Social distancing at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate

Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent has reopened with social distancing measures in place.

Find out more about the 18-hole outdoor adventure golf course on the Strokes Adventure Golf website and Facebook Page.

I enjoy seeing the Strokes Adventure Golf daily weather updates on social media.

View this post on Instagram

. . . . #minigolf #⛳ #golf #thanet #visitkent #visitengland #weatherforecast #crazygolf #margate #minigolf #weekend #thursday #lovemargate #southeast #kent #broadstairs #weather #canterbury #amateurphotography

A post shared by Minigolf Margate, Westbrook (@strokesadventuregolf) on Jun 18, 2020 at 12:03am PDT

We've got many happy memories of playing the tricky and well designed course at Strokes over the years and look forward to playing there again in the future.

Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate was the 34th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate

A look at the Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent.

Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate was the 34th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It's a fine course indeed. Very tricky in places, but rewarding to play when you score an ace.

Check out the Strokes Adventure Golf website for more information.

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

Coeliac Awareness Week 2015

This year Coeliac Awareness Week is 11 to 17 May.

Coeliac Awareness Week is taking place from 11 to 17 May. For more information check out the Coeliac UK website and the Awareness Week page over the coming months.

Last year I was Minigolfing gluten free in Margate during Coeliac Awareness Week.

Minigolfer, blogger and (unfortunately) a coeliac. Last year I was playing in a national minigolf tournament at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate during Coeliac Awareness Week

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten and the only treatment is to adhere to a strict lifelong gluten free diet.

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

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in May 2008 and have been living on a strict, lifelong gluten free diet ever since

It's important to know and remember that Celiac/Coeliac is NOT an allergy, it's NOT a preference, it's NOT a fad, it's NOT a diet, it's NOT an intolerance, it's NOT a choice - it's an AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE.

Check out the blog posts and links below for more information on Coeliac Disease and Gluten Free.

Related blog posts:
- Celiac Awareness Day 2014
- Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014 and the Gluten-free guarantee
- Minigolfing gluten free in Margate
- What a Day, Week and Month! (2013)

- Awareness Week: Coeliac Facts from Udi's Gluten Free

- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac
- Read my Gluten Free Journey blog on the Udi's gluten free website

Links:
- Coeliac UK
- Coeliac Awareness Week 2015
- National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) / Celiac Central

Minigolfing gluten free in Margate

I’m an avid blogger and tweeter on all things Minigolf and Gluten Free so with May being Celiac Awareness Month in the USA and Canada and Coeliac UK running its annual Awareness Week from the 12th to the 18th May what better time for me to be exploring the gluten free options available while on a roadtrip to the British Minigolf Association’s National Championships in Margate, Kent.

Minigolfer, and Coeliac, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate

Arriving in Margate in the early afternoon on practice-day-Friday Emily and I headed straight for Strokes Adventure Golf course on Westbrook Promenade. We’d spent the previous day in nearby Whitstable – via Gillingham and the Isle of Sheppey – and had a great meal at the Pearson’s Arms on the seafront there.

Richard Gottfried playing the 14th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf course

After the first practice round – Emily winning by 39(+3) to my 41(+5) – we had a bit of a sit-down with team-mate/rival John ‘Thighs’ Moore. While we were relaxing a bit of post arrived for me at the course, in the form of a Coeliac UK t-shirt!

Special delivery

A second practice round followed, with me, Emily and John having a round with BMGA Tour rookie Derek ‘Needs a nickname’ Bentall. The scores in this round saw me hit a 38(+2), with John shooting a 39(+3), Emily a 44(+8) and Derek a 46(+10).

Playing the 16th hole - Shark's Teeth - at Strokes Adventure Golf course

After some more practice on the course’s more testing holes Emily and I headed off to check in to our hotel and explore Margate. We hadn’t been to the town since the BMGA British Open tournament in 2012 so we wanted to see what had changed. The Old Town in Margate is always worth a look and we popped into a few of the new vintage shops searching out old postcards.

Unfortunately one of the things that had changed for the worse in the town is the closure of the classic Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cliftonville. We played there in 2007 and 2011.

On the plus-side The Ambrette restaurant is still going strong in Margate and after our last visit – a recommendation by Matt Wood at Strokes Adventure Golf – we were really looking forward to our meal.

The food and service is excellent. On this occasion I had the tender breast of chicken marinated in coriander and wild garlic cooked 'sous-vide', followed by the slow cooked leg of duck and spiced courgette. The meal is a real treat as diners are given a number of amuse-bouches in-between courses! My favourite this time was the wild nettle soup.

