Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands

Playing the Pirate Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park.

On our way to Hastings for the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships we decided to revisit the nearby seaside towns of Camber and Rye in East Sussex.

Having recently enjoyed our visit to the Prestatyn Sands Pontins Holiday Park in Wales we thought we'd check out the Camber Sands park as we'd heard it also had a Crazy Golf course.



The Crazy Golf course at Pontins Camber Sands became the 585th visited and 351st course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and it was great fun.

In our Minigolf match played over one 9-hole round on the Pirate Bay Adventure Golf course I defeated Emily with a score of 23 to 24.

Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park is open to day visitors and you can find out more about the Holiday Park, tickets, bookings and more on the Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park website.

While our stay at the Camber Sands Holiday Park was brief, it was good fun. Back in the early 90's my family had a holiday at the camp - I wonder if I played Crazy Golf on that trip...

There's a giant octopus in the reception area of the Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park! Great fun.

Earlier this month the Crazy Golf course at Pontins Prestatyn Sands became the 582nd visited and 348th played.

Links:
- Pontins
- Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Park

Related blog posts:
- Pontins
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Prestatyn (Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Village) - Crazy Golf

Videos:
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 1 of 5 
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 2 of 5
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 3 of 5
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 4 of 5
- Crazy Golf at Pontins Camber Sands 5 of 5

World Crazy Golf Championships Report from Hastings

27th October 2014
Press Information
For Immediate Release

World Crazy Golf Championships Report

Emily records new career-best finish and wins aces title at World Championships.

Luton Minigolfers Emily and Richard Gottfried competed in the World Crazy Golf Championships played on the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Hastings, East Sussex on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October.

Emily playing the Windmill hole at the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

Emily continued her good form this season by finishing in a career best position of tied 26th in the World Crazy Golf Championships. Emily scored rounds of 37, 36, 38, 35, 41 and 37 for a total of 224(+8) and recorded nineteen holes-in-one to win ‘The Gommery’ trophy that was awarded for most aces in the tournament.

Emily with The Gommery trophy awarded for most-holes-in-one scored in the World Crazy Golf Championships

Richard scored rounds 39, 39, 36, 35, 39 and 37 for a total of 225(+9) to finish in 32nd position in the 62 player-field.

Emily playing hole 17 during the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

Emily said “This weekend has been a real mixed bag. I'm unbelievably pleased to finish in 26th place which is the best I've ever done at the World Crazies by a huge margin as my previous highest finish was 43rd in 2008! I'm also thrilled to pick up The Gommery for most competition Aces. However I had hoped to be the top placed female competitor at this tournament for the first time, but unfortunately I missed that target by two shots. I really enjoyed the weekend and look forward to playing again next year.”

Richard playing hole 2 during the Hole-in-One Charity Challenge at the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

Richard said “I didn’t score enough aces and shot too many threes to be in with a shout at the title this year. Great play by Emily though as she scored a lot of holes-in-one over the two-days.”

Richard playing hole 4 at the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

Chris Harding won the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships to become a three-time champion.

Ends

Bedfordshire gets a new County Flag

The county of Bedfordshire has a new officially recognised flag and a 'day' to follow.

Reading the Simply Sims column in a recent edition of the Luton News I saw that the county of Bedfordshire now has an officially recognised County Flag and plans are afoot to set a date for an annual 'Bedfordshire Day'.

On the 11 September 2014 The Flag Institute admitted the Bedfordshire Flag into the Register of County Flags.

The new county flag of Bedfordshire

Visit the Friends of Bedfordshire Society's website to read about why the flag looks like it does and what it means.

I look forward to seeing the flag flying and fluttering around the county and I'll be buying a pin badge version asap.

Links:
- The Friends of Bedfordshire Society
- The Luton News
- The Flag Institute
- Association of British Counties

Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm in Billington, Bedfordshire

Playing Crazy Golf on a visit to Mead Open Farm.

On Saturday 18th October we headed to Mead Open Farm for a morning of fun on the farm. And some Crazy Golf!

Emily putting on hole 2 of the Mead Open Farm Crazy Golf course

The course was the 350th we've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 584th visited overall.

