Saturday, March 30, 2024

Mini Golf at Sharnfold Farm in East Sussex

There's a mini golf course at Sharnfold Farm near Eastbourne in East Sussex.


There's a mini golf course at Sharnfold Farm near Eastbourne in East Sussex

Check out the Sharnfold Farm website for more information.


It's another course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Happy National Pencil Day

Today is National Pencil Day.


Minigolf pencils - in a nice adventure golf mug from The Lost World in Hemsby
Minigolf pencils from our travels

Here's a selection of minigolf pencils we've collected over years.

Minigolf pencils

We enjoy visiting courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and it's marvellous when we find one that has a branded pencil to score the game with.

Pencils and promotional scratchcards from Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida, USA
Pencils and promotional scratchcards from Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida, USA

It's a superb bit of minigolf marketing too.

A minigolf pencil from Magic Carpet Golf in Galveston, Texas, USA
A minigolf pencil from Christopher Gottfried's Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip to Magic Carpet Golf in Galveston, Texas, USA

We've seen several minigolf courses switching to virtual scorecards (and scoreboards), and app-based scorecards. Others are using a mixture.

We think, and hope, there's space and a place for all methods of scoring to continue in the game.

Our friend Pat Sheridan from The Putting Penguin minigolf review website (among his many other hats in the game) has contributed quite a few pencils and scorecards to the Crazy Golf Museum that he's picked up on his own minigolf adventures.

One of the most peculiar minigolf pencils we've seen is this one Pat sent a snap of, as it's a real life pencil for a virtual minigolf game!

A pencil from the Walkabout Mini Golf VR game. Photo by Pat Sheridan
A pencil from the Walkabout Mini Golf VR game

If you'd like your minigolf course pencil (or other items of merch and ephemera) displayed and archived in the Crazy Golf Museum please do get in touch.

Just one of the many minigolf pencils in the Crazy Golf Museum - from the Wye Valley Miniatvre Golf course in Symonds Yat West
Just one of the many minigolf pencils in the Crazy Golf Museum - from the Wye Valley Miniatvre Golf course in Symonds Yat West

You can see more miniature golf course pens and pencils on the Crazy Golf Museum website.


A scorecard and pencils from Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf in Orlando, Florida from our friend Shelley Barrett
A scorecard and pencils from Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf in Orlando, Florida, USA from our friend Shelley Barrett

Arnold Palmer Putting Courses Crazy Golf pencils from the course in Prestatyn
Arnold Palmer Putting Courses Crazy Golf pencils from the course in Prestatyn

A pencil from Lumberjax Mini Golf in New Zealand from our friend James Astrop
A pencil from Lumberjax Mini Golf in New Zealand from our friend James Astrop

A pencil from Urban Putt in San Francisco from our friend and minigolf rival (and sometimes team-mate) Kevin Moseley
A pencil from Urban Putt in San Francisco from our friend and minigolf rival (and sometimes team-mate) Kevin Moseley

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf minigolf pencil
A pencil from Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf

Minigolf pencil from Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm, Sweden
A minigolf pencil from Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm, Sweden 

A pencil from Swingers Crazy Golf in London
A pencil from Swingers Crazy Golf in London

A pencil from the CLUB GOLF crazy golf pop-up at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London
A pencil from the CLUB GOLF crazy golf pop-up at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London. This was the last course I played before the UK went into coronavirus pandemic lockdown / quarantine

A pencil from the Putt 18 indoor putting game - we played a lot of this during the pandemic
A pencil from the Putt 18 indoor putting game - we played a lot of this during the pandemic

Mini Golf at Hollywood Bowl Stockton

A new Mini Golf course is now open at the Hollywood Bowl at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees.


The 12-hole indoor Mini Golf course has opened as part of an expanded Hollywood Bowl centre.

Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)

Visit the Hollywood Bowl website for more information.


We've played one of the Hollywood Bowl mini golf courses before, and been to Teesside Retail Park - but not done both together. We visited the old Toys R Us store there in April 2021.

It's another new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Friday, March 29, 2024

Mini Golf at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent

There's a minigolf course at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent


Many thanks to our friend, minigolf rival, and sometimes team-mate Scott Lancley for sending us these photos of the 18-hole Mini Golf course at Wingham Wildlife Park in Wingham, Kent.

Mini Golf at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent. Photo by Scott Lancley, March 2024
Mini Golf at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent. Photo by Scott Lancley, March 2024

The course opened in 2022.

Mini Golf at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent. Photo by Scott Lancley, March 2024
Mini Golf at Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent. Photo by Scott Lancley, March 2024

Visit the Wingham Wildlife Park website for more information.


It's another new course we'll have to add to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour one day!

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

New Adventure Golf course at The Railway Inn in Westerfield

The Railway Inn in Westerfield, near Ipswich, Suffolk is home to a new Adventure Golf course.


The Railway Inn in Westerfield, near Ipswich, Suffolk is home to a new Adventure Golf course

The course is planned to open on Friday 29th March.

Check out The Railway Inn's website and Facebook Page for more information on the 9-hole outdoor pub beer garden adventure golf course.


It'll be a new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we're back in Ipswich.

New mini golf course planned for Tranent

A new indoor mini golf course is planned for Tranent in East Lothian, Scotland.


A new indoor mini golf course is planned for Tranent in East Lothian, Scotland

The indoor mini golf course would be part of a new entertainment venue in the town.

