A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man at Birch Garden Centre in Cheadle, Stockport

Spotting a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man in Stockport.

We were pleasantly surprised to see this wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-man advertising at Birch Garden Centre while driving through Cheadle on Sunday morning!

We've seen quite a few wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-men on our travels over the years and they're always fun to spot and see what they're advertising.

Related blog posts:

• Airdancer
• Wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube-men

Tech Darts at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester

A look at the Tech Darts games at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester.

We're big fans of darts - both playing and watching - and it's nice to see the growth in the game and more places to play it.

One of the types of darts that is really booming at the moment is digital darts - played on a normal dartboard, but with integrated cameras and tracking of the darts and scores that enable different gameplay to standard 301-gameplay.

The Karaoke Pods at Roxy Ball Room contain Tech Darts in them too!

We attended the venue relaunch of Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester earlier this week and it was cool to get a full tour and play some games for free.

Unfortunately we didn't manage to get on the oche for some Tech Darts on this occasion, however we will be back as we noticed that one of the mini-games available on Roxy's Tech Darts is MINIGOLF!

This looks like a really cool and different way to 'putt' around a minigolf course!

Playing Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester.

While we didn't get to play Tech Darts at Roxy Ball Room, we did have a game of Crazy Pool, as well as Shuffleboard, and the Shooting Range.

Find out more.

Visit the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.

Five months until Christmas Day!

There are now 'just' five months to go until Christmas 2025.

We played a Christmas Crazy Golf hole at Teezers in Coventry on Easter Sunday in 2019

Christmas in July

Merry Christmas in July.

Today is Christmas in July!

Much like there being a summertime version of Halloween with Summerween, the 25th of July marks Christmas in July.

Last November we played the Christmas-themed minigolf course from Lancashire Crazy Golf at the Northwich Christmas Extravaganza

Mini Golf in Manchester

A look at Mini Golf courses in Manchester & Greater Manchester.

Mini Golf (also known as Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf) is an incredibly popular leisure and sporting activity for all ages, and we're seeing an exciting boom in new courses opening up across the UK.

While minigolf was traditionally a seaside summer pastime in the UK, the last decade or so has seen its growth into more urban settings, with many venues now catering to a late night audience. It can be the perfect activity for groups of friends, families, and young and old alike. The game continues to evolve and captivate players all year round.

Where to play Mini Golf  in and around Manchester.

If you're looking for mini golf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses to play in Manchester and Greater Manchester there are a variety of courses to visit, ranging from traditional crazy golf to indoor minigolf to new adventure golf layouts.

The city centre itself has seen an increase in courses over the last few years.

Here's a list of the Mini Golf courses we know of in Manchester city centre:

• Crazy Golf at Challenge Point Manchester - indoor crazy golf.
• Junkyard Golf at First Street - three indoor crazy golf courses.
• Mini Golf at King Pins at the Manchester Arndale - indoor mini golf.
• Putters Crazy Golf at the Urban Playground in the Manchester Arndale centre - indoor crazy golf.
• Roxy Ball Room on Deansgate - indoor crazy pool course (think of a cross between pool and crazy golf).
• Roxy Ball Room Arndale on Withy Grove - indoor crazy pool.
• Treetop Adventure Golf at The Printworks in Manchester - two indoor adventure golf courses.

Here's a list of the Mini Golf courses we know about in Greater Manchester:

• Buile Hill Park in Salford - a Pitch & Putt course.
• Dino Falls Adventure Golf at the Trafford Golf Centre - two outdoor adventure golf courses.
• Haigh Woodland Park, Wigan - an outdoor adventure golf course.
• Haigh Woodland Park, Wigan - an outdoor crazy golf course.
• HUKD Golf in Bury - indoor crazy golf.
• Jump Heaven Mini Golf Adventure in Hazel Grove, Stockport - an outdoor adventure golf course.
• Mini Golf at King Pins at the Trafford Palazzo - indoor mini golf.
• Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre - two indoor adventure golf courses.
• Park Square, Cheadle Heath, Stockport - an outdoor Putting Green (for tenants only).
• Parr Fold Park in Walkden - a Pitch & Putt course.
• Pitch & Putt at Bruntwood Park in Cheadle, Stockport - an outdoor miniature golf course.
• Putt & Play (formerly Puttstars) at Rochdale Riverside - three indoor minigolf courses.
• Tenpin Parrs Wood - Prison Putt indoor adventure golf.
• The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia, Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton - an indoor adventure golf course.
• Victoria Park in Pendlebury, Swinton - an outdoor putting green.
• Woodheys Park in Sale - a Pitch & Putt course.

