'Ace Gottfried gets 12th place finish'

Story on page 69 of the 14th November 2007 editions of the Luton News and Dunstable Gazette regarding my achievements in the BMGA Kent Open and on the 2007 BMGA Tour.

End of BMGA 2007 Tour Minigolf Report

Press Information
For Immediate Release
7th November 2007

End of BMGA 2007 Tour Minigolf Report

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried sunk the final putt of his debut season on the British Minigolf Association 2007 Tour at the BMGA Kent Open last weekend (4th November). Richard finished strongly in the season finale, carding a score of 124 over three rounds, just 12 shots off the tournament winner Sean Homer, and placing 12th of 32 players in a field containing some of the best Minigolfers in Great Britain and the world.

Richard, 27 is now ranked as the 34th best Minigolfer in the BMGA 2007 Order of Merit after gaining 527 Ranking Points since making his first appearance in the BMGA British Masters in April. In total Richard has competed in ten tournaments and played 660 holes of competitive Minigolf on the 2007 Tour, which has seen him travel to courses in Brighton, Margate, Hastings, Southend and Warwick.

Among his best results this season were his 4th place in the BMGA Midlands Invitational Tournament (MIT) and his 5th place finish in the BMGA Players Championship.

Richard said “I feel this has been a great year of competition for me, I have played in some big tournaments against the top players. There have been many great moments for me this season including making the cut for the second day of the BMGA British Open; my 4th and 5th place finishes in the MIT and the BMGA Players Championship, and taking part in the World Crazy Golf Championships. I am looking forward to the start of play on the 2008 Tour and some more top ten finishes.”

Richard added “My next three goals in my Minigolf career are to win a tournament on the BMGA Tour, reach the top 20 of the BMGA British Rankings and to play for the Great Britain Team in a World or European Championship.”

Veterans of the BMGA Tour have also noticed Richard’s talents, with Four-Time World Crazy Golf Champion Tim ‘Ace Man’ Davies calling Richard “The most promising talent to arrive on the British Minigolf scene since me."

Richard’s first tournaments of the 2008 Tour include the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open, the BMGA Matchplay Knockout Tournament and the BMGA Irish Open in Belfast.

Below is a photo of Richard putting on the 16th hole 'Shark's Teeth’ at Margate.

Die Bart (not from The Simpsons)!?!

Can you guess the haulage company?



Clue: It's not Christian Salveson or Norbert Dentressangle.

Driving the DLR!

Isn't the Docklands Light Railway great!?

Scorecards Galore

A wide array of Scorecards from the 37 Minigolf courses played this year!

'Crazy for Loving You?'

In the November issue of Luton & Dunstable At Large Magazine there is a feature on Crazy Golf and top Luton Crazy Golfers Richard and Emily Gottfried.

Check it out here:
http://www.luton-at-large.co.uk/

World Crazy Golf Championship 2007 Photos

A selection of photos from the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championship 2007.

Luton Crazy Golfers take on the World

Press Information
For Immediate Release
30th October 2007

Luton Crazy Golfers take on the World

On Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th October Luton Crazy Golfers Richard Gottfried and Emily Gottfried competed in the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championship 2007 at the Seafront Adventure Golf Complex in Hastings

Unfortunately neither Richard nor Emily was able to become the World Crazy Golf Champion; however a new Champion was crowned, with Birmingham’s Chris Harding taking the title from Four-Time Champ Tim ‘Ace Man’ Davies. Chris won with a seven round (126-hole) total of 248 (an average of 1.96 shots per hole).

Richard ended the tournament ranked as the 39th best Crazy Golfer in the World with a six round (108-hole) total of 255 (2.36 shots per hole). He also managed to get the joint lowest score of the weekend – a 32 – scoring five holes-in-one in the round on the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf Course. Over the whole tournament only four other players managed to score a 32 and they finished in 1st, 3rd, 6th and 15th.

