course.

We haven't played the Boscombe Pier course yet, however we have played the course at Boscombe Chine Gardens a number of times over the years.

Related blog posts:

- Boscombe

- Postcards

A Crazy Golf postcard from Skegness

A look at a minigolf postcard from Skegness sent in 1946.

I recently bought 50 more postcards for my collection of minigolf cards and among them was this nice old postcard showing the waterways and pier in Skegness. Also clearly in view is a Crazy Golf course.

The Waterways and Pier, Skegness. The Graphic Series postcard. Postally used on 14 August 1946

The course in the card was on North Parade. On our last visit to Skegness in 2015 we found an abandoned Indoor Jungle 3D Mini Golf course at the Lost World Adventure Park. A world away from the course in the postcard that was on more or less the same spot 70 years before!

The first Crazy Golf course in the country opened on South Parade in Skegness in 1926.

There are a number of miniature golf courses in Skegness with 102-holes spread across nine seafront courses

Related blog posts:
- Skegness
- Postcards
- Craz-e-Golf at Skegness

Crazy Golf at the Pleasure Gardens in Great Yarmouth

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Nelson Gardens in Great Yarmouth back in 1980.

I recently bought 50 more postcards for my collection of minigolf cards and among them was this nice old postcard showing the Crazy Golf course at Nelson Gardens in Great Yarmouth.

Nelson Gardens Great Yarmouth postcard. A Sapphire Card. Postally used on 23 July 1980

We visited and played the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back on the 9th June 2007. The course was the 25th we played.

Unfortunately at the start of the 2008 summer season the 11-hole minigolf course was changed from a Safari Golf to a Segway Grand Prix!

The Pleasure Beach is still home to a 12-hole Adventure Golf course.

Visit the Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach website for more info.

Related blog posts:
- Postcards
- Great Yarmouth

A postcard of Hastings Mini Golf

A look at the Crazy Golf course in Hastings.

I recently bought 50 more postcards for my collection of minigolf cards and among them was this nice old postcard of the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Hastings, East Sussex.

A postally unused Hastings Mini Golf postcard C6911 by Judges Limited Hastings. The player is on hole 12

The Judges postcard shows the 18-hole Crazy Golf course in the foreground and you can just make out the grass Putting course in the background. The course on Hastings sea front is still recognisable today, although the area has had quite a few new additions - not least in the shape of two themed adventure golf courses.

How hole 12 of the Crazy Golf course looked in 2015

The Hastings Crazy Golf course was the 39th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we were in town for the World Crazy Golf Championships in October 2007. We've been back a number of times since.

Check out the Hastings Adventure Golf website for more info on the three courses on the site.

Related blog posts:
- Hastings
- Postcards

Putt-Putt Germiston in Johannesburg, South Africa

A look at a postcard coupon good for one free round at Putt-Putt Germiston in Johannesburg, South Africa.

I recently bought 50 more postcards for my collection of minigolf cards and among them was this Putt-Putt advertising postcard/coupon. It's not the first version I've seen, but it was still well worth getting as it's such a nice piece of ephemera and minigolf history.

Putt-Putt Golf Courses - South Africa's Premier Putting Courses. A postcard coupon good for one free round at Putt-Putt Germiston, Johannesburg

This postcard is stamped for a free game at 'Putt-Putt Germiston', the other one I have is for 'Putt-Putt Southdale'. Sadly the Germiston location is no longer there.

The reverse of the postcard coupon good for one free round at Putt-Putt Germiston, Johannesburg

My expert minigolf contact from South Africa PJ Goedhals identified the location on the front of the card as the Putt-Putt miniature golf course at Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point/Sea Point in Cape Town - PJ's local course! Some of my cousins have also visited the course.

A photo of the Three Anchor Bay Putt-Putt course in January last year

Putt-Putt is the only patented game of miniature golf and began in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1954. In the 1960's Putt-Putt franchises began opening outside of the US, in locations such as the one on the postcard, as well as Australia and Japan. At one time there were even Putt-Putt courses in the UK. You can read the Putt-Putt story on the Putt-Putt Fun Centers website.

Related blog posts:
- Putt-Putt
- Postcard
- Postcards
- South Africa
- A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa

Miniature Golf at the Harbour Gardens in Morecambe

A 1930's view of the Harbour Gardens in Morecambe.

I found this wonderful old postcard showing the Harbour Gardens in Morecambe, Lancashire. What a spot it must've been to play minigolf.

Postcard showing Harbour Gardens, Morecambe. G.5021 by Allen & Sons, Blackpool 21A. The card was postally used on 19 August 1937 and sent to Leeds

Related blog posts:
- Postcard
- Postcards

Pat Regan's Putting Green in Broadstairs

Who was Pat Regan?

A look at a mysterious postcard from Pat Regan's Putting Green in Broadstairs.

I found this interesting old miniature golf postcard at the recent Stockport Postcard Fair.

The postcard is postally unused, but interestingly is signed by Pat Regan himself

Pat Regan's Putting Green on the Thanet coast in Broadstairs, Kent was in the same spot that is now Lillyputt Minigolf.

We visited and played the Lillyputt Minigolf course back in September 2007. It was the 35th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 859.

The Lillyputt Minigolf course in Broadstairs is a nice Arnold Palmer Putting Course layout

I haven't been able to find out anything about Pat Regan. Was he the course owner or a local golf pro? I'd love to know.

You can find out more about the course on the Lillyputt Minigolf website. One of the photos in the gallery section shows the area as Jack Nunn's Putting Green.

Related blog posts:
- Postcard
- Postcards
- Broadstairs

A Crazy Golf 'holy grail'

Finding a rare Crazy Golf postcard.

As a keen postcard collector I'm always on the lookout for new views of miniature golf courses and while at the December postcard fair in Stockport I found something of a holy grail in the world of minigolf postcards.

The Eternit Miniature Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Village. This Photo Precision Limited postcard was sent on the 8th July 1977

Not only is the card a full view of a Crazy Golf course, but it also has a message on the back about playing Crazy Golf! In the thousands of minigolf postcards I've got this is one of only a few that mentions playing the game and the only one specifically saying "Crazy Golf".

The sender was having quite the holiday in Prestatyn by the sound of it - playing Crazy Golf every day!

The Grand Hotel is now The Beaches Hotel. Sadly the Crazy Golf course is long gone. On our last holiday in Prestatyn we popped into the hotel bar for a drink. The patio area there has a nice sea view.

A view of the area in front of the hotel. The plot of land between the hotel and Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park is now a car park

Another view of where the Crazy Golf course once was

Luckily there is still a Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park. It's near the main entrance and back in 2014 became the 348th played and 582nd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Related blog posts:
- Postcards
- Prestatyn
- Pontins