Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Closed course in Blackpool (1) - Gynn Gardens

On our visit to Blackpool this year we also visited two other Crazy Golf courses, that were unfortunately closed (for the season).

The first of these was the course in the very nice setting of Gynn Gardens.

The 18-hole Putting course was also closed (and quite waterlogged too).


Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses in and around Blackpool
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Courses Visited List

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Demolished course in Cleveley's

There now stands a skate park in Jubilee Gardens in Cleveleys, Lancashire, where there once was a Crazy Golf Course.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 152 - Fleetwood Crazy Golf

When we arrived in Fleetwood on a very wet and windy Saturday morning it didn't look like the Crazy Golf course at Marine Hall Gardens would be opening.






But, after we took a stroll along the beach and as we were just heading back to the car, resigned to the fact that we wouldn't be getting to play the course, we spotted that the course would be open.



And so the 12-hole Crazy Golf course at Fleetwood, Lancashire became Minigolf Course Visit Number 152.

It's quite a good course, however the final hole had an almost impossible obstacle to get through. I took a five and so ruined an otherwise perfect round that was headed for a score of Par.

Related blog posts:
- List of courses visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses in and around Blackpool
- Unplayed Minigolf Courses on our Roadtrip to Scotland & Back

The Pirate Flyer - Laser game monorail at Coral Island in Blackpool

While competing in minigolf tournaments around the country, and visiting Mini and Crazy Golf courses on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, I do enjoy passing the time in Amusement Arcades playing games such as Hillbilly Shooting Shacks, Bowlingo, Arms Champs, the penny falls, and Crazy Air Squash.


However, of all these games the best 'Amusement Arcade Sport' I have found to date is The Pirate Flyer - a Laser game monorail ride at Coral Island in Blackpool!

It's great fun!

Link:
- Coral Island Amusement Arcade in Blackpool

Minigolf Course Visit No. 151 - Blackpool, Golden Isle Indoor Adventure Golf

Mini Golf blog post about playing the Golden Isle indoor Adventure Golf course in Blackpool as part of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in 2009.

The 151st Minigolf course played, and the first stop on the next leg of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, was at the Pirate-themed Golden Isle Indoor Adventure Golf in Blackpool.

We played the course just before the Illuminations were switched on, and as a precurser to the following days Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open tournament at the Pleasure Beach I beat Emily, and fellow BMGA'er John Moore in a 12-hole match.








Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses in and around Blackpool
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Courses Visited List

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Closed course in Southport (2)

Mini Golf blog post about a visit to the Moroccan Adventure Golf at Pleasure Land in Southport.


On our visit to the Moroccan Adventure Golf at Pleasure Land in Southport we found the course (and the park to be closed). And from the photo above and the look of the course surroundings it seems that the place has closed down (it was the last Friday of the summer season so you would think it'd be open)!?

I may be wrong, but there was definitely a bit of a Scooby Doo Haunted Funfair feel about the place!






Related blog post:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Closed course in Southport (1)

The Crazy Golf course in Hesketh Park, Southport was only open on weekends (despite the sign saying open daily at 11am). We visited on a Friday so couldn't play.

Pleasure Beach Open news story on Miniaturegolfer.com

Details of my win in Blackpool have been included on Miniaturegolfer.com.

The report, results and photos can be seen here:
http://www.miniaturegolfer.com/blackpool_pleasure_beach_open_2009.html

Pleasure Beach Open news story on Minigolfnews.com

Minigolfnews.com has published a news story about my win in the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament.

You check it out here:
http://www.minigolfnews.com/?id=686

Pleasure Beach Open news story on Pleasure Beach Blog

The Blackpool Pleasure Beach Blog has published a story about my win in the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament.

You can view it here:
http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/blog/view_blog.php?id=97

The Masters Putting Green in Southport - Minigolf Course Visit No. 150

Minigolf Course Visit No. 150 and Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Update.


On Friday 4th September I visited and played my 150th minigolf course since the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began on the 30th September 2006.

The location for this event was the excellent 18-hole Arnold Palmer Masters Putting Course, aka Crazee Golf, in Southport.



The course visit was also 'historic' for another reason, as even though I have played 150 minigolf courses (many of them on multiple occasions) during the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour I have only won once on a Lucky 19th Hole (on my first course visit to Treasure Island in Southsea where I fired the cannon on my Lucky Hole shot to win a free game pass).