It'll be a new course - and town - for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New Crazy Golf course opening at Claremont Pier in Lowestoft

Claremont Pier in Lowestoft, Suffolk is home to a new pirate-themed crazy golf course.


Claremont Pier in Lowestoft, Suffolk will be home to a new pirate-themed crazy golf course

A new pirate crazy golf course is opening at Claremont Pier in Lowestoft on Friday 29th March.

The 18-hole indoor crazy golf course will be called Pirates at the Clarement and is planned to open before Easter this year.

Visit the Claremont Pier website for more information.

We've been to Lowestoft several times on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour over the years. It's a nice seaside town and we're looking forward to revisiting.

When it opens, the new course in Lowestoft will become the easternmost crazy golf course in the British Isles.

New Adventure Golf course at The Pumpkin House at Brookhill Farm in Thursford

The Pumpkin House at Brookhill Farm in Thursford, Norfolk will have an Adventure Golf course this year.


A new Adventure Golf course is opening at The Pumpkin House at Brookhill Farm in Thursford

The 9-hole farm-themed minigolf layout will open from the 25th May. Opening days/times will vary so please check the farm's website for more information.

It'll be a new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

New Adventure Golf course planned for South Shields

A new dinosaur-themed Adventure Golf course is planned to open in South Shields, Tyneside.


A new dinosaur-themed Adventure Golf course is planned to open in South Shields, Tyneside

It'll be a new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.


It'll be nice to return to the seaside town.

Friday, March 22, 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes

A visit to the Container Golf course at the Ffolkes Pub and Hotel in King's Lynn, Norfolk.


Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

My brother Christopher, a charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and his family recently stayed at the Ffolkes Pub and Hotel in King's Lynn, Norfolk. While there they played the 9-hole Container Golf course.

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

Check out the Ffolkes website for more information on the Container Golf adventure golf course.


Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

We've now visited a combined total of 1,091 courses on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Container Golf at Ffolkes in King's Lynn. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2024

The Minigolf-Atlas

Check out the Minigolf-Atlas - a map listing miniature golf courses in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.


The Minigolf-Atlas

I recently found out about the Minigolf-Atlas, a project to map all of the minigolf courses in Germany and surrounding countries!

The project is run by the team at Miniatur-Golf-Club Wetzlar eV. They are based in central Germany and created the project to record all the minigolf facilities throughout Germany. This includes locations where clubs are based and tournaments take place, as well as the many course locations where no competitions are held.

It's brilliant to see the efforts put into the project, and it'll be an excellent resource for people to get out and play for leisure, fun, and for competition and club play.

The Minigolf-Atlas team are putting together lists of courses in other countries, and it'll be interesting to see the website develop over time.

Take a look at the Minigolf-Atlas website for more information.


It'll be a handy resource if we can find the time to visit Germany again in the future! There are still some minigolf systems, including Cobi Golf and Star Golf that we haven't yet played, and these are localised in Germany (Cobi Golf) and Germany & Austria (Star Golf).

I've played Felt Golf in Vienna, Austria at the Askoe Wien Wasserpark. That was an incredibly tough course, and the longest Swedish Felt course in Europe!

The Askoe Wien Swedish Felt Minigolf course in Vienna, Austria
The Askoe Wien Swedish Felt Minigolf course in Vienna, Austria

I didn't get a chance to play the 'Eternit' aka Miniature Golf course there as it was out of season.

The Askoe Wien Eternit Miniature Golf course in Vienna, Austria
The Askoe Wien Eternit Miniature Golf course in Vienna, Austria

It was also the first place I saw the minigolf/snooker hybrid game of Pit-Pat.

Pit-Pat in Vienna, Austria
Pit-Pat in Vienna, Austria

My brother Christopher, a charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and his family have visited a few courses in Germany and one in Luxembourg on their branch of the tour:
Minigolf in Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Minigolf in Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Miniature Golf in Kobern-Gondorf, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Miniature Golf in Kobern-Gondorf, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Minigolf in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Minigolf in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Höfner Stübl Minigolf in Sasbachwalden, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Höfner Stübl Miniature Golf in Sasbachwalden, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Miniature Golf in Remich, Luxembourg. Photo by Christopher Gottfried
Miniature Golf in Remich, Luxembourg. Photo by Christopher Gottfried 

To date, we've visited 1,044 miniature golf courses. 997 of those have been in the British Isles, while 47 have been in overseas countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (& Lanzarote, Canary Islands), Sweden and the USA. When we began our travels there were around 600 courses in the UK. There are now more than 1,000, with new courses opening all the time.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

The Hole In Wand mini golf in Chester

A new magical minigolf course is opening in Chester, Cheshire.


The Hole In Wand mini golf in York
The Hole In Wand mini golf

The team at the Potions Cauldron Group will be creating their third indoor crazy golf course as The Hole In Wand is set to open in Chester this year.

The Hole In Wand mini golf in York
The Hole In Wand mini golf

The Hole In Wand Chester is scheduled to open in May.

The first of The Hole In Wand indoor minigolf courses opened in York, with a second venue opening in Blackpool.

The Hole In Wand mini golf in York
The Hole In Wand mini golf

Emily played The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf in York on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour last year. We haven't been to Blackpool for a while so haven't had a game at that venue yet.

Visit The Hole In Wand mini golf website for more information.