Thursday, July 10, 2014

New Gluten Free Beer and Cakes at M&S

New gluten free products - including beer and cakes - in the Made Without Range by Marks & Spencer.

Emily and I are big fans of Marks & Spencer as in the last few years they have added more and more products to the 'Made Without Wheat' range.

In addition to the special Made Without Wheat gluten free branded line, M&S has been making a lot of other items gluten free - such as the new BBQ and Grill range - which include our particular favourites of pulled pork and the cheese & chilli 'posh dogs'.

While having a browse in the Luton branch today I spotted there are now two new gluten free beers available!

Gluten Free beer at Marks and Spencer
The new Marks & Spencer beers - the Belgian Golden Ale on the left and the Belgian Premium Pilsner on the right.

I'm a big fan of beer, ale and lager and after my diagnosis with Coeliac Disease in 2008 following years of illness I received the additional hammer blow of being told that I wouldn't be able to have a pint of beer again.

Since then I have found that there are a number of gluten free tipples available and details of those beers I've found and drunk are available on my compilation blog post about Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers.

The Belgian Golden Ale and Belgian Premium Pilsner are brewed by Brouwerij De Brabandere in West Flanders, Belgium and have been specially brewed for Marks & Spencer.

The new M&S Ale and Pilsner both contain Barley and in the information on the bottle it says "Barley gluten is removed during the brewing process to leave a great tasting gluten free beer."

I bought a bottle of each beer. I haven't tried them yet, but I'm sure they'll get drunk over the weekend.

M&S have also recently started selling four new cakes. I spotted three of these in the Luton branch, while the Party Cake was spotted in the Ipswich store.

The Made Without Wheat Extremely Chocolatey Celebration Cake by M&S
The Made Without Wheat Extremely Chocolatey Celebration Cake by M&S. I bought one of these for our recent wedding anniversary.

The Made Without Wheat Extremely Chocolatey Celebration Cake was nice, I liked it more than Emily, but we both agreed the base of the cake was a little too dry. Not a bad amount of chocolate cake for the £10 price tag. I'd buy it again, and at least this time I'd have it all to myself.

The M&S Made Without Wheat Carrot & Walnut Cake and Coffee and Walnut Cake. I haven't tried these. Yet.
The M&S Made Without Wheat Carrot & Walnut Cake and Coffee and Walnut Cake. I haven't tried these. Yet.

The Marks and Spencer Made Without Wheat 'Party Cake'. I hope I get one of these on my next birthday.
The M&S Made Without Wheat 'Party Cake'. I hope I get one of these on my next birthday.

Check out the M&S website for details of the Made Without Wheat range and the other Gluten Free items they offer. I spotted some different cakes available there too!

Links:
- Marks & Spencer website
- Marks & Spencer Made Without Wheat page
Brouwerij De Brabandere
- Coeliac UK website

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free blog posts on The Ham & Egger Files
- Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers
- A blogger's gluten free sandwich
- Gluten Free Finds in London (and beyond) - October 2010

Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Playing FootGolf in Luton

Having a round of the new game of FootGolf at Luton's Stockwood Park.

On Monday 7th July I headed up to Stockwood Park in Luton to play my first round of the new sport of FootGolf. I'd been challenged to a match by my old Dodgeball rivals - the Welwyn Dowed Warriors.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
Playing FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton

I first heard about FootGolf last September and since then Luton has seen two courses open - at Stockwood Park Golf Centre and at Tea Green Golf.

A couple of weeks ago I saw how popular the game was as I had a round of Pitch & Putt on the Stockwood Mini Golf course.

The sport of FootGolf is played on a golf course, with player's aiming to get the football into the hole in as few shots as possible. The 'green' and hole itself is placed beside or beyond the regular golf's green to enable players of the two games to have a round at the same time.

Having paid for our round of 9-hole (£5.50 each, plus a £5 refundable deposit for each ball borrowed) we heaed out to the course. With the rules of the game read out from the very well designed FootGolf scorecard we were ready to get underway, with 'The Professional' kicking/teeing-off first.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
Paul 'Barer' Harvey readying himself for a tricky 'putt' on the 3rd hole - this one really got the better of most players (apart from 'The Professional' and Paul)

We had a great, fun round with plenty of banter and some wild shots. These were interspersed with some good use of the greens to play some nice angled shots. The shot of the match went to Paul who kicked a cracker to score a three on the par-5 121 yard sixth hole.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
Steve 'The Belly' Kelly pitches a shot across the edge of the golf green

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
Steve 'The Belly' Kelly chips out of the rough

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
Steve 'The Belly' Kelly in trouble again

The final results saw 'The Professional' win with par (34), notching up a two on hole five and a three on the ninth. In second on 36(+2) was Paul. I was third on 37(+3), with Steve edging out Rowdy Russell 39(+5) to 40(+6).