That 'achievement' stood until I stepped up to Putt on the course in Southport as I managed to ring the bell on the 'top hole' and proudly walk away with a Free Game Pass!




The video below was filmed after my 150th course visit.

To date, a total of 2,100 holes of mini and crazy golf have been played over the 150 course visits (not including all of the extra play at tournaments, practice rounds or multiple visits) with a whole lot of holes-in-one, tournament wins and great fun.

It was only in June of this year that I played my 100th minigolf course at South Shields. I've certainly racked up some course visits in the last two months! And in May 2009 I visited the, then, 100th course overall (including closed/derelicts) when we visited the 9-hole Arnold Palmer course at Pops Meadow Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Sea.

The 150th minigolf course I played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was Emily's 140th course played during the Tour.

In addition to the 150th minigolf course visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour being made since the 30th September 2006 we also managed to play minigolf courses number 151 and 152 during the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open weekend, which were:
151 Blackpool (Golden Isle) - Indoor Adventure Golf
152 Fleetwood (Marine Hall Gardens) - Crazy Golf

Plus, we visited a further six minigolf courses that were closed for various reasons:
36 Southport (Hesketh Park) - Crazy Golf - only open weekends (visited on a Friday)
37 Southport (Pleasure Land) - Moroccan Adventure Golf - derelict (but still in good condition for the shape it's in)
38 Cleveleys (Jubilee Park/Gardens) - Crazy Golf - Demolished
39 Blackpool (Gynn Gardens) - Crazy Golf - Closed for the season
40 Blackpool (Metropole) - Crazy Golf - Closed for the season
41 Leyland (Worden Park) - Mini Golf - Open weekends at 11am but was closed when we visited on a Sunday!?

Adding together the minigolf courses we have visited (both played and derelicts etc.) equals a grand total of 193 courses visited to date!

Only seven more for the big 200!

Related blog post:
- List of courses visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Report – Richard Gottfried wins the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament

7th September 2009
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Richard Gottfried wins the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament

Luton’s Richard Gottfried won his third minigolf tournament of the season at the 2009 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open on Saturday evening (5th September).

Held at the Pleasure Beach’s 12-hole Adventure Golf course, Richard and Emily Gottfried were invited to compete in the second Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament along with other members of the British Minigolf Association, as part of the 2009 Blackpool Illuminations weekend.

In the field of eight players, which included five Great Britain Internationals, Richard won the three round 36-hole competition with scores of 24 (par), 26 (+2) and 31 (+7) for a total of 81 (+9), eight shots ahead of Newcastle’s John Moore in second place, and 17 shots ahead of Guildford’s Steve Gow in third.

Richard’s first round score of 24 (par) set a new BMGA and all-time Course Record, beating Emily’s record by three shots, and the all-time record by two shots.

Richard said “I am very pleased to have won the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open, and by quite a margin. My first round of 24 was probably the best round of minigolf I have ever played and that set the pace for the rest of my tournament. Heading into round three I had a 13 stroke lead and that is an excellent position to be in.”

“It’s really good to have picked up my third win of the season, and to win with such a low score and get a course record is a great achievement too. The Pleasure Beach is a fantastic tournament venue and the event had a great atmosphere with the Illuminations celebrations. It’ll be great to return to defend my title next year.”

Last year Emily set the official BMGA Competition Course Record with a round of 27 (+3), which helped her to sixth place. However, this year she had to settle for rounds of 39 (+15), 46 (+22) and 33 (+9) for a total of 118 (+46) and seventh place.

Emily said “I am disappointed not to be able to retain my course record, but I am pleased that Richard was the one to take it from me. He was on fire and really deserved to win the tournament and smash the course record. I played poorly, but I am already looking forward to going back next year and trying to get my record back!”

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

Ends

Gottfried wins the 2009 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open

Last night as part of the 2009 Blackpool Illuminations I, and seven fellow BMGA Tour players, competed in the second Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament at the 12-hole Adventure Golf course. After three rounds and 36-holes I won the tournament with a score of 81, eight shots ahead of runner-up John Moore, and 17 shots ahead of third-placed Steve Gow.

My first round score of 24 also smashed the previous course record.

Quick results and photos below.

Full report to follow.

Receiving the magnificent Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open trophy from the Pleasure Beach's Steve Burton.