Your private green minigolf postcard

A playable postcard from the Netherlands.

I found this fun minigolf postcard at the last postcard fair I attended in Stockport.

The Dutch text reads Vouw de ansichtkaart langs de stippellijnen, en druk het balletje uit de kaart (Fold the postcard along the dotted lines and push the ball out of the card)

It was published by GreenCards and can be turned into a putting cup by folding along the perforations and popping out the golf ball in the middle.

A crazy golf postcard from Butlinland Minehead

A look at an old crazy golf postcard from Butlin's Minehead.

One of the old miniature golf postcards I found at the last postcard fair I attended before the pandemic lockdown was this superb John Hinde one showing the Crazy Golf and Chair Lift at Butlinland Minehead.

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

The card was posted from Minehead to Devizes in Wiltshire on the 24th May 1976.

I grew up on holidays at Butlin's holiday camps in Minehead, Bognor Regis and Ayr.

I've got brilliant memories of the monorail, funfair, laser tag and arcades there. It's little wonder that even now I'm such a big fan of the British seaside, crazy golf and video-games.

A holiday at Barry Island

A holiday at Barry Island, Wales.

A view of Nell's Point from the beach in Barry Island. The area was once home to a brilliant holiday camp

My family used to go on holiday to Barry Island in the late 80's and 90's and loved it there. The holiday camp was absolutely marvellous, with everything from swimming to Crazy Golf, to snooker and darts, to the fun fair and more - all free of charge once you had checked in.

The slides on the outdoor pool at Barry Island

My brothers and I would spend hours going from one activity to another and then spend the evening in the arcades on the camp and on the seafront playing games such as Blasteroids, Xybots, Double Dragon and Wardner. Halcyon days.

A view towards the fun fair outside the camp looking across the outdoor pool

A view of the outdoor pool area and indoor pool building

We were lucky that on our first few holidays there we were able to ride the chair lifts too as they were removed in 1989.

The Chair Lifts at Barry Island holiday camp

I recently had my family's cinefilm footage digitised and it was wonderful to see there was film from our holiday to the camp in 1989.

On holiday, from l-r my brother Jon, my mum, my brother Christopher and me on holiday at Barry Island in 1989. This photo was taken near the outdoor pool and and the entrance to the main arcade

Old postcards of the camp

Barry Island holiday camp opened as a Butlin's site in 1966. In 1986 the camp on Nell's Point closed as a Butlin's and re-opened the next year under the new ownership of Majestic Holidays.

I've only got a couple of postcards of the camp, but I always keep my eyes peeled for more.

Butlin's Outdoor Pool and Playhouse Theatre, Barry Island. PT28469. Photo Precision Limited. Posted. Date unknown

The final season for the camp came in 1996 and it was eventually demolished to make way for housing.

Butlinland Barry Island. The Pig and Whistle Bar and Stage. John Hinde Limited. 12 August 1980

A look at the site, May 2019

I returned to Barry Island for only the third time since the 1990's while heading home from a weekend in Aberavon last year.

Pointing out where the holiday camp once was

I first went back to the town in 2009 during our road-trip around the Welsh coast and then swung by the following year for a brief visit while visiting friends nearby.

The entrance to the holiday camp

It was nice that Barry Island was still recognisable from my time there 30 years ago, even though the holiday camp has been knocked down to make way for housing and a public car park.

The exit view

Walking up through the old gates at the entrance to the holiday camp brought back so many memories and I could still picture the swimming pool to the left, the main building and walkway/arcade ahead of me and the chalets to the right.

Walking up towards where the camp once stood. On the left is where the swimming pool was

This spot was once home to the outdoor swimming pool and slides

  

The approach to the main arcade. The photo of me, my mum and my brothers was taken in the area just to the left of the yellow barrier 

A view of the seaside resort from inside what was once a thriving holiday camp

A look at the seafront

On the prom

A view of the beach

The distinctive building and shelter housing a number of takeaways, shops and arcades on the promenade

Barry Island Resort Information & Entertainment Guide

As a big fan of the British seaside and traditional holiday entertainment I was pleased to find a Barry Island Resort 1995 Information & Entertainment Guide while sorting through some paperwork at home.

Seeing the Barry Island Resort 1995 Information & Entertainment Guide brought back many happy memories.

Check out the six-page Barry Island Resort 1995 Information & Entertainment Guide. As a former holidaymaker at the camp, fan of the British seaside, postcard collector and marketer it makes for interesting reading - especially some of the adverts!

