A derelict Minigolf course in Bournemouth

Yet another Minigolf course bites the dust.









Such a waste.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 106 - Sandbanks

Prior to the practice rounds of the BMGA British Doubles Championship at Boscombe's Chine Gardens Minigolf course we stopped off at the 'sister' Crazy Golf course at Sandbanks, Poole for a quick round on the 18-hole Crazy Golf course. The course became the 106th visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.









A great course with some tricky obstacles and it will be hosting the 2009 BMGA British Club Championships in October, where I will be helping to defend the title the Midlands Minigolf Club won in Stratford upon Avon last year.

There is no Crazy Golf course in Seaton Carew

There used to be.

Minigolf Course Visits No. 104 & 105 - Ripon, Spa Gardens

On Sunday 7th June 2009 we visited Minigolf courses 104 & 105 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Both were located at the Spa Gardens in Ripon, North Yorkshire.


Course #104 was the 9-hole Crazy Golf on which holes 2, 3 and 4 were unplayable* due to severe flooding.







* I did attempt to play the 4th hole - see the video below



Course #105 was the 18-hole Putting Course next to the Crazy Golf and play was included in the £2.00 fee for the Crazy Golf. The Putting Green was much more playable than the Crazy Golf - in fact both Emily and I Aced hole 3, and I also got a hole-in-one on the 5th.




Related blog post:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Newcastle Invitational Tournament (NIT) 2009

On Saturday 6th June 2009 Richard & Emily Gottfried travelled to Tyneside to compete against fellow BMGA member John Moore in the inaugural Newcastle Invitational Tournament.

Played over three courses and 48-holes the tournament was won by Newcastle's John Moore with a three-round total of 123 (+27).

Second was Richard Gottfried five shots back on 128 (+32). With Emily Gottfried in third with 142 (+46).

The three courses played were:
- Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf, South Shields
- Lost World Adventure Golf, Tynemouth
- Gosforth Park Minigolf, Newcastle

Ranks and scores:
1. John Moore - 29 - 55 - 39 = 123 (+27)
2. Richard Gottfried - 37 - 49 - 42 = 128 (+32)
3. Emily Gottfried - 40 - 53 - 49 142 (+46)

A selection of photos from the Newcastle Invitational Tournament 2009 are below, followed by post-match interviews with the participants.














Post-match interview with John 'Thighs' Moore, following his win in the inaugural Newcastle Invitational Minigolf Tournament held on 6th June 2009.



Post-match interview with 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, following his second place finish in the inaugural Newcastle Invitational Minigolf Tournament held on 6th June 2009.



Post-match interview with Emily 'Coach' Gottfried, following her third place finish in the inaugural Newcastle Invitational Minigolf Tournament held on 6th June 2009.



Richard's reaction after hearing he missed out on winning by five-shots.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 103 - Gosforth Park, Newcastle

My 103rd Course Visit was to Newcastle's Gosforth Park to play the very good 18-hole Minigolf course on Saturday 6th June 2009.

A derelict Crazy Golf course in Newcastle

While in Newcastle visiting John 'YI' Moore in June 2009 we made a Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visit to look at the 9-hole derelict Crazy Golf Course in Exhibition Park.

It was bereft of its old obstacles and in a bad way.




There is talk of a new course being built in the park in the future.

It's not happened yet.

Related blog post:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Arnold Palmer isn't here any more

According to local sources an Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf Course used to be on this spot on Tynemouth's Sea Front.

Minigolf Course Visits No. 101 & 102 - Tynemouth, Lost World Adventure Golf

On Saturday 6th June 2009 we visited and played at courses 101 & 102 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at Tynemouth's Lost World Adventure Golf.

First up was the Blue 9-hole course, followed by the Red 9-hole course.

Gottfried's Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Courses 1-100

It all started on the 30th September 2006 and now over two and a half years later I've visited and played at my 100th Minigolf course as part of my Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

A total of 1,445 holes of Minigolf have been played over the 100 course visits (not including all of the extra play at tournaments, practice rounds or multiple visits) with a whole lot of holes-in-one and great fun.

The question now is - which course will be number 200?