It was a good, open round and hopefully we'll all improve in our second game.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
Richard Gottfried 'putting' on the Stockwood Park FootGolf layout

We all agreed it was a fun game to play and we'll certainly be having another round soon. The Hertfordshire-based players are hoping to see a FootGolf course open up on their side of the border.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton, Bedfordshire
A new FootGolf sign will need to be added to the post at Stockwood Park

You can also play FootGolf on Tea Green Golf's new course at Wandon End, near Luton.

Check out the links below for the UK FootGolf Association and Stockwood Park Golf Centre for more details about playing the game.

FootGolf seems to be a fast growing sport, with new courses popping up all over the country.

Links:
- Stockwood Park Golf Centre
- UK FootGolf Association

Related blog posts:
- Observations of FootGolf
- FootGolf is heading to Luton!
- Stockwood Park-related Blog Posts
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Played #30 Luton (Stockwood Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt

Monday, July 07, 2014

A blogger's gluten free sandwich

Using Green's Gluten Free Dark Ale Mustard.

While at the 2014 Allergy and Free From Show I visited the Green's gluten free beers stand and as well as sampling a couple of the their beers I hadn't had in a while I was also given a special jar of Green's Dark Ale Mustard!

Green's gluten free Dark Ale Mustard
Green's gluten free Dark Ale Mustard

I asked for some suggestions on Twitter and Green's came back with ideas for Marks & Spencer gluten free sausages (a good idea as I like the M&S gluten free range), a scotch egg (another great idea, perhaps one from Hotch Potch Eggs who I met at the show), or any salad & ham (less of the salad, more of the ham!).

Fellow gluten free blogger Gemma at Coeliac and Me suggested said she'd be making some honey & mustard salad dressing. Sounds nice.

Emily cooks up some cracking gluten free food, a specialty of which is a great dish of honey and mustard crusted pork, which we'll use the Dark Ale Mustard for the next time.

In the interim and feeling hungry after a busy day I used the Green's mustard in a beef sandwich. Very tasty it was too.

A late lunch of a beef and ale mustard sandwich (made with Genius Gluten Free bread) and the obligatory Pom-Bear snacks on the side (these are the newish Zoo Friends variety and are 'really cheesy')
A late lunch of a beef and ale mustard sandwich (made with Genius Gluten Free bread) and the obligatory Pom-Bear snacks on the side (these are the newish Zoo Friends variety and are 'really cheesy')

The mustard is made by Cumberland Mustard using Green's Dark Ale.

Check out the Green's Gluten Free Beers website for details of the full range, stockists and how to order online.

Related blog posts:
- The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia
- Gluten Free Ales, Beers and Lagers

Link:
- Green's Gluten Free Beers

Latest BMGA minigolf matchplay rankings

Updated BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit ranking list published.

Neither Emily or I competed in the 2014 BMGA British Matchplay Championships played at the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course at Bluewater Park last weekend.

Following the event, won for a third-time by Kent's Sean 'Freebird' Homer, the British Minigolf Association has published an updated BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit ranking list.

Emily is ranked at 22nd of 53 players (52 places) on 900 points, while I am ranked at 43rd with 190 points. Emily has retained her position, while I moved down from 36th place.

Emily Gottfried playing at Bluewater's Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in December 2011
Emily Gottfried playing at Bluewater's Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in December 2011
Richard Gottfried playing at Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in December 2011
Richard Gottfried playing at Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in December 2011

For further information about the British Minigolf Association and BMGA Tournaments please visit the BMGA website.

Visit the Pirate Cove website for more details of the two 18-hole Adventure Golf courses at Bluewater.

In the BMGA Strokeplay Order of Merit I am currently ranked at 10th place of 85 places (138 players), with Emily at number 21.

Related blog posts:
- British Minigolf Association Ranking updates following the BMGA British Championships
- British Minigolf Association Tournament Calendar for 2014

Saturday, July 05, 2014

The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia

Visiting the Allergy and Free From Show at Olympia.

My haul of information and freebies from the Allergy and Free From Show
My haul of information and freebies from the Allergy and Free From Show

Today I visited day two of the three day Allergy and Free From Show at Olympia in London. The event had dozens of suppliers, thousands of free from products and tens of thousands of people with allergies, intolerances, sensitivities and autoimmune diseases, disorders and conditions (such as Coeliac Disease).

