Minigolf in Stratford-upon-Avon

A revisit to Stratford-upon-Avon's minigolf course.

Minigolf in Stratford-upon-Avon

While on holiday in the midlands this week Emily made a return trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and the 18-hole Minigolf course at the Recreation Ground on Swan's Nest Lane.

  

The minigolf course can be found in the Recreation Ground on Swan's Nest Lane in Stratford-upon-Avon

The course was originally the 49th visited and played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2008. We've visited the course to play in a number of competitions including the British Doubles, Midlands Open, Midlands Invitational and the English Open. It's one of the finest courses in the country and a real skill-based course. Well worth a visit.

At the 2008 Midlands Invitational Tournament

On the course during the 2009 Midlands Invitational Tournament

In action at the 2010 Midlands Open

A view of the Stratford-upon-Avon minigolf course in 2015

Check out the Stratford Minigolf course website for more information, opening times and prices.

Upon first seeing the course it appears to be quite flat, but on closer inspection you'll find there are so many subtle lumps, bumps and obstacles it makes for a really testing round

The course was recently the setting for the MMGC Midlands Masters tournament organised by the Midlands Minigolf Club - the reigning, and two-time, BMGA British Club Champions.

Along with my MMGC team-mates Chris Harding, John Moore and Jam Trubridge the club won the national title for the first time when the Stratford course hosted the event in 2008.

Check out the links to videos from the closing stages of a 'friendly' Minigolf Doubles Match between me & Kevin Moseley and Jam Trubridge & Peter Jones played after the 2009 Midlands Invitational Tournament.

Videos:
- Minigolf Doubles Match in Stratford Upon Avon - part 1 of 2
- Minigolf Doubles Match in Stratford Upon Avon - part 2 of 2 

Related blog post:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:
- Stratford Minigolf website
- Midlands Minigolf Club on Facebook

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Crazy Golf in Goodrington Sands

A visit to our 600th minigolf course in the UK!

Having visited 21 courses overseas the 600th course visited in the UK was the 18-hole Beton-style Concrete Mini Golf course at Goodrington Park in Goodrington Sands, Paignton, Devon on Thursday 4th June 2015.

Visiting our 600th course in the UK

The courses is known as Quaywest Crazy Golf and from the scorecard is operated by Goodtime Leisure. It certainly lived up to its name as we had a good time playing the course and a pleasant and leisurely round of Crazy Golf.

Always pleasing to see a Mini Golf course open

The course became the 370th played since our tour began on the 30th September 2006 and was the seventh played on our tour of the South West of England.

Playing the Goodrington Sands course

Emily in action

About to putt in for a nice two from a tricky spot

We had great weather on our trip to the English Riviera

A nice two

Emily tapping in on a long hole

Hole 2 onwards

A view of the course

The 12th

The course is in a very nice setting in Goodrington Park

  

The pleasing 17th hole

A round of Crazy Golf on the layout costs £4 for adults and in our match-up I won with a score of 39 to Emily's 42. It was very pleasing for us both to score aces on the 17th hole.

The Goodrington Sands Mini Golf Champion

While having a wander around Paignton it was great to see the course on a postcard - and you could get 12 for £1! I had to buy some for my collection and to post out.

Overall the 600th course visited on our tour was on Sunday 31st May at the Jurassic Golf course at Santa-Fe Adventure Park in Swanage, Dorset.

Visiting and playing miniature golf courses came about from our love of travelling around the UK. We began going to different seasides when we got our first car in 2006 and after a trip to Southsea, Hampshire we found the MiniatureGolfer website where there were around 600 minigolf courses listed around the UK. Since then we've tried to play as many as we can.

A view of the nice seaside resort of Goodrington Sands

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Mini Golf in the South West of England

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

Seaside Shields museum exhibition

This summer South Shields Museum & Art Gallery is going back in time to look at all the fun of yesteryear's seaside with the Seaside Shields exhibition.

Crazy Golf is a classic part of seaside heritage and it's good to see that the game is being featured as part of the exhibition as a Putterfingers Portable Crazy Golf course will be at the museum on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th August for the Seaside Shields Golf Championship.

We've visited South Shields on our coastal travels and back in 2009 the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course became the 100th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golfing in South Shields

Emily revisited South Shields in 2012 and had another round on the course.

Over the years we've also played a few Putterfingers minigolf courses on our tour.

Seaside Shields runs until the 31st October 2015. For more information check out the South Shields Museum & Art Gallery website and minigolf event page.

In 2011 Stevenage Museum ran an exhibition on British Holiday Camps. That also featured Crazy Golf.

Don't forget to check out The Crazy Golf Museum website and on Twitter for more on the history of miniature golf.

Links:
- South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
- Putterfingers
- Crazy Golf Museum
- Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Related blog posts:
- Gottfried's Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Minigolf Course Played No. 100!!!
- Revisit & Replay of Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in South Shields
- "Morning Campers!" A British Holiday Camp Exhibition at Stevenage Museum - with Crazy Golf!
- Museum
- Putterfingers

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

Crazy Golf at The Imperial Hotel in Torquay

Playing the Crazy Golf course at The Imperial Hotel in Torquay, Devon.

