Saturday, April 09, 2022

Mini Golf at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan

Visiting the two miniature golf courses at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan.


We headed to Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan to contest the Great Northern Minigolf Open tournament on the two minigolf courses in the park five years ago this weekend.

It's crazy to think that half a decade has passed already. Although two of those five years don't really count as they were a covid write-off!

First up was the Adventure Golf course.


Adventure Golf at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan
Adventure Golf at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan


This was followed by the Crazy Golf layout.


Crazy Golf at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan
Crazy Golf at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan

At just £1 per game, the course was the lowest price we'd ever found for an 18-hole course on our travels. Amazing value for money. We still haven't anywhere charging less than a quid a go.

The Haigh Woodland Park Crazy Golf course was the 728th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 701st in the UK.

We've now been to 983 courses on our travels since September 2006.


Great Northern Minigolf Open tournament

Margate's Scott Lancley won the Great Northern Minigolf Open played in Wigan's Haigh Woodland Park on Saturday 8th April.

Played over two rounds on the park's two 18-hole courses, Lancley won with a 36 hole score of 87. I was runner-up on 93, with Ramsbottom's Russ Dent finishing in third place on 95. A total of nine players took part in the first - and to date, only - staging of the event.

Crazy Golf at The Dreadnought Hotel in Callander

There are plans for a Crazy Golf course at The Dreadnought Hotel in Callander, Scotland.


There are plans for a Crazy Golf course at The Dreadnought Hotel in Callander, Scotland

The course will be a temporary, season-long attraction and will operate under the name Pee Wee's Crazy Golf.

Visit the Pee Wee's Crazy Golf Facebook Page for more information.

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Looking back at our visit to the Mini Golf course in Taunton's Vivary Park.


Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

The 380th course we played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the 18-hole Mini Golf course at Vivary Park in Taunton, Somerset.

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

The layout was the 62nd visited and 17th played on our tour of the South West of England in the summer of 2015. It became the 640th we visited in the UK, and the 661st overall.

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

We've now been to 983 courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

In our minigolf match up at Vivary Park on the 12th June 2015 Emily scored 45 and I shot a par round of 36.

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Check out the photos below to see the 18-holes.


Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Mini Golf at Vivary Park in Taunton

Visit the Vivary Golf & Adventure Centre website for more information.

Friday, April 08, 2022

Adventure Golf at Beverley Holidays in Paignton, Devon

There's a new seaside-themed Adventure Golf course and playground at Beverley Holidays in Paignton, Devon.


There's a new Adventure Golf course at Beverley Holidays in Paignton, Devon

Visit the Beverley Holidays website for more information.

Thursday, April 07, 2022

American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship

A look back at the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship.


Welsh Regional Qualifier of the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham

My team-mate Peter Jones and I qualified for the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final by winning the Welsh Regional Qualifier at Clays Golf Centre on this day in 2017!

Richard Gottfried and Peter Jones - champions of the Welsh Regional Qualifier for the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham
Champion minigolfers

Welsh Regional Qualifier of the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham
In action

Each of the holes on the 9-hole Miniature Golf course at Clays Golf Centre in Wrexham are based on famous holes from big golf.





The American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final was played at The Belfry in September 2017 and was televised on Sky Sports Golf.

You can watch the tournament in the video below from 26m 55s.



You can also watch the American Golf Championship Tour Season Review programme on the American Golf YouTube Channel with the Adventure Golf competition starting at 31m 33s.



Players earned their places in the final by competing in qualifying events at courses in England, Scotland and Wales:
  • Great Western Golf Clydebank
  • World of Golf Croydon
  • Top Golf Watford
  • Bristol Golf Centre
  • Trent Lock, Long Eaton
  • Clays Farm Golf Centre, Wrexham

American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship at The Belfry
Action from the TV tournament at The Belfry

Links:

Adventure Golf at Zip World Llechwedd

A new underground Adventure Golf course is being created at the slate caverns at Zip World Llechwedd in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales.


A new underground Adventure Golf course is being created at the slate caverns at Zip World Llechwedd in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales

It'll certainly be an interesting place to have a game of minigolf.

Visit the Zip World Llechwedd website for more information.


We look forward to playing the new Adventure Golf course at Zip World Llechwedd on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf at Romsey Rapids Sports Complex

There are plans to refurbish the Crazy Golf course at Romsey Rapids Sports Complex in Romsey, Southampton, Hampshire.


There are plans to refurbish the Crazy Golf course at Romsey Rapids Sports Complex in Romsey, Southampton, Hampshire

We visited the sports-themed Adventure Golf course at Romsey Rapids Sports Complex on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in May 2019.

Adventure Golf at Romsey Rapids Sports Complex in Southampton
Adventure Golf at Romsey Rapids Sports Complex in Southampton

Visit the Romsey Rapids Sports Complex website for more information.

Crazy Golf at Naze Marine Holiday Park

New Crazy Golf course at Naze Marine Holiday Park in Walton-on-the-Naze.


A new Crazy Golf course is being created at Parkdean's Naze Marine Holiday Park in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex

A new Crazy Golf course is being created at Parkdean's Naze Marine Holiday Park in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex.

Visit the Naze Marine Holiday Park website for more information.


It's always nice to hear of holiday parks adding minigolf - there's nothing quite like a game of minigolf while on holiday.

Adventure Golf at Wokingham Family Golf

Updates to the Adventure Golf course at Wokingham Family Golf.


