Revisiting the Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course

Replaying the 18-hole Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course in Dorset.

In early July we were back in Boscombe, Dorset for the first time in a few years. In 2009 we'd played the Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course at the BMGA British Doubles Championship.

At the time the course became the 108th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Photos of the 18-hole course (July 2013).

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 1

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 2

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 3

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 4

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 5

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 6

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 6 - the Pipe

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 6 - the Green

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 7

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 8

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 9

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 9 - the Green

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 10

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 11

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 12

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 13

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 14

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 15

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 16

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 17

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 18

Prior to this year's BMGA British Matchplay Championships Emily faced-off against her Cambridgeshire Mini Golf Club team-mate Seth 'Sethers' Thomas in the CMGC Matchplay Championship.

Emily Putting on hole 4

In game one Emily took the victory 1-up. Game two saw Seth take a 3&2 win while the decider saw Seth edge a 1-up victory to take the series win and the CMGC Matchplay Championship title.

Seth tackles hole 6

Local character Mick 'The Man' Gisbourne was also in residence at the Boscombe Chine Gardens course during the championship weekend and played against Emily and Seth in 'The Boscombe Jiggle' competition.

Seth leading the way in the three-player event

In the one-round contest Seth won with a round of 36(par), Emily was second with a 40(+4) and Mick The Man was third with a round of 48(+12).

Mick The Man has a tricky and long second shot coming up in 'The Boscombe Jiggle' contest

The Boscombe Mini Golf course is in a nice location and easily accessible (it's also a stop on the Bournemouth to Boscombe Land Train). Well worth a play if you're in the area.

The floral train at Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course in Dorset

Emily was third in the 2013 BMGA British Matchplay Championships and fellow Minigolfer Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd was keen to inspect her winnings after the competition!

Stop! Thief!

Related Blog Posts:

- Minigolf Course Visit No. 108 - Boscombe Chine Gardens

- Crazy world of Minigolf Tour

Links:

- Boscombe Chine Mini Golf

Crazy Golf, Putting and Pitch & Putt at Cafe Riva in Southbourne, Dorset

A re-visit to the Crazy Golf course at Cafe Riva in Southbourne, Dorset.

Crazy Golf at Cafe Riva in Southbourne

On our trip to the Dorset coast Emily and I had a wander to Southbourne to have a look at the updated Crazy Golf course.

The newly felted and refurbed Crazy Golf at Cafe Riva in Southbourne

Back in June 2009 we'd played the course (#109) and found it to be a poor Minigolf experience. The course was in a terrible shape.

Some of the old obstacles remain, like this BIG yellow thing

Happily it looks a lot better now and while we didn't have time to play it this time around I'm happy to report from our fellow Minigolf tourists Paul & Owen Johnson that it is much more fun to play now.

Cafe Riva now also has two other Miniature Golf courses on the site - a Putting course and a Pitch & Putt.

Putting, Crazy Golf, Pitch & Putt, Drinks and Ice Cream - a great seaside mix :-)

Southbourne's Pitch & Putt

Southbourne's Putting course

We've now visited a total of 533 Minigolf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

Related Blog Posts:

- Minigolf Course Visit No. 109 - Southbourne / Fisherman's Walk

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Links:

- Cafe Riva

Mini Golf in Bournemouth's Lower Gardens

Revisiting the Lower Gardens Mini Golf course in Bournemouth, Dorset. 

The 107th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the 18-hole Mini Golf course at the Lower Gardens in Bournemouth, Dorset and in July 2013 we revisited the course while in the area for the BMGA British Matchplay Championships that were to be played in nearby Boscombe.

Richard at Bournemouth's Lower Gardens Mini Golf course

In June 2009 we had a round on the incredibly busy course, which happened to be Emily's 100th course visit overall, and Emily defeated me by one-shot with a 39(+3) to 40(+4) scoreline.

Photos of the course (July 2013).

The course location is one of the oldest sites of Miniature Golf in the UK. According to information on a board near the course a Putting Green was introduced to the Lower Gardens in 1931 and the present Mini Golf course was extensively remodelled in 2007.

Interestingly there also used to be a Putting Green in the Central Gardens, but it was removed and replaced with a children's play area in 2009.

Related Blog Posts:

- Minigolf Course Visit No. 107 - Lower Gardens, Bournemouth

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Links:

- Bournemouth Borough Council website for the Lower Gardens Mini Golf with details of opening times and prices

Luton Borough Council's 'Informal Outdoor Sports Survey'

I spotted in the latest issue of Luton-at-Large magazine that Luton Borough Council has a current consultation on the playing of sports and games in Luton's parks.

The 'Informal Outdoor Sports Survey' is seeking feedback on park use in the town and would like to know whether people are playing football or cricket, or even crazy golf!

The survey itself mentions 'Mini-golf'.

On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Emily and I have visited and played six Miniature Golf courses in (and a little bit around) Luton. The first of the Luton Borough Council courses was the 9-hole Crazy Golf course in the town's Wardown Park.

Related blog posts:

- Luton

- Crazy Golf & Minigolf Courses in and around Luton, Bedfordshire

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:

- Luton Borough Council
- Luton Borough Council - Parks and Recreation

- Playing pitch strategy for Luton

- Informal Outdoor Sports Survey

The Derelict Minigolf Course on Bournemouth's Exeter Road

Revisiting a derelict Miniature Golf course in Bournemouth, Dorset.

The derelict Minigolf course on Bournemouth's Exeter Road

In June 2009 we found a derelict Minigolf course in Bournemouth and when we revisited in July 2013 it was still there.

Hole 1 has no felt left on it, but many of the holes still do

The formerly 18-hole course is on Exeter Road and next to the cafe/restaurant. When we last visited we weren't able to have a good look at the course as a group of Gentleman of the Road were enjoying a refreshment break on one of the holes!

This time round we managed to have a good look. It's such a shame the course was left to get in such a state.

It's very similar in design to the course that can be found over the road in the Lower Gardens and the championship course in the Boscombe Chine Gardens, though in an entirely unplayable state.

Some of the holes have almost disappeared entirely! It's quite a haunting and apocalyptic site!

A ramp-less ramp

Nature reclaiming the land!

Hole 18 - I think 

Related Blog Posts:

- A derelict Minigolf course in Bournemouth

- Derelicts

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Not Winning at The Buttons in Bournemouth

While down in Bournemouth earlier this summer Emily and I headed to the amusement arcades on the seafront with our friend and Minigolf rival Seth ‘Wandsworth’ Thomas.

In the pier amusements we spotted a great looking bumble bee prize in one of the Prize Every Time grabbers and it would of made a great gift for another friend and Minigolf rival (and sometime blogger) Oliver ‘Oflo12’ Florence.

The players look at the buttons bee

However, while playing the £2 machine I jiffed it and grabbed an orange thing that made a squeaky noise.

Jiffed, robbed, diddled, fiddled and daddled

I was not best pleased.

The incorrect toy was sold for 20 pence on a car boot stall last week.

Related blog posts:

- Seth Thomas

- Oliver Florence

- The Buttons

- Amusement Arcades

- Bournemouth