Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Bowlingo at Mumbles Pier

Following the 2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg we headed to Mumbles Pier for a game of our second favourite seaside resort sport - Bowlingo.





The pier and facilities are very good, although the wooden slats on the pier have some of the widest gaps of any pier I've visited!




Some parts of the pier were also under repair when we visited.


Sunday, August 23, 2009

Minigolf Course Visits 124 & 125 - Swansea / Abertawe

The courses we played in the 2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg tournament were the 124th and 125th Mini Golf / Crazy Golf courses visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Both courses in Swansea were played 'blind' with no practice time prior to the tournament itself.

Both courses were of similar design and build and shared many of the same obstacles, the course at The Mumbles (below) was judged to be the tougher of the two.

Crazy Golf in Swansea
Crazy Golf in Swansea
Crazy Golf in Swansea
Crazy Golf in Swansea
Crazy Golf in Swansea
Is this the 'Lucky 19th Hole'?
Crazy Golf in Swansea
Although we didn't get to play the Crazy Golf course at Singleton Boating Lake on the day before the Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg we did go along to have a sneak preview.

Crazy Golf in Swansea
Crazy Golf in Swansea
Crazy Golf in Swansea

Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
Wales

2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)


The first Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament) was contested on Saturday 15th August in Swansea (Abertawe).

The 2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg tournament was played over two rounds (36-holes) on Swansea's two Crazy Golf courses. The players in the field were BMGA Tour members and Midlands Minigolf Club members Richard and Emily Gottfried from Luton, and Jas, Cindy, Seve and Leo Kukielka from Cwmbran.

Due to the poor weather conditions in the morning the first round was switched from the Crazy Golf (Golff Gwyllt) course at Singleton Boating Lake for the less flooded course at Southend Park at The Mumbles.

After the first round Jas Kukielka and Richard Gottfried led the tournament on 41(+5) with Richard slightly ahead on five aces to Jas's two. Cindy Kukielka was one shot further back on 42(+6).


With the weather conditions becoming more settled the second round at Singleton Boating Lake saw some improved scores with Jas, Richard and Cindy all scoring par or better.


However, it was Jas's 34(-2) second round score that saw him to a two-round total of 75(+3) and pick up his first Minigolf Tournament victory. Richard Gottfried finished in second place on 76(+4) and Cindy Kukielka achieved her first podium finish with an excellent 78(+6) for third spot.


Photos from the event are below:












Boules Invitational Tournament at The Mumbles

A Kukielka vs. Gottfried family sporting clash in Swansea.

Playing Boules at The Mumbles in Swansea
On Saturday 15th August the Gottfrieds met the Kukielkas at Southend Park at The Mumbles in Swansea for the first Boules Invitational Tournament.

Playing Boules at The Mumbles in Swansea
After a series of qualifying rounds it was me versus Seve Kukielka in the final match of the morning to decide who would be winning the prestigious silver salver.

Playing Boules at The Mumbles in Swansea
After Seve took the lead I fought back but eventually lost, and took what would eventually be the first of my two sporting runner-up places of the day.

Playing Boules at The Mumbles in Swansea

Playing Boules at The Mumbles in Swansea

Gluten Free Fish & Chips at Rossi's in Swansea

Prior to competing in the Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament) in Swansea we found a Fish & Chip Shop that catered for Coeliacs so I was able to treat myself to Gluten Free Fish & Chips for the first-time!

Gluten Free Fish & Chips in Swansea at Rossi's
Gluten Free Fish & Chips in Swansea at Rossi's
Rossi's Original Fish & Chips can be found at 235-240 Neath Rd, Landore, Swansea, SA1 2JG. check out the Rossi's website and Facebook page.

More information about Coeliac Disease can be found on the Coeliac UK website.

Related blog posts:
Gluten Free Fish & Chips that we've found on our travels
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac Disease

Minigolf Course Visits 122 & 123 - Trecco Caravan Park, Porthcawl

After visiting Barry Island we headed to the Trecco Caravan Park in Porthcawl which is home to an 18-hole Adventure Golf course and also a 5-hole Putting Course (which has a very testing plateau hole).

Adventure Golf at Trecco Caravan Park in Porthcawl
Adventure Golf at Trecco Caravan Park in Porthcawl
Adventure Golf at Trecco Caravan Park in Porthcawl
The Putting Course:
Mini Golf at Trecco Caravan Park in Porthcawl
The course was built by the same company as the Blackpool Pleasure Beach course that hosted the Pleasure Beach Open last year.

The 12th hole at Porthcawl and Blackpool both have big hills (I mentioned Blackpool's hilly 12th in the video here).

Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
Wales

Minigolf Course Visit No. 121 - Barry Island / Ynys y Barri

The first course we played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in Wales was at Barry Island's Smuggler's Cove Adventure Golf on the 14th August.

Adventure Golf in Barry Island
Adventure Golf in Barry Island
Adventure Golf in Barry Island
Mini Golf in Barry Island
A great 12-hole course, unfortunately the old Crazy Golf course is no longer there.

I used to go to Barry Island when the holiday camp was there and remember there used to be an indoor crazy golf course in the games area next to the ping pong tables. Sadly the camp was demolished and new houses were built on most of the old site.

Outside the old Barry Island holiday camp in Wales

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
- Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations
Wales

Minigolf Course Visits 118, 119 & 120 - Oxford Parks

On the journey to Wales for the epic leg of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we stopped off to play the three Swedish Felt B Run courses in Oxford's Parks on the 13th August.

On our previous visit to Oxford in December the courses were all closed. However, this time they were all open.

Course visit #118 was to Bury Knowle Park in Headington.
Crazy Golf in Oxford

Course visit #119 was to Florence Park in Cowley.
Crazy Golf in Oxford
Crazy Golf in Oxford
Crazy Golf in Oxford

Course visit #120 was to Cutteslowe and Sunnymead Park.
Crazy Golf in Oxford
Over the three rounds and 27-holes I hit a total of 99(+42) to take the Oxford title, while Emily scored 103(+49).