Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in Skegness

A revisit to the Arnold Palmer Putting courses on North Parade in Skegness.

At the Arnold Palmer Putting Course on the seafront in Skegness

In May 2011 we visited Skegness as part of a road trip along the Lincolnshire coast. In May 2015 we returned for some more fun and games in the seaside resort.

Playing the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness as part of our Minigolf Weekender

When we arrived on the Friday afternoon we had a wander along the seafront to see what had changed with the minigolf courses.

There are three courses at the Arnold Palmer layout - a 9-hole and an 18-hole Crazy Golf, plus an 18-hole grass Putting course 

This time we played the two Crazy Golf courses as part of the Skegness Minigolf Championship that took place on National Miniature Golf Day! We returned on the Sunday to play the grass Putting course.

  

Emily didn't manage to Ring the Bell

The courses were originally the 234th, 235th and 236th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

About to score an ace

The grass Putting course at the Arnold Palmer centre in Skegness

Arnold Palmer Putting Courses are my favourite type of Crazy Golf courses. There's a certain something about them that strikes a chord with me. I really enjoyed seeing the scorecards in use at the course too - they carry a lot of minigolf history!

Of the Arnold Palmer Putting courses listed on the reverse of the scorecard we've visited Camber Sands (now demolished), Mablethorpe (now Pirate themed), Southend (one of the two courses still exists and is in good condition), Tynemouth (demolished), Cleethorpes, Canvey Island (9 of the original 18-holes remain), Great Yarmouth (the courses have been amended since our last visit), Hastings (home of the World Crazy Golf Championships) and Margate (the two courses were in the Cliftonville area but were part demolished in 2014)

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Skegness
- Skegness Minigolf Championship 2015
- National Miniature Golf Day Tournament 2015
- Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness

Video:
- Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in Skegness

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Pirate Mini Golf at the Galleria Shopping Centre in Hatfield

Visiting the Pirate Adventure Golf course at the Galleria in Hatfield.

A view of the Pirate Mini Golf course from the gallery at the Galleria

On Tuesday 19 May I headed over to Hatfield, Hertfordshire to meet up with my old mate and Dodgeball rival 'Rowdy' Russell Fenner for a game of minigolf on the Pirate Adventure Golf course at the Galleria Outlet Shopping Centre.

There's a HUGE octopus/kraken on the minigolf course

Unfortunately the course was closed. We'd planned to have a round after work at 6pm, but the course was closed from 5.30pm.

Visiting the 599th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

It had been open when I first arrived. While the Galleria is open from 10am to 8pm on weekdays, the Pirate Adventure Golf course is only open 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays. Looking on the website it does state that the last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

There's a big shark on the course

The swimming shark on the Galleria's minigolf course!

The result of our contest was put down as a no-score draw.

Me and Rowdy Russell were unable to have a minigolf battle on the course

So no pirate treasure went to the winner

And the loser wasn't fed to the sharks

  

The course itself is an 'Eternit' type of miniature golf, with a felt surface

For more information on the Pirate Adventure Golf course and the Galleria shopping centre check out the links below.

The course was the 599th visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

In June 2014 we played a similar layout from the same group when the course was 12-holes.

Related blog posts:
- Indoor Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Course visit #560, course played #336
- Sharks
- Eternit

Links:
- Pirate Mini Golf website
- The Galleria Outlet Shopping centre website

Indoor Mini Golf at the Lost World Adventure Park in Skegness

Visiting an abandoned theme park and derelict crazy golf in Skegness.

Visiting another abandoned minigolf course

On Sunday 10 May 2015 we visited the Lost World Adventure Park on North Parade in Skegness. Unfortunately it'd closed down. The Lost World had been home to an indoor Jungle 3D Glow-in-the-Dark Mini Golf course.

One of the remaining indications that the Lost World Adventure Park was home to a minigolf course

Through the fence you could see one of the dinosaurs and a caveman 'golfer'

The course location was the 598th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

A view of the Lost World Adventure Park from the car park beside it

Luckily there are many other miniature golf courses to play in Skegness.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Skegness
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses

Link:

- Lost World Adventure Park on Facebook

New Free From Cakes at Tesco

I noticed that Tesco has some new gluten and wheat free cakes in the Free From section!

Tesco's Free From range now includes Chocolate and Madeira Celebration Cakes

I'm looking forward to an occasion to try them out.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Tesco Free From
- Coeliac UK

The America Ground in Hastings

Finding out about the America Ground in Hastings.

'The America Ground' painting on Robertson Passage by Jon Cole, Susan Elliott, Pete Thompsett and Benjamin Gough

I've been visiting Hastings, East Sussex since 2007 and spend quite a few days a year playing Crazy Golf there. On my most recent trip for the British Minigolf Championships I stayed in a hotel on the seafront in the old Victorian Town Centre for a change. While walking back on Friday evening I noticed a big painting and a plaque on Robertson Passage with some very interesting history on the area!

