Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...

...to Ham & Eggers everywhere!

Gottfried Wins, Gottfried Wins, Gottfried Wins

(Luton, 21.12.07) In the battle of the UK's Top Finger Jousters Richard Gottfried held onto his one-year undefeated streak by beating his arch-rival Emily Gottfried 6-2 in Point Play Rules.

The match started well for Richard who scored two quick points by hitting both of Emily's legs, followed by a twisting neck shot for a further two. However, Emily fought back and hit a two-pointer with a questionable 'low chest' shot on Richard to bring her back into the game. But a win for Emily was not on the cards and by planting two well placed shots onto Emily's right leg Richard extended his undefeated streak to 48 wins since 21st December 2006.

Commenting on his well-earned victory Richard said "Emily has proven time and again to be a tough opponent and excellent proponent of the art of Finger Jousting, but I'm on a hot streak at the moment and it won't be long until I am crowned as the Undisputed Worlds Finger Jousting Champion."

Richard Gottfried's 'Pro' Finger Jousting Record (31.10.06 - 21.12.07)
Played 85
Won 80
Lost 4
Tied 1
% Won 94.12%


Photo - Hands locked and ready for battle.

Happy Birthday Ham & Egger Files!

Today is the first Birthday of the Ham & Egger Files website!

Over the past year the progress of the UK's top Obscure Sportsmen and Women have been charted on this site, with tales of heroic triumph and mediocrity in sports including Minigolf, Finger Jousting and Ten Pin Bowling.

Here's to the next year of sporting fun!

Finger Jousting - Match of the Year

In a match-up bigger than Ali vs Foreman, Andre vs Hogan, Ace Man vs Big Top or Hatton vs Mayweather, tomorrow (21/12/07) sees Gottfried vs Gottfried in a face-off between the UK's top two Finger Jousters.

Heading into the match Richard Gottfried is on a one-year, 47-bout undefeated streak that began on 21/12/06 when he beat tomorrow's opponent Emily Gottfried. The streak began on the same day he suffered only his 9th loss (4th of his 'Pro' Career), which ironically came at the hands (index finger?) of Emily herself.

Tale of the tape:
vs. Win-Loss Record - Emily 2 & 16, Richard 16 & 2
Richard Gottfried Career Win-Loss Record Stats
Played 98
Won 88
Lost 9
Tied 1
% Won 89.80%

Note:
Tomorrow's Match will be played to official World Finger Jousting Federation (WFJF)
'Point Play Rules' see below.

"In point play, different parts of the body count for different amounts of points. The legs and latent arm count as one point. The chest, back, and neck count as two points. The head counts as three points. Point play matches are played to six for tournaments, but when playing leisurely any number above two is allowed." http://www.fingerjoust.com/

Kalkalash

Homer Simpson: Now what do you have to wash that awful taste out of my mouth?
Vendor at the World Trade Center: Mountain Dew or crab juice.
Homer Simpson: Blecch! Ew! Sheesh! I'll take a crab juice.



Mmmm Crab juice, I mean Mountain Dew.

80p a can overseas import, great stuff!

Sir Cliff Richard...On Crazy Golf!

“The most bizarre tournament of the universe” Sir Cliff Richard commenting on the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championship 2007, on The One Show, BBC1, 7th December 2007.

“Richard’s Crazy Ambition” Beds Life

“Richard’s Crazy Ambition” Beds Life, The Newspaper for the University of Bedfordshire, December 2007 Issue.

Back Page Sports story in the Staff and Student Newspaper of my 'Alma mater' about my debut season, including a photo of me Putting on the 16th at Margate.

Virgin Media Crazy Golf Photos and Video

http://www.virginmedia.com/sport/galleries/crazy-golf.php

Transworld Sport Coverage, Channel 4, 10th November 07

Coverage of the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships on Transworld Sport.

The One Show, BBC 1, 7th December 07

Coverage of the battle between the 76th and 77th best Crazy Golfers in the World, Colin Jackson and Phil Tufnell.



The link to The One Show Games is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/theoneshow/article/2007/10/cj_highlandgames.shtml

The link to the BBC player is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/theoneshow/ram/071207_golf?size=16x9&bgc=6699CC&nbram=1&bbram=1

European Tour Weekly - Official Link

05 Dec 2007 14:00

'ETW 496 - World Crazy Golf Championships - Feature - We catch up with all the action from the World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings.'

Official Link to the Sky Sports 3 Programme 'European Tour Weekly' feature on the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships.

http://www.europeantour.com/publish.sps?pagegid=%7BD872AA1B-60AB-4F23-95F2-E247C40F85FC%7D&assetid=566093

“Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Coverage” European Tour Weekly, Sky Sports 3

“Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Coverage” from the TV Programme European Tour Weekly, Sky Sports 3 on 5th December 2007.

You can see me and 'The Coach' at the 3min 19sec mark!

'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.