Crazy Golf in Dunoon

A look at the Crazy Golf course in Dunoon, Scotland.

Many thanks to Martin Evans, head of the Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society, for sending over this snap of the Crazy Golf course in Dunoon. It's a course we're yet to visit!

By a strange coincidence Telegraph Pole Appreciation Day and Miniature Golf Day are both on the 21st of September each year. Who would've thought there'd be so much crossover between the two hobbies.

You can view a post about the telegraph poles Martin found on his trip on the Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society website.

Mini Golf at Brodick, Isle of Arran

A view of the Crazy Golf course at Brodick, Isle of Arran.

Stockport-based artist Eamonn Murphy recently stumped us on Twitter when he challenged us to identify a Crazy Golf course he had visited.

What a location for a course

We had no idea it was the course at The Taste of Arran Shop & Mini Golf in Brodick, Isle of Arran.

It looks like a cracking layout with some wonderful views. We can't wait to play it.

Like buses, you don't see the Crazy Golf course in Brodick in twelve years of minigolfing and then two people tell you about the course! Check out Martin Evans photo of the course in this guest blog post.

Crazy Golf at Brodick, Isle of Arran

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Brodick, Isle of Arran.

A big thank you to Martin Evans, founder of the Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society, for sending over this photo of the Crazy Golf course at Brodick on the Isle of Arran. It's a course we're yet to visit and it looks marvellous!

What a colourful layout

You can find the course at The Taste of Arran Shop & Mini Golf.

By a strange coincidence Telegraph Pole Appreciation Day and Miniature Golf Day are both on the 21st of September each year. Who would've thought there'd be so much crossover between the two hobbies.

You can view a post about the telegraph poles Martin found on his trip on the society website.

Like buses, you don't see the Crazy Golf course in Brodick in twelve years of crazy golfing and then two people tell you about the course! Check out Eamonn Murphy's photo of the course in this guest blog post.

New indoor Adventure Golf course in Edinburgh

There's a new Volcano Falls indoor Adventure Golf course in Edinburgh.

While on holiday in Edinburgh Emily spotted this bit of bus advertising about the new Volcano Falls indoor Adventure Golf course that has opened at Fountain Park in Edinburgh.

As part of the launch activity the course ran a Spot the Bus promotion

We've played the Volcano Falls course at Xscape in Castleford on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

2017 Scottish Open Putting Championship in Prestwick

The Scottish Open Putting Championship is running at Putting Plus in Prestwick throughout the summer season.

In 2015 Putting Plus held the Open Putting Championship over a weekend, and it rained. In 2016 it was held over 10 days, and it rained. This year the Championship is bring held over the summer season, blame the putting curse when it rains.

In addition to the Champion Putter, category Champions include primary and secondary school age; over 60, over 70 and over 80; and the Grandparent and Grandchild Pairs.

This weekend, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th July between 12 noon until 4pm, the focus is on the Grandparent and Grandchild Pairs category.

Champions in all categories will be announced at the beginning of September.

You can find out more about the 2017 Scottish Open Putting Championship on the Putting Plus Facebook page.

Putting on the Prom and BBQ at Parkstone in Prestwick

The team at Putting Plus in Prestwick, Scotland have got in touch to let me know about the Putting on the Prom event next Sunday, 9th July. Check out the poster for more info.

It sounds great fun.

Players at the event will also receive free entry to the Scottish Open Putting Championship with a range of category prizes up for grabs!

Check out the Putting Plus Facebook page for further information on the course and upcoming events.

Crazy Golf at Duthie Park in Aberdeen

A look at the minigolf course at Duthie Park in Aberdeen.

My friend Pam Woodcock sent over these snaps of the Crazy Golf course at Duthie Park in Aberdeen, Scotland from her day out in the park.

The Duthie Park Crazy Golf layout

Pam tells me the park is a fantastic public amenity and only half a mile from the town centre. We'll definitely have to give it a visit in the future as we didn't get to Duthie Park on our previous trip to Aberdeen back in 2010.

Another view of the Duthie Park Mini Golf course

Pam and her husband Dave are BIG fans of minigolf and spearheaded a project to create a Crazy Golf course in Burray, Orkney. A project which came to fruition last year when they opened the UK's most northerly Crazy Golf course on the island.

At the end of this month the course will be hosting the first-ever Burray vs. the Rest of the World minigolf competition!

Dementia Friendly Minigolf Putting in Prestwick

Putting Plus offering Dementia Friendly Minigolf on the prom in Prestwick.

The team at Putting Plus in Prestwick, Scotland are launching Dementia Friendly Putting on the Putting Green at Prestwick Prom this Friday, 26th May, between 2 and 4pm.