The 617th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the Crazy Golf at the hotel we stayed at in Torquay. Prior to our arrival we didn't know there was a course there.

The Mini Golf course on the balcony. Handily quite near the bar too

A nice bonus on our holiday.

Emily on the second hole

The 9-hole layout was the 18th found, and sixth played on our tour of the South West of England, and the 369th played overall on our tour.

Playing hole 1

In our match on the 3rd June 2015 Emily scored 20 for the win. I scored 21.

Emily playing the balcony course

Emily winning

Photos of the 9-hole Crazy Golf course.

You can find The Imperial Hotel on Park Hill Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 2DG. Check out the hotel website for more information.

Aceing the 7th

We played a similar looking course at the Brockhole Lake District Visitor Centre on a road-trip in 2012.

Emily playing the Brockhole course

The same obstacle in Torquay

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Mini Golf in the South West of England
- Hotel

Link:
- The Imperial Hotel, Torquay website

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

Updated WMF World Minigolf Rankings

Latest World Minigolf Sport Rankings Published.

The World Minigolf Sport Federation has released the latest editions of the World Minigolf Ranking Lists.

Emily and I are both ranked in the General Class lists (dated 1st March 2015).

The Great Britain 3 Team of John Moore, Emily Gottfried, Richard Gottfried and Craig Patterson at the 2013 WMF World Adventure Golf Masters in Hastings. The team finished in 5th place

In the Women's World Ranking List Emily is in tied 110th place (116 players) together with Erika Benke (HUN), Ana Lopes (POR), Tänia Monteiro (POR), Phuthita Puhsombatsak (THA), Kinga Szekretar (HUN) and Erika Takashima (JPN).

Emily on her way to a British Women's Record Round of 24(-12) on the Eternit format of Miniature Golf at the WMF Nations Cup in 2011

In the Men's World Ranking List I am in tied 409th place (420 players) alongside Takaya Asao (JPN), Mislav Bjazic (CRO), Jose Ferreira (POR), Hiroyuki Honda (JPN), Arton Krasniqi (KOS) Pawel Larus (POL), Tiger (Alex) Pragnell (GBR), Jawaharlal Purohit (IND), Craig Small (GBR) and Georgij Srebren (CRO).

Playing the Beton Minigolf course in Stockholm, Sweden at the WMF Nations Cup in 2011

In the General Class Nation Rankings Great Britain is 16th of 29 countries. Germany, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic make up the top five.

The Great Britain Minigolf Sport Team is sponsored by UrbanCrazy, suppliers of permanent and portable mini and crazy golf courses.

The World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) is the umbrella organisation of Minigolf sports association's worldwide and continental associations in Asia, Europe and America.

There are more than 38,000 competitive minigolf players registered with the WMF via the 47 member nations, with 900-plus clubs between them. Over 1,000 courses are approved for official competitions and around 1,500 minigolf tournaments held each year.

The WMF is a member of SportAccord - the union for both Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations, and organisers of international sporting events. The WMF is also a member of AIMS, the Alliance of Independent Members of SportAccord.

The WMF has members in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Chinese Taipai, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and the USA.

There are further registrar members whose affiliations are in progress in Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Togo, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Visit the WMF website, Facebook page and Twitter for more info.

Check out my blog post about UK Mini Golf Competitions in 2015 and the WMF website for details of international competitions.

Links:
- World Minigolf Sport Federation
- European Minigolf Sport Federation
- British Minigolf Association
- UrbanCrazy
- SportAccord
- Alliance of Independent Members of SportAccord (AIMS)

WMF Ranking Lists:
- General Class
- Youth
- Senior

Related blog posts:
- World Minigolf Sport Rankings
- UK Mini Golf Competitions in 2015

Player profiles
- Miniature Golf Player Profile for Richard Gottfried
- Miniature Golf Player Profile for Emily Gottfried

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

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is now on Facebook too

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook.

We've started a Facebook page to share our blogging and adventures around the UK's mini, crazy and adventure golf courses.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour page.

Playing the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Skegness, Lincolnshire. Course #234 on our tour

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- List of courses visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Teignmouth Adventure Golf

Playing the Adventure Golf course on Teignmouth Sea Front.

The 616th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the dinosaur Adventure Golf course at The Den in Teignmouth, Devon.

A BIG minigolf dinosaur

The 12-hole Adventure Golf layout was the fifth played on our tour of the South West of England and the 368th played overall on our tour.

Visiting the 616th course on our tour

On the Adventure Golf course in Teignmouth

   

Tapping in a putt

Some of the holes on the course are really long

A minigolf crocodile, or alligator

Emily Putting on the island

  

An additional seagull obstacle on the course

In our match on the 3rd June 2015 Emily scored 45 and I scored 32 to take the win.

Teignmouth is also home to The Street With No Name!?

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Mini Golf in the South West of England

Link:
- The Den, Teignmouth web page

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