On Monday 28th November 2011 we headed north to visit the 12-hole Crazy Golf course at Stokesley Golf Range in Stokesley, Middlesbrough. The course became the 277th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
The Crazy Golf course is in very good condition and has some tricky obstacles, notably the Windmill, Volcano and the 12th! It costs £3.75 a round for adults, but for an extra quid you can have a second round, which is nice. The course is very playable, so £4.75 for 24-holes is not bad at all.
Photos of the 12-hole Crazy Golf course, including Sponsors Boards at each hole (a very good bit of business).
The 9th hole is incredibly long and twisty, see the video below for the best view of it!
Photos from play during the Stokesley (NO/NIT) Classic Minigolf Tournament played at the course between 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried and John 'Thighs' Moore.
Stokesley Golf Range is another visitor attraction that you can find if you follow the brown signs...
On Saturday 26th November Emily competed in the first-ever Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club Invitational Tournament and finished in fourth place with a score of 79(+7).
Photo: The Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club team from l-r Brenda Smith, James Rutherford (Captain), Oliver Florence, Emily Gottfried
The three-round tournament was won by Cambridge’s James Rutherford. Oliver Florence was runner-up. Brenda Smith was third.
The Green MGC Invitational Tournament
On Saturday 26th November Richard competed in the first-ever Green Minigolf Club Invitational Tournament and finished in fourth place with a score of 75(+3).
The competition was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith, with Chris Smith runner-up and Seth Thomas of Wandsworth third.
The BMGA British Club Championships
In the BMGA British Club Championships on Sunday 27th November Richard played for the Midlands Minigolf Club and he and this three team mates finished the event in third place.
Photo: The Midlands Minigolf Club A-Team from l-r Richard Gottfried, Jam Trubridge (front), Chris Harding (Captain), Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson
Emily and her Cambridgeshire Minigolf Club team were fifth in the seven team event, which featured teams from five of the BMGA’s Minigolf Clubs.
In the first group match Richard and Emily’s teams faced-off, with the Midlands winning 4&3 in the 12-hole Matchplay Match. The Midlands Minigolf Club went on to defeat the Allstars team by two-holes, before losing to the Kent Hurricanes team 2&1. In the semi-finals the team lost to eventual champions, the Kent Spitfires, 2&1, before winning the 3rd/4th place play-off match against the Kent Hurricanes 3&2.
Following the defeat to the Midlands in their first match Cambridgeshire went on to lose against the Kent Hurricanes by one-hole. Following the opening two defeats the Cambridge Team went on to score wins against the Allstars 5&4, and 2&1 and beating the London Minigolf Club by one-hole in the 5th/6th place play-off match.
On Wednesday 23rd November 2011 I met up with old Dodgeball UK adversary 'Rowdy' Russell Fenner for a long-awaited rematch at the 18-hole Adventure Golf course at Watford TopGolf.
I've been visiting the course at TopGolf Watford since the 2nd of December 2006, when the course became the 8th ever played on me and Emily's Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. On this latest visit the first thing I noticed (after seeing the price increase to £6 a round) was the amount of changes and improvements that had been made to the course!
Photo: The 'Rocky Pines' Canoe beside the 2-hole practice Putting area
As well as new obstacles, the felt has been completely relaid so there are no patches or tears. Each hole has also had a sign put up and they all now carry names.
Photo: Hole 1 "Canoe Canyon"
In July 2010 I played the Watford Adventure Golf course three times and on each visit the course was different! The first of those visits on the 7th saw the course a little worn in places, but quite playable. On my visit on the 13th a lot of pieces of felt were missing!? Most noticeably on the tee-off areas! Instead of felt the area was bare concrete. On my visit on the 22nd the finishing touches had been made to the 'refurb', with new patches of felt over worn areas, aling with new tee-off areas of felt (which play incredibly slowly). But the course was in a sorry state and not much fun compared to how it had been.
So I was very pleased to see the improvements, both in the general look of the course and in the playability of it. Some new bunkers have been added, tricky rock obstacles put in place, and some of the holes have been extended and/or widened. To play the course now is very different indeed compared to 2010 and earlier this year.