Dr John Hunter from Putting Plus said "The healthy benefits for Putting include improved hand /eye coordination, visual perception, motor skills, and spatial awareness as well as getting out in the fresh air."

He added "Please note that if the weather is doubtful a message will be left on the weather line 07471 914 725 to confirm if the event is going ahead."

See Putting Plus and Dementia Friendly Prestwick for further info.

We visited Prestwick while in Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Unfortunately the weather wasn't too kind on the particular afternoon we were on the prom, so we didn't get to play the fine looking seafront Putting course.

Prestwick's Putting course in 2014

150 years of miniature golf

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the world's first miniature golf course.

The world's first miniature golf course

The Himalayas Putting course at St Andrews was created in 1867 specifically for female players to use. We visited and played The Himalayas in 2012. It's a wonderful layout and a must-do for fans of minigolf or 'regular' golf.



To mark the occasion, The British Golf Museum at St Andrews has created a special exhibition - Shining Examples: 150 years of the St Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club - which runs until March 2018.

What a view

You can read more about the history of the St Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club on their website. It's interesting to note there had previously been a small putting area set-up before 1860, while the 9-hole course opened in 1867.

The first hole on the 9-hole course sees you putting across a path

Today there is a 9-hole and an 18-hole course, both open to the public for a nominal charge.

A nice long tee-shot

We're looking forward to a return visit to St Andrews, a visit to the exhibition and a few more games on the famous links minigolf course.

Emily putting on The Himalayas

Visit The British Golf Museum at St Andrews and the St Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club websites to find out more.

The British Golf Museum was closed on our visit to St Andrews. Still, not going in gave us even more time to play The Himalayas

The Himalayas is a real pleasure to play

The Himalayas sits next to the Old Course at St Andrews

A long minigolf hole

 

Lots of challenging lumps and bumps

Look how hilly that route to the cup is

Playing the first hole on the 9-hole layout

The Rules

Other key dates in world minigolf are:

• 1916 - The first minigolf course in the USA. James Barber opened the 'Thistle Dhu' layout in Pinehurst, NC.
• 1926 - The very first Crazy Golf course in the UK opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.
• 1926 - The first artificial miniature golf course in the USA. Garnet Carter created the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
• National Miniature Golf Day always falls on the second Saturday in May. In 2017 this will be on Saturday 13th May.
• Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September, which is on a Thursday in 2017.
• 30th September marks the day we visited our first course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2006.

Visit the World Minigolf Sport Federation's website for details of World Championships taking place this year, as well as events from their 62 member nations.

Check out the online Crazy Golf Museum for more information about the history of minigolf.

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Abandoned Crazy Golf at South Inch Park in Perth

A visit to the derelict Crazy Golf course at South Inch Park in Perth, Scotland.

Perhaps the strangest course we've ever found is the derelict and abandoned Crazy Golf course at Perth's South Inch Park. The layout is one of the biggest we've seen, with some unique hole layouts too. It was so odd to see the course looking so eerie and weird.

The South Inch Park Crazy Golf course was pretty big

We visited South Inch Park during our roadtrip to Scotland and back in 2012. On the journey we were able to play 13 of the miniature golf courses we found, but unfortunately 36 of them were unplayable for one reason or another.

The derelict Crazy Golf course was the 29th visited on the roadtrip on the 8th April 2012. It was the 475th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. South Inch Park also had a grass Putting course, but it wasn't yet open for the season.

The grass Putting area at South Inch Park

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Unplayed Minigolf Courses on our Roadtrip to Scotland & Back
- Visiting a further 49 Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in England and Scotland

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Adventure Golf Putting at Noah's Ark Golf Centre in Perth

Playing the Adventure Golf Putting course at Noah's Ark Golf Centre in Perth, Scotland.

Back in 2012 we visited 49 courses on a BIG minigolf roadtrip exploring the north west of England, some of Scotland and the north east coast. One of these was the half indoors/half outdoors Adventure Golf Putting course at Noah's Ark Golf Centre in Perth.

Much of the course is covered by a barn-style roof

The course starts off indoors

And slowly progresses to become an outdoor layout

The course was the 28th visited on the roadtrip when we called in on the 8th April 2012.

The layout was the 290th played overall on our tour and the 474th visited since September 2006.

Inside

Outside

Indoors

Outdoors

Undercover

Of the 49 courses we stopped at on our roadtrip we managed to play thirteen of them. You can see the list and photos of these in the blog post 'Visiting a further 49 Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in England and Scotland'.

During the trip we also visited St Andrews in Scotland to play the world’s first Miniature Golf course at The Himalayas Putting Course.

Visit the Noah's Ark Golf Centre website for more information, opening times and prices.

We did indeed

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Visiting a further 49 Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in England and Scotland
- Unplayed Minigolf Courses on our Roadtrip to Scotland & Back

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.