Among the thousands of 'free from' products at the event were many I hadn't seen or tasted before, such as those from Delicious Alchemy, Venice Bakery, Focaccia per Tutti and 1-2-3 Gluten Free.

The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia
The Allergy and Free From Show 2014 at Olympia

I spent a good four hours checking out the stands, finding out product information and sampling food and drink. It was great to see some of my favourite gluten and wheat free brands at the show, including Celia Lager, Honeyrose Bakery, Eskal Foods, Kabuto Noodles, and the event's headline sponsor Udi's Gluten Free.

Udi's Gluten Free are the headline sponsor of the event and I picked up three of their products I haven't tried yet
Udi's Gluten Free are the headline sponsor of the event and I picked up three of their products I haven't tried yet

I also really enjoyed speaking to a number of people who are really passionate about providing great quality (and interesting) food and drink for people with Coeliac Disease and getting info on their brands.

Visit the Allergy and Free From Show website for details on how to attend the third and final day.

The 2014 Allergy and Free From Show is co-locating with three other shows at Olympia and if you attend you can also visit the V Delicious, Love Natural Love Organic and The Back Pain Show.

If you can't make the final day of the 2014 London show then you can attend the Allergy and Free From Show North that is taking place on the 25th and 26th of October at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool.

Its going to take me a while to digest all the information from the event and I'll be writing more blog posts about my visit and all the great gluten & wheat free food and drink I tried and discovered at the show in the coming weeks.

I'm always keen to find out about gluten and wheat free brands that are suitable for people with Coeliac Disease so please do get in touch if you know of any, or are a producer/supplier.

Links:
- The Allergy and Free From Show
- Udi's Gluten Free
- Coeliac UK
- Gluten Free related blog posts on the Ham & Egger Files

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Windsor Adventure Golf

Playing the 18-hole Adventure Golf course at Alexandra Gardens in Windsor, Berkshire.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
The striking tower on the Adventure Golf course in Windsor, with the real Windsor Castle in the background

On Saturday 21st of June 2014 I revisited Windsor for the first time since May 2009. On our last visit we’d played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf courses in the park operated by Extreme Motion.

The old Miniature Golf course in Windsor
At the Extreme Motion Mini-Golf course in May 2009

Since that Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip the team at Extreme Motion has removed the flat concrete courses and replaced it with a larger 18-hole Adventure Golf course – notable for the castle tower, a nod to Windsor Castle itself.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
Hole 11 is the tower hole - a good hole-in-one opportunity if you hit the ball into the hole at the top of the hill. I scored a 3

The new course in Windsor was the 562nd visited and 338th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
Minigolf selfie at the Alexandra Gardens Adventure Golf course in Windsor

I had an enjoyable round on the pleasing to the eye and high quality course. The surroundings are pleasant and the course is in a good spot in the park.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
Windsor's Adventure Golf course

I shot a round of 37(+1), scoring two holes-in-one. A lot of the holes appeared to be very aceable. All in all it was a nice morning in the historic town.



I’m looking forward to heading back Windsor and the course again, with Emily this time. The course was very playable and is worth a visit and a play.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
A view of the Windsor Adventure Golf course from the other side of the battlements

It costs £5.50 per adult for an 18-hole round, with children (under-14's) and senior citizens charged £4.50 a round.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
When I arrived in Windsor I was an hour too early to play the Alexandra Gardens Adventure Golf course so I headed into the town for a few hours followed by a nice riverside stroll in the lovely weather before I had my round of Minigolf

The course itself and the equipment (balls and putters) are well maintained and you get a good quality scorecard to mark your round.

Windsor Adventure Golf course
The 18th hole

Extreme Motion in Windsor’s Alexandra Gardens is open from 10am everyday and as well as the Mini-Golf course there are a number of children's fairground rides available, along with a bungee trampoline, zorb balls and cycle hire. Plus ice creams and other refreshments from the kiosk on-site.

More photos of the Windsor Adventure Golf course are below:

Windsor Adventure Golf course

Windsor Adventure Golf course

Windsor Adventure Golf course

Windsor Adventure Golf course

Windsor Adventure Golf course

Windsor Adventure Golf course

Windsor Adventure Golf course
The 17th hole has a fairly large 'volcano' type of obstacle on it!