Photo: Hole 2 "Ramp Rage"
Photo: A stone circle
Photo: The addition of two parallel planks add a new way to play your shots on this hole
Photo: Hole 7 "Pine Pass" has had an interesting change made to it. It used to be a great hole-in-one opportunity, however the rocks have been changed to block the path to the hole! A bit of practice and a nicely weighted shot could see Aces still drop, but it's not as easy as it used to be
Photo: Hole 13 "Cross Paths" has also been significantly changed with the addition of a third route to the hole. My shot made it to the smaller of the two entry points to the tunnel, but was slightly too strong a shot and lipped out when it reached the hole
Photo: 'Rowdy' Russell Fenner goes fishing for his ball on Hole 14
Photo: The dogleg left Hole 15 has also been changed to now include a ramp & tunnel in the corner. Using a very bouncy standard course (golf) ball meant that the shot into it was not ideal. However, using a good specialist minigolf deadball may see a better result
Photo: A view of the exit ramp on Hole 15
Photo: Hole 18 "Pipe Dream"
Photo: Hole 18 "Pipe Dream" - the central obstacle
Photo: Hole 18 "Pipe Dream" - the last hole and ball collector
Photo: Hole 18 "Pipe Dream" - a view of the exit ramp from the main obstacle
In our match-up I scored a 44(+8) including holes-in-one on the 5th and 9th holes. 'Rowdy' Russell had a poor round though and scored a disappointing 55(+19), far worse than he normally plays as he usually gives me a good run for my money!
The Watford TopGolf Game Centre is located at Bushey Mill Lane, Watford Herts, WD24 7AB and is very easy to find if you follow the many Brown Signs it has had put up in the surrounding area.
Photo: Just one of the many Brown Tourist Signs pointing potential visitors TopGolf's way
In order for 'Rowdy' Russell to attempt to gain a measure of revenge for his minigolf defeat we decided to have a game of Pool.
I broke.
And with my shot managed to pot the black in the middle left hand pocket. As well as potting a red in the top right hand corner pocket.
So 'Rowdy' left with a 'win'.
After our dismal performances in the Sportingbet.com UK RPS Championships last month we decided against having a Rock Paper Scissors contest to confirm an overall winner of the evening's activity and chose to call it a draw.
While at Loch Lomond in Scotland on Sunday 20th November I made a point of following a random Brown Tourist Sign (as recommended by Amanda of the excellent Follow The Brown Signs website) to the intriguingly named 'Maid of the Loch'.
Photo: I noticed that Brown Tourist Signs in Scotland feature a Thistle in a blue oval, rather than being plain brown with white text and/or images
I found out by having a look in the visitors leaflet for Loch Lomond that the Maid of the Loch was the last Paddle Steamer to be built in Great Britain.
Launched on the Loch in 1953 the ship is officially now an historic ship and was placed on the "Designated Vessels List" (which recognises ships of "substantial heritage merit with regional and local significance") in 2004.
Unfortunately on my visit the ship was not open for viewing as it is closed during the winter and will reopen at Easter 2012.
Loch Lomond also has a shopping centre, Sea Life centre, a couple of Minigolf courses (which I didn't get to play on this visit), restaurants, play area and on my visit there was a farmer's market too.
On my trip to Scotland last weekend we made a visit to Loch Lomond in Balloch, Dunbartonshire. While we were having a wander around my Minigolf-alert alarm went off again as I spotted a sign for a Crazy Golf course!
I was very pleased with my find, as I hadn't known a course was there before we visited.
Unfortunately when I enquired about playing the course at the newsagents that hires out the Putters and Balls I was told that the course had been taken up for the time being to make way for a Twister fairground ride!?
So, in a way it was good to have found another new Minigolf course, but it was unfortunate (but not entirely surprising considering my track record) of finding it to be unplayable on the day I visit!
I've added the two courses to our 'to visit' list for 2012.
While at the Loch Lomond shopping centre I had a look around the Antiques Centre and noticed on two old postcards that there was a Municipal Putting Course on the seafront at nearby Helensburgh in what looked to be the 1930's. After a web search I found that there is another Putting Green at Hermitage Park in Helensburgh.
While in Scotland last weekend I made a flying visit to the Erskine Bridge Hotel ahead of a social event taking place there next year.
While having a wander around my Minigolf-senses and radar were alerted to a patch of land and a sign - which happened to be the former location of a Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt course!
The sign had been covered over as the course is obviously not there/in use any more, but it had been a 9-hole layout.
Richard Gottfried runner-up in the 1st Annual Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt
Australia’s Allan Cox victorious in battle to win Putter King Title, Pat Sheridan of the USA third
Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried has finished as the runner-up in the Putter King’s international Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt. The two-month long competition ended in a draw on the 1st of November with Richard, 31, tied for first place with Australia’s Allan Cox, 50. The overall winner was decided on the 13th November as the votes cast for the best Minigolf Trick Shot submitted to the contest were counted, with Allan Cox winning with 212 votes to Richard’s 89.
The 1st Annual Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt took place on Miniature Golf courses worldwide and people were invited to track down and record items and achievements related to all forms of Minigolf.
Photo: Richard Gottfried & Putty, the Putter King Mascot
17 tasks were set, with some activities also carrying bonus points. Altogether Richard managed to complete 15 of the 17 tasks scoring a total of 820 points. The activities in the 2011 Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt had the players designing new holes, playing new courses, showing off their minigolf ball collections, (re)learning Maths & Physics (in a fun way) through the Putter King Education Programme, doing arts & crafts, autograph hunting, scoring holes-in-one, creating minigolf trick shots and a whole lot more!
In total, there were 1,370 available points. Allan Cox (AUS) won the competition with 960 total points. Richard Gottfried (UK) finished in second place with 900 total points and Patrick Sheridan (USA) finished in 3rd place with 585 total points.
Richard said “Congratulations to Allan Cox for winning the Putter King Miniature Scavenger Hunt with his great minigolf trick shot and many thanks to the Putter King team for organising such a brilliant contest, I dread to think what lengths they’ll have us going to in next year’s contest!”
Richard Gottfried is a British Minigolf Association (BMGA) Tour Pro, Great Britain International Minigolfer & a member of the 2008 BMGA British Club Champions – the Midlands Minigolf Club. He has also won the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open, Weymouth Open, and is a two-time Manchester Mini Major Champion. He and his wife/Coach/Opponent and sometimes team-mate Emily have played over 400 Crazy Golf and Minigolf courses on their Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. They are currently writing a book about their travels.
The Putter King has posted a Facebook Question asking for fans worldwide to vote on their favourite trick shot (mine or my rival Allan Cox's) and the contestant with the most votes as of Sunday, November 13th at 11:59 P.M. JST will be deemed the winner of the 1st Annual Putter King Scavenger Hunt.
Please vote for my video of a Blindfolded Minigolf Hole-in-One at the following link:
Votes needed to help Brit win Japanese Miniature Golf Competition
Luton’s Richard Gottfried tied with Australia’s Allan Cox in battle to win Putter King Title
Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried is looking for help in order to win an international Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt organised by the Putter King Minigolf franchise in Japan. The two-month long competition ended in a draw on the 1st of November with Richard, 31, tied for first place with Australia’s Allan Cox, 50. But a clear overall winner still needs to be decided, and your vote could count!
The 1st Annual Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt has been taking place on Miniature Golf courses worldwide and people were invited to track down and record items and achievements related to all forms of Minigolf.
In total 17 tasks were set, with some activities also carrying bonus points. Altogether Richard managed to complete 15 of the 17 tasks scoring a total of 820 points. The activities in the 2011 Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt have had the players designing new holes, playing new courses, showing off their minigolf ball collections, (re)learning Maths & Physics (in a fun way) through the Putter King Education Programme, doing arts & crafts, autograph hunting, scoring holes-in-one, creating minigolf trick shots and a whole lot more!
Photo: On the 24th and 25th October Richard built "PK Island" to complete Task 3 on the Putter King List - a full-size minigolf hole with a plateau and ramp obstacle. Photos - 1, 2, 3, 4. Videos - 1, 2
To decide the ultimate winner of the competition the Putter King has set one final task – ‘Get the most votes for your trick shot video.’
