Showing posts with label The Crazy Golf Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Crazy Golf Museum. Show all posts

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Happy 13th birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is 13 years old today.


The Crazy Golf Museum

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's 13th birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010.

Since then we've continued to fill the virtual museum to make it a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

It's certainly been a very interesting 13 years!

A massive thank you to everyone who has shared their minigolfing memories, crazy golf items and adventure golf updates over the years. We're looking forward to continuing our promotion of the game for many more years to come.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum's website, like the Page and join the Group on Facebook, check it out on Twitter, and see Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...


If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Happy birthday Putt-Putt - 69 years old today

Today marks 69 years since the world's first Putt-Putt course opened.


The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA on this day back in 1954.

Putt-Putt is the only patented game of miniature golf and began in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1954. In the 1960's Putt-Putt franchises began opening outside of the US, in locations such as South Africa, Australia and Japan. There were also courses in the UK, the first of which opened in Sunderland in 1968. Others followed at Flamingo Land in Yorkshire and in Buxton, Derbyshire. However, information on these UK courses is limited. You can read the Putt-Putt story on the Putt-Putt Fun Centres website.

The Putt-Putt miniature golf course in Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point / Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals
The Putt-Putt miniature golf course in Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point / Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals

Ephemera from the Putt-Putt Golf centre at Moullie Point in South Africa. From PJ Goedhals
Ephemera from the Putt-Putt Golf centre at Moullie Point in South Africa. From PJ Goedhals

A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa
A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa

A selection of Putt-Putt tokens
A selection of Putt-Putt tokens

On the competitive side of the game, Putt-Putt tournaments have been played since 1959. You can read about the history of the PPA and APA on the Professional Putters Association website.

A Putt-Putt Puzzle of a very crazy Miniature Golf course. Published by Hallmark Cards Inc. Many thanks to our friend 'Hacksaw' Jon Drexler for sending it across the pond to live in the Crazy Golf Museum
A Putt-Putt Puzzle of a very crazy Miniature Golf course. Published by Hallmark Cards Inc. Many thanks to our friend 'Hacksaw' Jon Drexler for sending it across the pond to live in the Crazy Golf Museum

Check out the Putt-Putt Golf website for more information on Putt-Putt brand minigolf. You can find out more information about Putt-Putt tournaments on the Professional Putters Association (PPA) website.

Monday, June 05, 2023

Museum Week 2023

This week is Museum Week.


MuseumWeek

Since 2014 MuseumWeek has grown to include over 60,000 participants from 100+ countries. It has has become the first virtual, worldwide cultural event across social media.

MuseumWeek is an annual offline and online event based on the mechanism 7 days, 7 topics, 7 hashtags.

Find out more on the Museum Week website.


The Crazy Golf Museum


As the Curator of the Crazy Golf Museum it's always nice to be able to support museum initiatives such as MuseumWeek.

The Crazy Golf Museum is the world's first virtual crazy golf museum - a worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera.

The Crazy Golf Museum - the worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera
The Crazy Golf Museum


Did you know:
  • The world's first Miniature Golf course was created at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867. The Himalayas is still there now and is a real pleasure to play.
  • The first minigolf course in the USA opened in 1916. James Barber opened the 'Thistle Dhu' layout in Pinehurst, NC.
  • A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games.
  • The very first Crazy Golf course in the UK opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.
  • The first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA in 1926 when Garnet Carter created the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
  • The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930. 
  • The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA back in 1954.
  • National Miniature Golf Day always falls on the second Saturday in May.
  • Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September.

            Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website and check out these Crazy Golf Museum-related blog posts for more info.

            Monday, August 29, 2022

            Freighter Golf at the National Museum of the Great Lakes

            There's a unique pop-up minigolf course at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio, USA.


            There's a unique pop-up minigolf course at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio, USA
            There's a minigolf course at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo

            The course is onboard the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship from the 25th August to the 11th September.

            Check out the National Museum of the Great Lakes website for more information.


            As Curator's of the Crazy Golf Museum it's brilliant to see minigolf in action in a museum setting and getting people involved in history, education and fun!

            Friday, July 15, 2022

            Happy twelfth birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

            The Crazy Golf Museum is twelve years old today.


            The Crazy Golf Museum

            Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's twelfth birthday today.

            I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010.

            Since then we've continued to fill the virtual museum to make it a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

            It's certainly been a very interesting twelve years!

            A massive thank you to everyone who has shared their minigolfing memories, crazy golf items and adventure golf updates over the years. We're looking forward to continuing our promotion of the game for many more years to come.

            Visit the Crazy Golf Museum's website, like the Page and join the Group on Facebook, check it out on Twitter, and see Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...


            If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

            Saturday, June 18, 2022

            Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf

            New in the Crazy Golf Museum - Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf by Ambassador.


            Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf by Ambassador
            A brilliant car boot sale find this morning

            Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf by Ambassador
            Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf - see a video of the game in action

            Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf by Ambassador
            You get a nice pad of scorecards in the game

            Wednesday, June 15, 2022

            Scorecard from Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby

            Here's a minigolf scorecard from the Lost World Adventure Golf course in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.