Playing hole 9 of the Mead Open Farm Crazy Golf course

The 9-hole course at Mead Open Farm was the last of the 'local' courses for us to play in Bedfordshire and it was worth the wait. We first heard about the farm about thirteen years ago when there was a very catchy local radio advert for it. We were singing it to ourselves on the drive there!

Emily playing hole 1 of the Mead Open Farm Crazy Golf course

Play of the Crazy Golf course is included in the entry price and you can have as many goes as you like! Check out photos of the 'Swedish Felt B-run' style of miniature golf course below.

In our minigolf medal match-up played over two 9-hole rounds I defeated Emily with a score of 42(+6) to 46(+10).

Scoring a hole-in-one at Mead Open Farm

Check out the videos of Emily and me scoring some holes-in-one on the course.

There's lots to see and do at Mead Open Farm

We had a great time at Mead Open Farm, there was plenty to see and do (even for big kids like us).

Lots of sheep, lambs and rams at Mead Open Farm

Crazy Goats!

A bull and a cow

Richard and a funny looking alpaca

As the 18 October was the first-day of the farm's special Halloween Freaky Fortnight there were ghoulish fun activities too.

Emily doesn't look too happy before we headed into 'The Dark'. I wasn't happy afterwards!

Getting a high-five off of a giant inflatable pumpkin witch

Check out the Mead Open Farm website for more information, opening times, prices, events and activities.

In my element

On the 18 October last year I played at the Putt in the Park Minigolf course in Wandsworth, London, and in 2012 I played the Woolly Golf course in Covent Garden.

Links:
- Mead Open Farm
- Mead Open Farm on Facebook
- Mead Open Farm on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Farm
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Video links:
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 1 of 9 - Emily scores an Ace
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 2 of 9 - Richard Aces hole 1
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 3 of 9 - Richard Aces hole 3
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 4 of 9 - Richard Aces hole 6
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 5 of 9 - Richard Aces hole 7
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 6 of 9 - Richard Aces hole 8
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 7 of 9 - Close 2 on hole 5
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 8 of 9 - Close 2 on hole 8
- Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm 9 of 9 - Emily plays hole 8 & course view

Mini Golf in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote

Crazy Golf course spotted in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote, Spain.

My sister-in-law Jo was recently on holiday in Lanzarote and spotted this coulourful Mini Golf course by the beach in Puerto del Carmen.

Check out MiniatureGolfer.com's list of Minigolf courses in Spain.

Spain is also one of the newest members of the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF).

Related blog posts:
- Jo Tubby
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Latest national ranking lists from the British Minigolf Association

National ranking list updates from the British Minigolf Association.

The official rankings have been updated following the 2014 BMGA English Open held at The Lost City Adventure Golf course in Nottingham.

Richard Gottfried playing at The Lost City Adventure Golf in Nottingham

Richard Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit for the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 12th of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 11th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 7th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 10th of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Splash Point Open - 11th of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Midlands Open - 10th of 86 places (140 players)
- Following the BMGA Players Championship and BMGA British Open - 8th of 88 places (142 players)
- Following the BMGA English Open - 8th of 91 places (147 players)

Emily Gottfried playing on the Temple Trail course at The Lost City Adventure Golf in Nottingham

Emily Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit for the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 42nd of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 34th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 26th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 21st of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Splash Point Open - 21st of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Midlands Open - 21st of 86 places (140 players)
- Following the BMGA Players Championship and BMGA British Open - 26th of 88 places (142 players)
- Following the BMGA English Open - 26th of 91 places (147 players)

In the BMGA Season Only Rankings for 2014 I am 20th of 65 players, Emily is in 21st place.

In the BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit Rankings Emily is in tied 20th place of 55 players, I am in 38th position.

We are both ranked in the World Minigolf Sport Federation's General Class ranking lists. In the women's rankings Emily is in tied 120th position of 128 places (132 players). In the men's rankings I am ranked in tied 397th place of 413 places (419 players).

Links:
- British Minigolf Association (BMGA)
- BMGA on Facebook
- BMGA on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Report from The Lost City Adventure Golf in Nottingham
- World Minigolf Rankings for 2014
- Rankings
- Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile
- Emily Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile