An old Putting Green postcard from Blackpool

A look at an old miniature golf postcard from Blackpool.

This old postcard showing the Putting Green at the North Shore in Blackpool was posted on the 10th of October 1938.

We've visited the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Unfortunately the kiosk was closed so we couldn't get a game. At that time in 2009 there was also a Crazy Golf layout next to the grass Putting Course.

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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Picture Postcard Magic - Back in Brighton

Here's my latest post for the Reflections of a Bygone Age blog.

A new Putting Pencil

One of the nicest things about visiting a new minigolf course is seeing what scorecards and branded pencils they have. Not all courses have them and at present some courses have stopped giving them out. Other courses use apps for players to use as scorecards while others use a mix of the old-school approach mixed with technology and offer both scoring options.

On our travels to 948 miniature golf courses we've collected quite a few putting pencils.

Earlier this week I blogged about the fact you can now play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from The Simpsons! It's available as an online game as well as a download.

Do you think you can reach the Parking Lot with a Putter?

I bought the downloadable version and as a nice bonus you receive a scoring pencil.

It's something different to add to my collection of minigolf ephemera.

Play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from The Simpsons

You can now play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from The Simpsons!

I know which club I'm choosing

I love The Simpsons and I love Putting so I was very very very happy to hear that Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from the show has been made into a playable game!

Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Martyn Williams from the Welsh Minigolf Club for sending the link to me.

Play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge online

The playable version of the game was made by Aaron Demeter. Follow him on Twitter too.

It's certainly cheered me up on this Minigolf Monday and is a bright spot in an otherwise incredibly gloomy year.

Happy Putting.

Results of the Putt18 4 Nations Cup

Results of the Putt18 4 Nations Cup international golf putting tournament.

We played in the inaugural Putt18 4 Nations Cup international miniature golf putting competition at the weekend.

The event saw us compete for the UK against pairs from Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

Each player had a 16-minute time limit to play four 18-hole rounds for a 72-hole total score.

The results of the Putt18 4 Nations Cup

The event was won by the New Zealand team of Cameron Couper and Matt Ansley with an 8-round total of 572.

The Australian duo of Josh Mars and Nathan Lamplough were runners-up with a total of 583.

The USA team of Pat Sheridan and Tom Loftus were in third place with a total of 604.

Emily and I shot an 8-round total of 658. Not too bad considering we only had a day to practice!

The low round of the event was shot by Australia's Josh Mars with a score of 65.

We're looking forward to playing some more competitions and friendlies on the Putt18 game mat. We'll be trying out the set in different spots around the house to find the optimum putting surface too.

Many thanks to the team at Putt18 for sending us the game mat and selecting us to play in the event.

Visit the Putt18 website for more information.

You can watch each player's four rounds in the videos in this blog post about the competition.

Results of the Putt18 4 Nations Cup

Report from the Putt18 4 Nations Cup international miniature golf tournament.

We played in the first Putt18 4 Nations Cup international miniature golf tournament at the weekend.

The event saw us compete for the UK against pairs from Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

Each player had a 16-minute time limit to play four 18-hole rounds for a 72-hole total score.

The results of the Putt18 4 Nations Cup

The event was won by the New Zealand team of Cameron Couper and Matt Ansley with an 8-round total of 572.

The Australian duo of Josh Mars and Nathan Lamplough were runners-up with a total of 583.

The USA team of Pat Sheridan and Tom Loftus were in third place with a total of 604.

Emily and I shot an 8-round total of 656. Not too bad considering we only had a day to practice!

The low round of the event was shot by Australia's Josh Mars with a score of 65.

We're looking forward to playing some more competitions and friendlies on the Putt18 game mat. We'll be trying out the set in different spots around the house to find the optimum putting surface too.

Many thanks to the team at Putt18 for sending us the game mat and selecting us to play in the event.

Visit the Putt18 website for more information.

You can watch each player's four rounds in the videos below.

New Zealand

Cameron Couper

Matt Ansley

Australia

Josh Mars

Nathan Lamplough

Video link.

USA

Tom Loftus

Pat Sheridan

UK

Richard Gottfried

Emily Gottfried

Link:

- Putt18

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Putt18 Home Putting Challenge 4 Nations Cup practice round

Practice for the Putt18 Home Putting Challenge 4 Nations Cup international event.