Minigolfing in Manchester on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been travelling to play minigolf in Manchester on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since 2009 when I won the Mini Masters and Mini Open at the Trafford Golf Centre. I also won the Chrizy Golf Masters at Piccadilly Place in 2012.

We moved to Stockport in 2016 and have continued to compete in events. Emily won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open in 2019, while I won the tournament in 2018. I also won the DinoFalls Masters at the Trafford Golf Centre in 2018.

It's brilliant we've got so many places to play mini golf in and around Manchester.

Former Mini Golf courses in Manchester.

• Alexandra Park in Edgeley, Stockport - an outdoor crazy golf course.
• Championship Miniature Golf at the Trafford Golf Centre - an outdoor miniature golf course.
• Chrizy Golf at Piccadilly Place - pop-up Christmas-themed crazy golf course.
• Junkyard Golf at the Great Northern Warehouse and at Piccadilly Place - indoor crazy golf courses.
• Kearsley Golf Range - Pitch & Putt and Putting Greens.
• Mini Golf at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate - an indoor course that was 18-holes, then 12-holes before it was removed to make way for a new Crazy Pool course.
• Tea Party Mini Golf at Spinningfields, Manchester - a pop-up mini golf course.
• UV Crazy Golf at One Adventure in Droylsden - an indoor crazy golf course.
• Walkden Town Centre - pop-up crazy golf course.

Derelict and abandoned Mini Golf courses in Manchester.

• Stamford Park, Stamford Street, Stalybridge, Tameside - an outdoor crazy golf course.
• Wythenshawe Park, Wythenshawe - an outdoor crazy golf course.

Mini Golf courses in development in Greater Manchester.

• New Adventure Golf course at Bowlee Park Driving Range in Middleton, Rochdale.
• Mini Golf course at The Galleries in Wigan.

Do you know of other Mini Golf courses in Manchester?

Please do get in touch and let us know of any other mini golf, crazy golf, adventure golf, pitch & putt, or putting layouts we don't yet know about in the area.

Planning to visit a Mini Golf course - check ahead of time.

Where possible please do check that the course is still there and open before travelling to it. The online presence of courses is improving, and the way businesses market themselves is always evolving, so it's becoming somewhat easier to find the opening and closing times of courses. That said, we've spent the last two decades attempting to play as many courses as possible, and even we've ended up finding courses to be derelict, abandoned or unplayable when we've arrived!

Mini Adventure Golf at the Tee Time Golf Centre in Blackpool

Plans for a new Mini Adventure Golf course at the Tee Time Golf Centre in Blackpool have been approved.

The Tee Time Golf Centre in Thornton-Cleveleys, Blackpool has had its plans for a new Mini Adventure Golf course approved.

The Mini Adventure Golf course at the Tee Time Golf Centre will be an outdoor 12-hole layout.

Find out more.

Visit the Tee Time Golf Centre website for more information.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The new Mini Adventure Golf course at the Tee Time Golf Centre will be a new one for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester

Playing Crazy Pool at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester.

It was brilliant to attend the venue relaunch of Roxy Ball Room Deansgate in Manchester on Tuesday evening.

We've been to the venue several times over the years - including a superb New Year's Eve 'do' a few years ago - and it was nice to check out the location again, see all the changes and additions there, and play some games for free!

The first game we played was Crazy Pool (a cross-between Crazy Golf and Pool, played on tables using golf balls and a cue), followed by Shuffleboard - and we had one win apiece in each game. We need to return to play the Tech Darts to decide the overall winner.

Here's a video from our round of Crazy Pool.

Thank you to all the staff at the venue for a nice welcome, and a full tour of the venue and a run through of the changes (I may even be a convert to karaoke after seeing the Karaoke Pods that contain Tech Darts in them too!).

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Crazy Pool course became the 1,086th course we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since our travels began back in September 2006.

Crazy Pool at other Roxy Ball Room locations.