            Scorecard from Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby

            A lovely addition to our collection of minigolf scorecards and ephemera.

            Collected on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and this year's Big Mini Golf Tour.

            Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby

            Here's a minigolf scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.


            Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby
            Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby

            Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby
            Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby

            A nice addition to our collection of scorecards and ephemera.

            Collected on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and this year's Big Mini Golf Tour.

            Monday, June 13, 2022

            Museum Week 2022

            This week is Museum Week.


            MuseumWeek


            Since 2014 MuseumWeek has grown to include over 60,000 participants from 100+ countries. It has has become the first virtual, worldwide cultural event on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Weibo, WeChat and VKontakte.

            MuseumWeek is an annual offline and online event based on the mechanism 7 days, 7 topics, 7 hashtags.

            The global theme for 2022 is about innovation & culture and MuseumWeek will take this opportunity to explore 6 other topics in the whole cultural ecosystem, online and offline:
            • 13 June: #innovationMW
            • 14 June: #creatorsMW
            • 15 June: #freedomMW
            • 16 June: #sexualityMW
            • 17 June: #environmentMW 
            • 18 June: #lifeLessonsMW 
            • 19 June: #danceMW

            Find out more on the Museum Week website.


            The Crazy Golf Museum


            As the Curator of the Crazy Golf Museum it's always nice to be able to support museum initiatives such as MuseumWeek.

            The Crazy Golf Museum is the world's first virtual crazy golf museum - a worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera.

            The Crazy Golf Museum - the worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera
            The Crazy Golf Museum


            Did you know:
            • The world's first Miniature Golf course was created at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867. The Himalayas is still there now and is a real pleasure to play.
            • The first minigolf course in the USA opened in 1916. James Barber opened the 'Thistle Dhu' layout in Pinehurst, NC.
            • A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games.
            • The very first Crazy Golf course in the UK opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.
            • The first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA in 1926 when Garnet Carter created the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
            • The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930. 
            • The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA back in 1954.
            • National Miniature Golf Day always falls on the second Saturday in May.
            • Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September.

                      Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website and check out these Crazy Golf Museum-related blog posts for more info.

                      Monday, May 16, 2022

                      A Walkabout Mini Golf VR Pencil

                      An interesting miniature golf pencil.


                      We always enjoy finding and seeing minigolf courses with branded pencils and our friend Pat Sheridan from The Putting Penguin minigolf review website has passed a fair few our way over the years.

                      A Walkabout Mini Golf VR Pencil from Pat Sheridan, May 2022

                      But this one is most peculiar as it's a real life pencil for a virtual minigolf game!

                      Check out the Walkabout Mini Golf VR website for more information on the game.

                      Monday, May 02, 2022

                      National Postcard Week

                      Happy National Postcard Week.


                      This week is National Postcard Week in the USA.

                      Post Card - Jekyll Island, Gergia. Golf House and miniature golf course. Marsh Post Card Service. Postally unused, undated
                      Post Card - Jekyll Island, Gergia. Golf House and miniature golf course. Marsh Post Card Service. Postally unused, undated

                      We're huge fans of sending and receiving postcards and have built up a big collection of minigolf, crazy golf, putting and adventure golf postcards over the years.

                      Post Card - South of the Border. South Carolina at the N.C. - S.C. Border. ACE-HI ADVERTISING, INC. Postally unused, undated
                      Post Card - South of the Border. South Carolina at the N.C. - S.C. Border. ACE-HI ADVERTISING, INC. Postally unused, undated

                      Post Card. Grand Haven State Park, Grand Haven, Michigan. Water Wonderland Card Company. Postally unused, undated
                      Post Card. Grand Haven State Park, Grand Haven, Michigan. Water Wonderland Card Company. Postally unused, undated

                      • When did you last send a postcard?

                      • When did you last receive a postcard?

                      • Do you have a favourite postcard?

                      Check out Reflections of a Bygone Age for more information on postcard collecting.


                      The 2022 Picture Postcard Annual is available now and includes a feature that I wrote about Butlin's Monorails.

                      Butlinland Skegness – Putting Green and Monorail by John Hinde Studios. Sent on 4 Aug 1980
                      Butlinland Skegness – Putting Green and Monorail by John Hinde Studios. Sent on 4 Aug 1980

                      Here's a selection of postcards from our collection.


                      Bridlington Princes Parade. The Spa Boating Lake. Photochrom Co. Ltd.
                      Bridlington Princes Parade. The Spa Boating Lake. Photochrom Co. Ltd.