All courses played 30th September 2006 - 6th June 2009
1 Portsmouth/Southsea (Treasure Island) - Adventure Golf (Victory Trail)
2 Portsmouth/Southsea (Treasure Island) - Adventure Golf (Warrior Trail)
3 Southsea (Golf Links) - 9 Hole Par 3/Pitch & Putt
4 Luton (Woodside Animal Farm) - Adventure Golf
5 Felixstowe (Mannings) - Golf FX
6 Felixstowe (Sea Front) - Crazy Golf
7 Felixstowe (Fantasia) - Adventure Golf
8 Watford (Top Golf) - Adventure Golf
9 Watford (Top Golf) - 9 Hole Putting Green
10 West Hagbourne, Oxon (Horse & Harrow Pub) - Crazy Golf
11 Shefford, Bedfordshire (The Green Man Pub) - Crazy Golf
12 Brighton (East of Palace Pier) - Crazy Golf
13 Brighton (Peter Pan's) - Adventure Golf
14 Southend-on-Sea (Adventure Island) - Adventure Golf (Inca course)
15 Southend-on-Sea (Adventure Island) - Adventure Golf (Aztec course)
16 Southend-on-Sea (Arnold Palmer Minigolf, East Course) - Minigolf
17 St Albans, Hertfordshire (Verulamium Park) - Crazy Golf
18 Luton (Wardown Park) - Crazy Golf
19 Luton (Wardown Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
20 Lowestoft - Adventure Golf
21 Great Yarmouth (Pirates Cove) - Adventure Golf
22 Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) - Minigolf 18-hole
23 Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) - Minigolf 9-hole
24 Great Yarmouth (Pleasure Beach) - Adventure Golf
25 Great Yarmouth (Jungle Golf at the Gardens) - Crazy Golf (Update: 10th May 2009 - no longer exists, a Segway Grand Prix track is in its place)
26 Great Yarmouth (Hollywood Adventure Golf, Windmill Theatre) - Indoor Adventure Golf
27 Warwick (St Nicholas Park) - Adventure Golf
28 Warwick (St Nicholas Park) - Derelict Crazy Golf
29 Milton Keynes (Willen Lake) - Adventure Golf
30 Luton (Stockwood Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
31 Abingdon (Abbey Meadow) - Crazy Golf
32 Abingdon (Abbey Meadow) - Pitch & Putt/Mini Golf
33 Stonham, Suffolk (Stonham Barns) - Crazy Golf
34 Margate (Strokes) - Adventure Golf
35 Broadstairs (Lillyputt Minigolf) - Lillyputt Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
36 Margate (Palm Bay Café) Cliftonville - Crazy Golf on Grass
37 Margate (Little Oasis Crazy Golf) Cliftonville - Minigolf (Arnold Palmer) 1 of the 2 18-hole courses
38 Letchworth Garden City - Putting Course on Grass
39 Hastings (Seafront) - Crazy Golf
40 Hastings (Seafront) - Minigolf
41 Hastings (Seafront) - Adventure Golf
42 Broxbourne (Paradise Wildlife Park) - Adventure Golf
43 Hastings (Planet Hastings) - Minigolf
44 Blackpool (Pleasure Beach) - Adventure Golf (New)
45 Blackpool (Starr Gate) - Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
46 Blackpool (Pleasure Beach) - Adventure Golf (Old 'Alpine Golf')
47 Blackpool (Stanley Park) - Crazy Golf
48 Lytham St Anne’s - Crazy Golf
49 Stratford-upon-Avon - Minigolf
50 Tampere, Finland - Beton
51 Tampere, Finland - Eternit
52 Tampere, Finland - Swedish Felt
53 Felixstowe (Sea Front) - Putting Green
54 Coalville - Adventure Golf
55 Scarborough - Adventure Golf
56 Filey - Crazy Golf
57 Birmingham (Star City) - Adventure Golf (Lost Hut Trail)
58 Birmingham (Star City) - Adventure Golf (Hidden Cove Challenge)
59 Northwick Park - ‘Mini Majors’ Adventure Golf
60 Eastbourne (Treasure Island) - Adventure Golf
61 Southsea - Crazy Golf
62 Southsea - Putting Green
63 Shanklin (Isle of Wight) - Beton Crazy Golf
64 Shanklin (Isle of Wight) - Adventure Golf
65 Rylstone Gardens (Isle of Wight) - Crazy Golf
66 Sandown (Isle of Wight) - Indoor Adventure Golf
67 Sandown (Isle of Wight) - Beton Crazy Golf
68 Ryde (Isle of Wight) - Adventure Golf
69 Hayling Island - Adventure Golf
70 Wroxham Barns - Adventure Golf
71 Bury St Edmunds (Abbey Gardens) - Crazy Golf
72 Dorridge (Four Ashes Golf Centre) - Minigolf
73 Coventry (Allesley Park) - Crazy Golf
74 New Malden - Jurassic Golf
75 Guildford (Stoke Park) - Swedish Felt
76 Weymouth (Sea Life Centre) - Adventure Golf
77 Weymouth (Bowleaze Cove) - Crazy Golf
78 Herne Bay - Adventure Golf
79 Gravesend (Woodlands Park) - Derelict Crazy Golf
80 Bluewater - Pro Tour Putting
81 Motspur Park (Sir Joseph Hood Park) - Mini Golf
82 Northglenn, Denver, Colorado, USA (Boondocks Fun Center) Caverns Mill Course - Miniature Golf
83 Northglenn, Denver, Colorado, USA (Boondocks Fun Center) Hillbilly Hallow Course - Miniature Golf
84 Manchester (Championship MiniatureGolf @ Playgolf Manchester) - Miniature Golf
85 Manchester (Paradise Island Adventure Golf, Tiki Hut Trail) - Adventure Golf
86 Manchester (Paradise Island Adventure Golf, Temple Ruins Adventure) - Adventure Golf
87 Canvey Island (Fantasy Island) - Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
88 Hemsby - Lost World Adventure Golf
89 Glasgow (Victoria Park) - 9-hole Putting Green
90 Glasgow (Paradise Island Adventure Golf, Maggie McCaw's Challenge) - Adventure Golf
91 Glasgow (Paradise Island Adventure Golf, Tiki Hut Trail) - Adventure Golf
92 Dovercourt - Swedish Felt
93 Clacton-on-Sea - Eternit
94 Clacton-on-Sea (Augusta Masters) - Adventure Golf
95 Blake End, near Braintree - Swedish Felt
96 Hemel Hempstead (Gadebridge Park) - 9-hole Crazy Golf
97 Maidenhead (Riverside Gardens) - 18-hole Eternit
98 Windsor (Alexandra Gardens) - 12-hole Eternit
99 Windsor (Alexandra Gardens) - 9-hole Eternit Putting Course
100 South Shields, Tyneside (Smugglers Cove) - 12-hole Adventure Golf

Video introducing my 100th Minigolf Course Visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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.