Minigolf in Letchworth Garden City

Playing the 9-hole Mini Golf course in Letchworth Garden City’s Garden Square Shopping Centre's ‘seaside experience’.

The Mini Golf course at Letchworth Beside The Seaside

While in Letchworth Garden City on Friday 30th of August I walked through the Garden Square Shopping Centre and noticed some red flags in the distance and was surprised and excited to see they were part of a Minigolf course set-up as part of the shopping centre’s ‘Letchworth Beside The Seaside’ event!

The Mini Golf and Games course gets the thumbs-up from me

The 9-hole Swedish Felt type of Mini Golf had been in Letchworth for the week and would be closing at 5pm on the very day I happened to be there!

Hole 1 - the loop-di-loop

A round of Crazy Golf was a reasonable £2.50 to play so I headed out for a round with the gaze of the shoppers on me as I attempted to have a good round on the tough type of Miniature Golf course.

A view of the obstacle on hole 3, hole 7 in the middle and hole 8 in the distance

The layout was of the smaller, more portable type of Swedish Felt but still had some very tough obstacles and fiendishly small holes to putt into.

Hole 4 of the nice and bright Minigolf course in Letchworth Garden City

I started with some OK twos, but hit a four at the third. However I recovered and hit a nice ace on the seventh to a ripple of applause from some of the shoppers enjoying the lovely sunny day and taking a break on the benches near the course. I also aced the ninth to score a total of 20(+2).

Hole 7 - a hole I hit a sweet ace on, even if I do say so myself

After my round I had a chat to John from Mini Golf and Games who has been setting up the course at a number of events over the summer. The course is available for hire and more details can be found on the Mini Golf and Games website.

The course was well laid out, with a nice consistent playing surface and with felt in very good condition. It was well worth a play and with a second round played on the same day half price it’s worth challenging yourself to beat your previous score. I tried, but failed to best my 20 and even though I started well with an ace on the first (a loop-di-loop obstacle – a nemesis of mine) I could only manage a 20 again, as I hit a three on the last.

Hole 9 required a shot that was nicely played and slightly angled to the right to score the ace. Or a wall shot rebound

I’m looking forward to playing the Mini Golf and Games course in future and it’ll be nice to have a challenge match against Emily on it.

The Letchworth public enjoying a round of Minigolf on the course at the Garden Square Shopping Centre

The course was the 321st played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006 and the 536th visited overall. Interestingly the 535th course visited was also a Swedish Felt variety and the last new course played was also fairly close to home as it was in Bedford.

I also learned a bit of Swedish while playing the course as the scorecard had the line "Högsta antal slag per hål: 7" luckily I didn't score a seven while playing the tricky layout!

Back on the 29th September 2007 I played a Putting Green course in Letchworth Garden City – it was the 38th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour – unfortunately it’s no longer there.

Links:

- Mini Golf and Games

- Garden Square Shopping Centre

- Shop Letchworth / Love Letchworth

Related Blog Posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Letchworth-related blog posts

- From the Archives - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit #38 Letchworth Garden City - Putting Course

- A Putting Green from 1943 in Letchworth Garden City

Not Playing Minigolf in Walton on the Naze

Rain Stops Play in Walton on the Naze, Essex.

On the 22nd of August Emily and I visited Walton on the Naze in Essex to play the Crazy Golf and Putting course in the town's Coronation Gardens in Bathhouse Meadow on Hall Lane.

Unfortunately, and following the theme of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour over the last seven years, the courses were closed. To be fair the weather was rainy and it wasn't the best of days, but only we could visit a seaside resort in the height of summer and not play a Minigolf course!

Closed due to the weather - another unplayable course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

We did have a good look at the 9-hole Crazy Golf course (it's a Swedish Felt variety of Miniature Golf) and the interesting looking 18-hole Putting course - it had some very thin lanes and greens that were raised at the back. 

Outside the Putting course in Walton on the Naze

The pair of courses became the 534th and 535th courses visited in total on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Hopefully one day we'll get to play the courses.

