Mini Golf at Canoe Lake in Southsea

A look at the Mini Golf course at Canoe Lake in Southsea, Hampshire.

The 12-hole course was the 669th visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in August 2015.

It was one of the best grass putting courses I've played on my travels and the sort of course I could play all day long.

We've now visited 954 courses since September 2006. The very first course was also in Southsea!

It'll be marvellous when we're able to get back to the seaside.

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Miniature Golf in Salford

Finding two minigolf courses in Salford.

We found two miniature golf courses by accident while out on our daily outdoor exercise yesterday afternoon!

Both layouts were in the City of Salford - one was a Putting Green at Victoria Park in Pendlebury, Swinton and the other was a Pitch & Putt course at Buile Hill Park in Salford.

Neither course was open

It's always nice to find minigolf courses we didn't previously know about. It was especially crazy as both are fairly close by!

We've now been to 954 courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

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Porthcawl

Ah to be at the seaside on a day like today.

Looking through my photos from last year I spotted this lovely view of the beach in Porthcawl, Wales.

I can't wait to be able to head back out on our travels and visit the coast.

It was slightly outside of the season so I couldn't have a game on the Putting Green in Griffin Park

Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines at Coney Beach

What are the 7 Dimensions?

Mini Golf Putting at Luccombe Hall Hotel in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Finding out about a hotel Putting Course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

A big thank you to our friend Philip Walsh for sending over some snaps of a grass Putting Course he found during his recent stay on the Isle of Wight.

It looks like a nice little course for a putt around.

Visit the Luccombe Hall Hotel website for more information.

We're looking forward to a return visit to the Isle of Wight on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've had a couple of day trips there in the past and played quite a few courses, but need at least a long weekend to play them all.

Philip has also been to the brand new Shanklin Crazy Golf course, Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin and the Mini Golf course and Billiard Golf tables in Puerto Colón, Tenerife this year.

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NO BALL GAMES - at a miniature golf course

While playing on the Putting Green at Knaresborough's Castle Yard in 2015 we noticed an interesting sign on the course!

NO BALL GAMES

We're looking forward to going back to Knaresborough, it's one of our favourite places.

Related blog posts:
- NO GOLF
- Knaresborough

Your private green minigolf postcard

A playable postcard from the Netherlands.

I found this fun minigolf postcard at the last postcard fair I attended in Stockport.

The Dutch text reads Vouw de ansichtkaart langs de stippellijnen, en druk het balletje uit de kaart (Fold the postcard along the dotted lines and push the ball out of the card)

It was published by GreenCards and can be turned into a putting cup by folding along the perforations and popping out the golf ball in the middle.

A postcard from the Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay

A look at an old miniature golf postcard from from the Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay, Kent.

One of the nice old minigolf postcards I bought at the last postcard fair I attended was this one by Photochrom Co. Ltd. showing the Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay, Kent.

It's postally unused and undated.

The Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay was the first of ten homes opened by the railway industry for railwayworkers to recover from sickness and illness.

A Putting Green postcard from Butlin's Luxury Holiday Camp in Pwllheli

A look at a nice old Putting Green postcard from the Butlin's Luxury Holiday Camp in Pwllheli.

Putting Green, Butlin's Luxury Holiday Camp, Pwllheli. Published by Butlin's Photographic Services Ltd. Postally used on 4th June 1951

This is the oldest postcard I have showing the Putting Green at Butlin's Pwllheli. The other cards I have were posted in 1964 and 1966.

Butlin's Pwllheli opened in 1947 and closed in 1998.

A Putting Green postcard from Butlin's Pwllheli

A look at The Putting Green at Butlin's Pwllheli.

Butlin's Pwllheli Putting Green. Real Butlin's photograph numbered P8. Postally used on 10th August 1966

The Putting Green looks a little more makeshift than on later Butlin's postcards.

I have another postcard showing the Putting Greens and Lawns at Butlin's Pwllheli holiday camp in my collection.

Monorail at Butlin's Minehead

A look at an old Butlins postcard from Minehead.

What a view of two monorails crossing above the swimming pool at Butlin's Minehead.

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

My holidays at Butlin's

My parents met at the Butlin's holiday camp in Clacton-on-Sea in the 1970's. My family often went on holiday to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead. We also had one stay at the Bognor Regis and Ayr camps. I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, itself a former Butlin's camp.

We used to ride the monorail at Butlin's Minehead all the time.

Riding the monorail with my brother Jon at Butlin's Somerwest World in Minehead

The Himalayas at St Andrews

A look at The Himalayas putting course, the world's first Miniature Golf course.

Playing The Himalayas course at the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club back in 2012.

The layout was created in 1867 and is the world's first Miniature Golf course.

When we visited there were two courses to play, an 18-hole course and a 9-hole layout. They were an absolute pleasure to play and one of my very best putting experiences.

Visit the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club website for more information.

The two courses at The Himalayas became the 292nd and 293rd miniature golf courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

A Typical Butlin Monorail

A look at an old Butlins postcard from Skegness.

I'm always on the lookout for old minigolf postcards and when I'm sorting through them at fairs, car boot sales, or in charity or antique shops I always keep an eye out for holiday camp postcards too.

This is one of the wonderful Butlin's cards from the late 1960's and it ticks a number of my interest boxes.

Firstly it's got a prominent view of a miniature golf course being played.

Secondly it's a Butlin's holiday camp card.

And thirdly it's got a monorail on it!

