Gottfried's Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Minigolf Course Played No. 100!!!

On Saturday 6th June 2009 I played on my 100th Minigolf Course as part of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The course in question was the 12-hole Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf at South Shields, Tyneside. I scored a 37 (+13) with no Aces.







The course was played as part of the weekend's inaugural Newcastle Invitational Tournament 2009.

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Doubles - Career Win/Loss Record

New Minigolf Doubles Playing Partner

Ahead of the 2009 BMGA British Doubles Championship in Boscombe, Dorset, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried has joined forces with a new Minigolf Doubles playing partner - Kevin Moseley.

In their first match together on the 17th May the pair picked up a victory in a Doubles Matchplay match, defeating the duo of Jam Trubridge and Peter Jones 4&2 at Stratford Upon Avon.

The team will be competing in the BMGA British Doubles Championship under the moniker Squire Trelawney.

'Squire' Richard Gottfried is currently ranked 17th in the Official BMGA Order of Merit Rankings, while Kevin Moseley is ranked 22nd.

Kevin Moseley (l) & Richard Gottfried (r)

Player/Team Stats

Richard Gottfried
- 2009 Manchester Mini Masters Champion
- 2008 Weymouth Open Champion
- 2008 BMGA British Club Champion (with the Midlands Minigolf Club)
- Ranked 17th in Great Britain
- 2008 BMGA British Doubles Championship ranking - 11th of 14 teams (as Team Squire, with Emily Gottfried)
- Minigolf Doubles Matchplay win/loss record - Played 12, Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 5

Kevin Moseley
- 2009 Midlands Invitational Tournament Champion
- Ranked 22nd in Great Britain
- 2008 BMGA British Doubles Championship ranking - DNP
- Minigolf Doubles Matchplay win/loss record - Played 1, Won 1

Video Footage from Richard & Kevin's Debut Minigolf Doubles Match Together.

Minigolf Doubles Match in Stratford Upon Avon - part 1 of 2

Footage from the closing stages of a friendly Minigolf Doubles Match between Richard Gottfried & Kevin Moseley and Jam Trubridge & Peter Jones.

This is the 15th hole of the 18-hole match played after the 2009 Midlands Invitational Tournament in Stratford Upon Avon. Heading into hole-15 Gottfried & Moseley are ahead by four. Trubridge & Jones need to win the hole for the match to continue.



Minigolf Doubles Match in Stratford Upon Avon - part 2 of 2

Footage from the final hole of the friendly Minigolf Doubles Match between Richard Gottfried & Kevin Moseley and Jam Trubridge & Peter Jones, played after the 2009 Midlands Invitational Tournament in Stratford Upon Avon.

With Gottfried & Moseley ahead by three, Trubridge & Jones need to win the hole for the match to continue.

Minigolf Doubles - Career Stats

Richard Gottfried's Career Minigolf Doubles Matchplay Stats:
Played – 12*
Won – 6
Drawn – 1
Lost – 5
* Seven matches at the 2008 BMGA British Doubles Championship, Warwick (with Emily Gottfried). Four matches at Star City, Birmingham (with Andy Gonsalves x 2, Matt Smith & Owen Johnson). One match at Stratford Upon Avon (with Kevin Moseley).

Richard Gottfried's Career Minigolf Doubles Strokeplay Stats:
Played – 4*
Won – 1
Lost – 3**
Drawn – 0
* Includes matches with playing partners Owen Johnson (Star City), Paul Johnson (Star City) and Emily Gottfried (New Malden).
** Includes two second-place finishes

BMC Rd 2 - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried vs. John 'Big Top Ted' McIver

The draw for the second round of the 2009 BMGA British Matchplay Championships is complete and 'Squire' Richard Gottfried will be playing John 'Big Top Ted' McIver, of the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club.

The full second round draw is as follows:
1. Anthony Pope vs Rocky Bullin
2. Andy Exall vs Matthew Harding
3. Trevor Robertson vs Brad Shepherd
4. Chris Harding vs Chris Jones
5. Gareth Holmes vs Seve Kukielka
6. Peter Emmerson vs Terry Exall
7. Tim Davies vs John Moore
8. Richard Gottfried vs Ted McIver

As the first player drawn, Richard has the choice of course location.

'Squire' Richard Gottfried is currently ranked 17th in the Official BMGA Order of Merit Rankings with 1,440 points, while John 'Big Top Ted' McIver is ranked 8th with 1,973 points.

Full results of the match will follow here and at www.minigolf.org.uk

BMGA British Matchplay Championships - Second Round Draw

At 8pm tonight (Tuesday 2nd June) the draw for the matches in the second round of the 2009 BMGA British Matchplay Championships will take place at BMGA HQ in Kent.

Live coverage of the second round draw can be viewed here:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/2009-bmga-bmc-round-2-draw

Richard booked his place in the second round after defeating Phil Exall 3&1 on the 25th March at Adventure Island in Southend on Sea. 15 other players are in the second round draw and a total of 32 players entered the tournament back in January.

Details of Richard's first round win can be found here:
http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2009/04/minigolf-report-bmga-british-masters.html

Full results from the first round can be found here: http://www.minigolf.org.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=details&id=7

In the 2008 BMGA British Matchplay Championships Richard finished in 26th place of 29 players.

99 Minigolf Courses visited and played...

...which course will be number 100?

Minigolf Course Visits 98 & 99 - Alexandra Gardens, Windsor

On Saturday 30th May we visited Minigolf courses number 98 & 99 at Alexandra Gardens in Windsor.