Here's a practice round on the Putt18 Golf Putting Mat Game ahead of the Putt18 4 Nations Cup tournament.

The Putt18 Home Putting Challenge 4 Nations Cup international competition tees-off at 8pm (UK time) on Saturday 16th May and will see us face-off against teams from Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

Richard tees-off at 8pm.

Emily tees-off at 8.30pm.

Many thanks to the team at Putt18 for sending us the game mat and selecting us to play in the event.

Putt18 Golf Putting Mat Game

A look at the Putt18 Golf Putting Mat Game.

Our Putt18 indoor putting game set has just arrived after a long journey from down under!

The Putt18 Golf Putting Mat Game will be replacing our normal rug!

It's a good fit for our living room

A Putt18 Golf Putting Mat Game ball

The Rules

A branded Putt18 pencil

Official Putt18 scorecards

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Emily and I will be representing the UK when we compete in the Putt18 Home Putting Challenge 4 Nations Cup international event tomorrow, Saturday 16th May.

The competition tees-off at 8pm (UK time) and will see us face-off against teams from Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

The event will be streamed live via Facebook.

Many thanks to the team at Putt18 for sending us the game mat and selecting us to play in the event.

Visit the Putt18 website for more information.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Putt18 4 Nations Cup international tournament

Information about the Putt18 Home Putting Challenge 4 Nations Cup international event.

We will be competing in the Putt18 Home Putting Challenge 4 Nations Cup international event this Saturday.

The competition tees-off at 8pm (UK time) and will see us face-off against teams from Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

• Representing Australia - Josh Mars and Nathan Lamplough
• Representing New Zealand - Cameron Couper and Matt Ansley
• Representing the USA - Tom Loftus and Pat Sheridan
• Representing the UK - Richard Gottfried and Emily Gottfried

Check out the Putt18 website for more information.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Putt18 (@putt18australia) on Jan 16, 2020 at 11:50pm PST

Last month New Zealand defeated Australia in the Trans-Tasman Cup.

The world record score for a round of Putt18 was recently set by Josh Mars with a round of 10 under par.

Many thanks to the team at Putt18 for sending us the game mat and selecting us to play in the event.

Related blog posts:
- Putt at Home
- Indoor Minigolf
- Richard Gottfried Player Profile
- Emily Gottfried Player Profile

Link:
- Putt18

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.

Crazy Putting Challenge at Hamptworth Golf Club

A look at the Crazy Putting Challenge course at Hamptworth Golf Club.

We played there a year ago today.

The excellent 9-hole course in Hamptworth, Wiltshire was the 875th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 511th played.

Of all the golf clubs we've visited to play minigolf we found Hamptworth to be one of the very best. It had excellent facilities and we received a very warm welcome.

The Crazy Putting Challenge was the sort of minigolf course I could play all day and not tire of as it offered so many different angles and lines to get a hole-in-one.

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.

Build a Crazy Golf course during isolation

Things to do while in quarantine.

The Olympic Channel has suggested building a Crazy Golf course during isolation.

I built a home minigolf hole as part of the Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt a few years ago. I've got a few ideas for a new home minigolf layout

It's nice to see the Olympic movement getting involved in the craze for putting at home during lockdown.

The last 8 years since the London 2012 Olympic Games have flown by!

It's one of the suggestions we made on the Big Mini Golf Bucket List created at the start of the lockdown.

Our friends at the Putting Penguin are hosting a Pandemic Putt Off encouraging people around the world to create minigolf holes, obstacles and courses during these times of social distancing.

Have you built a minigolf hole or course? What other 'competitive isolation' fun are you having?

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 did you knows...?

Did you know?

• The world's first miniature golf course was set-up at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867.

Playing The Himalayas at St Andrews in April 2012

• James Barber opened the first minigolf course in the USA in 1916. The 'Lilliputian' miniature golf course was called 'Thistle Dhu' and located in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

• A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games in the USA.

• Crazy Golf is 94 years old in 2020. The first course opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England in 1926.

At The Original Crazy Golf in Skegness in May 2015

• 1926 also saw the first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA. Garnet Carter opened the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

• The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930.

What are your favourite minigolf facts, stats and did you knows?

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...