What a gluten free feast

I can’t recommend The Ambrette enough, it really is great. The staff are very knowledgeable about the gluten free needs of Coeliac diners and when you eat there you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. For example, with the main course you are served a dosa pancake, rather than a naan bread – whereas in many other places you’d just have to ‘go without’. My dessert of Chocolate Silk was amazing. 

Time for pudding at The Ambrette

The first day’s play of the 2014 BMGA British Minigolf Championships teed-off on National Miniature Golf Day and the minigolfing gods were somewhat on our side as the rain which had been forecast never arrived. However, the field of 30-players had to contend with some very windy weather indeed, making the difficult Strokes course even harder in places. With nine-rounds(!) in total a lot of minigolf was to be played over the weekend.

A rather overcast day in Margate

During the rules briefing and announcement of the groups and playing order I tweeted "This year's @bmga_minigolf championships @strokesgolf features a Portuguese and a Canadian. And a bunch of Brits. #minigolf #Margate" to which @Strokesgolf replied "and a coeliac." Brilliant :-)

Despite the wind cutting through the players there were still some opportunities to play some great shots and Emily and I hit ten and eight holes-in-one during the day respectively.

Prior to visiting places on the BMGA Tour and during our roadtrips I will put out a tweet or two to see if anyone can recommend anywhere to safely eat gluten free.

A great reply came from Annie’s Supperclub and Larder who let me know she was able to arrange delivery of a variety of picnic and lunch orders to any of the beaches, or stations (and Minigolf courses!) in Thanet. This sounded great, as I always struggle to eat anything substantial during the day while playing in a competition. 

While I did keep myself going on the Pom Bears Strokes Adventure Golf course sells, it was great to know I’d be having a proper lunch too.

The lunch of a Chicken & Bacon Sub (freshly baked bread), a bag of Prawn Cocktail crisps and a Chocolate Cupcake was great and I’d certainly use the service again and recommend it to others. It made such a big difference in being able to eat some well made, fresh and tasty food – all in the knowledge it was 100% gluten free and made by someone with extensive knowledge of coeliac disease and gluten free food.

Lunchtime - a proper meal after a busy morning of tournament minigolf

Having had two large and delicious meals out on Thursday and Friday, plus a filling lunch, I opted for a ‘hotel room picnic’, while Emily had a meal at the hotel restaurant while we watched the Eurovision Song Contest with some of our fellow minigolfers – living the high-life!

Having visited the local Morrisons it was an opportunity to complete one of the Coeliac UK Awareness Week postcards detailing what was available in the store’s free from section. I duly noted what was there, and what was missing, and sent this off. I’d encourage all my fellow coeliacs to have a look in their local (or not so local) supermarkets to help inform the work of Coeliac UK.

Day two began much like day one, with windy weather, but a little less sun – that’s not to say we didn’t catch the sun after three days exposure – getting a nice tan on my face and hands!

During the break between rounds the Hole-In-One Charity Challenge took place, with 28-players stepping up to tackle the 17th hole – the Ski Jump – with a standard low-bounce course ball, rather than with a Minigolf sport ball that we’d used during the main-event.

Playing the 17th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf during the BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge contest

I was third to play the hole, with neither of the first two players managing to score an Ace I lined-up the shot, hit it for a jump over the ramp, a rebound off the bricks at the back of the green and in it went! I greeted the shot with my Ace-shout of “Yee-ha” and a round of applause from my fellow competitors. It was a nervy ten or so minutes of waiting for the rest of the field to give it a shot. Luckily for me no-one else managed to score a hole-in-one, though some came very very close, so I won the shootout – my first win in a BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge!

Just as I was being declared the winner of the challenge contest I noticed my lunch from Annie’s Larder was arriving – a great victory meal of Falafel Sub with a salad, Prawn Cocktail crisps and a Lemon Polenta Cake.

The final results saw me finish in 13th place, and 6th in the men’s general class category, with Emily in 24th place overall and the bronze medallist in the BMGA British Women’s Championship.

Playing the 11th - Heartbreak Ridge - a real killer hole in Minigolf

It was a brilliant weekend of minigolf, food & drink, good company and nice seasides.

Thank you to Matt, Brian and Frankie at Strokes Adventure Golf for allowing me to use the course as my weekend’s residence and 'mail-drop' and to the team at Coeliac UK for putting the t-shirt and Awareness Week information in the post to me.

Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate - well worth a visit 

For more information about Coeliac UK, Coeliac Disease and the Gluten-free Guarantee Awareness Week check out the Coeliac UK website.

As a Coeliac I’m always keen to highlight the condition and spread the word in order to get more places offering uncontaminated gluten-free choices. I’m also a Gfree Athlete with the Glutenlibre team based in the USA. Check out my interview with them here.

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten and while there is no cure (yet!) the only treatment is to adhere (endure) a strict lifelong gluten free diet – which can be harder than you think when you factor in the risks and hazards of cross-contamination!

Links:

- Coeliac UK

- Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014

- Coeliac Beds and Mid Herts Facebook Page

- British Minigolf Association

- Strokes Adventure Golf

- Glutenlibre

Food and restaurant links:

- The Pearson’s Arms

- The Ambrette

- Annie’s Larder

Related blog posts:

- Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014 and the Gluten-free guarantee

- Minigolf Report – BMGA British Championships in Margate

- Coeliac-related posts

- Gluten-free related posts

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Report – BMGA British Championships in Margate

Richard Gottfried 13th and Emily Gottfried 24th in national Miniature Golf tournament. 

Luton Minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in the BMGA British Minigolf Championships tournament that took place at the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course on Westbrook Promenade in Margate, Kent on the 10th and 11th May.

In the nine-round, 162-hole tournament Richard finished in 13th place overall in the 30-player field, and was 6th of 14 players in the men's general class. Emily finished in 24th place and was third in the BMGA British Women’s Minigolf Championships contested by five players.

Richard scored a nine-round total of 354(+30) after rounds of 41, 43, 39, 40, 37, 43, 34, 34 and 43.

Richard Gottfried playing the 17th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf during the BMGA Hole-In-One Charity Challenge shootout

In the tournament's Hole-In-One Charity Challenge Richard was the only player of 28 that managed to score an Ace on the 17th hole to win the shootout.

Emily scored a total of 405(+81) with rounds of 41, 46, 44, 48, 46, 46, 46, 49 and 39.

Emily Gottfried playing hole 1 at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate during the BMGA British Minigolf Championships

Richard said “My two rounds of 34 were really good, but I’m pretty disappointed with the other rounds. Strokes Adventure Golf has some real killer holes and I tripped up on a few of them this year. On the bright side I’m really pleased to be the first winner of a BMGA Hole-In-One Challenge shootout this season.”

Emily said “I am really pleased to have won the Bronze Medal at the British Championships during a really windy weekend on the seafront at Margate. The weather did make a few of the holes more challenging than usual so I didn’t score as well as I’d hoped, but I am happy with third place. I’m also pleased that I scored one sub-40 round at the Strokes course, which is renowned for a few really tricky holes and difficult greens.” 

The winner of the 2014 BMGA British Championship was Adam Kelly from Linton, Cambridgeshire.

Happy National Miniature Golf Day 2014!

Today is National Miniature Golf Day!

Where will you be playing Minigolf today? And on what type of course?

Playing 'Heartbreak Ridge' at Strokes Adventure Golf in 2012

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour page here on the Ham & Egger Files, the course lists pages on MiniatureGolfer.com and the Minigolf review sites The Putting Penguin and A Couple of Putts for some inspiration on where to play.

A view of the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent

Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent is hosting the BMGA British Minigolf Championships this weekend! Check out the online results live on the British Minigolf Association website.

If you don't get a chance to play any Minigolf today then don't worry, as Miniature Golf Day is on Sunday 21st of September.

Happy Putting!

Links:

- Mini Golf Days in 2014

- #MinigolfMonday

Mini Golf days in 2014

Miniature Golf dates for your diary.

This year National Miniature Golf Day (a quasi-official US holiday) will be on Saturday 10th of May.

This year the BMGA British Minigolf Championships will be held at the excellent 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, with the two-day event taking place on the 10th and 11th of May!

Playing hole 1 at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate

Miniature Golf Day will be on Sunday 21st of September.

The 18-hole Pirate Adventure Golf course in Hastings, East Sussex is the host of the BMGA British Open this year which concludes on the 21st of September.

Playing some Minigolf in Hastings. In 2013.

Last year saw the fourth edition of Minigolf Tag (Minigolf Day) in Austria. Keep an eye out on the Minigolf Tag website for details and the date of the 2014 event.

If you're looking for inspiration on where to play then do check out the links below (and on the right hand side of the blog) for a range of Minigolf websites from around the world.

