Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter

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The Arnold Palmer Putting course in Skegness
The Arnold Palmer Putting course in Skegness, one of ten courses in the seaside resort

You can read previous editions online.

Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in the Netherlands

A look at the Midget Golf course in Muiderberg, Netherlands.


Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in Muiderberg, Netherlands
A lovely looking loop-di-loop on the course

Charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Christopher Gottfried has visited another minigolf course while on holiday, this time in the Netherlands.


Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in Muiderberg, Netherlands

While cycling he spotted the flags and sign for the 18-hole Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in Muiderberg.


Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in Muiderberg, Netherlands

You can find the 18-hole Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil at Nienhuis Ruyskade 3, 1399 GR Muiderberg, Netherlands. The course opened in 1967! Visit the course website for more information.

Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in Muiderberg, Netherlands

Midgetgolfbaan De Leeuwenkuil in Muiderberg, Netherlands
Middle Hill and Labyrinth lanes on the 18-hole Eternit Miniature Golf course

Christopher has now visited 27 courses on his own branch of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Emily and I have also visited eight of those courses, but 19 of the courses are from travels to other courses in the UK, Turkey, Majorca, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France and Indonesia!

The combined total of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is now at 909 courses visited!

A Crazy Golf postcard from Blackpool

A look at a 'new' old Crazy Golf postcard from Blackpool.


As a collector of minigolf postcards I've found quite a few over the years. Among the most photographed location in my collection is the Crazy Golf course at Blackpool's North Shore and at the recent Stockport Postcard Fair I managed to find a new view of the course.


Blackpool Crazy Golf course, North Shore. PT18819 by Photo Precision Limited. Unused

I've got 21 postcards showing the North Shore Crazy Golf course with ten different views. Some of the cards have been postally used, while others are unused.


The card below is the earliest posted example I have of the course and was sent to Manchester on the 4th June 1969.

Crazy Golf Course and North Pier, Blackpool postcard. The Photographic Greeting Card Co Ltd. London. Posted to Manchester 4 June 1969

The latest posted card of the course was sent to Porthmadog on the 6th August 1986.

Sending you lots of LUCK from Blackpool. Bamforth Postcard. Postally used 6 August 1986

Plans are underway to bring the North Shore Crazy Golf course back to life as it's been in a dormant state for a few years now.

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
How the North Shore Crazy Golf course looked on the 20th May 2019

I'm looking forward to seeing and playing the bright and fresh refurbished course.

Related blog posts:
- Postcards
- Blackpool
- Crazy Golf
- The North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
- Renovation of the North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

Mini Golf in your village, town or city

A look at minigolf courses in the UK.


Jurassic Golf Bridgemere at the Wyevale Garden Centre in Nantwich, Cheshire
Minigolf is getting BIG!

We visited Crewe last weekend and ahead of our trip we had a look online on the off chance that there'd be a minigolf course we didn't know about.

We ended up finding three!

A few weeks ago we were down in Hampshire for a wedding and knew that there was a minigolf course at East Park in Southampton. Apart from that we weren't really expecting to do much minigolfing.

We ended up visited 18 more courses!

Do you know of any new courses opening up in your area?

Do you know of an existing or old course that we haven't yet visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour?

Are you planning to open a course?

Then, please do get in touch and let us know. We'd love to visit and play the course, or advise on your plans.

Crazy Golf at Malkins Bank Golf Club in Sandbach, Cheshire
At Malkins Bank Golf Club in Sandbach, Cheshire - one of the three courses we didn't know about before last weekend

When our travels began in September 2006 there were around 600 miniature golf courses in the UK. We've now reached 890 course visits, including 39 overseas.

There are now more than 1,000 minigolf courses in the UK, with more layouts opening each week. Some are traditional Crazy Golf courses, others are more elaborate and themed Adventure Golf courses and there are also a number of Putting Greens and Pitch & Putt layouts we're yet to visit. Plus there are more of the new 'clubby' style of indoor minigolf / bar venues opening up in major towns and cities across the UK.