A Typical Butlin Monorail. I have two other versions of this card, but with the caption of 'Butlin's Skegness Monorail' instead. One was postally used on 27th July 1971

Two firsts

Skegness was the first Butlin's holiday camp and it opened its doors on the 11th April 1936.

The camp at Butlin's Skegness was the location for the UK's first commercial monorail. It opened in 1965.

Since then a number of camps opened and closed, underwent facelifts and rebranding exercises and offered marvellous holidays to millions of people.

Holidaying at Butlin's

My parents met at the Butlin's holiday camp in Clacton-on-Sea in the 1970's. My family often went on holiday to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead. We also had one stay at the Bognor Regis and Ayr camps. I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, itself a former Butlin's camp.

I have not yet visited the Skegness camp, but have had some brilliant holidays in Skeggy itself.

We also used to ride the monorail at Butlin's Minehead all the time.

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

Minigolf Putting in Knaresborough

A look at the grass Putting course at Knaresborough's Castle Yard.

Time really does fly! Looking through our records it's been five years since we visited Knaresborough in North Yorkshire!

The last time we were there we enjoyed playing the grass Putting course at Knaresborough's Castle Yard. It was a course we missed on our first visit to the town in 2010.

The grass Putting course at Knaresborough's Castle Yard became the 357th course played and 591st visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 948 courses since our travels began in 2006.

The course is the first we've ever been to that had a sallyport and secret tunnel running underneath it!

The tunnel was built in the late 13th or mid 14th century and was large enough for a small group of armed men to leave the castle secretly at night and launch an attack on any besieging troops.

Knaresborough is definitely on our list of places to go to post-lockdown.

 

Putting at Highcliffe-on-Sea

A look at an old minigolf postcard from Highcliffe-on-Sea.

We bought this nice old postcard showing a Putting Green while we were at the most recent Stockport postcard fair.

The Isle of Wight from Highcliffe-on-Sea. PT3098

We hadn't seen this particular card before and had never heard of Highcliffe-on-Sea.

The town is part of Christchurch borough in Dorset.

The card is postally unused, undated and has no publisher details on it. There is a code of PT3098 on it though. The details on the reverse say "The Isle of Wight from Highcliffe-on-Sea".

It's always nice to see old minigolf postcards. Some give us clues of new places to play, while others show long lost miniature golf layouts.

We had planned to visit Dorset at the end of this month, but that trip has been postponed until after the UK coronavirus lockdown. We'll have to go to Highcliffe-on-Sea and see what's at the same spot now.

I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who remembers the course and knows exactly where it was.

Looking online to see if there's still a course there my eye was drawn to the nearby Hoburne Naish Holiday Park in Barton on Sea where I noticed a minigolf course! Another one to add to our list...

A postcard from Butlin's Bognor Regis

The most recent Stockport postcard fair was a goldmine of nice old miniature golf postcards.

One of which was this John Hinde Ltd multi-view card showing The Putting Green at Butlin's Bognor Regis.

Butlin's Bognor Regis. John Hinde Ltd. Posted on 3 Aug 1981

The card was posted from the camp on 3rd August 1981 by Babs & Fred who were "Having a nice time." It was sent to Brightlingsea in Essex.

I always keep my eye out for old holiday camp postcards. They're fairly easy to spot as they tend to be nice and brightly coloured. There's also a good chance that minigolf or crazy golf will feature on them.

I wrote an article about Butlin's postcards in the November 2016 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine. That piece was to celebrate the 80th birthday of Butlin's.

My family often went on holiday to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead. We also had one stay at the Bognor Regis and Ayr camps. I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, itself a former Butlin's camp.

Putting Green at Marine Gardens in Worthing

Two old miniature golf postcards from Worthing.

Two of the old minigolf postcards I bought at the recent Stockport postcard fair were of the Putting course at Marine Gardens in West Worthing.

Neither were-posted and are both undated.

Marine Gardens, West Worthing. PT3206. Photo Precision Limited 

Putting Green, Marine Gardens, Worthing. Plastichrome by Colourpicture

We first visited the course in 2010 and revisited last April.

The Putting course at Marine Gardens in Worthing in July 2010

It hasn't changed too much over the years and is a nice spot to visit if you're in Worthing.

A postcard from Butlin's Pwllheli

A look at The Putting Greens and Lawns at Butlin's Pwllheli.

The recent Stockport postcard fair was a goldmine of old miniature golf postcards.

One of which was this card showing The Putting Greens and Lawns at Butlin's Pwllheli.

Butlin's Pwllheli The Putting Greens and Lawns. CT1306. Posted from the camp to Boston, Lincolnshire on the 1st June 1964

My family often went on holiday to Butlin's holiday camps in Minehead, Bognor Regis and Ayr - and I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, which was formerly a Butlin's camp.

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

I wrote an article about Butlin's postcards in the November 2016 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine. That piece was to celebrate the 80th birthday of Butlin's.

Crazy Golf at Vickersway Park in Northwich

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Vickersway Park in Northwich, Cheshire on Saturday 11th January 2020.

We swung by the Crazy Golf course at Vickersway Park while we were in Northwich at the weekend.

Back in September 2016 the course became the 700th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We have now been to 942 courses since September 2006.

So far this year we've visited nine courses and played at three of them.



Vickersway Park is also home to a Putting course.

Hole 1

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 4

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 5

Hole 5

Hole 6 - when we first visited this was hole 7

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 7 - or hole 8

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 9 - we played this as hole 6 last time

Hole 9

Hole 9