The Chrizy Golf Masters minigolf competition in Manchester

I won the Chrizy Golf Masters minigolf tournament in Manchester 13 years ago today!

The first - and to date only - Chrizy Golf Masters minigolf tournament was held on a festive-themed pop-up crazy golf course at Piccadilly Place in Manchester on the 30th November 2012.

The Chrizy Golf course was gone once the 2012 festive season was over and the building remained empty, or used for other pop-ups, until the team at Junkyard Golf made it their home for another minigolf course. That layout was there for a couple of years. They have since moved on and can be found at a permanent venue at First Street in the city.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Chrizy Golf course was the 313th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 1,111 courses since September 2006.

The American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship

A look back at the 2017 American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship.

My team-mate Peter Jones and I qualified for the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final by winning the Welsh Regional Qualifier at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham, Wales.

Playing in the final of the American Golf National Pairs Championship

Winners of the Regional Qualifiers progressed to the grand final at The Belfry Hotel & Resort in Sutton Coldfield.

Peter Jones in action in the final of the American Golf National Pairs Championship

National Television Championships.

The American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final was contested on the Ryder Legends Mini Golf course at The Belfry in September 2017 and was televised on Sky Sports Golf.

You can watch the tournament in the video below from 26m 55s.

You can also watch the American Golf Championship Tour Season Review programme on the American Golf YouTube Channel with the Adventure Golf competition starting at 31m 33s.

Qualifying for the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship.

Players earned their places in the final by competing in qualifying events in England, Scotland and Wales at the following venues:

• Bristol Golf Centre
• Clays Farm Golf Centre, Wrexham
• Great Western Golf Clydebank
• Top Golf Watford
• Trent Lock, Long Eaton
• World of Golf Croydon

Action from the TV tournament at The Belfry

Miniature Golf course at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham.

Each of the holes on the 9-hole Miniature Golf course at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham were based on famous holes from big/regular golf.

Miniature Golf course at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham

Related blog posts:

• American Golf
• American Golf Adventure Golf Championship
• Clays Golf Centre
• Competition
• The Belfry
• Tournament
• Wrexham

The Ryder Legends Mini Golf course at The Belfry Hotel & Resort - the outdoor 12-hole course was the 456th played and 768th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:

• American Golf
• Clays Golf Driving Range & Golf Course
• The Belfry Hotel & Resort

Winning the Weymouth Mini Golf Open

I won the Weymouth Open minigolf tournament on this day in 2008.

The inaugural Weymouth Open minigolf tournament was held on the 18-hole Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course at Weymouth Sea Life Centre at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth, Dorset on Sunday 12th October 2008.

Weymouth Open results.

I had an excellent career record in Weymouth Open events. As well as winning the individual title in 2008, my team-mate Chris Harding and I were the Weymouth Open doubles champions in 2011.

I was also runner-up in the 2009 and 2011 events and seventh in 2010. In the 2009 tournament Kevin Moseley and I were tied after two rounds and it took 4-holes of a sudden-death play-off to separate us.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course was the 77th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 1,099 courses since September 2006.

Find out more about the course at Weymouth Sea Life Centre.

Visit the Weymouth Sea Life Centre website for more information on the Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course at Lodmoor Country Park.

Find out more about minigolf tournaments in the UK.

The British Minigolf Association organises several minigolf competitions each year. Visit the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) website for more information.

Find out more about minigolf tournaments around the world.

The World Minigolf Sport Federation is the world governing body for the sport of minigolf. Its national and continental member associations organise competitions around the world. Visit the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) website for more information.

Related blog posts:

• Weymouth
• Competition
• Tournament
• British Minigolf Association
• Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
• Minigolf Player Profile - Richard Gottfried

Links:

• Weymouth Sea Life Centre
• British Minigolf Association

A rollercoaster minigolf journey!

Looking back at the crazy golf course at Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells, Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.

