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.

An old crazy golf postcard from Blackpool

This old minigolf postcard by Photo Precision Limited shows the South Shore Baths and Promenade in Blackpool.

I'd say the prominent feature on the card is the crazy golf course in the foreground

It was posted on the 17th September 1980. A month before I was born.

Last year I had my family's cinefilm converted and was amazed to see my parents playing crazy golf in Blackpool in August 1980. That round was on the course at Princess Parade on the North Shore.

The South Shore Crazy Golf course was located right outside the Pleasure Beach. It was removed in 2008 and replaced by an Adventure Golf layout. I won the Pleasure Beach Open tournament on that course in 2009.

A couple of nice festive gift cards from days gone by

Did you know that Blockbuster pioneered the use of gift cards? The first plastic gift cards went on sale at Blockbuster Video in the USA back in 1994.

One of these cards is from the USA (2005), the other from Canada (2006).

Related blog posts:

- Video Shops

- Blockbuster

Mini Golf cupcakes!

Thank you to the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club for sending us these brilliant minigolf-themed THANK U cupcakes made by Humble Bumble Bakes.

During lockdown and over the summer the team at the Filwood Centre in Knowle West, Bristol have created a home-based minigolf club for local residents. Having received supplies of arts and crafts materials the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club members were challenged to create their own crazy golf holes. It's been brilliant being a part of the club, judging the designs at the PUTT PARTY and discussing plans and ideas at the recent TEE PARTY.

Check out the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club and the Filwood Centre for more information about the minigolf club and the exciting plans for the new Crazy Golf course being created at the community centre in Knowle West, Bristol.

We're looking forward to playing there on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

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Session Ale from Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm

A look at some minigolf beer from Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm, Sweden.

As today is International Beer Day here's a look at the Session Ale from Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm.

Swing by Golfbaren was the landmark 800th course we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in February 2018.

From the Crazy Golf Museum's stores - Session Ale from Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm, Sweden.

Have you tried this minigolf beer before?

It's a superb indoor miniature golf venue with two courses hidden within the speakeasy.

Visit the Swing by Golfbaren and Golfbaren websites for more information.

We're looking forward to visiting Sweden again in the future and playing the other Golfbaren courses.

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Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf

A look back at Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf.

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at York Art Gallery

I played Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf on two occasions in 2016 and 2017. The first was a round at the New Art Exhange in Nottingham, the second was at York Art Gallery.

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at the New Art Exchange in Nottingham

As today is International Beer Day it's worth taking a look at the ace beer mat scorecard the course had.

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf course first appeared at the Venice Biennale. It then toured the UK for a while.

I bought the ace merch on sale at the art pop-up

Branded minigolf merch - always superb to see

It was an interesting art installation and a nice, playable miniature golf course.

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One for International Beer Day - Crazy Golf in Beer, Devon

A look at a crazy golf scorecard from Pecorama in Beer.

Happy International Beer Day.

Here's an item from the Crazy Golf Museum archives - a minigolf scorecard from the Crazy Golf course at Pecorama in Beer, Devon. Donated by Nigel Lutt.

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Minigolf in a brewery

Happy International Beer Day.

We competed in The Brewmaster's Open at the Camden Town Brewery eight years ago this month.

This is still one of the best minigolf scorecards I've seen

It was a superb event played on a portable 5-hole minigolf course from UrbanCrazy set up in a brewery! More than 200 players competed in the tournament.

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CLUB GOLF crazy golf beer

Today is International Beer Day.

I spotted this Crazy Golf beer at the Club Golf minigolf pop-up at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London in February this year.

It was the last new minigolf course I played before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

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Minigolf beer at Holeymolies indoor minigolf course

Happy International Beer Day.

Did you know that the Holeymolies indoor miniature golf course in Skelton-in-Cleveland, Teesside has its own beer?

The minigolf course was the 500th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

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19th Hole minigolf beer for International Beer Day

Today is International Beer Day.

Uncle Stuart's Brewery and Beer Shop at Wroxham Barns in Norfolk created the 19th Hole Beer to commemorate the staging of the 2011 BMGA English Open minigolf championships at Wroxham Barns.

To our knowledge it was the first minigolf beer in history!

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In the Crazy Golf Museum - minigolf membership cards

A look at minigolf association and club membership cards in the UK.

As a collector of minigolf items and ephemera and Curator of the Crazy Golf Museum it's always nice to look back at things we've picked up along the way during our minigolf adventures.

British Minigolf Association

I joined the British Minigolf Association in 2007 and received my first BMGA membership card entitling me to discount at certain courses and entry into BMGA competitions.

British Minigolf Association membership card 2007

Here are my BMGA Tour Cards from 2008-2015.