More old postcards of Barry Island

Looking at the postcards I've collected of Barry Island I noticed all of them were sent in August during the peak summer season.

Figure 8 Railway, Barry Island. Posted 24 August 1915

The oldest card I have of Barry Island is also one of the oldest postcards I have. It shows the Figure 8 Railway and was posted on the 24th August 1915. I bought it at the North Wales Postcard Club Fair in Llandudno a couple of years ago and it only cost me ten pence!

Crazy Golf Course & Eastern Shelter, Barry Island. P47856. Plastichrome by Colourpicture Publishers Inc. Posted 27 August. Year unknown

Promenade and Gardens, Barry Island. PT28091. Posted 14 August 1968

What a summer holiday scene!

Promenade and Gardens, Barry Island. WT.665R. By Valentine. Posted 2 August 1969

Crazy Golf postcards from Ilfracombe

A look at a pair of miniature golf postcards from Ilfracombe.

I bought this pair of crazy golf postcards from Ilfracombe, Devon at the last postcard fair I attended.

Mini Golf Course. Sea Front. Ilfracombe. Taw Valley Wholesale Co. 1977

Crazy Golf at Ilfracombe. Taw Valley Wholesale Co. Photocolour TV/IF312

Both were published by the Taw Valley Wholesale Co, Ilfracombe. Neither are postally used.

We visited the course on our tour of the South West in the summer of 2015. It hasn't changed much at all.

A postcard from the Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay

A look at an old miniature golf postcard from from the Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay, Kent.

One of the nice old minigolf postcards I bought at the last postcard fair I attended was this one by Photochrom Co. Ltd. showing the Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay, Kent.

It's postally unused and undated.

The Railway Convalescent Home in Herne Bay was the first of ten homes opened by the railway industry for railwayworkers to recover from sickness and illness.

A Putting Green postcard from Butlin's Luxury Holiday Camp in Pwllheli

A look at a nice old Putting Green postcard from the Butlin's Luxury Holiday Camp in Pwllheli.

Putting Green, Butlin's Luxury Holiday Camp, Pwllheli. Published by Butlin's Photographic Services Ltd. Postally used on 4th June 1951

This is the oldest postcard I have showing the Putting Green at Butlin's Pwllheli. The other cards I have were posted in 1964 and 1966.

Butlin's Pwllheli opened in 1947 and closed in 1998.

Picture Postcard Magic - Bournemouth

Check out my guest post about minigolf postcards from Bournemouth on the Picture Postcard Magic blog from Reflections of a Bygone Age.

Guest blogger Richard Gottfried, King of mini-golf with a postcard collection to match, makes his debut in Picture Postcard Magic. What do you think of this theme for collecting? ⛳️https://t.co/H8hYRTKGei#MiniGolf pic.twitter.com/d2AldN0zOO

— Brian Lund (@Postcard_World) April 28, 2020

A Putting Green postcard from Butlin's Pwllheli

A look at The Putting Green at Butlin's Pwllheli.

Butlin's Pwllheli Putting Green. Real Butlin's photograph numbered P8. Postally used on 10th August 1966

The Putting Green looks a little more makeshift than on later Butlin's postcards.

I have another postcard showing the Putting Greens and Lawns at Butlin's Pwllheli holiday camp in my collection.

Monorail at Butlin's Minehead

A look at an old Butlins postcard from Minehead.

What a view of two monorails crossing above the swimming pool at Butlin's Minehead.

Butlin's Minehead - Monorail over Outdoor Swimming Pool by John Hinde Studios. Postally unused. Undated

My holidays at Butlin's

My parents met at the Butlin's holiday camp in Clacton-on-Sea in the 1970's. My family often went on holiday to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead. We also had one stay at the Bognor Regis and Ayr camps. I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, itself a former Butlin's camp.

We used to ride the monorail at Butlin's Minehead all the time.

Riding the monorail with my brother Jon at Butlin's Somerwest World in Minehead

Minigolf postcards from Bournemouth

Check out my guest post for the Picture Postcard Magic blog from Reflections of a Bygone Age.

An old postcard from Worthing's Denton Gardens Putting Green

A look at an old postcard from Denton Gardens in Worthing, West Sussex.

Minigolf was first played in Denton Gardens on Tuesday 1st July 1924.

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

You can still enjoy a round of miniature golf on the Splash Point Mini Golf course there.

