Guinness World Record Attempt - Most Brussels Sprouts Eaten in a Minute!

Blog post about attempting a Guinness World Record for the Most Brussels Sprouts Eaten in a Minute. Held in Luton's indoor market in December 2009.


Today me and fellow Minigolfer Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd headed to Luton Indoor Market to compete in a Guinness World Record Attempt for "How many Brussels Sprouts can you eat in 1 minute."!

In my first attempt I managed to eat ten Brussels Sprouts in the one minute time-limit. This was followed up by a further ten in my second attempt - both tries sadly 22 shy of beating the current Guinness World Record of 31!

The method of eating the Brussels Sprouts is very strict and requires you to eat each Sprout one at a time using a cocktail stick. Your mouth must be clear before the next Sprout is eaten and must be shown to a judge before continuing.

I was the second competitor on the day to attempt to beat the current record and Brad was third up. Brad managed to eat 13 Brussels Sprouts in both of his attempts.

I didn't actually like Brussels Sprouts much before the attempt, but I'm actually looking forward to eating more on Christmas Day (though not competitively!).

Video of my Guinness World Record Attempt.


Video of Brad Shepherd's Guinness World Record Attempt.


Video of my Guinness World Record (Second) Attempt.


Photos from the event.








The event was organised by Town & Country Markets and all proceeds from the event went to the Luton & Dunstable Baby Intensive Care Unit and over £300 was raised. The Luton Market 'Best' Attempt was set at 17 Brussels Sprouts (although Market Manager Steve Cook managed to eat 12 in his attempt - and peeled 500 the night before!).

From l-r Organiser Dave Gibbs, Richard Gottfried, Brad Shepherd, Organiser Steve Cook.

The Brussels Sprouts Eating Record Attempt was the second Guinness World Record Attempt I have made this year. Back in May, me and Emily helped break the Guinness World Record for "The Largest Picnic across multiple venues". Eating Sprouts was my first individual attempt – what’s next...?

Minigolf Course Visit No. 157 (played) - West Park, Chelmsford, Essex

On the 14th December 2009 we made a trip to Chelmsford in Essex to look for a Crazy Golf course.

We found one at the West Park Pitch and Putt Course.



The 9-hole Crazy Golf course is not great, but is still good fun, and the course owner told me that they are looking at building a new one in the future.



A hole-in-one.


In the Irregular Mini Golf Tour Chelmsford Open event versus Emily, I won 21(+3) to 23(+5).

West Park is also home to an 18-hole Pitch & Putt Course that was in superb condition and played really well.

I had a quick play of holes 1, 2, 3, 9 & 18 and almost Aced both the 9th and 18th.





Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip to Colchester, Essex

On the 14th December 2009 we made course visits 201 and 202 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we visited the Castle Park & Gardens in Colchester, Essex.

However, neither of the two courses found in the town were open.



Photos of the Putting Course.



Photos of the Eternit Miniature Golf Course.



Video showing the Eternit Miniature Golf Course.


Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

A new 'Superhero'? Mattressman

Mattressman!?

What's on at The Victoria Pub in Ipswich?

Another non-course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Pub Quiz Crazy Golf in Ipswich

Another non-course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - a Pub Quiz Crazy Golf game in the new Wetherspoons Pub in Ipswich, Suffolk.

I scored a 48(+12) over 9-holes and failed to qualify for the cash prize game.






Not a lot of fun.

Golf FX at Mannings Amusements now Magical Golf!

While we were in Suffolk at the weekend we made a traditional Christmas-time visit to the seaside resort of Felixstowe.

We've had many great contests on the Irregular Mini Golf Tour at the Felixtowe Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses over the years.

During the summer all four of the minigolf courses are usually open, but in the 'off-season' (which doesn't exist on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour) only one course can be guaranteed to be open - the Golf FX at Mannings Family Fun Centre and Amusement Arcade.

However, on our most recent (re)visit on the 13th December 2009* we noticed that the 13-hole Golf FX has been renamed Magical Golf FX!

When we played the refurbished, but not too modified, Magical Golf FX course I scored a 39(+13) to beat Emily, who scored a 47(+21), in the Irregular Mini Golf Tour Magical Golf Open.





Looking at my records from 2008 we also visited the Golf FX Adventure Golf course on the 13th December 2008! On that occasion I beat Emily 35(+9) to 38(+12) in the Felixstowe Classic event on the Irregular Mini Golf Tour.

In the photo below (from June 2007) you can see the change of sign, as the 'Golf FX Character' is no longer used.

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Course Visit Number 200 - Melbourn, Cambs

On Saturday 12th December 2009 me and Emily made the 200th Course Visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

The location - the 9-hole Crazy Golf Course at the Kingsway Golf Centre in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.

The course was the 200th I've visited since the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began in September 2006, and was the 156th course played on the Tour as 44 of the 200 courses visited have been closed/derelict/flooded or unplayable!

Video - A round of Crazy Golf in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.

The Kingsway Golf Centre was a very good looking BIG Golf Centre with friendly staff. The Crazy Golf is £2.00 to play as much as you like.

Back in May of this year I made the 100th visit overall on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when I stumbled upon the 9-hole Arnold Palmer course at Pops Meadow Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Sea, and in June I played my 100th course at Smuggler's Cove Adventure Golf in South Shields.

Snow Day in Luton...

...means Sledging!

Richard 'The Snowman' Gottfried.

The sledge-run at Farley Hill, Luton.

A view across Luton towards Popes Meadow.

The sledge-run at Popes Meadow.

Other Ham & Egger Files Blog Posts about Snow and Sledges in Luton:
http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-sledge.html

http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/sledges-slegdes-sic-snowboards.html

http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/snow-halts-play.html

http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/groundhog-day-2009.html

http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2008/03/snow-day-crazy-golf-course.html

http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2008/03/car-park-snow-golf.html

Videos from the 'Safe Route Challenge' Minigolf Competition

Footage from the Minigolf Doubles Matchplay match played on the Lost Hut Trail course at Adventure Island Mini Golf at Star City, Birmingham.

Richard Gottfried and Paul Johnson teamed up (as 'The Pineapple Bits') to take on Owen Johnson and former World Crazy Golf Champion Chris Harding (as 'The Grapefruit Chunks') in the first-ever 'Safe Route Challenge' Minigolf Competition.











The match was played during our visit to Adventure Island Mini Golf in Birmingham for Unlimited Minigolf on Monday 7th December 2009.

New Felixstowe Crazy Golf Course - an update

On our visit to Felixstowe, Suffolk I took the opportunity to have a look and see how the new 9-hole Sea Front Crazy Golf course was coming along.

However, it looks like the course won't be completed soon as they frames for the holes have been removed. Hopefully they have just been put into storage over the winter and the course will be completed in 2010.


A photo of the partly built course back in May of this year can be seen at http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2009/05/minigolf-course-re-visits-5-6-7-33-and.html

Below is a photo of the course layout back in May 2008.

The 18-hole Putting Course and Sea Front Crazy Golf are still there though.

Minigolf Report in the Luton News - "Brief respite for Gottfrieds"

This week's Luton News & Dunstable Gazette (page 78) had a report - "Brief respite for Gottfrieds" - about our latest Crazy Golf tournaments in London and Birmingham.

Minigolf course visits 200, 201, 202 and 203...

...on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour were made over the weekend!

Details, photos, videos and results from Irregular Mini Golf Tour events will follow soon.

Talking Crazy Golf on Danny Baker's 5 Live Radio Show

On Saturday 12th December I was on Danny Baker's show on Radio 5 Live as he was talking about Crazy Golf.

You can download the show's Podcast here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/dannybaker/

I'm on from 26 and a half minutes in.

Minigolf Report – Gottfried’s Pre-Season Results

11th December 2009
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Gottfried’s Pre-Season Results

During the close-season break in British Minigolf Association (BMGA) tournaments Luton Minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried have been preparing for the start of the 2010 Season with friendly matches in Birmingham and an independent competition in London.

On Monday 7th December Richard travelled to the Adventure Island Mini Golf Course at Star City, Birmingham for pre-season matches versus fellow Midlands Minigolf Club Members.

In a friendly match versus Chris Harding, Paul Johnson and Owen Johnson on the Hidden Cove Challenge course Richard scored 37(+1) to finish 3rd.

In the evening’s second competition, held on the Lost Hut Trail course Richard hit a 42(+6) to again finish 3rd.

In the third friendly round of the evening Richard scored a 37(+1) to former World Crazy Golf Champion Chris Harding's 32(-4) to lose by five shots on the Lost Hut Trail.

In an 18-hole Doubles Matchplay match on the Lost Hut Trail course Richard teamed with Paul Johnson to take on Owen Johnson and Chris Harding, losing 3&2.

On Thursday 10th December 2009 Richard and Emily were among twelve BMGA Minigolfers that competed in the 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge played on the temporarily Christmas-themed Minigolf course at Devonshire Square in London.

The 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge competition took place over 17-holes and the event was won by Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd of the London Minigolf Club, with a score of 41 (+7). Richard finished in fifth place seven shots off the lead with 48 (+14). Emily finished in tied ninth place with Martin Robertson after both finished on 54 (+20).

During the three month close-season Richard and Emily will be touring a number of other courses around the country, as well as practicing at the Crazy Golf course at Tea Green Golf at Wandon End, Luton. In 2010 they will be back in action, first of all competing in the BMGA National Open at Star City in Birmingham, and there are around 20 further events scheduled for the BMGA Tour.

Ends

Minigolf Course Visit No. 199(b) & 155.5 course played!

By visiting the Christmas-themed Minigolf course at Devonshire Square in London for the 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge competition I also hit somewhat of a 'milestone' on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour as it was Minigolf Course Visit 199(b) and the 155th (and a bit) course I've played since September 2006!



Back in May of this year I hit the '100 courses visited mark' at Pops Meadow Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Sea, and the next minigolf course we visit on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour will be number 200!

View other courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Link to a blog post about other Mini Golf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses in and around London.

2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge at Devonshire Square

Officially Unofficial Minigolf Report & Results of the 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge at Devonshire Square

On Thursday 10th December 2009 eleven of Great Britain’s finest minigolfers, along with a New Zealand Crazy Golfer, descended on the temporarily Christmas-themed Minigolf course at Devonshire Square in London to compete in the 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge.


The 2009 Christmas Crazy Golf Challenge competition took place over 17-holes and the event was won by Brad ‘The Fist’ Shepherd of the London Minigolf Club. Brad’s score of 41 (+7) was four shots clear of his nearest rivals, the duo of Nick 'Top Hole' Chitty and 'Stormin' Alan Norman who tied on 45 (+11) after the 17-holes of regulation play.

The tie could not be decided on holes-in-one either as both Alan and Nick had scored two Aces apiece. A sudden-death play-off would decide the winner, and it was reigning Kent Open Champion and Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club member Nick Chitty who claimed the runner-up spot at the second extra hole (The Ferris Wheel).

Photos below: Winner Brad Shepherd, Nick Chitty and Alan Norman receive their rosettes from 'Squire' Richard Gottfried.



4th place was also decided with a play-off, as Jon ‘The Stance’ Angel defeated Lionel ‘The Spoon’ Bender after both had tied on 47 (+13).

In 6th place was Luton’s ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried with a score of 48 (+14). London’s David ‘Man of Question’ Corkett was seventh on 52 (+18), Surrey’s Trevor ‘Trevino/Lord of Smeeth’ Robertson picked up another minigolf competition top-ten finish this year (following his 6th place in the MiniatureGolfer.com '9 Best' Crazy Golf Championships in October) with 8th spot.

Tied in 9th place and deciding against a play-off were Martin ‘Smashing’ Robertson and Emily ‘Coach’ Gottfried, who both scored 54 (+20). Reigning BMGA British Master Chris ‘Stretch’ Jones was 11th after hitting a 55 (+21).

Picking up the wooden spoon with a score of 58 (+24) was New Zealand’s Kelly Maaka, who was playing in only her fourth minigolf competition, following the New Malden Invitational, Motspur Park Classic and a Minigolf Doubles Match at the Jurassic Encounter back in March 2009.





View other courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Link to a blog post about other Mini Golf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses in and around London.