A view of the 'Swedish Felt' Crazy Golf course in Walton on the Naze

And another...

...and another...

...and one for luck.

The courses are open 11am to 5pm, seven days a week from the 20th of July until the 1st of September. The Crazy Golf course costs just £1 for adults (75p for juniors and seniors). The Putting is £2.50 for adults (£2 for juniors and seniors).

The price list for the Crazy Golf and Putting in Walton on the Naze

Back in May 2009 we visited Walton on the Naze and obviously missed the courses then!? We did however find and play the Hillbilly Shooting Shack on the pier and managed to visit and play a few of the other Essex Minigolf courses, including those at Dovercourt, Clacton on Sea (1 and 2) and Blake End, near Braintree.

Links:

- Coronation Gardens - Crazy Golf and Putting

Related Blog Posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

- Shooting Shacks - Walton on the Naze & Clacton

Perils of the Seaside #1 - The Seagull

The British Coast's Public Enemy Number One!

While enjoying a day out in the Essex seaside town of Walton on the Naze a MASSIVE Seagull came after me!

I wasn't even eating a bag of chips.

Related Blog Posts:
- Seagull Sullies Minigolf Scorecard in Hastings
- Worthing's Splash Point Mini Golf Course Becomes a Temporary Seagull-Free Zone!

A Round of Minigolf on Felixstowe's Fantasia Adventure Golf Course

Re-visiting the 7th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at Fantasia Adventure Golf in Felixstowe, Suffolk.

On the 20th of August Emily and I headed back to Felixstowe, Suffolk for a day out at the seaside.

Richard on hole 6 - Evil Eye

On what was a lovely sunny day we wandered past the 9-hole Fantasia Adventure Golf course on Sea Road and saw that the coast was clear for a nice 'relaxed' game of Minigolf.

Emily putting on hole 1 - The Puzzler

It's not often we're in Felixstowe in the summer, you're more likely to find us Putting away on the indoor Magical Golf course at Mannings Amusements just down the road, while it's raining/frosty/wintery outside.

Richard playing hole 2 - The Crab

The Fantasia Adventure Golf course was the 7th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour way back on the 26th of August 2007! 

In our one-round contest Emily quickly took the lead and also managed to ace the 4th hole! It's a tricky course to score holes-in-one on so it was a pleasing shot to see.

Emily on hole 3 - Twister

Unfortunately Emily came unstuck on the 8th and was terribly unfortunate to score a dreaded seven.

Emily putts out on Evil Eye

The final score saw me win with a score of 22 to Emily's 28.

The Adventure Golf course is always worth a play and costs £2.50 for adults and £2.00 for children. It's in very good condition and has had some new tee-off spots put in place since our last visit.

Another Humpty hole

Links:

- Review at Miniaturegolfer.com

Related Blog Posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Minigolf course re-visit - Felixstowe's Fantasia Adventure Golf

- Minigolf course re-visits 5, 6, 7 & 33 and a new build

- Minigolf in Felixstowe - Fantasia Golf - Plus Irregular Mini Golf Tour Result

More Gluten Free Black Pudding

Spotting another black pudding that is suitable for Coeliacs.

While shopping in Morrisons yesterday we spotted another brand of Black Pudding that is gluten free and suitable for Coeliacs - Clonakilty Black Pudding.

Check out the Clonakilty Black Pudding website, Facebook page, Twitter feed and their YouTube Channel where you can learn how to make a "Clonakilty Black Pudding Burger"!

Looking forward to having it for breakfast :-)

Related blog posts:

- More Gluten Free Black Pudding. And a Haggis!

- Gluten Free Sausages and Black Pudding from Shaw Meats/Cumbrian Salami Company

- Coeliac

- Gluten Free

Date of the 2013 UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships Announced!

2013 UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships to take place in London on the 23rd of November!

The date for the 2013 UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships has been announced! The big event will be taking place on Saturday 23rd of November.

Taking place at the Knights Templar Pub on Chancery Lane in London, the three hour UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships will see 250 competitors battle it out for the top prize of UK Champ, a trophy and £100 in prize money.