Related blog posts:

- Miniature Golf Days in 2013

- Happy Minigolf Tag 2013 (Minigolf Day)

- British Minigolf Association Tournament Calendar for 2014

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Links:

- National Miniature Golf Day on Wikipedia (within ‘Miniature Golf’ article - the first edition was in 2007)

- Miniature Golf Day on the Holiday Insights website

- Mini golf, crazy golf, miniature golf and adventure golf courses worldwide on MiniatureGolfer.com

- The Putting Penguin - Minigolf reviews from around the world

- A Couple of Putts - Minigolf blog from the USA

- British Minigolf Association

- World Minigolf Sport Federation

“Mr October” on a Minigolf Calendar!

Featuring on the 2014 Fun-Sports & 3D ‘All Around Minigolf’ calendar.

The 2014 3D & Fun-Sports 'All Around Minigolf Calendar'

The team at Minigolf businesses Fun-Sports and 3D have created a 2014 Wall Calendar featuring images from ‘All Around Minigolf’ and I’m Mr October!

Mr October (Herr Oktober) in the 3D & Fun-Sports 2014 Minigolf Calendar

The photo was taken by international Minigolfer Willi Hettrich from Germany at the 2012 BMGA British Open tournament held at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent.

There are some great images from the world of miniature golf in the calendar featuring a range of courses, equipment, players, championship events and action.

The calendar will be hanging up in the Gottfried household throughout next year and is definitely a future exhibit in the Crazy Golf Museum. 

Links:

- 3D

- Fun-Sports

- Minigolf Kids Foundation

- Willi Hettrich

- Strokes Adventure Golf

Caricatures by Howard the Celeriac

Howard the Celeriac – star of the eponymously named coeliac disease inspired comic strip website – recently put out a call for more suggestions for the site and also for fellow ‘Celeriacs’ (and ‘Gluters’) to send in their photos to be turned into caricatures.

As a big fan and contributor to the site I sent in a photo of Emily and I at Strokes Adventure Golf course and he turned it into this!

Brilliant.

Check out the Howard the Celeriac website where “All of your most painful gluten free moments pictorially represented for you in one place.”

Links:

- Howard the Celeriac

- Howard the Celeriac on Twitter

- Howard the Celeriac on Facebook

- Howard the Celeriac Caricatures

- Coeliac UK

Related Blog Posts:

- Howard the Celeriac and the Special Steak

- Howard the Celeriac

- "Coeliac" Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

- "Gluten Free" Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

KMGC Greatest Hits: Volume One CD

While 'enjoying' a spring clean and general de-cluttering earlier today I found a rare Minigolf artifact in the form of a KMGC Greatest Hits: Volume One CD!

I believe I picked up the CD by the Kent Minigolf Club - at a Kent Open competition while at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate in 2008 or 2009.

The club has other Minigolf merch available in the form of tournament balls from 2011 and 2012. I've also got a KMGC Calendar from 2008 somewhere!

Link:

- Kent Minigolf Club

Minigolf Report – 2012 BMGA Players Championship & BMGA British Open

24th September 2012
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – 2012 BMGA Players Championship & BMGA British Open

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried competed in three British Minigolf Association minigolf tournaments on Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd September at the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent.

Minigolfer Richard Gottfried at the BMGA British Open 2012 at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent

On Friday 21st September Richard scored a round of 41(+5) to finish alongside Alex Pragnell and John Moore in a tie for 12th place of 21 players in the BMGA Players Championship. Michael Smith won the title for the second year running in the traditional warm-up tournament to the BMGA British Open.

Minigolfer Richard Gottfried at the BMGA Players Championship 2012 at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent

In the two-day BMGA British Open Richard scored rounds of 42, 40, 40, 43, 36 and 42 for a total of 243(+27) to finish 35th of 44 players. The tournament was won by Michael Smith with a score of 187(-29).

Minigolfer Richard Gottfried at the BMGA Players Championship 2012 at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent

In the BMGA British Open Team Championship contested amongst Clubs Richard and his two Midlands Minigolf Club teammates Paul Johnson and John Moore finished in 7th place in the contest.

Richard said “I’m fairly disappointed with my play in the British Open as I know I can do a lot better on the course. I didn’t have any total nightmare holes, but just dropped too many shots on some of the easier holes. Strokes Adventure Golf course is one of the best in the UK and a real test, I’ll be back to take on the challenge again next year and hope to hit some much better rounds.”