Richard filmed his minigolf trick shot, which involved him scoring a hole-in-one while wearing a Blindfold at Tea Green Golf Club, Wandon End, near Luton. You can find the two minigolf trick shots on the Putter King Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/putterking where you can also vote for the one you’d like to win.
Video: Richard scoring the Blindfolded Hole-in-One Minigolf Trick Shot at Tea Green Golf Club!
Richard said “The Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt has been a great event and it’s unbelievable that the final is so close. The Hunt has been a truly international competition and I never thought it’d come down to a battle between a Brit against an Aussie to win a Japanese Minigolf contest with an American in third place! We’re definitely Crazy Golfers with the lengths we’ve gone to win.”
USA Minigolf rival Pat Sheridan, of The Putting Penguin Minigolf Team was the bronze medallist in the Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt with a very impressive haul of 585 points. Rival finalist Allan Cox is a Putt Putt Minigolf Pro and plays for the Ermington Putters Club in Sydney, Australia.
Photo: Great Britain's Richard Gottfried with Putty, the Putter King Mascot!
Richard is a British Minigolf Association (BMGA) Tour Pro, Great Britain International Minigolfer & a member of the 2008 BMGA British Club Champions – the Midlands Minigolf Club. He has also won the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open, Weymouth Open, and is a two-time Manchester Mini Major Champion. He and his wife/Coach/Opponent and sometimes team-mate Emily have visited over 400 Crazy Golf and Minigolf courses on their Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. They are currently writing a book about their travels.
Photo: Emily Gottfried with the certificate for being the "Worst Bowler Ever"! Her scores of 80 and 96 weren't that bad!
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Results of the Worlds Crazy Air Hockey Championships 2011
In addition to the Worlds £2 Tat Challenge taking place at The Buttons on Saturday 29th October 2011, the venue also saw the Worlds Crazy Air Hockey Championships take place amongst a group of twelve Crazy Golfers, with a new champion guaranteed to be crowned following a no-show by 2010 Champ Kevin 'AWOL' Moseley!
In a thrilling final Wales' Peter 'The Puckmaster' Jones defeated England's Phil Exall 7-3 to take the title he's waited a whole year to get his hands on.
Photo: The 2011 Worlds Crazy Air Hockey Champion - Peter 'The Puckmaster' Jones
Full Results of the 2011 Worlds Crazy Air Hockey Championships
In round one results:
- Seth Thomas defeated Jam Trubridge 2-1
- Keith Kellard beat Chris Harding 4-3
- Pasi Aho (FIN) lost to Phil Exall 6-7
- Richard Gottfried and Alex Exall drew 4-4 - the match was decided by a best-of-three game of Rock Paper Scissors which Alex won 2-1
- Marc Chapman beat Scott Lancley 6-1
- Peter Jones, Denis Exall and Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson all received 'byes'
In round two results:
- Seth Thomas lost to Peter Jones 4-7 (with one minute to go)
- Keith Kellard bested Denis Exall 7-3
- Phil Exall beat Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson 7-5
- Alex Exall defeated Marc Chapman 6-3
In the first semi-final:
- Keith Kellard lost to Peter Jones 3-4
In the second semi-final:
- Alex Exall lost to Phil Exall 6-7
The final saw last year's defeated finalist Peter Jones facing-off against Phil Exall to decide the ultimate champion at the event, with Peter Jones coming out the winner with a 7-3 victory, with a minute still remaining on the clock!
Photo: Phil Exall versus Peter Jones in the final
You can watch the closing stages of the match here:
Photos from the event:
Photo: Father versus son as Phil Exall battles Alex Exall as the crowd looks on
Photo: Alex Exall versus Richard Gottfried in a rematch from 2010. Alex would once again get the better of Richard
Photo: Phil Exall squares off against International campaigner Pasi Aho of Finland, by way of Germany
Photo: Marc Chapman takes on rival and Undisputed International Worlds Crazy Air Squash Champion Scott Lancley
Photo: Seth Thomas plays Peter Jones
Photo: Seth Thomas continues to play Peter Jones
Photo: Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson and Phil Exall have a meeting of the paddles at the half-way line
Photo: Denis Exall faces-off against Keith 'Puck Boy' Kellard
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