Currently eleven of Roxy Ball Room's 19 venues are home to Crazy Pool layouts, they are:

• Birmingham (Victoria Square)
• Bristol (Union Street)
• Leeds (Merrion Street)
• Leicester (Humberstone Gate)
• Liverpool (Hanover Street)
• London (St Mary Axe)
• Manchester (Arndale)
• Manchester (Deansgate)
• Nottingham (The Cornerhouse)
• Sheffield (Charter Square)
• York (The Stonebow)

The latest one at Roxy Deansgate was quite different to the two Crazy Pool layouts we've play at the Arndale and Merrion Street branches - there were more integrated obstacles and the course had lighting effects.

Roxy Ball Room's sister brand King Pins is opening a new venue at the White Rose Centre in Leeds in August and that will also be home to a Crazy Pool course.

The former Crazy Golf course at Roxy Deansgate.

The new Crazy Pool layout replaces the Crazy Golf course on the second floor of Roxy Ball Room Deansgate.

Luckily we played the Roxy Golf course at Roxy Ball Room Deansgate on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The indoor Crazy Golf course was the 810th visited on our travels back in 2018. When we first visited it was an 18-hole course, while on a return in October 2024 it was a 12-hole layout.

Find out more.

Visit the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.

Free Crazy Golf in Skipton on Friday 1st August

There will be a free-to-play Crazy Golf course in Skipton, North Yorkshire on Friday 1st August.

Skipton BID is organising a day of activities to celebrate Yorkshire Day on Friday 1st August.

One of the activities on offer will be a free-to-play 9-hole Crazy Golf course set-up in the Canal Basin in the town.

Find out more.

You can find out more about the Yorkshire Day celebrations in Skipton on the Welcome to Skipton website.

Mini Golf at English Heritage sites this summer

There will be Mini Golf at six English Heritage sites this summer.

Six English Heritage locations will have Mini Golf activities this summer.

Summer Mini Golf at Osborne

The Mini Golf courses at English Heritage sites are part of a summer of activities in partnership with the TV show Taskmaster.

Summer Mini Golf at Kenilworth Castle

The pop-up mini golf courses have been created at six of English Heritage locations around the country including Audley End House and Gardens, Carisbrooke Castle, Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Osborne, Pendennis Castle, and Wrest Park.

Summer Mini Golf at Pendennis Castle

Where to play Mini Golf.

The six English Heritage sites with Mini Golf courses in July and August 2025 are:

1. Audley End House and Gardens - Saffron Walden, Essex
2. Carisbrooke Castle - Newport, Isle of Wight
3. Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden - Kenilworth, Warwickshire
4. Osborne - East Cowes, Isle of Wight
5. Pendennis Castle - Falmouth, Cornwall
6. Wrest Park - Silsoe, Bedfordshire

When to play Mini Golf.

The Crazy Golf courses at the English Heritage locations will be playable from Saturday 19th July to Sunday 31st August 2025.

Summer Mini Golf at Kenilworth Castle

Find out more.

Visit the English Heritage website and the Taskmaster at English Heritage sites page for more information.

Summer Mini Golf at Wrest Park

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It's always excellent to find out about new minigolf courses - whether they're permanent, pop-ups, or refurbs - and the English Heritage pop-up activities look like the courses are in nice spots for a round during the summer.

My little brother Christopher, a charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, has been a member of English Heritage and he and his family have been to a lot of English Heritage properties over the years (including Audley End House and Gardens, Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Pendennis Castle, and Wrest Park). It'll be interesting to see if they will be going to any of the six sites with Crazy Golf this summer.

Crazy Golf at The Last Day of Summer event in Liverpool

There will be Crazy Golf at The Last Day of Summer event in Liverpool.

Liverpool's waterfront will be hosting The Last Day of Summer event on Saturday 30th August.

The day of activities begin at 11am and finish at 5pm and will see a 9-hole Crazy Golf course as one of the attractions.

Find out more.

You can find out more about The Last Day of Summer event in Liverpool, as well as two other summer events taking place, on the Visit Liverpool website.

Minigolf on ESPN8: The Ocho!

Minigolf will be featured on ESPN8: The Ocho this month.

The National Putting Tour American Dream’s Super Roll of Putting tournament will feature as part of the upcoming programming for ESPN8: The Ocho.

Our friends at The Putting Penguin were a part of the event and it'll be interesting to see the show.

ESPN8: The Ocho is ESPN's annual showcase of some of the world's lesser-seen sports. In this, the ninth edition of the channel, ESPN's platforms will air more than 65 hours of sporting action between Thursday 31st July and Sunday 3rd August.

The National Putting Tour American Dream’s Super Roll of Putting competition will be shown on ESPN8: The Ocho at 10pm on Thursday 31st July.