Windsor Adventure Golf course
A view of the volcano on hole 17

Links:
- Extreme Motion
- Video: Hole in One at Windsor Adventure Golf

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visits 98 & 99 - Alexandra Gardens, Windsor
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Observations of FootGolf

Watching some FootGolf at Stockwood Park Golf Centre in Luton.

FootGolf course at Stockwood Park in Luton
Players await their turn on the FootGolf course at Stockwood Park in Luton. Note the practice putting green in the foreground

During my semi-annual game of Pitch & Putt Mini Golf against my golfing nemesis Oxana Nikandrova at Stockwood Park Golf Centre in Luton I got to see the centre's new FootGolf set-up in action.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton
Hole 1 at Stockwood Park. The red flag is on the 'normal' green and is the target for Golfers/Pitch & Putters. The white flag to the right of the green is the FootGolf target. Some of the FootGolf holes were to the side of the Golf greens, and some were set behind the green itself

We'd gone to Stockwood Park to use the driving range and have a round on the Mini Golf and we noticed that the new FootGolf offering at the centre was being very well used. In fact, while we were there only three or so other groups played actual Golf on the Golf course, with at least 15 groups - ranging from pairs to groups of three, four and five players - playing the new sport on the combined 9-hole Mini Golf/FootGolf course.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton
The BIG FootGolf cup

I'm quite intrigued by Footgolf and I look forward to giving it a play on Luton's two courses (the first to open was at Tea Green Golf). Perhaps a mini 'friendly' tourney will take place with my Pitch & Putt rivals 'Rowdy' Russell Fenner and Simon 'Practice' Hall. I first heard about FootGolf in September 2013 while playing Minigolf at the 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Stonham Barns in Suffolk.

As the name suggests FootGolf is a mix of Football and Golf, with the game played on a Golf course, and players aiming to get the football into the hole in as few shots as possible. No special equipment is needed, well, other than a 'size 5' football.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton
A regular Golf ball next to a FootGolf cup

While at Stockwood Park we noticed a steady stream of players heading onto the Academy Golf course (aka the 9-hole Mini Golf / Pitch & Putt) to play FootGolf and there was a real mix of people having a round. By the look of it the quality of play was also as mixed as the players having a go! With some shooting very close to the specific FootGolf hole with their 'tee' shot, while other people were hoofing it up the fairway and some players - mostly(!) youngsters - dribbling the ball to the hole!

Having a read of the FootGolf rules on the scorecard I noticed that the maximum score on a FootGolf hole is 8, only one ball is allowed to be in motion at any one time, and that if a ball comes to rest on a green then the ball is to be moved to the nearest point off of the green, but no closer to the hole, as a free drop.

FootGolf at Stockwood Park in Luton
The 'tee' shot of one of the players in the group of four footgolfers behind us got their ball (a size 5 football) onto the 'actual' green, rather than near to the FootGolf hole, which is dug in beside the greens on the Golf course

It was interesting to see both Golf and FootGolf being played on the course at the same time. It seemed to work quite well, with no more bottlenecks than I've experienced on the Academy course before.

A 9-hole round of FootGolf at Stockwood Park Golf Centre costs £5.50 for adults, £5 for seniors, £4 for juniors (children under-16) and £14 for a family ticket (two adults & two children under-16).

At Tea Green Golf the cost for a weekday 9-hole round is £6, or £8.50 for 18-holes. A family midweek deal is £15.00 and juniors (under-16s) can play for £4.50. At weekends a round costs £8.50 for 9-holes and £11.00 for 18. Juniors can play for £5.50 and the family deal is £20. Details of the prices and booking info can be found on the Tea Green Golf website.

Check out the UK FootGolf Association website for more details about the sport, courses, competitions and other countries that play the game.

Both Stockwood Park Golf Centre and Tea Green Golf are hosting regular UK FootGolf Association tournaments. Get in touch with the respective courses for entry details.

The game of FootGolf seems to be growing rapidly and another Golf Centre we recently visited (to play a new Adventure Golf course) - Golf Kingdom in Romford - is building a new FootGolf course, due to open in July 2014.

In the round of Pitch & Putt against Oxana I scored 30(+3) with Oxana finishing on 50(+23). It was a good fun round, in lovely weather.

Links:
- Stockwood Park Golf Centre
- Tea Green Golf
- UK Footgolf Association

Related blog posts:
- FootGolf
- Stockwood Park-related Blog Posts
- Tea Green-related Blog Posts
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Played #30 Luton (Stockwood Park) - Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Vote for the Midlands Minigolf Club in the Mars Milk Play Fund

The Midlands Minigolf Club has entered the Mars Milk sport fund in order to help the club with its aims.