Emily and I have competed in a number of the Wacky Nation organised Rock Paper Scissors tournaments and always found them great fun. In the 2012 International Rock Paper Scissors Championships our team finished fourth, losing to Great Britain in the bronze medal match (we were San Marino).

Taking on football legend Neil 'Razor' Ruddock in a 2012 International Rock Paper Scissors 'friendly' match!

The reigning and defending UK RPS champion is Amy Rowe, who became the first woman to win a title that had previously been dominated by men hailing from Woking!

You can find out more about the 2013 event on the UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships and Wacky Nation websites.

Links:

- Wacky Nation

- 2013 UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships

- Rock Paper Scissors related blog posts

Revisiting the Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course

Replaying the 18-hole Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course in Dorset.

In early July we were back in Boscombe, Dorset for the first time in a few years. In 2009 we'd played the Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course at the BMGA British Doubles Championship.

At the time the course became the 108th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Photos of the 18-hole course (July 2013).

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 1

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 2

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 3

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 4

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 5

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 6

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 6 - the Pipe

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 6 - the Green

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 7

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 8

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 9

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 9 - the Green

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 10

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 11

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 12

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 13

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 14

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 15

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 16

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 17

Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf - Hole 18

Prior to this year's BMGA British Matchplay Championships Emily faced-off against her Cambridgeshire Mini Golf Club team-mate Seth 'Sethers' Thomas in the CMGC Matchplay Championship.

Emily Putting on hole 4

In game one Emily took the victory 1-up. Game two saw Seth take a 3&2 win while the decider saw Seth edge a 1-up victory to take the series win and the CMGC Matchplay Championship title.

Seth tackles hole 6

Local character Mick 'The Man' Gisbourne was also in residence at the Boscombe Chine Gardens course during the championship weekend and played against Emily and Seth in 'The Boscombe Jiggle' competition.

Seth leading the way in the three-player event

In the one-round contest Seth won with a round of 36(par), Emily was second with a 40(+4) and Mick The Man was third with a round of 48(+12).

Mick The Man has a tricky and long second shot coming up in 'The Boscombe Jiggle' contest

The Boscombe Mini Golf course is in a nice location and easily accessible (it's also a stop on the Bournemouth to Boscombe Land Train). Well worth a play if you're in the area.

The floral train at Boscombe Chine Gardens Mini Golf course in Dorset

Emily was third in the 2013 BMGA British Matchplay Championships and fellow Minigolfer Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd was keen to inspect her winnings after the competition!

Stop! Thief!

Related Blog Posts:

- Minigolf Course Visit No. 108 - Boscombe Chine Gardens

- Crazy world of Minigolf Tour

Links:

- Boscombe Chine Mini Golf

Crazy Golf, Putting and Pitch & Putt at Cafe Riva in Southbourne, Dorset

A re-visit to the Crazy Golf course at Cafe Riva in Southbourne, Dorset.

Crazy Golf at Cafe Riva in Southbourne

On our trip to the Dorset coast Emily and I had a wander to Southbourne to have a look at the updated Crazy Golf course.

The newly felted and refurbed Crazy Golf at Cafe Riva in Southbourne

Back in June 2009 we'd played the course (#109) and found it to be a poor Minigolf experience. The course was in a terrible shape.

Some of the old obstacles remain, like this BIG yellow thing

Happily it looks a lot better now and while we didn't have time to play it this time around I'm happy to report from our fellow Minigolf tourists Paul & Owen Johnson that it is much more fun to play now.

Cafe Riva now also has two other Miniature Golf courses on the site - a Putting course and a Pitch & Putt.

Putting, Crazy Golf, Pitch & Putt, Drinks and Ice Cream - a great seaside mix :-)

Southbourne's Pitch & Putt

Southbourne's Putting course

We've now visited a total of 533 Minigolf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

Related Blog Posts:

- Minigolf Course Visit No. 109 - Southbourne / Fisherman's Walk

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Links:

- Cafe Riva