British Minigolf Association membership cards 2008-2015

Midlands Minigolf Club

In 2007 I was invited to become a member of the Midlands Minigolf Club and am a member of the club to this day. While we don't have an official membership card the club does have an official Ball of Fame to commemorate the second BMGA British Club Championship title we won in 2015. The MMGC is now a three-time national title winning team.

The Midlands Minigolf Club Ball of Fame

Green Mini Golf Club

During the 2010 and 2011 seasons I was also a member of the Green Mini Golf Club in Hither Green, London. The GMGC was a superb club and the venue was home to the UK's only full-size Swedish Felt Mini Golf course. The GMGC held weekly Tuesday night tournaments and I enjoyed travelling from Luton to Hither Green and back after work each week to compete. I won the club's first-ever weekly tournament in 2010.

The Green Mini Golf Club membership card

European Minigolf Sport Federation and World Minigolf Sport Federation

I have competed in European Minigolf Sport Federation and World Minigolf Sport Federation competitions in Finland, England and Sweden and although a WMF player license is allocated to players a physical document is not issued. We did however have some very nice player cards created for us at the 2008 EMF Nations Cup in Tampere, Finland.

At the 2008 Nations Cup in Tampere, Finland

Are you a member of a minigolf club or association? I'd love to see and share more examples of membership cards from around the world.

Mini Golf at Lane7 in Newcastle upon Tyne

Playing the Mini Golf course at Lane7 in Newcastle upon Tyne.

While we were in Newcastle for the World Transplant Games last year we swung by Lane7 for a game of minigolf.

Visit the Lane7 website for more information.

The 9-hole indoor minigolf course at Lane7 was the 840th course visited and 495th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Since our last visit to the North East the team behind Lane7 opened up a new venue called Gutterball Alley. The centre in North Shields is home to tenpin bowling, Guttergolf crazy golf, arcades, karaoke and Ping Pong.

We're looking forward to playing there in the future.

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Landmark Golf in Wolsingham

Last year we played the Landmark Golf course in Wolsingham, County Durham.

We were on our way up to Newcastle upon Tyne for the World Transplant Games and called in to Wolsingham Sports Hall to play the pop-up Landmark Golf course.

We had a fun round on the nice layout

Visit the Landmark Golf website for more information.

The Landmark Golf course was the 919th we visited and 525th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

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Lost shops - Toys R Us in Ancoats, Manchester

Views of the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

I took a look at the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Ancoats, Manchester just prior to it's demolition in March 2019.

All of the stores on the site have been demolished and the area is being turned into car parking.

More photos can be found in my blog post: Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

Working at Toys R Us

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Dead brands

We've seen a number of other old and defunct brands on our travels around the country, including Woolworths in Stoke-on-Trent, Tandy in Hitchin, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes, Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness and Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

A scorecard from Blackbeard's Adventure Golf in Hunstanton

A look at a minigolf scorecard from Blackbeard's Adventure Golf in Hunstanton, Norfolk.

Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Steve Lovell for sending me this scorecard from Blackbeard's Adventure Golf in Hunstanton, Norfolk.

He played a few rounds there pre-pandemic.

When we visited Blackbeard's Adventure Golf in May 2011 the two 9-hole courses were called The Aztec Trail & Blackbeard's Adventure. On the recent scorecard they are named Pirates Course and Aztec Course.

A view of the Aztec course from our visit in 2011

I always thought it was a curious mixture of two adventure golf themes as you tend to find one or other, rather than both together.

Putting on a pirate ship

The Aztec course was the 246th played and the Pirate course was number 247 on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The holes leading to the ruins of an Aztec temple

For more information visit Blackbeard's Adventure Golf website and Facebook Page.

We're looking forward to a return to the east coast resort that faces west in the future.

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Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester

A look at the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park on Great Ancoats Street in Manchester.

While looking through my photos during lockdown and prompted by my recent look at the old Woolworths store in Brunstane, Edinburgh I found these views of the old Toys R Us store at the former Central Retail Park on Great Ancoats Street in Manchester.

The old Toys R Us unit at Central Retail Park in Manchester

The snaps were taken in February and March last year following the demise of the brand and the closure of the retail park.

How the store looked in early February 2019 

The demolition work had really begun when we passed by a month and a half later

A look at the entrance to the store in March 2019

Geoffrey was the last to leave the Ancoats store

Working at Toys R Us

My first job during my time at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Shopping at Toys R Us

It was a real shame to see the brand go under. It was always a treat when me and my brothers would visit to buy games for our SEGA Master System in the 1990s. I've still got those games, some have the Toys R Us stickers on.

A nice piece of ephemera

Other lost brands

Our travels around the country have seen us spot the remnants of a number of old and defunct brands, including Woolworths in Stoke-on-Trent, Tandy in Hitchin, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes, Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness and Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Do you have a favourite 'lost shop' from years gone by? Maybe the remains of an old brand are still visible on a building near where you live or work? Do let me know.