Glo-Golf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Paris, Hampshire - the Riverside Bowl in Andover has an around-the-world themed indoor Glo-Golf minigolf course 

We're looking forward to playing more courses on our travels. Our 900th course will be coming up soon, crazy to think it's rolled round so quickly!

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Monday, May 27, 2019

Crazy Golf at Malkins Bank Golf Club in Sandbach, Cheshire

Playing the Crazy Golf course at Malkins Bank Golf Club in Betchton, Sandbach, Cheshire.


At the Crazy Golf course at Malkins Bank Golf Club in Betchton, Sandbach, Cheshire
At our 888th miniature golf course visit since September 2006

We weren't expecting to visit any courses on our trip to Sandbach and Crewe on Saturday, but ended up visiting three!


The 9-hole Swedish Felt Crazy Golf course at Malkins Bank Golf Club in Betchton, Sandbach became the 888th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

















New Plonk Golf at London Zoo

New Plonk Golf course opening soon at London Zoo.


Plonk Golf at London Zoo is opening soon

The team at Plonk Golf will soon be opening their latest minigolf course, this one will be at London Zoo!


Check out the Plonk Golf website for more information.

You can also find Plonk Golf courses in Shoreditch, Hoxton, London Fields, Camden Market, Islington, Battersea, at The Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill and in Paddington.

Back in April 2015 I played at Plonk Golf's first course, at Efes Snooker Hall in Dalston, London. That was the 596th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We're now up to 887 course visits since September 2006.

Plonk Golf in Shoreditch
Plonk Golf in Shoreditch, one of a number of Plonk Golf courses we've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Sunday, May 26, 2019

New Adventure Golf course in Southend on Sea

Garon Castle Adventures adventure golf course now open in Southend on Sea, Essex.


Many thanks to my Aunty Carol for letting me know that a new Adventure Golf course has opened in Southend on Sea.


Garon Castle Adventures adventure golf course now open in Southend on Sea, Essex

The 18-hole Garon Castle Adventures course can be found at Garon Park Golf Complex.

For more information on the Garon Park Adventures course visit the Garon Park Golf Complex website and Garon Castle Adventures Facebook Page.

We're looking forward to a return visit to Southend on Sea on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

Replaying the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course in Barry Island, Wales.


Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

My last stop on my recent trip to South Wales was to somewhere I know well, as my family had many happy holidays in Barry Island back in the 1980's and 1990's.


Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island
At the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course

Back in the 90's we used to go on holiday by train. I bet we've actually been carried on that very Sprinter train before!

Barry Island is 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 view of Barry Island from within the old holiday camp site
The view of Barry Island from within the old holiday camp site

Before I left Barry Island I had a round on the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course - a course we first played in 2009.

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island
I scored a round of 32 on the Smugglers Cove course

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island
  
Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island

Check out the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course Facebook Page for more information, opening times and prices.

Friday, May 24, 2019

The North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

A look at the North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool.


The North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

The teams at Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and Fylde Street Angels have come together on a new project to refurbish and reopen the old North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool.


North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

The project will help homeless people in Blackpool by giving them the chance to work on the Crazy Golf course so it is playable and then staffing it for the season. It's a brilliant plan to give people the opportunity to receive work experience, while also bringing a disused minigolf course back to life.


North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

You can find out more about the project on the Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and Fylde Street Angels websites and social media channels.

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

We've visited the course a number of times over the years, but it was never open to play when we were there. We're really looking forward to playing the refurbished course.

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

I revisited the course on Monday 20th May. You can view the holes as they looked then below.

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 1

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 2

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 3

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 3

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 4

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 4

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 5

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 6

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 7

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 8

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 9

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 10

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 11

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 11

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 11

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 12

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 13

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 13

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 13

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 14

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 14

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 15

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 16

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 17

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 17

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 18

North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Hole 18

Related blog posts:
Video: North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool (20th May 2019)
- Renovation of the North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
- North Shore Crazy Golf in Blackpool in 2018
- North Shore Crazy Golf in Blackpool in 2016
- North Shore Crazy Golf in Blackpool in 2009
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Blackpool

Links:
Blackpool Fulfilling Lives
Blackpool and Fylde Street Angels