The 18-hole course was the 181st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Related blog posts:
- A Putting Green postcard from Denton Park in Worthing
- Worthing
- Splash Point Mini Golf

Holidaying at home - a postcard from Bournemouth

A blog post about not going to Bournemouth.

We were supposed to be starting our holiday in Bournemouth today and were going to be staying at the Miramar Hotel. The hotel was once home to a Putting Green.

Sea and South Frontage, Hotel Miramar, Bournemouth. Eversheds. St Albans. Postally unused

We'd planned visits to 16 miniature golf courses in the Bournemouth, Boscombe, Southbourne, Poole and Sandbanks area of Dorset on the trip. We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

We've collected quite a few old postcards of minigolf courses in the area. Some are still there, such as the Lower Gardens course in Bournemouth, while others, like the Alum Chine course are long gone.

Postcard of Alum Chine, Bournemouth. Printed by Deardon & Wade Bournemouth.Postally unused. Undated

The 'Miniature Golf in Central Gardens, Bournemouth' postcard by The Photographic Greetings Cards Co Ltd, London was posted from Bournemouth to Cleveleys in Lancashire on the 24th July 1970

Mini-Golf at the Lower Gardens, Bournemouth, Dorset. J. Arthur Dixon postcard. PDO/89332 Posted August 1990

A Boscombe Crazy Golf postcard. JH 40 Plastichrome by Colourpicture. Pub. by J. Hammersley, Boscombe, Bournemouth. Posted in 1967

Crazy Golf and Rockery, Sandbanks, Poole. P.2674 Dennis Productions Postcard. Postally used. Date unknown

The Isle of Wight from Highcliffe-on-Sea. PT3098

We're looking forward to visiting the area on holiday next year.

A Typical Butlin Monorail

A look at an old Butlins postcard from Skegness.

I'm always on the lookout for old minigolf postcards and when I'm sorting through them at fairs, car boot sales, or in charity or antique shops I always keep an eye out for holiday camp postcards too.

This is one of the wonderful Butlin's cards from the late 1960's and it ticks a number of my interest boxes.

Firstly it's got a prominent view of a miniature golf course being played.

Secondly it's a Butlin's holiday camp card.

And thirdly it's got a monorail on it!

A Typical Butlin Monorail. I have two other versions of this card, but with the caption of 'Butlin's Skegness Monorail' instead. One was postally used on 27th July 1971

Two firsts

Skegness was the first Butlin's holiday camp and it opened its doors on the 11th April 1936.

The camp at Butlin's Skegness was the location for the UK's first commercial monorail. It opened in 1965.

Since then a number of camps opened and closed, underwent facelifts and rebranding exercises and offered marvellous holidays to millions of people.

Holidaying at Butlin's

My parents met at the Butlin's holiday camp in Clacton-on-Sea in the 1970's. My family often went on holiday to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead. We also had one stay at the Bognor Regis and Ayr camps. I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, itself a former Butlin's camp.

I have not yet visited the Skegness camp, but have had some brilliant holidays in Skeggy itself.

We also used to ride the monorail at Butlin's Minehead all the time.

My brother Christopher foudnd this snap of us riding the monorail at Butlin's Minehead back in the early 90's while looking through some old family photos

A crazy golf postcard from Bridlington

A look at an old minigolf postcard from Bridlington.

One of the very nice old minigolf postcards we found at the Stockport postcard fair was this one showing the Crazy Golf course on Royal Princes Parade in Bridlington.

Royal Princes Parade and North Bay, Bridlington. B.2247, printed and published by E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd, Scarborough & London

It was posted to a someone called Richard in Grimsby from his Auntie Nellie. Unfortunatley the stamp and postmark are missing so there's no date for when it was sent.

We really liked our visits to Bridlington. Time flies as we were last there in 2015. We must return in the future.

A minigolf postcard from Rhos-on-Sea

A look at an old miniature golf course in Rhos-on-Sea.

One of the brilliant old minigolf postcards we bought at the Stcokport postcard fair was this one showing the Putting Course in Rhos-on-Sea.

Putting Course. Rhos-on-Sea. C1542. E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd

Published by E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd the postcard is postally unused and undated.

We've been to Rhos-on-Sea a couple of times on our travels. The first time was in 2009 and there was no sign of the course. The second time was in 2017 when we played the Crazy Golf course at the Rhos Fynach pub and restaurant on Miniature Golf Day. It was built on the site of the old Putting Course.

