On the 14th August 2010 we played the Mini Golf Putting course at London's Hyde Park.
Video - Introducing the visit to Hyde Park's Adventure Golf Grass Putting course
The 9-hole layout is also called 'Adventure Golf' on one of the Park's signs, and the Grass Putting course was quite different to other Putting Miniature Golf courses we have played.
Video - A Walkround of the Adventure Golf Grass Putting course in Hyde Park, London
The course was the 191st played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and the 251st minigolf course location visited since the tour began in 2006.
The Hyde Park 'Adventure Golf' grass putting course is open from early-May to October.
Video - Richard Putting on Hole 6 at the Hyde Park Adventure Golf Grass Putting course in London
The cost was £5.00 per player for two 9-hole rounds. The holes are quite tricky and if some of the lawns were in a little better condition it would have been great. Apart from that it was one of the most aesthetically pleasing courses we have visited to date.
In our match I managed to beat Emily by one-shot with a score of 33(+6) over the one 9-hole round we had time for.
The Green Mini Golf Club (GMGC) has released the first edition of its ranking list and I am currently ranked at number five.
Selected ranking list for GMGC members as of August 14, 2010: 1. Nick Sandqvist -5 2. Michael Smith -4 3. Marc Chapman -4 4. Sean Homer -2 5. Richard Gottfried -1 6. Oliver Florence +2 (21 players are currently ranked in the GMGC List.
The GMGC are based at the Green Indoor Mini Golf course in Hither Green, Lewisham, London.
On the 13th August 2009 we went on a nine-day 983-mile Minigolfing Tour of Wales, where we managed to play 28 Crazy Golf, Miniature Golf and Adventure Golf courses (93% of all the public Minigolf courses in Wales).
About the competition:
As the official airline partner of the London 2012 Games, British Airways has launched a programme called Great Britons, which will help and inspire people in the UK to be the best they can be. This scheme will look for individuals who demonstrate the values associated with Olympic and Paralympic Games and who strive to be the best, whether their passion is in sport, music, fashion, performing arts, art and design, innovation, or community.
Why have I applied?
If I won the Great Britons competition I would use the flights to compete in Professional Miniature Golf tournaments in the USA and Europe.
Visiting the 250th course location on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour! On Saturday 7th August 2010 Emily and I were guests of UrbanCrazy at the launch party of their latest minigolf course, at the home of their client in East Finchley, London. The six-to-nine hole minigolf course is a course tailor-made for the customers and features some unique obstacles and some changeable holes! This means that it can vary from round to round and range from a six hole to a nine hole course!
In the practice rounds and various challenge matches against other guests my best score was 12(par). I also managed to Ace every hole bar the 1st and 5th. It's a tricky, interesting and visually pleasing minigolf course. The course was the 190th we have played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and is also the 250th overall course location visited in the four years of the Tour.
Richard Gottfried accepted an invitation to compete in the Green Mini Golf Club’s first Club Tournament on Friday 6th August. Competing in a field of eleven players Richard won the 36-hole event with scores of 35(-1) and 36(par) for a total of 71(-1) – adjusted to 63 with the GMGC’s handicap scoring system. Hither Green’s Julio Kent was runner-up, with Kent’s Sean Homer third.
The event was a first for the Green Mini Golf Club (GMGC) which is based at the 18-hole Green Indoor Mini-Golf course in Hither Green, Lewisham. Earlier this year the course hosted the Spring Classic Competition where Richard was runner-up. The GMGC is now looking to organise regular competitions at the venue.
In the un-handicapped competition Richard’s two rounds were good enough to see him ranked third, behind London Open champion Nick Sandqvist and Sean Homer.
Richard said “It’s great to get a tournament win, and after my recent spate of runner-up spots it’s good to grab gold and a bronze. It makes a change to second place silver. The GMGC’s Club Tournaments also look like they are going to be great developmental events and I can’t wait to return for more action.”
Full results list from the GMGC Club Tournament.
Photos from the GMGC Club Tournament:
Richard at the Green Indoor Mini Golf Course in his new GMGC Club Polo Shirt.
Course owner Nick Sandqvist presents the prize money.
Richard plays a shot on the course.
The 'podium' at the first-ever GMGC Club Tournament, from l-r Sean Homer (3rd), Richard Gottfried (1st), Julio Kent (2nd).
Richard is currently ranked at a new career high of 7th of 88 players in the 2009-2010 BMGA Order of Merit. Emily is currently 34th in the BMGA Order of Merit list. Having missed two ranking events this season, Richard has dropped slightly from 8th to 11th, in the 2010 BMGA Season Only Ranking list. Emily is 56th of 94 players in the list.
Since our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began on the 30th September 2006 we have now visited 249 minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf, miniature golf and putting courses all over the UK.
Our recent trip to Bangor, Belfast, Antrim and Larne in Northern Ireland completed the list of home nations visited to play Miniature Golf on the Irregular Mini Golf Tour, The Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and the BMGA Tour.
On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we've also headed to a few other 'Islands' within the British Isles. Back in 2008 we visited the Isle of Wight and Hayling Island (for Minigolf, Shooting Shacks, Rollercoasters, Miniature Steam Railways and Scarecrows), and in 2008 and 2009 we also visited Canvey Island.
In July 2010 we even found ourselves in New England!
Other countries we've visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour include Finland (once), USA (thrice - 1, 2, 3) and Austria (once). Although there wasn't a minigolf course there and it's not on a map(!?) we did drive through Egypt on the way back from a Minigolf Tour in August 2010!