'The America Ground' plaque on Robertson Passage in Hastings

The area - formed as a new piece of land after storms hit Hastings in 1287 - was out of the control of Hastings Borough and in 1822 had become home to around 1,000 people. In defiance of action by Hastings Borough to collect taxes and rent, the residents of the area declared themselves independent from Hastings and the 24th US State!

You can read more on the roots of the America Ground on the America Ground Hastings website.

Links:
- America Ground Hastings

Related blog posts:
- Hastings
- Plaque-ing Interesting
- The Piece of Cheese Cottage in Hastings

Jolly Roger Adventure Golf in Skegness

A revisit to the Jolly Roger Adventure Golf courses in Skegness.

On Friday 8 May 2015 we revisited the Jolly Roger Adventure Golf courses on the Grand Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire.

The Skull Trail and Treasure Trail courses at the Jolly Roger Adventure Golf were the 237th and 238th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in May 2011. During our visit this time it was good to see the course still proving popular with visitors to the town.

For more photos of the course check out the blog post from our previous visit.

The layout is of a similar design and build of the Treasure Island courses in Southsea - where our tour of the UK's courses began back in September 2006.

Related blog posts:
- Jolly Roger Adventure Golf in Skegness (Skull & Treasure Trails)
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Skegness

BMGA British Minigolf Championships 2015

Minigolf report from the BMGA British Championships in Hastings

On the 16th and 17th May Leagrave minigolfer Richard Gottfried competed in the BMGA British Minigolf Championships on the 18-hole Pirate Adventure Golf course on Hastings seafront.

Richard finished in tied 15th place in the 34-player field having scored rounds of 34, 30, 32, 31, 36, 32, 33, 33 and 33 for a total of 294(-30). In the General Class contest Richard finished in 8th place of 15 players.

Richard said “I’m pleased to have scored par or better in each of the nine-rounds and I made a lot of holes-in-one which was nice.”

Minigolfer Richard Gottfried playing hole 12 of the Pirate Golf course in Hastings

The BMGA British Championships was won by Oxford's Michael Smith with a score of 253(-71).

In Friday’s Midlands Minigolf Club Doubles contest Richard and team-mate Ruth Burke were runners-up to John Moore and Brenda Smith, with the pair scoring a combined 66 to finish one-shot behind the winners.

For the second year in a row Richard was the winner of the British Championship Hole-in-One Challenge shootout.

Later this season Richard and Emily Gottfried will be competing in the Splash Point Open in Worthing and the World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings.

Seagulls at Hastings Adventure Golf

It didn't take long for the seagulls of Hastings to make a home on the roof of the new advertising trailer at Hastings Adventure Golf!

Hastings Adventure Golf is the home of the major tournaments... and a lot of seagulls!

One of the perils of playing minigolf at the seaside are seagulls. If they're not pooing on you or the course, they're after your chips and in the case of some players even their balls!



Hastings Adventure Golf was hosting the BMGA British Minigolf Championships on the Pirate Golf course. Next month the minigolf complex plays host to the WMF World Adventure Golf Masters tournament, while in October the World Crazy Golf Championships take place on the Arnold Palmer course.

Links:
- Hastings Adventure Golf website
- Hastings Adventure Golf on Facebook
- Hastings Adventure Golf on Twitter

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Hastings
- Seagulls
- Perils of the Seaside #1 - The Seagull
- Seagull Sullies Minigolf Scorecard in Hastings
- Worthing's Splash Point Mini Golf Course Becomes a Temporary Seagull-Free Zone!

Gluteen free?

While in Hastings for the British Minigolf Championships some of my friends and minigolf rivals kindly let me know that Trattoria Italiana on Pelham Crescent on the seafront had gluten free options.

When I went for a look I noticed a funny typo on the menu board!

Gluteen free!

My friend Marion spotted it too. She also asked if Gluteen was some sort of sub-category in the world of Coeliac Disease?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley and so appears in a lot of food and drink. If people with Coeliac Disease ingest gluten it causes the body's immune system reacts by damaging the lining of the small intestine. For more information about Coeliac Disease visit the Coeliac UK website.

I often see Gluten spelled 'Gluton'.

Last week was Coeliac Awareness Week in the UK, while this week it's Coeliac Awareness Week in New Zealand. The whole of May is Celiac Awareness Month in the USA and Canada.

During Coeliac Awareness Week I was once again minigolfing gluten free. Last year I played in the BMGA British Minigolf Championships at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent. Check out my blog about the experience.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Coeliac UK

National Miniature Golf Day Tournament 2015

Report from the 2015 National Miniature Golf Day Championship in Skegness.