The Jurassic Adventure Golf course at Wokingham Family Golf in Wokingham, Berkshire is being updated

The Jurassic Adventure Golf course at Wokingham Family Golf in Wokingham, Berkshire is being updated.

The course will have a further 6-holes added to it to create an 18-hole layout.

Visit the Wokingham Family Golf website for more information.


We're yet to play the Adventure Golf course at Wokingham Family Golf on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New mini golf holes at Wimborne Model Town in Dorset

Wimborne Model Town in Wimborne, Dorset has added three new holes to its mini golf course.


Wimborne Model Town in Wimborne, Dorset has added three new holes to its mini golf course

The model village is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.

Check out the Wimborne Model Town website for more information.


We do enjoy visiting model villages on our travels, but haven't been to Wimborne Model Town. Yet.

It'll be nice to tick off the model village and minigolf course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Wednesday, April 06, 2022

Winning the DinoFalls Adventure Golf Masters

Looking back at the 2018 DinoFalls Adventure Golf Masters.


I won the DinoFalls Adventure Golf Masters competition at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester back in April 2018 - where has the time gone since then!

Richard Gottfried at DinoFalls Adventure Golf at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester

The DinoFalls Adventure Golf course was an 18-hole layout when we played the event and has since been joined by another 18-hole course, that one has a volcano theme. The venue is an eye-catching sight from the M60.

I've won four tournaments at the Trafford Golf Centre. In addition to the DinoFalls Masters and the MMGC Invitational I won in 2018, I won the 2009 Mini Masters and Mini Open on the 9-hole Championship Miniature Golf course which used to be at the centre.

Check out the DinoFalls Adventure Golf website for more information.

Tuesday, April 05, 2022

A mini golf putting postcard from Burgh Hall in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

A look at a miniature golf postcard from our collection.


Here's a postcard showing a mini golf grass putting course at Burgh Hall Country Club Chalet & Caravan Park in the 1970s.

The card was posted to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne from Lowestoft, Suffolk on the 24th May 1977.

BURGH HALL COUNTRY CLUB postcard. Posted 24 May 1977
BURGH HALL COUNTRY CLUB postcard. Posted 24 May 1977

We'll be heading back to Great Yarmouth this summer for the Big Mini Golf Tour taking place across miniature golf courses in Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Gorleston-on-Sea.

Sunday, April 03, 2022

Minigolf courses in the UK

There are lots of places to play minigolf in the UK.


Minigolf courses in the UK

We've almost reached the 1,000 course mark on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. When we began in 2006 there were around 600 courses in the UK. That number has grown significantly and there are new places to play opening all the time.

Some of the courses we've played are long-gone, while others have been refurbished or replaced by new layout.

Check out this post detailing all of the new courses we have found that have opened, are in planning, or under construction in the UK since July 2020 - New minigolf courses in the UK.

The Big Mini Golf Tour - Course List and Map

The Big Mini Golf Tour tees-off on Saturday 14th May.


The Big Mini Golf Tour

We have played in and organised lots of miniature golf competitions, tournaments, challenges and events over the last decade and a half and this year we are excited to be a part of the Big Mini Golf Tour in the seaside resort of Great Yarmouth.

Miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth Tourism & Business Improvement Area have come together to promote the game.

The four-month event highlighting miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth area tees-off on National Miniature Golf Day, Saturday 14th May 2022 and runs until Miniature Golf Day on Wednesday 21st September 2022.

Mini Golf courses in the Greater Yarmouth area

You can view the details of participating courses in Hemsby, Clippesby, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea in the Big Mini Golf Tour List.

The Big Mini Golf Tour Map of courses in the Greater Yarmouth area



Visit Great Yarmouth

Funding from Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA has helped to bring you the “Big Mini Golf Tour”.

The Big Mini Golf Tour

Check out the Big Mini Golf Tour links for more information.

Crazy Golf at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

There's a new Crazy Golf course at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.


There's a new Crazy Golf course at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Visit the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway website for more information on the 9-hole Crazy Golf course.


We've been to Cleethorpes on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and it'll be nice to return to the seaside resort again in the future.

Newbury Adventure Golf

A new Adventure Golf course is opening in Newbury, Berkshire.


A new Adventure Golf course is opening at Victoria Park in Newbury, Berkshire

Newbury Adventure Golf is planning to open in Victoria Park this month.

The 18-hole layout at Newbury Adventure Golf is from the team behind Dinton Adventure Golf in Wokingham, Wardown Adventure Golf in Luton, Lightwater Country Park in Surrey and High Lodge in Suffolk.

Visit the Newbury Adventure Golf website for more information.

It's another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf at Monkey Tree Holiday Park in Newquay

A new pirate-themed Adventure Golf course is opening at Monkey Tree Holiday Park in Newquay, Cornwall.


A new pirate-themed Adventure Golf course is opening at Monkey Tree Holiday Park in Newquay, Cornwall

Visit the Monkey Tree Holiday Park website for more information on the 18-hole Adventure Golf course.

Crazy Golf at Pops Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea

New Crazy Golf course at Pops Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea.


There's a new Crazy Golf course at Pops Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk

There's a new Crazy Golf course at Pops Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk.

The 18-hole layout is part of the fun park at Pops Meadow - check out the Pops Meadow Facebook Page for more information.


The former Crazy Golf course at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea was the 100th course we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we swung by on the 10th May 2009.

Sadly that course closed a few years ago. But luckily Pops Meadow re-opened last year and there was a temporary Crazy Golf course there then too.

Pops Meadow Crazy Golf will be one of the courses participating in the Big Mini Golf Tour 2022.