Check out the sports funding entry and vote for the MMGC on the Mars Milk Play Fund website at - Midlands Minigolf Club.

You can vote every month throughout the summer. Please feel free to share the link with friends, family, colleagues, and anyone else!

The bronze medal winning Midlands Minigolf Club A-team members at the 2013 BMGA British Minigolf Championships in Basingstoke, from l-r Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain, Jon 'The Black Knight' Drexler, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, John 'Uncle Al' Moore
The bronze medal winning Midlands Minigolf Club A-team members at the 2013 BMGA British Minigolf Championships in Basingstoke, from l-r Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain, Jon 'The Black Knight' Drexler, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried, John 'Uncle Al' Moore

Every month Mars Milk will be donating cash awards to sports individuals and clubs that are in need of extra funding.

The MMGC's main uses for any prize funding would be:
- To help existing members travel to tournaments and play more regularly. This will go towards travel costs, training time and competition entry fees.
- To pay for a tournament for new players to try and get more people to experience the joys of minigolf.
- To help pay for brand new team shirts.
- To purchase specialist minigolf balls for use by all players in the club.

The Midlands Minigolf Club consists of a small but dedicated group of individuals from around the UK and Northern Ireland (and one in the USA!) who love playing minigolf. Players travel all over the UK to compete in events on the British Minigolf Association Tour.

The MMGC was formed in 2005. Players have won a number of Minigolf titles and in 2008 the club was crowned BMGA British Club Champions when the Midlands I team triumphed at Stratford-upon-Avon. The club has competed in the national club championships on a number of occasions, results to date are below.

2013
- Midlands I 3rd of 9 teams.
- Midlands II 7th. 
Played at Basingstoke.

2012
- Midlands A 3rd of 12 teams.
- Midlands B 9th.
Played at Basingstoke.

2011
- Midlands 3rd of 7 teams.
Played at Dorridge

2010
- DNP

2009
- Midlands B 5th (tied) of 8 teams.
- Midlands A 7th.
Played at Sandbanks.

2008
- Midlands I 1st of 7 teams.
- Midlands II 5th.
- Midlands III 7th.
Played at Stratford-upon-Avon.

2007
- DNP

2006
- Midlands/North A 2nd of 7 teams.
- Midlands/North B 7th.
Played at Dorridge.

2005
- Midlands 2nd of 5 teams.
Played at Dorridge.

Links:
- Mars Milk
- Mars Milk on Twitter
- Mars Milk on Facebook
- Mars Milk Play Fund entry for the Midlands Minigolf Club

Funny things about being a Coeliac #8

Being scared of bread!

Well, bread and all manner of other seemingly 'normal' food.

Just ask Emily about the look of fear upon my face if a waiter or waitress brings over a basket of 'normal' bread in a restaurant - it's like a vampire being confronted with garlic!

Links:

Monday, June 16, 2014

UrbanCrazy Blog Post - The UrbanCrazy World Of Miniature Golf

Head on over to the UrbanCrazy website to read a guest blog post I put together for the team.

UrbanCrazy's Garden Mini Golf course in East Finchley, London is one of the courses I wrote about in my guest blog for the company
UrbanCrazy's Garden Mini Golf course in East Finchley, London is one of the courses I wrote about in my guest blog for the company 

UrbanCrazy is a UK based minigolf company that designs and build permanent miniature golf courses, provide portable layouts and more. Check out the links below for more details.

Links:
The UrbanCrazy World Of Miniature Golf article
- UrbanCrazy website
- UrbanCrazy blog
- UrbanCrazy on Twitter
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Sunday, June 15, 2014

World Alternative Games - Go West!

Details of the 'World Alternative Games Go West' sports events taking place in Whitland and St Clears in June and July 2014.

The World Alternative Games 2014 logo

The World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells were created in 2012 as an alternative to the 'other big event' taking place that year. In 2014 the World Alternative Games will be taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August with over 60 interesting sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games.

Competitors at the 2012 World Alternative Games Finger Jousting tournament
Competitors at the 2012 World Alternative Games Finger Jousting tournament

This year there will also be two 'World Alternative Games Go West' events taking place in St Clears and Whitland, Carmarthenshire, Wales on Saturday 21st of June and Sunday 27th of July respectively.

Poster for the Celtic Lowland Games and the St Clears World Alternative Games Go West event taking place on Saturday 21st of June 2014

One of the events taking place in the St Clears and Whitland Games (as well as the August main-event) will be Finger Jousting!