If you look past the course you can see the arched window on the seafront that also appears in the old postcard

Putting at Highcliffe-on-Sea

A look at an old minigolf postcard from Highcliffe-on-Sea.

We bought this nice old postcard showing a Putting Green while we were at the most recent Stockport postcard fair.

The Isle of Wight from Highcliffe-on-Sea. PT3098

We hadn't seen this particular card before and had never heard of Highcliffe-on-Sea.

The town is part of Christchurch borough in Dorset.

The card is postally unused, undated and has no publisher details on it. There is a code of PT3098 on it though. The details on the reverse say "The Isle of Wight from Highcliffe-on-Sea".

It's always nice to see old minigolf postcards. Some give us clues of new places to play, while others show long lost miniature golf layouts.

We had planned to visit Dorset at the end of this month, but that trip has been postponed until after the UK coronavirus lockdown. We'll have to go to Highcliffe-on-Sea and see what's at the same spot now.

I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who remembers the course and knows exactly where it was.

Looking online to see if there's still a course there my eye was drawn to the nearby Hoburne Naish Holiday Park in Barton on Sea where I noticed a minigolf course! Another one to add to our list...

A postcard from Butlin's Bognor Regis

The most recent Stockport postcard fair was a goldmine of nice old miniature golf postcards.

One of which was this John Hinde Ltd multi-view card showing The Putting Green at Butlin's Bognor Regis.

Butlin's Bognor Regis. John Hinde Ltd. Posted on 3 Aug 1981

The card was posted from the camp on 3rd August 1981 by Babs & Fred who were "Having a nice time." It was sent to Brightlingsea in Essex.

I always keep my eye out for old holiday camp postcards. They're fairly easy to spot as they tend to be nice and brightly coloured. There's also a good chance that minigolf or crazy golf will feature on them.

I wrote an article about Butlin's postcards in the November 2016 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine. That piece was to celebrate the 80th birthday of Butlin's.

My family often went on holiday to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead. We also had one stay at the Bognor Regis and Ayr camps. I spent many summers in the 80's and 90's at the Barry Island Holiday Camp, itself a former Butlin's camp.

Miniature Golf at Thermal Hotel Guayarmina on Gran Canaria

Who would like to be on holiday in the Canary Islands right now?

I found this old postcard of the Thermal Hotel Guayarmina in the Agaete Valley in the Canary Islands while looking for minigolf postcards at the most recent Stockport Town Hall postcard fair.

In among the advertised health and tranquility benefits of staying at the Thermal Hotel on Gran Canaria is Miniature Golf! I wonder what the course was like?

Emily was actually due to go on holiday to the Canary Islands this summer, with a trip to Lanzarote booked and now cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Check out the blog posts below for photos and details of courses friends and family have sent to us from their travels to the Canary Islands.

Mini Golf in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote by Jo Tubby

Rooftop Mini Golf in Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote by Steve Lovell and Brian Butterworth

Mini Golf in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote by Richard Rochester

Mini Golf Aquarium in Lanzarote by Les Tubby

Minigolf San Antonio in Lanzarote by Les Tubby

Mini Golf at the Mediterranean Palace Hotel in Tenerife by Jason Mayne 

Mini Golf course in Puerto Colón, Tenerife by Philip Walsh  

Billiard Golf tables in Puerto Colón, Tenerife by Philip Walsh

A postcard from Pontins Prestatyn Holiday Centre

A look at an old postcard from Pontins Prestatyn Holiday Centre.

One of the old postcards I bought at the recent Stockport postcard fair was this one sent to Chester in 1987.

Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Centre. Bamforth & Co. Ltd. Postally used in 1987

The Bamforth & Co. Ltd. card gives a nice view of the holiday camp.

Pontins Prestatyn Sands

Pontins Prestatyn Sands was the setting for the film Holiday on the Buses and we've stayed there twice for special events. The excellent swimming pool and main building on the card are still instantly recognisable today.

Outside the main building at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands holiday camp in 2014

The July 2019 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly magazine contains an article I wrote about Pontins postcards.

One of my prized minigolf possessions is from the Pontins Holiday Village. It's something of a crazy golf postcard holy grail as the sender wrote about the course depicted on the card.

Pontin's Prestatyn Holiday Village. Photo Precision Limited R5605. Postally used 8 July 1977