Putt'n Score - a minigolf game

A look the Putt'n Score minigolf game.

The battery operated game by Hilco sees up to three players putt on a rotating minigolf green.

Have you played Putt'n Score before?

Toys R Us at WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6

There's a Toys R Us at WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6 motorway in Staffordshire.

I spotted there is a Toys R Us inside the WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6 while travelling down to Wembley at the weekend.

Toys R Us in the UK.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WHSmith shops in 2023. There are currently 148 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

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 Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

The old Toys R Us.

At its peak there were 105 Toys R Us stores in the UK. It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited several of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Links:

• Toys R Us
• WHSmith

Related blog posts:

• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail

Toys R Us at TGJones in Stockport

Toys R Us is now open at TGJones in Stockport.

The rebrand of the former WHSmith shop in Stockport took place last month, and part of the changes to the shop in the Merseyway shopping centre saw a Toys R Us added!

The end of WHSmith, and the start of TGJones.

The start of July 2025 marked the end of WHSmith on the British high street after 233 years. Following the sale of the business to Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital earlier this year WHSmith shops have been undergoing a rebrand to the new name of TGJones.

WHSmith on the high street, and travel stores.

There were around 500 high street WHSmith shops, and another 580 travel stores in the UK. The WHSmith shops at railway stations, service stations and airports etc. are not affected by the rebrand as they were not part of the sale.

Toys R Us at TGJones and WHSmith.

As well being inside the rebranded TGJones shops, the relaunched Toys R Us brand can be found in sections of some travel hub WHSmith stores.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WH Smith shops in 2023. There are currently 95 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

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 Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Meeting Geoffrey at the Stockport Toys R Us today!

The old Toys R Us.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited several of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Find out more.

Visit the TGJones, Toys R Us and WHSmith websites for more information on the brands and their locations.

Related blog posts:

• TGJones in Stockport
• TGJones
• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail
• Stockport
• Merseyway
• Mascot

Links:

• Toys R Us
• TGJones
• WHSmith
• Merseyway

An Arnold Palmer Indoor Golf Game

A new addition to our collection of minigolf items!

I recently found this Arnold Palmer Indoor Golf Game from 1999 by Classic Golf Gifts in one of my local charity shops.

I've got a couple of other examples - one is also Arnold Palmer branded and older than this version, the other is a white-label version.

I really like the branded scorecard in this set.

Enesco Small World of Music Tee Time Mini Golf Music Box

Adding a new item to our minigolf collection.

Check out this cool piece of minigolf merchandise - a Small World of Music Tee Time Mini Golf Music Box by Enesco. It dates from 1992.

Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf

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

A brilliant car boot sale find this morning

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

You get a nice pad of scorecards in the game

A RadioShack blast from the past

How cool is this RadioShack radio controlled truck?

I found it in a retro shop in Bristol on my recent visit to the city.

It's in superb condition. Especially when you consider it's from 1979!

A very nice piece of retail history.

My first job was at a Tandy shop back in the late 1990's and I sold lots of RadioShack products, including radio controlled cars and trucks.

Pitch & Plakks now available to pre-order online

The new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game is available to pre-order online.

Post contains affiliate links

We found out about Pitch & Plakks minigolf course toy back in May and backed the Kickstarter to get the game made.

Pitch & Plakks will be released in November and we're looking forward to receiving this early Christmas present.

You can pre-order the game - with a discount - online now.

We love playing minigolf, outdoors and indoors - whether it's a full size course, a video game or a board game we're super competitive! It'll be interesting to see who wins our games - and how many arguments we'll have while playing it...

Pitch & Plakks is the second game from the team at Plakks after they successfully launched the Plakks football game in 2019.

You can pre-order Pitch & Plakks through this link. Any purchases made through it will also support us to continue bringing you brilliant minigolf content.

Pitch & Plakks is going to be a nice addition to our collection of minigolf toys, games and board games.

Pitch & Plakks indoor miniature golf game

Check out the Kickstarter for the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game - there are only 11 days to go.

Post contains affiliate links

We love playing minigolf - whether it's a full size course, a video game or a board game we're super competitive!

In May we found out about Pitch & Plakks, an indoor minigolf course board game toy. It's the second game from the team at Plakks after they successfully launched the Plakks football game in 2019.

If you are interested in finding out more about Pitch & Plakks and supporting a growing business with a great product please use this link. Any pledges made through it will also support us to continue bringing you brilliant minigolf content.

Pitch & Plakks will be a nice addition to our collection of minigolf toys, games and board games.

More information, FAQs, photos and videos can be found on the Pitch & Plakks Mini Golf game Kickstarter campaign page.

Foam Golf Set at Lidl

Look what's in the Middle of Lidl!

You can currently get a Foam Golf Set in the middle aisle of Lidl for £14.99.

My brother Christopher spotted this Foam Golf Set while doing his weekly shop in Lidl

Putt'n Score minigolf game

A look at the Putt'n Score minigolf game by Hilco Corporation, 2001.

One of a number of minigolf games in the Crazy Golf Museum.

Do you have a favourite miniature golf game, board game or toy?

It's an axe!

We did a bit of shopping in Asda this evening and I had a look at the Halloween section. There's some good stuff in stock, but I'm not sure about this item.

'Swashbuckling Pirate Sword' - or as it's more commonly known, an axe

Related blog posts:
- Funny
- Pirates
- Shopping
- Halloween

Mini Golf Set from Lidl

Picking up a new miniature golf game for my collection.

When I popped to Lidl to buy some Feta cheese to go with our tea yesterday I didn't expect to return with a Mini Golf Set. But I did.

99p for the Feta cheese. £9.99 for the Mini Golf Set

What you get in the box - two putters, two balls, two holes, four obstacles, scorecards and an instruction book. It's a well made set and the obstacles work when you putt throughover them

There are twenty scorecards in the pad - with details in German, English and French

A closer look at the obstacles - gate, seesaw, climb and wavy track

Links:
- Lidl
- Crazy Golf Museum 

Funny things about being a Coeliac #10 - Play-Doh is NOT gluten free

It's not just food that contains gluten - toys do too!

As today - 16 September - is National Play-Doh Day it's worth noting that Play-Doh is not gluten free as it contains dreaded Wheat!

The mind boggles!

Obviously Play-Doh is NOT a food product and is NOT meant to be eaten, but there are cross-contamination risks if Coeliacs touch/use/play with Play-Doh.

A big barrel of Play-Doh. This was as close as I dared get to it

Hasbro, the manufacturers of Play-Doh in the UK, have helpfully put together a warning on the product packaging and also on the Ingredients section of the Play-Doh FAQ & Tips website. Although rather than mentioning the autoimmune reaction - or gluten intolerance - it say that an 'allergic' reaction may occur with use of the product.

The Coeliac UK website has some further information on play dough products and even has a recipe for making your own Gluten-free play dough.

Related blog posts:

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #1 - The labels you get on gluten free prescriptions

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #2 - I live in Luton, but I can't eat Gluten

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #3 - Howard the Celeriac comic strips

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #4 - The look of horror in the faces of waiting staff when you use the word 'disease'

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #5 - Menu fails

- Funny things about being a Coeliac #6 - The different things you get called!
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #7 - Disappearing flight attendants!
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #8 - Being scared of bread!
- Funny things about being a Coeliac #9 - Menu disclaimers

- Coeliac-related blog posts

- Gluten Free-related blog posts