First up was the 12-hole Eternit Miniature Golf course, followed by the 9-hole Eternit Putting course.




Lining up a shot on the 7th

On the Putting 'Green'

Crazy Golf at Riverside Gardens in Maidenhead

On Saturday 30th May 2009 we played the Crazy Golf course at Riverside Gardens in Maidenhead. The course became the 97th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.



The 18-hole minigolf course is very similar to the 'Eternit' type of Miniature Golf. However, the concrete playing surface wasn't as smooth as an official Eternit layout.

A dogleg pyramid hole

Over two ramps

An interesting bit of minigolf trivia: the course features in the classic Mr Bean episode Tee Off Mr Bean!

But where's the cup!?

With Humpty

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New Guinness World Record set - Largest Picnic Ever

At the last count, at least 8,300 people took part in the Guinness World Record attempt to have the Largest Picnic Ever in the UK.


This means Emily and I are now Guinness World Record Holders!

The previous holder of the Guinness World Record for "The Largest Picnic across multiple venues" was Tenerife, Spain which set the record with 8,000 picnickers in 1999.

At 1pm the count was made and at the Luton picnic a total of 798 people picnicking was recorded.

The Guinness World Record attempt was organised as part of National Family Week. Visit the National Family Week website for more information.

Luton Carnival 2009 - Will the giant Carnival Character make it under the train bridge?

Filmed during the 2009 Luton Carnival - Will the giant Carnival Character make it under the train bridge? The train bridge is 15' 6", the Carnival Character is taller!

Guinness World Record attempt - Largest Picnic Ever

Today (25th May 2009) Emily and I (along with 796 other Lutonians) took part in a Guinness World Record attempt for "The Largest Picnic across multiple venues."

At 1pm the count was made and the total of 798 people picnicking was recorded.

Picnics were taking place across the UK to try to take the record from current holders Spain.

Participants in the record attempt needed a rug or mat, and food & drink including a minimum of two courses per person (e.g. sandwiches and fruit or cake).

Details of whether a new Guinness World Record was set by the UK will be known soon.

The Guinness World Record attempt was organised as part of National Family Week. Visit http://www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk/ for more information.

Minigolf course re-visits 5, 6, 7 & 33 and a new build

Prior to visiting and playing the five new courses in Dovercourt, Clacton-on-Sea, Blake End and Hemel Hempstead we visited some other courses in the area, including the 9-hole Crazy Golf at Stonham Barns, Suffolk, and all three courses in Felixstowe, Suffolk (Fantasia, Sea Front and Golf FX at Mannings).

The old Sea Front course has changed a bit, with some new carpet laid and a few of the animal obstacles removed.

There is also a new partially built 9-hole Crazy Golf course next to the grass Putting course on the Sea Front.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 96 - Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead

The second course visit of the day on Sunday 24th May was to Hemel Hempstead's Gadebridge Park to play the 9-hole Crazy Golf course.




In our match on the course I scored 31 and 30 for a total of 61, while Emily shot a 40 and a 31 for a total of 71.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Crazy Golf at Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead - revisit

Minigolf Course Visit No. 95 - Blake End, near Braintree

On Sunday 24th May we visited two new courses, the first of which was the 9-hole Swedish Felt B Run Minigolf course at Blake End Craft Centre, near Braintree, Essex.





Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

Link:
- Blake House Craft Centre

Minigolf Course Visit No. 94 - Clacton-on-Sea (Augusta Masters)

A visit to the Augusta Masters Adventure Golf course in Clacton.

The third course to be played on Saturday 23rd May was the 10-hole Augusta Masters Adventure Golf course in Clacton-on-Sea.





We revisited the course in May 2011.

Links:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Clacton
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

Minigolf Course Visit No. 93 - Clacton-on-Sea (Eternit)

A visit to the minigolf course in Clacton-on-Sea.

The second course to be played on Saturday 23rd May was the 9-hole Carpeted Eternit Miniaturegolf course in Clacton-on-Sea.





We revisited the course in May 2011.

Links:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Clacton
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

Minigolf Course Visit No. 92 - Dovercourt

On Saturday 23rd May we made the trip to Dovercourt near Harwich and played the 6-hole Swedish Felt B-Run Minigolf course near the Seafront.



Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Crazy Golf in Dovercourt

Shooting Shacks - Walton on the Naze & Clacton

Two great Hillbilly Shooting Shacks.

One on the pier at Walton on the Naze.

And another in Clacton-on-Sea, where I shot a perfect score of 200 with 20 shots!

Southwold Putting Green

Unfortunately the miniature golf Putting Golf in Southwold, Suffolk was not open on our visit.



It opened for the summer on Saturday 23rd May. We visited on Thursday 21st May.

Under the Pier Show - Southwold

The Under the Pier Show 'alternative amusement arcade' in Southwold, Suffolk.


On a recent Holiday/Roadtrip we stopped off in Southwold, Suffolk. While on the pier we found a great arcade described as "A MAD ARCADE OF HOME-MADE SLOT MACHINES & SIMULATOR RIDES".

Playing Mobility Masterclass at the Under the Pier Show in Southwold

Trying out the Break In game at the Under the Pier Show in Southwold

The Fly Drive arcade game at the Under the Pier Show in Southwold

For more information take a look at the Under the Pier Show and Southwold Pier websites.

Southwold Pier in May 2009