Somewhere in Acton - the night before Eggheads

The Nutters with Putters spent the night before filming our Eggheads episode (Series 10, #49) in a hotel somewhere in Acton.

After dinner we had an inter-team quiz with Kevin Botto playing Dermot.



Below is the team's game plan.



It sort of worked, with each individual round going to sudden-death.

Eggheads - the Audition

The Nutters with Putters quiz team auditioned for Eggheads way back in September 2008.

Pictured after the auditions at the BBC are Great Britain Minigolf Internationals, from l-r Kevin Botto (eventual alternate and top-class substitute), Andy Booth, Tim Davies and me (Captain).

Bacon, Whiskey, Fish and...

...Trompone!?

Of course the answer was Calzone - I'll never get that question wrong in a pub quiz now.

Ham & Eggheads

Well, unfortunately we lost.



The Nutters with Putters team did very well, with each round going to sudden-death and I was proud to lead them out against the quiz giants.

If you missed the show you can watch it again on the BBC iplayer at - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006z736

Or it'll be on again tomorrow afternoon on BBC2 Northern Ireland, Sky Channel 992.

Richard Gottfried & Team on Eggheads - BBC Two this Friday

I am going to be on the BBC Two TV Quiz Show Eggheads this Friday (31st July) at 6pm, leading a team of Crazy Golfers - 'The Nutters with Putters' - against the mighty Eggheads.

The contract I had to sign before the show means I can't say whether we won or lost, so you'll have to tune in to find out!

If you miss the show you can watch it again on the BBC iplayer at - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lybkk or here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006z736

Minigolf Course Visit No. 117 - Lammas Park, Staines

On Sunday 26th July we played the very good new 18-hole Adventure Golf course at Lammas Park, Staines.




The course will be the venue for the London Open minigolf tournament in October.

View other courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Link to a blog post about other Mini Golf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses in and around London.

Check out the Golden Putter website for further details of the Lammas Park Recreation Ground course, and the other courses they operate.

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Water Wars at Thorpe Park - Gottfried vs. Gow

The Richard Gottfried vs. Steve Gow (obscure) sports 'war' continued at Thorpe Park on Sunday.

Stepping outside the normal arenas of Minigolf, Rock Paper Scissors, Crazy Air Squash and Shooting Shacks - we faced off in a Water Balloon War!

I lost.

A great, fun 'sport' to play though - especially the ending!

Shooting Shacks at Thorpe Park

On Sunday 26th July we visited Thorpe Park for fellow Minigolfer Steve Gow's half-birthday - and while we were there we had to play the Shooting Shacks.

This one was quite good.

However, this one was the second sh*ttest shooting shack I have ever played. Even though it was one of the best themed ones (a classic with Old Zeke Kicking the Bucket) barely any of the targets worked and those that did didn't fire any water.

A poor effort.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 116 - Walton Hall Gardens (2)

Walton Hall Gardens was also home to an excellent 18-hole Putting Green.




I scored a 38(+2) which included three holes-in-one. A new Putting Green personal best!

Minigolf Course Visit No. 115 - Walton Hall Gardens

After drawing a blank on the previous two park visits in Manchester and Warrington we sort of struck Minigolfing Gold at Walton Hall Gardens, just outside Warrington.

First up was the 18-hole felted Eternit course (with added 'Crazy' obstacles).






Not a bad course, but it would be far better with just the original obstacles.

From a Minigolf Course to Flower Beds...

...the Minigolf course in Orford Park, Warrington no longer exists.

No Crazy Golf course in Heaton Park anymore

Following the Gottfrieds and the Johnsons trip to Wythenshawe Park we headed to Heaton Park to find the Crazy Golf course there. However, this course was long gone!

There was a Pitch & Putt though.

We didn't play it.

'Old School' Joke on the Minigolf Course

Minigolf Doubles - Career Stats

Minigolf Course Visit No. 114 - Wythenshawe Park

Following the Manchester Miniature Open, Emily and I were joined by two fellow Crazy Golf Course Tourists and Enthusiasts Paul and Owen Johnson in a visit to Wythenshawe Park in Manchester.






The Gottfrieds also took on the Johnsons in 9-hole Strokeplay and Matchplay Doubles Matches, with one win for each team. Full Doubles record and scores follow.

A 'new' golfing definition of 'ham and egger'

Golf course architects Forrest Richardson & Associates have a list of Golf Course Terms on their website at http://www.golfgroupltd.com/golf_course_terms.html

Under 'h' they list the term 'ham and egger' as "...a feature or golf course that is very common in nature."

A list of other definitions and an introduction to The Ham and Egger Files can be found on my first blog post from 21st December 2006 here http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2006/12/ham-egger-files-introduction.html

Minigolf Report – Gottfrieds finish first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament

26th July 2009
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Gottfrieds finish first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament

Luton minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried finished first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament at the 9-hole Championship MiniatureGolf course at Playgolf Manchester on Saturday 25th July.

The second ‘Mini Major’ competition of the year was played over 27-holes, and in a field of twelve players Richard won with a three round total of 87(-18) after scoring rounds of 27, 31 and 29.

After tying for second place with scores of 90(-15), Emily and Birmingham’s Paul Johnson played a four-hole cumulative score play-off to decide second and third place. Emily was able to score a total of 11, while Johnson hit 15, giving Emily her highest minigolf tournament finish to date.

Richard Gottfried said “I am so happy to have won my second Mini Major minigolf title. I seem to play really well on the tough greens in Manchester. It’s so difficult to ace any holes here that a two is worth its weight in gold. The final round was very tense, as going into it I was only two shots ahead of Emily and Nick Ashfield. Emily did very well to get second place.”

Emily said “It was a really great tournament, and at one point I thought I might win it as I was playing really well, but Rich played better and definitely deserved to win.”

The Manchester Miniature Open is Richard’s fifth tournament win since his British Minigolf Association debut in April 2007; he is also the Manchester Mini Masters Champion, Weymouth Open Champion, Adventure Island/Heart FM Open Champion, and one-quarter of the reigning BMGA British Club Champions.

Richard is currently ranked 19th of 81 players in the BMGA Order of Merit Rankings, while Emily is in 44th place.

Ends

Richard Gottfried wins the Manchester Miniature Open minigolf tourney...

...Emily Gottfried second after a four-hole cumulative score play-off victory over Birmingham's Paul Johnson.

Full results to follow.

Practice at Tea Green Crazy Golf

This evening I had nine practice rounds at Tea Green's Crazy Golf course and scored rounds of 15, 17, 21, 20, 18, 16, 17, 17 and 19. The round of 15(-3) included three aces and six twos and was an equal to my course record, and my lowest score on the 'new' course since it was semi-refurbished.




Hole 3 has changed for a second time with the obstacle switching positions and now has the ramp to the left hand side (below).


Speaking with Tea Green Golf's manager Lester Coles the Crazy Golf competition scheduled for Friday 17th July was postponed due to the torrential rain that fell, flooding the course.