Richard said of his score “This was a great achievement for me as it was my best score ever on any Crazy Golf course in my Minigolf career, it was a great feeling to score five Aces in a round.”

Emily finished as the 6th best female player, but 54th in the overall competition with a score of 265 (2.45 shots per hole). In the first four rounds Emily was drawn to play against then Champion Tim ‘Ace Man’ Davies and in the third round both he and Emily carded scores of 43.

Emily said “The competition was great fun, but tough. Playing against ‘Ace Man’ for four rounds was exciting, and it was really satisfying to match his score on one of the rounds. I was really pleased with my performance and 54th place finish for my first tournament. Richard fully deserved has 39th place finish, but I will beat him next year!”

Commenting on the tournament and his opponents Richard said “Chris Harding is a very deserving new World Champion; he led the tournament from the very first round and played an excellent game despite the wet and windy conditions on the second day. Emily was also a very tough opponent and she was only ten shots off my final score, so the final round was very tense to see which of us would come out on top.”

The final tournament on the BMGA 2007 Tour will see Richard play in the BMGA Kent Open in Margate.

Mini Golf Courses Played 06-07

Between 30th September 2006 and 30th September 2007 members of the Irregular Mini Golf Tour have played at the following 37 Mini Golf courses:

Course/Location & Type
Abingdon (Abbey Meadow) - Crazy Golf
Abingdon (Abbey Meadow) - Pitch & Putt
Brighton (East of Palace Pier) - Crazy Golf
Brighton (Peter Pan's) - Adventure Golf
Broadstairs (Lillyputt Minigolf) - Lillyputt Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
Felixstowe (Fantasia) - Adventure Golf
Felixstowe (Mannings) - Golf FX
Felixstowe (Sea Front) - Crazy Golf
Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) - Minigolf 9 Hole
Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) - Minigolf 18 Hole
Great Yarmouth (Hollywood Adventure Golf, Windmill Theatre) - Indoor Adventure Golf
Great Yarmouth (Jungle Golf at the Gardens) - Crazy Golf
Great Yarmouth (Pirates Cove) - Adventure Golf
Great Yarmouth (Pleasure Beach) - Adventure Golf
Letchworth Garden City - Par 3 Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
Letchworth Garden City - Putting Course on Grass
Lowestoft, Suffolk - Adventure Golf
Luton (Stockwood Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
Luton (Wardown Park) - Crazy Golf
Luton (Wardown Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
Luton (Woodside Animal Farm) - Adventure Golf
Margate (Little Oasis Crazy Golf) Cliftonville - Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
Margate (Palm Bay Café) Cliftonville - Crazy Golf on Grass
Margate (Strokes) - Adventure Golf
Milton Keynes (Willen Lake) - Adventure Golf
Portsmouth/Southsea (Treasure Island) - Adventure Golf (Victory & Warrior Trails)
Shefford, Bedfordshire (The Green Man Pub) - Crazy Golf
Southend-on-Sea (Adventure Island) - Adventure Golf (Aztec & Inca courses)
Southend-on-Sea (Arnold Palmer Minigolf) - Minigolf
Southsea (Golf Links) - 9 Hole Par 3/Pitch & Putt
St Albans, Hertfordshire (Verulamium Park) - Crazy Golf
Stonham, Suffolk (Stonham Barns) - Crazy Golf
Warwick (St Nicholas Park) - Adventure Golf
Warwick (St Nicholas Park) - Derelict Crazy Golf
Watford (Top Golf) - Adventure Golf
Watford (Top Golf) - 9 Hole Putting Green
West Hagbourne, Oxon (Horse & Harrow Pub) - Crazy Golf

Nutters with Putters - Promo Video

Promo Video of the forthcoming DVD release from Top Crazy Golfers Tim 'Ace Man' Davies and 'Big Top' Ted McIver.



Warning: There is some swearing at the end!