                      Crazy Golf, North Shore, Blackpool. 50. Bamforth Post Card. Unposted. Undated
                      Crazy Golf, North Shore, Blackpool. 50. Bamforth Post Card. Unposted. Undated

                      A Weetabix Gang Crazy Mini Golf Weeta-Card postcard from 1983
                      A Weetabix Gang Crazy Mini Golf Weeta-Card postcard from 1983

                      Pat Regan's Putting Green in Broadstairs - postcard. Undated
                      Pat Regan's Putting Green in Broadstairs - postcard. Undated

                      Miniature Golf Links, Brighton. Postally used 29 August 1927
                      Miniature Golf Links, Brighton. Postally used 29 August 1927

                      One of two postcard designs you can find at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing
                      One of two postcard designs you can find at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing

                      Worthing, Denton Gardens, Putting Green. The Photochrom Co Ltd. Posted to Birchington, Kent on 30 July 1928
                      Worthing, Denton Gardens, Putting Green. The Photochrom Co Ltd. Posted to Birchington, Kent on 30 July 1928

                      Butlinland Minehead. Crazy Golf and Chair Lift. John Hinde Studios. 24 May 1976
                      Butlinland Minehead. Crazy Golf and Chair Lift. John Hinde Studios. 24 May 1976

                      Putting Green, Great Yarmouth. Postcard postally used on the 11th November 1927. Publisher unknown
                      Putting Green, Great Yarmouth. Postcard postally used on the 11th November 1927. Publisher unknown

                      Tuesday, April 05, 2022

                      A mini golf putting postcard from Burgh Hall in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

                      A look at a miniature golf postcard from our collection.


                      Here's a postcard showing a mini golf grass putting course at Burgh Hall Country Club Chalet & Caravan Park in the 1970s.

                      The card was posted to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne from Lowestoft, Suffolk on the 24th May 1977.

                      BURGH HALL COUNTRY CLUB postcard. Posted 24 May 1977
                      BURGH HALL COUNTRY CLUB postcard. Posted 24 May 1977

                      We'll be heading back to Great Yarmouth this summer for the Big Mini Golf Tour taking place across miniature golf courses in Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Gorleston-on-Sea.

                      Monday, February 28, 2022

                      There are 75 days until National Miniature Golf Day

                      There are just 75 days until National Miniature Golf Day 2022.


                      There are just 75 days until National Miniature Golf Day 2022

                      National Miniature Golf Day takes place on the second Saturday in May. In 2022 that is Saturday 14th May.

                      Tuesday, December 28, 2021

                      Minigolf loyalty card from Aces Minigolf Gloucester

                      A look at a minigolf loyalty card from Aces Minigolf Gloucester.

                      From the Crazy Golf Museum vaults - a minigolf loyalty card from our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visit to Aces Minigolf Gloucester at Dobbies Garden Centre in Gloucester, Gloucestershire earlier this year.

                      Minigolf loyalty card from Aces Minigolf Gloucester
                      Minigolf loyalty card from Aces Minigolf Gloucester

                      Check out Aces Minigolf Gloucester for more information.

                      Wednesday, December 22, 2021

                      A scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford

                      A look at a minigolf scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford.


                      A scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

                      A scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford
                      A scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford

                      A scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford
                      A scorecard from Looney Golf in Bradford


                      Visit the Looney Golf website for more information.

                      A Filwood Fantastic Crazy Golf badge

                      A look at a badge from the Filwood Fantastic Crazy Golf course in Knowle West, Bristol.


                      From the Crazy Golf Museum vaults - a badge from the Filwood Fantastic Crazy Golf course in Knowle West, Bristol, England.

                      A Filwood Fantastic Crazy Golf badge
                      A Filwood Fantastic Crazy Golf badge

                      The real life mini golf course was created during the pandemic and the ideas for the hole designs were generated by members of the Knowle West community during Lockdown 1.

                      The Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club's 9-hole Crazy Golf course was the 966th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

                      Visit the Filwood Community Centre website for more information.

                      A Crazy Golf scorecard from Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon

                      A look at a Crazy Golf scorecard from Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon.


                      From the Crazy Golf Museum vaults - a minigolf scorecard from my brother Christopher Gottfried's Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visit to Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon, England earlier this year.

                      A Crazy Golf scorecard from Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon
                      A Crazy Golf scorecard from Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon

                      A Crazy Golf scorecard from Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon
                      A Crazy Golf scorecard from Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon

                      Visit the Pennywell Farm website for more information.

                      Minigolf Magazin from Germany

                      Now in the Crazy Golf Museum - the latest issue of Minigolf Magazin.


                      The official magazine of the German Minigolf Federation / Deutsche Minigolfsport Verband
                      Minigolf Magazin

                      Monday, December 20, 2021

                      A minigolf scorecard from Sweden

                      A scorecard from the Sports World Mini Golf course at O'Leary's in the Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden.


                      A scorecard from the Sports World Mini Golf course at O'Leary's in the Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden
                      A scorecard from the Sports World Mini Golf course at O'Leary's in the Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden

                      Saturday, December 18, 2021

                      A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford

                      A look at a flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford.


                      A flyer from Looney Golf in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

                      A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford
                      A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford

                      A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford
                      A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford

                      Check out the Looney Golf website for more information.