Ends

Tropical Margate

Who would have thought that Banana's grow on trees in Margate?

 

 

While in the "tropical" English seaside resort of Margate, Kent for the 2012 BMGA British Open minigolf tournament I spotted a Banana growing on the tree by hole one at the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course!

 

Greenfingered German Minigolfer, and former BMGA British Open champion, Karsten Hein planted the seeds for its growth back in 2009 and has been helping to cultivate the crop. He was happy to harvest the Banana at the end of practice on Friday.

 

Links:

- Strokes Adventure Golf

- British Minigolf Association

 

Related Blog Posts:

- Course Played #34 Margate (Strokes) - Adventure Golf - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- The Minigolf Welly Boot Swamp Ball Incident in Hastings

Putter Fingers’ ‘Spot The Ball’ Minigolf Competition

The team at Crazy Golf business Putter Fingers have launched their second online competition and this one is a minigolf ‘Spot The Ball’ contest!

To enter the online competition you’ll need to visit the Putter Fingers facebook page to check out the photo and choose the grid square you think the ball is in.

The photo was taken at the 2008 BMGA British Open held at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent (which will once again host the tournament in September this year).

The contest closes at 12pm on Wednesday 18th January 2012.

Links:
- Putter Fingers
- Putter Fingers ‘Spot The Ball’ contest page
- Spot the Ball – Crazy Golf Style! January Mini Golf Competition
- British Minigolf Association (BMGA)
- Strokes Adventure Golf
- Winners of the Putterfingers Micro Putt Minigolf Competition Announced

Richard Gottfried 9th in the BMGA British Masters Minigolf Tournament in Margate, Kent

10th April 2011
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – BMGA British Masters

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried picked up his second top ten finish of the 2011 BMGA Tour season as he finished in 9th spot of 38 players in the BMGA British Masters tournament at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent on Sunday 10th April.

Emily Gottfried was also in action at the competition, the first outdoor event of the British Minigolf Association season, and finished in 25th spot.

In excellent weather conditions at the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate Richard managed rounds of 38(+2), 39(+3) and 39(+3) for a 54-hole total of 116(+8). The 9th place finish was Richard’s highest in the BMGA British Masters event. Richard made his debut in the BMGA British Masters tournament in Southend-on-Sea in 2007 and finished in 24th spot of 28 players. His two other previous results in the event have seen him finish in 22nd and 23rd places in 30 player fields.
 
In Emily’s first appearance in the BMGA British Masters, she managed rounds of 45 (+9), 48(+12) and 49(+13) for a total of 142(+34).


The tournament was won Canterbury’s Marc Chapman with a score of 98 (-10). Defending Champion Andy Exall of Paddock Wood, Kent was runner-up, with Cambridge’s Adam Kelly third.

Richard said “I was pleased with the rounds I put together and I was quite consistent. I had a few holes-in-one too and to get a top ten finish is always nice. I was also very pleased to finish so well in a very strong field in a prestigious event like the BMGA British Masters.”

In the latest update of the BMGA Order of Merit Rankings for 2010-2011 Richard is currently in 14th spot of 86 players, with Emily in 43rd place.

Ends

Course Played #34 Margate (Strokes) - Adventure Golf - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

We first visited the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent way back on the 13th September 2007, when we were competing in the BMGA British Open tournament held at the course (where I held the lead for 'a cup of coffee').

We have since visited and played the course for a number of other BMGA Tour events, including the BMGA Players Championships and the Kent Open.

Photos from our visits to Strokes Adventure Golf:

BMGA British Open Weekend 2007

Me and Steve Gow (who beat me in Round 2 of the 2007 BMGA Players Championships - and went on to win the whole thing).





Kent Open 2007


BMGA British Open 2008






KIT Day 2008 - the weather wasn't so great - the KMGC braved the elements. I didn't fancy practicing.




Kent Open 2008 - the weather was better than the Saturday KIT Day!


Me and my minigolf rivals Steve 'F1' Gow and Alan 'Stormin' Norman


The (currently 'Dormant') League of Mediocrity outside the gates of Strokes in September 2009


BMGA British Open 2009




Kent Open 2009 (a rather soggy affair)


In 2011 we'll be back at Strokes for the BMGA British Masters Minigolf Tournament, great news.


The Kent Minigolf Club (KMGC) put together two YouTube Video Guides to playing the course - "The Front Nine" and "The Back Nine".

Related blog post:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.