We've been to some weird and wonderful miniature golf courses in some crazy locations over the last 19 years.

One of the fun and intriguing places we had a game of minigolf was UNDERNEATH a rollercoaster at the Fantasy Island theme park in Ingoldmells, Skegness, Lincolnshire, England back in May 2011!

A lost minigolf course.

Sadly this particular crazy golf course is a lost course. Fantasy Island is now home to an 18-hole course called Lava Creek Adventure Golf. It's a course we need to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

At that point the 12-hole outdoor crazy golf course at the Fantasy Island theme park was the 240th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've now been to 1,099 courses overall in the last 19 years, with 1,038 of those locations in the British Isles.

Within the British Isles Emily and I have been to courses in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey and the Isle of Man. We've also travelled to minigolf courses in twelve countries - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (including Lanzarote and Majorca), Sweden and the USA.

Find out more.

Check out the Fantasy Island website for more information on the theme park in Ingoldmells.

Related blog posts:

• Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
• Ingoldmells
• Skegness
• Lincolnshire
• Rollercoaster

The Putt Park Annual Mini-Golf Tournament in Las Vegas, USA

A look back at The Putt Park Annual Mini-Golf Tournament in Las Vegas.

I won The Putt Park's Annual Mini-Golf Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA back in September 2011.

Playing at the Putt Park Miniature Golf in Las Vegas.

We had first played miniature golf at The Putt Park on our holiday to Las Vegas in 2010. It was the 178th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Playing at The Putt Park Miniature Golf course in Las Vegas

Sadly The Putt Park is no longer there. It was a brilliant 18-hole course and, at the time, the only outdoor minigolf course in Las Vegas.

Related blog posts:

• Las Vegas
• Competitions
• Tournaments
• Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile

Two minigolf crocodiles, in two countries, on the same day

Playing two crocodile-themed holes in two different countries, on the same day!

On the 28th August I was playing a round of minigolf at Gator Golf at the Crocodiles of the World zoo in Brize Norton, Carterton, England. On the same day my brother Christopher and his family were 5,872 miles away playing minigolf at Khao Lak Mini Golf in Khuekkhak, Thailand.

And we both played a similar obstacle and hole where we had to putt our golf ball into a crocodile's (or alligator's) mouth!

The croc on hole 8 of the Khao Lak Mini Golf in Khuekkhak, Thailand on the left, with the gator on hole 15 of the Gator Golf course at Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England on the right

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've now been to 1,099 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour to date. 1,038 of them have been in the British Isles. Combined with Christopher and his family's branch of the tour we've been to 1,152 courses in the British Isles and 21 overseas countries.

Find out more.

You can find out more about the two courses at the following links:

• Gator Golf at Crocodiles of the World
• Khao Lak Mini Golf

Related blog posts:

• Gator Golf at Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton, Carterton
• Khao Lak Mini Golf in Khuekkhak, Thailand
• Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

NFL Experience Watch Party at Courts Club in Manchester

Visiting the NFL Experience New York Jets Vs Pittsburgh Steelers Watch Party at Courts Club in Manchester.

I had a fun afternoon at the NFL UK Experience New York Jets Vs Pittsburgh Steelers Watch Party at Courts Club in Manchester on Sunday.

Met some mascots, saw the Vince Lombardi trophy, and played some mini-games.

With Edgar - one of the three Baltimore Ravens mascots

With Jaxson de Ville - aka Union Jaxson - the mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars

I watched a LOT of American Football over the weekend!

Hopefully there'll be more NFL events in Manchester in the future.

Find out more.

Visit the NFL UK & Ireland and Courts Club websites for more information.

The 2009 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament

Looking back at the 2009 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament.

I won the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf competition 16 years ago today.

We played in the Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament at the Adventure Golf course in Blackpool 16 years ago today. The event was held as part of the Illuminations celebrations.

We had a cracking time in the seaside resort and to top things off I won!