On Saturday 31st July and Sunday 1st August the first ever Northern Ireland Belfast Bangor Antrim & Larne Invitational Tournament (NIBBAL-IT) trophy was contested between the Bangor Minigolf Club and the visiting Luton Wanderers Minigolf Club.
The 2010 NIBBAL-IT Champions - The Bangor MGC - l-r, Mark Swain, Craig McCallister.
The 2010 NIBBAL-IT Runners-Up - The Luton Wanderers MGC - l-r, Emily Gottfried, Richard Gottfried.
The NIBBAL-IT was played on four courses and comprised seven rounds, totalling 126-holes. The team tournament was won by the Bangor MGC with 47 points to the Luton Wanderers MGC's 32 points in the point-play system used to decide the NIBBAL-IT Champions.
The competitors receive their prizes (also pictured Eva McCallister - Bangor MGC Team Mascot).
Mark Swain, Co-Captain of Bangor MGC said "It feels fantastic. We used the home advantage well. It’s great to win."
Craig McCallister, Co-Captain of Bangor MGC said "It’s nice to win, despite my great efforts not to. I look forward to the return leg in Luton."
In the individual standings Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain won the gold medal, by 15 clear shots of runner-up 'Squire' Richard Gottfried. Craig 'Kamikaze' McCallister was third. Emily 'Coach' Gottfried took the NIBBLA(sic)-IT Wooden Spoon in fourth place.
The final individual strokeplay rankings were:
1st - Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain (NI & BMGC) - 293(+41)
2nd - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 308(+56)
3rd - Craig 'Kamikaze' McCallister (NI & BMGC) - 325(+73)
4th - Emily 'Coach' Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 332(+80)
Defeated tourist Richard Gottfried of the Luton Wanderers MGC said "What a fantastic tournament weekend in Northern Ireland. It was great to compete against such nice opponents in a fun, but very competitive tournament. The courses, the format of the competition and the quality of the players involved meant that the outcome was hard to predict. Mark and Craig's knowledge of the PAG course in Belfast, coupled with them being used to the inclement Northern Irish weather conditions certainly played into their favour. I can't wait for the 2011 NIBBAL-IT tournament now."
Emily Gottfried said "It was a really great tournament. All four course were challenging in their own way, so we all had a chance to take the lead during the seven rounds. Congratulations to Mark for his well-deserved win, and thanks also to Mark and Craig for a tough, but thoroughly enjoyable, doubles competition!"
The tournament began early on Saturday 31st July at the 18-hole Pirate themed Junction Jack's Adventure Golf course in Antrim, where the opening two NIBBAL-IT rounds were contested. After round one the Luton Wanderers MGC led by four points. After round two the score was ten points apiece.
Round three took place at the 18-hole Minigolf course at Larne's Carnfunnock Country Park. With Mark Swain winning the round with a score of 48(+12) to see the Bangor MGC take an overnight lead with 19 points to the Luton Wanderers' 15 points.
The day one standings were as follows:
Teams:
1st - Bangor MGC
2nd - Luton Wanderers MGC
Individuals:
1st - Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain (NI & BMGC) - 132
2nd - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 142
3rd - Craig 'Kamikaze' McCallister (NI & BMGC) - 146
4th - Emily 'Coach' Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 151
The second and final day's play took place at the Bangor MGC's current home courses, at the 36-hole Pirates Adventure Golf centre in Dundonald, Belfast.
Two rounds were played on the Blackbeard's Adventure course first, with the standings after four rounds with Bangor MGC ahead by seven points.
After round five Bangor MGC led by five points. In the individual standings Mark had lost his 10-shot lead and shared first place with Richard heading into the final 36-holes on the Captain's Challenge course.
After the sixth round Mark had regained the lead, which also helped the Bangor MGC extend their lead to 11 points.
The inaugural NIBBAL-IT Trophy and Title was eventually won in round seven on the 5th hole, and saw the Bangor MGC lift their first piece of sliverware since Mark Swain won the Top Local Championship at the 2007 BMGA Irish Open.
Photos and Videos from the NIBBAL-IT 2010.
Rounds 1&2 at Antrim
Videos - Action from Antrim's Junction Jack's Adventure Golf course.
Round 3 at Larne
Video - Action from Larne's Minigolf at Carnfunnock Country Park.
Rounds 4-7 at Belfast
Video - The new NIBBAL-IT Champions - The Bangor MGC - Interviewed Following the Tournament.
The prestigious title will be contested again at the NIBBAL-IT (Northern Ireland Bangor Bedfordshire and Luton - Invitational Tournament) in 2011.
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.JPG "Richard playing the Mini Golf course in Hyde Park, London")
.JPG "Emily playing the Adventure Golf Grass Putting course at Hyde Park, London.")
.JPG "Emily playing the Adventure Golf Grass Putting course at Hyde Park, London.")
.JPG "Emily playing the Adventure Golf Grass Putting course at Hyde Park, London.")
.JPG "Emily playing the Adventure Golf Grass Putting course at Hyde Park, London")
.JPG "Richard playing the Adventure Golf Grass Putting course at Hyde Park, London.")
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.JPG "Playing a shot on hole 3 of the Garden Minigolf in East Finchley, London")
.JPG "Putting on hole 4 of the Garden Minigolf in East Finchley, London")
.JPG "Playing into a Shed!")
.JPG "The musical shed obstacle")
.JPG "Minigolf in East Finchley, London")
.JPG "Chatting with course designer Jon Angel")
.JPG "Jon Angel plays a shot on hole 1")
.JPG "Minigolf in East Finchley, London")
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