The World Alternative Games Go West events are being led by local volunteers and as well as Finger Jousting, sporting events on offer to participants in the St Clear's Games on the 21st of June will be Caber Tossing (using a fence post!), Bung the Boar, Baili Chase, Sandbag Quoits, Rock Paper Scissors, Tractor Crank, Dizzy Challenge and 'Sheepdog' Trial (a pairs event). It sounds excellent. Check out the St Clears Celtic Lowland Games Scorecard below for details of the event sponsors too.

Details of the World Alternative Games Go West event taking place in St Clears on the 21st of June 2014

The World Alternative Games Go West event in Whitland on the 27th of July will also feature Finger Jousting, Caber/Fence Post Tossing, Rock Paper Scissors, Quoits along with an Assault Course and the intriguingly named Bog Squatting! Details of the events and sponsors can be seen below.

Details of the World Alternative Games Go West event taking place in Whitland on the 27th of July 2014

People taking part in three or more events at a World Alternative Games Go West event will receive one of the prestigious World Alternative Games Corinthian Medals.

All World Alternative Games events are run with the Corinthian Spirit in mind, and while Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded to top placed competitors the most important thing is that visitors to Llanwrtyd Wells (and St Clears & Whitland) get as involved as possible in the fun and activities. Every participant in an event will receive one of the Corinthian Medals for taking part.

Egg Throwing medal winners at the 2012 World Alternative Games - Jas Kukielka, Richard Gottfried & Seve Kukielka
Egg Throwing medal winners at the 2012 World Alternative Games - Jas Kukielka, Richard Gottfried & Seve Kukielka

Later this summer, on Saturday 9th of August, the World Alternative Games at the Seaside event will take place at Pendine Sands in Carmarthen Bay.

Pendine Beach is well known for its association with speed sports and events, and the seaside Games will see such events as 'Land Speed Wife Pulling' (a variation of sorts of the Wife Carrying events Llanwrtyd Wells is famous for) and 'Human Hamsters' - a land zorbing race!

Emily and I visited Pendine Sands on our tour of the Welsh coast in 2009 and we played the 129th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour there. A nice seaside spot it was too.

The World Alternative Games is a mammoth feast of sporting events, ranging from fun and recreational activities to those at the elite, extreme and physical ends of the spectrum. In 2012 there were over 2,000 participants in 35 events, while this year will see 60+ contests and events! There really is something for everyone at the World Alternative Games.

We had a great time in Llanwrtyd Wells in 2012 running the Finger Jousting Championships and competing in the Egg Throwing and we can't wait to be a part of the 2014 World Alternative Games.

Further details about the World Alternative Games Go West can be found on the event Facebook page here and on page 11 of the 2014 World Alternative Games brochure here.

Check out the links below for more information about the events.

Links:
- World Alternative Games 2014 events list and dowloadable event brochure
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Alternative Games Go West on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation
- World Finger Jousting Federation on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- 2014 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- Becoming a World Champion in Egg Throwing!
- Finger Jousting to feature as a sport at the 2012 World Alternative Games!

A Crazy Golf Horror Movie

Kickstarter funding campaign for a new Horror film - about Crazy Golf! - goes live.

Director Chloe Philippou has got in touch to let me know about her new short film project to produce a Crazy Golf horror movie!

Poster for Crazy Golf - a film by Chloe Philippou. Poster by Mike Smith
Poster for Crazy Golf - a film by Chloe Philippou. Poster by Mike Smith

The proposed Crazy Golf film combines two of those British seaside favourites - Miniature Golf and Amusement Arcades!

Check out the Kickstarter page for the Crazy Golf Horror Movie to find out more about the film, see a video introduction to the project and ways you can get involved.

The film project has a £2,000 goal and backing for the film closes on Thursday 10th of July 2014.

There are a number of pledge incentives ranging in price from £5 to £1,000 offering a range of rewards, from thank you's, copies of the script and storyboards, DVDs of the movie and even the chance to be in the film!

Chloe and her team are looking for the funding to help pay for costumes, props and make-up effects, locations, crew equipment and expenses.

It sounds like a fun project and features three of my favourite things - Crazy Golf, Arcades (especially the 2p machines) and horror!

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished film.

Links:
Crazy Golf Horror Movie on Kickstarter
Crazy Golf Horror Movie on Facebook
Crazy Golf Horror Movie on Twitter
#crazygolffilm