It's brilliant to see miniature golf feature in the line-up, and there are some other amazing sports, games and pursuits in the schedule too - including Dodgeball.

We're big fans of Dodgeball - and inspired by the film Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story we used to run dodgeball leagues back in the noughties. 

Find out more.

You can see more information, find out all the sports covered, and the full schedule on the ESPN8: The Ocho website.

Crazy Golf at Castle Park in Penrith, Cumbria

A visit to the Crazy Golf course at Castle Park in Penrith, Cumbria.

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Castle Park in Penrith in July 2025.

Emily swung by the Crazy Golf course at Castle Park in Penrith, Cumbria on a trip to the Lake District town.

Like it's sister venue in Keswick, the outdoor course in Penrith is known as 'Obstacle Golf'.

The Obstacle Golf course at Castle Park does look quite different to the course at Hope Park in Keswick.

It's always interesting to see a unique miniature golf course.

Cumbria also offers some superb views from the parks.

Castle Park in Penrith is also home to a Putting Green.

Find out more.

Visit the Penrith Castle Park web page on the Westmorland & Furness Council website for more information the park and its facilities.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Obstacle Golf course at Castle Park in Penrith became the 1,084th course visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006, and the 1,023rd in the British Isles.

We're looking forward to returning to the Lake District in the future and spending more time in Penrith as it's one of the towns there neither of us had been to until Emily visited. We last went there together in the summer of 2023.

Mulligans Guildford is now open

Mulligans Guildford has opened the doors to two 9-hole crazy golf courses, games, an arcade, a brand-new bar area and more.

Many thanks to the team at Mulligans for sending over information on, and photos of, the new crazy golf venue in Guildford, Surrey.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been to several Mulligans courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and look forward to checking out the two courses at the Mulligans Guildford venue in the future.

About Mulligans Guildford.

Mulligans Guildford, the new home of two exciting 9-hole crazy golf courses, powered by state-of-the-art technology is now open.

The newest Mulligans venue houses 18-holes of minigolf, based on Night Life and Street Life, with themes including disco, complete with glitter balls and a disco wall for photo opportunities, casino, featuring a working roulette wheel, and holes based on global destinations such as surfers’ paradise, inspired by TV’s Bondi Beach, and a mini version of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

More than just minigolf.

The two-floor venue also features high-tech activities including electro-darts and electro-shuffleboard, as well as American pool tables and classic arcade games including air hockey, curved air hockey, skeeball and basketball.

Food & Drink at Mulligans Guildford.

Mulligans isn’t all about the games, it’s also the perfect place to grab a cold drink or bite to eat this summer. A brand-new burger menu includes a Signature Chicken Burger (£14.50), with buttermilk & rosemary chicken in a pretzel bun with avocado, hot honey and bacon, and LP’s World Famous Signature Burger (£14.50) which features a beef burger in a pretzel bun with tater tots, caramelised onion, bacon, chilli jam and American cheese. On Mondays, guests can get their hands on two burgers for just £20.

Those that prefer sharing can tuck into Pizzas (2 for £20 on Tuesdays), Nachos, customisable Dirty Fries, or a selection of small plates including Crispy Chicken Tacos, Ruby’s Corn Ribs and Warm Halloumi Bites with Hot Honey.

Mulligans Guildford is also serving a range of delicious cocktails and mocktails, as well as frozen treats from a new ice cream and milkshake bar, making it the ideal pit-stop to cool down after a summer day out.

Mulligans in Guildford and beyond.

The Adventure Leisure group now has 13 Mulligans sites across the UK which include venues in Basildon, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cheltenham, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Norwich, Stevenage, Tonbridge, Worcester, and now Guildford.

Adventure Leisure’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Brown, said, "We are so excited that the doors to Mulligans Guildford are finally open! We’ve welcomed in lots of our Guildford friends and family, and even a couple of parties already, and we’re very much enjoying seeing people’s reactions to the place. We’ve opened just in time for the summer holidays, and we can’t wait to see everyone over the next six weeks and beyond, whether they’re joining us on the golf courses, or just popping in for a drink, or to catch some summer sport on our big screens."

Adventure Leisure Limited is a subsidiary of Burhill Group Limited (BGL), which also operates 10 golf clubs and the BUNKERS! and Ninja Warrior UK brands.

Find out more.

To find out more and make a booking at Mulligans Guildford, please visit the Mulligans website.