Playing a classic Crazy Golf Windmill hole at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course on North Parade

The Saturday of our Skegness Seaside Weekender happened to be the same day as National Miniature Golf Day - so what better way to celebrate it than by playing five minigolf courses in the UK's top spot for the game.

Seth Thomas at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness

Skegness currently has 110 miniature golf holes spread over ten Crazy, Mini, Adventure, Putting and Pitch & Putt courses! The most of any town in the UK.

Having a round on the country's first-ever Crazy Golf course

Our competition to celebrate the day for minigolf saw us play the two Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf courses on North Parade, Pebble Beach Adventure Golf at the Pleasure Beach, England's first-ever Crazy Golf course on South Parade and the Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach.

Chris Jones teeing-off at the Gold Mine Adventure Golf at the Pleasure Beach

Results of the 2015 National Miniature Golf Day Championship:
1. Brad Shepherd = 102
2. Alan Norman = 103
3. Seth Thomas = 104
4. Richard Gottfried = 106
5. Emily Gottfried = 112
6. Chris Jones = 116
7. John Moore = DNS & DNF, but played 18-holes
8. Peter Jones = DNS & DNF, but played 12-holes

National Miniature Golf Day Champion Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd playing the Pebble Beach Adventure Golf course in Skegness

The National Miniature Golf Day Championship made-up four of the five rounds of the two-day Skegness Minigolf Championship that saw ten players take part.

National Miniature Golf Day is a quasi-official holiday that began in the USA. It takes place on the second Saturday in May each year.

If you missed National Miniature Golf Day this year don't worry. There's another 'Mini Golf Day' coming up - Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September, which this year falls on a Monday!

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Skegness

- Mini Golf Days
- Skegness Minigolf Championship 2015
- Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition

Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness

Report and results from the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness.

The competitors watch Alan 'Stormin' Norman play hole 2

On the last day of our holiday weekender in Skegness, Lincolnshire we visited the Arnold Palmer Putting Courses on North Parade to complete the two-day Skegness Minigolf Championship. The one-round played on the 18-hole Grass Putting course was also a chance to play the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition with local competitors Eric Huckle and Steven Huckle.

The Mini Golf players in Skegness, from l-r Steven Huckle, Richard Gottfried, Emily Gottfried, Eric Huckle, Alan Norman, Brad Shepherd, Seth Thomas, Chris Jones

Brad lining up a shot as Steve plays the previous hole

In September last year we competed in 'The Butler Cup' On The Buses Fan Club Crazy Golf Tournament on the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Minigolf course in Prestatyn, Wales, and we'd planned to meet-up with our friends from the fan club when next in Skegness. In the Prestatyn event Emily had won the 'Pro' category, with Eric winning the 'Am' title.

Emily teeing-off at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course

The results of the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition 2015 were:
1. Richard Gottfried = 42(+6)
2. Alan Norman = 45(+9)
2. Brad Shepherd = 45(+9)
4. Chris Jones = 46(+10)
4. Seth Thomas = 46(+10)
6. Emily Gottfried = 49(+13)
7. Eric Huckle = 58(+22)
8. Steven Huckle = 74(+38)

Alan playing hole 14

It was a great fun event on a marvellous minigolf Putting course. We're looking forward to visiting Skegness again in the future.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Skegness
- 'The Butler Cup' On The Buses Crazy Golf Tournament
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
- Skegness Minigolf Championship 2015 report

Link:

- On the Buses Fan Club

Gluten Free Week at M&S

It's great to see M&S celebrating 'Gluten Free Week' in the Luton Mall branch.

M&S's Gluten Free Week is running parallel to Coeliac Awareness Week - 11th to 17th May 2015

As I purchased so much of the gluten free 'Made Without Wheat' range (the gluten free beer was on offer and a chocolate loaf was reduced) the man serving me asked "What's the occasion?", so I told him about Coeliac Disease (albeit not ALL the gory details) and Coeliac Awareness Week.

Much of this gluten free beer, and one of those cakes, is now residing in my fridge and cupboard

Check out the Coeliac UK website for more information on Coeliac Disease. For Coeliac Awareness Week 2015 Coeliac UK is running a diagnosis campaign called 'Is it Coeliac Disease?'.

I'm a big fan of M&S and the gluten free food and drink they stock - not only in the Made Without Wheat section but across many of the other lines in store. More often than not I'll find something new they are doing that is gluten free, which makes shopping a treat not a chore.

The links below have more info on other Coeliac/Celiac days, weeks, and months - there are quite a few special days in May!

Related blog posts:

- Gluten free

- Coeliac
- M&S
- New Gluten Free Beer and Cakes at M&S
- Special May Days

Links:
- Marks & Spencer website
- Marks & Spencer Made Without Wheat page
- Link to a product list of M&S products that DO NOT contain GLUTEN
- Coeliac UK website
- Is it Coeliac Disease? online assessment from Coeliac UK
- The Mall Luton website