Luton Minigolfer continues to improve

Press Information
For Immediate Release
8th October 2007

Luton Minigolfer continues to improve

On Saturday 6th October Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried competed in two British Minigolf Association (BMGA) tournaments at the 18-Hole Adventure Golf Course in St Nicholas Park, Warwick.

First up was the BMGA Midlands Invitational Tournament where 26 year-old Richard placed 4th of 9 players, finishing with a score over two rounds of 83, carding scores of 42 and 41. In this tournament he finished just below British Number 3 John Moore and above British Number 2 Chris Harding.

Next was the BMGA Midlands Open tournament, which was played over three rounds. Here Richard finished with a score of 125 (42-41-42) which placed him 15th of 22 players, 16 shots off the winner James Trubridge who won with a score of 109.

Overall Richard scored 5 Holes-in-One in the BMGA Midlands Open.

Richard said “I think my scoring was consistent throughout the competitions, I’m yet to make a sub-40 score on this course but I did get a personal best score of 41. When I last played here in the BMGA English Open I finished 23rd of 26 competitors, so to finish with a 4th and 15th place is a great achievement for me.”

Richard’s recent performances on the BMGA Tour have seen him rise up the rankings since making his April debut to his current position of 33rd in Great Britain.

The next stops on the BMGA 2007 tour will see Richard competing in the World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings and competing in Margate in November in the season closing BMGA Kent Open.

Attached is a photo of Richard lining up a shot on the 16th hole at the Warwick course.

IMG Tour - End of Season Results & Rankings

Following a year of play in the Irregular Mini Golf Tour 06-07 Season here are the final Ranking Positions:

1 Richard Gottfried 3870
2 Emily Gottfried 2815
3 Christopher Gottfried 675
4 The Mystery Player 290
5 Yazmin Harper 175
6 Dave Ronchetti 150
7 Helena Sundarajoo 120
8 Annette Harper 110
9 Jo Tubby 100
9 Robert Harper 100
9 Paul Harvey 100
12 Jon Gottfried 75
13 Russell Fenner 50
14 Bethany Harper 35
15 Zoe Bates 25
15 David Bartlett 25
17 Kallum Harper 20
18 Kate Tubby 10
18 Les Tubby 10
18 Luke Tubby 10

A total of 38 tournaments were played (plus 36 individual stages of the Irregular Mini Golf Tour Luton Cup), with a total of 1,798 holes being played in the period 30/09/2006 - 30/09/2007.

Crazy Golf Windmills of Thanet

The seaside resorts on the Thanet coastline have a fine selection of Crazy Golf courses, three of which are home to that classic obstacle - the Windmill.

The Lillyputt Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Broadstairs

A Windmill on the Cliftonville Grass Putting Minigolf course

The Little Oasis Crazy Golf course in the Cliftonville area of Margate

The Cliftonville Grass Putting Miniature Golf course at the Palm Bay Café in Margate

Leading the British Open

For a 'cup of coffee' I led the field of 46 players in the BMGA British Open.

Post-British Open Ham & Egg platter

After a gruelling four days on the Adventure Golf course at Strokes in Margate I was able to relax and enjoy a well deserved and affordable plate of Ham, Eggs and Chips.

Luton Local Impresses in Minigolf British Open

Press Information
For Immediate Release
20th September 2007

Luton Local Impresses in Minigolf British Open

This past weekend Richard Gottfried from Luton played in the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) Players Championship and British Open tournaments at Strokes Adventure Golf Course in Margate, Kent.

Playing in his fourth and fifth tournaments of the 2007 BMGA Tour, 26 year-old Richard placed 5th out of 27 British competitors in the BMGA Players Championship on Friday 14th September. At the end of the first round of ‘Stroke play’ Richard was lying in 4th place with a personal best score on the course of 38, one stroke behind British Champion and British Number 1 Chris Harding and just 6 strokes off the British course record. Making the ‘cut’ to the second round of ‘Match play’ he lost by one-hole to eventual Players Championship winner Steve Gow.

On Saturday 15th September Richard began play in the 10th Annual BMGA British Open and scored a total of 178 after the first four rounds, which saw him finish the day in 35th position and therefore reaching the final the following day.

In the final two rounds before the ‘Super Play-off Final’ Richard scored a 42 followed by an equal personal best score of 38. Scoring 4 holes-in-one (Aces) these scores moved him up to a final position of 29th in a field of 46 top British and International miniature golfers. His achievements on the course over the weekend also meant that he finished 19th of 36 in the BMGA British Championships. The overall winner of the 2007 BMGA British Open was Jouni Valkjarvi from Finland who scored a total of 244 over 7 rounds.

Richard said “I am extremely pleased with my performance in both the Players Championship and the British Open. I was also really happy that I made the cut to reach the second day of the British Open. That was my main goal heading into the tournament. Getting two sub 40 scores in a major contest like the British Open is a great confidence boost and I am looking forward to the next competitions on the tour.”

2007 British Champion and current British Number 1 Chris Harding commented “It's always difficult to attract new players to the Minigolf tour. When you do come across somebody as enthusiastic as Richard, who wants to learn and improve quickly, then it's a real joy. His performance in Margate, on a really difficult course, was full of promise. Qualifying for the final eight in the Players Championship and making the cut in the British Open was a great achievement so early in Richard's career.”

Commenting on Richard’s performance over the weekend Four-Time World Crazy Golf Champion and British Number 2 Tim ‘Ace Man’ Davies, who played against Richard in the first four rounds of the competition, said “Richard played some great rounds in the British Open and is probably the most promising talent to arrive on the British Minigolf scene since me."

The next stops on the BMGA 2007 tour will see Richard competing in the BMGA Midlands Open in Warwick, the World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings and competing back in Margate in November in the season closing BMGA Kent Open.

Notes for Editors:
Richard Gottfried made his BMGA debut at the BMGA British Masters tournament in Southend-on-Sea on 24th April 2007 where he finished 24th of 28 players, and second in the ‘Novice’ category. He has since competed in the BMGA English Open in Warwick and the BMGA Brighton Open.

More information on the British Minigolf Association can be found at www.minigolf.org.uk

Full results and a report on the tournaments can be found at the website of the Kent Minigolf Club: http://www.kentminigolfclub.co.uk/British%20Open%202007.htm


Photo: Richard Gottfried lining up a shot on the 11-hole 'Heartbreak Ridge'
Photo Courtesy of Sean Homer

Worst Mini/Crazy Golf Holes in the UK

Some examples of terrible and tough holes I have encountered on my travels:

A 'pub course' in Oxfordshire!


One of the holes on the Crazy Golf at Felixstowe.


Hole 8 of a derelict Crazy Golf course in Warwick.


And one where I scored an eight!?!


And one that is always a pain.

BMGA Brighton Open

In my third Mini Golf tournament I finished 18th in the BMGA Brighton Open played on 21.07.07. In placing 18th I defeated the current 'number 3' and 'number 9' of Great British Mini Golf.

My scores were as follows:
Rd 1 - 33
Rd 2 - 28
Rd 3 - 32
Rd 4 - 30
Total - 123 (-45)

BMGA English Open

Following my 24th place finish in my debut at the BMGA British Masters mini golf tournament in April, I played in my second national tournament on Saturday 14th July.

Following two rounds of tough Adventure Golf I placed 23rd in the BMGA English Open.

Alton Towers

Continuing the theme of closed mini golf courses, after travelling to Alton Towers on Monday we found that due to the severe weather the Extraordinary Golf course was closed as it was (very) waterlogged!



There was however a 'WIN A CAR HOLE IN ONE GOLF CHALLENGE' inside the park where you had to pitch a ball into a hole on an island in the middle of the lake! I didn't win the car.





The rest of the park was 'open as usual' though and there were some great rides and good food.