The trophy for the tournament is still one of the best I've seen in the world of minigolf!

The 2009 Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament in Blackpool.

The second Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament was played on the 12-hole Adventure Golf course. After three rounds and 36-holes I won the tournament with a score of 81, eight shots ahead of runner-up John Moore, and 17 shots ahead of third-placed Steve Gow.

My first round score of 24 also smashed the previous course record. And it's still the official course record on the layout.

I shot the course record - a 24 in the first round of the 2009 Pleasure Beach Open. However, Peter McGillivray's name and round of 25 shots has been up on the board since 2016! But I'm not bitter about it lol

Find out more about the Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf course

Visit the Pleasure Beach website for more information about the Adventure Golf course.

The Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf course in Blackpool in June 2024

Learn more about minigolf tournaments.

Check out the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) and World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) websites for further details about how to get started playing competitive minigolf, and information about minigolf tournaments around the world.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf course was the 44th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we first visited for the inaugural Pleasure Beach Open contest in 2008.

Related blog posts:

• Blackpool
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Gottfried wins the 2009 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open

Mini Golf in the Guinness World Records 2026 Book

There's a minigolf record listed in the 2026 edition of the Guinness World Records book.

You'll have to check out a copy of the book to see which one it is!

Mini Golf in the Guinness World Records 2024 Book

The 2024 edition of the Guinness World Records book had a whole page dedicated to minigolf records. Including one I hold.

The book also has a crazy golf element on the brilliant cover art challenge.

My Guinness World Record

I'm a Guinness World Record Holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press).

Playing the Ryder Legends Mini Golf course at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield

You can see the full list of courses Emily and I have visited since the 30th September 2006 on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour page. We're currently at a combined total of 1,099 courses visited over the last 19 years.

At the Southend Pier Crazy Golf course in 2016

Minigolf Guinness World Records

Make sure to visit the Guinness World Records website to see all of the minigolf Guinness World Records.

17 years gluten free

Today marks my 17 year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease 17 years ago today. And so began my journey into the gluten free world.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Living a gluten free life

I'm still alive and kicking as I've avoided gluten (my Kryptonite) since 2008

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's very much appreciated.

For more information on Coeliac Disease visit the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

Scarborough's North Bay Crazy Golf - the 900th course we visited

We visited our 900th minigolf course back in June 2019.

At our 900th minigolf course!

We made the landmark 900th course visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we had a round at the North Bay Mini Golf course in Scarborough, North Yorkshire on the 7th June 2019.

We were staying near Peasholm Park and had seen a number of the other courses in the North Bay area shortly after arriving in the town. As it was a Friday - and a rainy one at that - none were open.

While walking along the clifftop we spied the North Bay Crazy Golf course and I couldn't run down the hill quickly enough to get a closer look at the 12-hole course.

Luckily for us the course was open

It's always brilliant to find unique courses and the North Bay Crazy Golf course was just that. There were some very nice hole-in-one opportunities and a few tricky second putts on the colourful course. What was really great to see was that the borders had felt on them that allowed skilful shots to be rewarded.

  

In our round I shot a 24 to take the win, with Emily scoring a 26 and our friend Cat Patterson hitting a 33.

Hole 1

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 10

Hole 10

Hole 11

Hole 12

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The North Bay Crazy Golf course in Scarborough was the 900th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006. When our travels began there were around 600 courses in the UK.

As at January 2025 there are approximately 1,370 minigolf courses around the UK and British Isles (including Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, and other islands). This includes public courses, as well as those at pay to enter attractions, holiday parks, hotels and other 'non-standard' locations. And there are new courses being planned, in development, and opening all the time!

We've now been to a total of 1,083 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, with 1,022 of them in the British Isles. Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book and the Guinness World Records website to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Of the original list of 600 course we've still got to visit 39 of the public courses. In addition there are a further 150 courses at pay to enter attractions, hotels and holiday parks that we've not yet been to.