Southwold Putting in Suffolk

A visit to Southwold Putting and Cafe on the Green.

You get a splendid view of the art deco pier from the course

While on a trip to East Anglia in May we swung by the seaside town of Southwold and were pleasantly surprised to see the Putting course there was open. On our last visit to Southwold in May 2009 we were two days too early to play it!

The course was the 478th played on our tour

The Southwold Putting & Cafe on the Green site has new operators and it looks a lot different to 2009.

A lovely spot for a nice sit down, or a game of minigolf. Or both

The Southwold Putting course was the 478th played and 811th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We're now up to 847 courses visited since September 2006.

The course was a good test of putting skill

I managed to score aces on the 7th and 11th holes. It's always nice to score holes-in-one on grass Putting courses

It was really nice to have a round on the Putting course at Southwold. I managed to shoot the low round of the week and qualify for the course's end-of-season tournament too! What a nice bonus.

The previous best had been a 45

The end-of-season competition is taking place on Sunday 28th October. Unfortunately I won't be able to compete in the two-round tournament this time. I'd love to give the course another go though. Fingers crossed the competitors get some unseasonably nice weather for the event next weekend.

Check out Southwold Putting & Cafe on the Green on Facebook for more info.

Related blog posts:
- Southwold
- Southwold Putting Green (2009)
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Southwold Putting & Cafe on the Green

Crazy Golf in Leysdown-on-Sea, Isle of Sheppey

A look at the Crazy Golf course in Leysdown-on-Sea, Isle of Sheppey.

Many thanks to our friend Simon Martin for sending over these snaps of the Crazy Golf in Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey. It's a new one for us to see!

The only miniature golf course we found on our visit to the Isle of Sheppey in 2014 was the Pitch & Putt at Barton's Point Coastal Park.

We'll have to swing by next time we're down that way.

Check out Simon's website, including the Mini Golf photography project he did a few years ago.

Related blog posts:
- Mini Golf by Simon Martin
- Simon Martin
- Isle of Sheppey
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Dragon's Lair Mini Golf in North Wildwood, New Jersey

A look at the Dragon's Lair Mini Golf course in North Wildwood, New Jersey, USA.

Many thanks to Adam Lueb for sending over these great photos from his visit to the Dragon's Lair Mini Golf course in North Wildwood New Jersey. Another course we'd love to visit!

It's interesting to see a glow in the dark medieval themed course. I bet my brother, and charter member of the Crazy World Minigolf Tour, Christopher would love to play the course too. He's really into knights and castles.

Check out the guest blog posts from Adam's visits to minigolf course at Funspot New Hampshire and Bermuda Fun Golf.

On Adam's trip to Bermuda he had to follow some green feet to another course!

Many thanks again to Adam for the snaps from Dragon's Lair. Do give him a follow on Instagram.

Check out the Dragon's Lair Mini Golf website for more information.

Bali Mini Golf in Indonesia

Photos from a course visit to Bali Mini Golf in Indonesia.

Charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Christopher Gottfried was recently on holiday in Bali, Indonesia and while there he swung by Bali Mini Golf and Luwak Coffee Garden!

Christopher at Bali Mini Golf

You can find minigolf courses - and interesting business combinations - around the world!

  

Since 2011 Christopher has now visited 23 courses on his own mini-Crazy World of Minigolf Tour! Details below:

1. Brighton - Crazy Golf
2. Paignton Pier - Crazy Golf
3. Herne Bay - Mini Golf
4. Great Yarmouth - Windmill Theatre Indoor Crazy Golf
5. Margate (Cliftonville) - Little Oasis Crazy Golf
6. Newquay - Mini Golf
7. Letoonia Golf Resort, Belek, Turkey - Minigolf
8. Mundesley - Adventure Island Golf
9. Ladram Bay - Crazy Golf
10. Majorca (Vista Alegre, Porto Cristo, Mallorca) - Minigolf
11. Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy - Minigolf
12. Gorleston-on-Sea (Pop's Meadow) - Crazy Golf
13. Amsterdam - GlowGolf
14. Remich, Luxembourg - Eternit Miniature Golf
15. Nittel, Germany - Minigolf
16. Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany - Beton Minigolf
17. Traben-Trarbach, Germany - Eternit Miniature Golf
18. Kobern-Gondorf, Germany - Abenteuergolf
19. Kobern-Gondorf, Germany - Eternit Miniature Golf
20. Bernkastel-Kues, Germany - Minigolf
21. Ville de Sète, France - Mini Golf - now a skatepark
22. Lac de la Cavayère, Carcassonne, France - Mini Golf - only open in July and August
23. Bali Mini Golf and Luwak Coffee Garden, Indonesia - Mini Golf

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Christopher Gottfried
- Guest Blog Posts

Link:
- Bali Mini Golf

Hitting another milestone on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

We've recently had a cracking weekend away and visited seven new minigolf courses, playing six of them as one had closed down.

Our mini-roadtrip took us to Newcastle Upon Tyne, Hartlepool, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Skelton-in-Cleveland and Seaton Carew.

We've now been to 846 courses overall, 808 in the British Isles and played 500 of them.

At Saltburn Minigolf course

The latest additions to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visited list are:

• 495 (840) Newcastle (Lane7) - Mini Golf
• 496 (841) Newcastle (Mr Mulligan's Space Golf) - Inventors Hangar
• 497 (842) Newcastle (Mr Mulligan's Space Golf) - Lunar Crash
• 498 (843) Newcastle (Mr Mulligan's Space Golf) - Cosmic Storm
• 499 (844) Saltburn-by-the-Sea - Saltburn Minigolf
• 500 course played (845th visited overall and the 807th we've been to in the British Isles) Skelton-in-Cleveland - Holey Molies Miniature Golf
• 846 Seaton Carew (The Golf Dome) - Golf Trail Mini Golf - closed down

More photos and videos to follow here on the blog and on our social media accounts.

Mario mini market in Levenshulme

Spotting Super Mario at a European food store in Levenshulme, Manchester.

While having a wander along the Stockport Road in Levenshulme we spotted Super Mario on the sign for a mini market!

In August we spotted Mario's takeway in Blackpool. That place also had Luigi on the window.

Related blog posts:
- Bootleg
- Mario
- Super Mario

12 years of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

This Sunday marks 12 years since we began our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour down on the south coast of England at Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea, Hampshire.

At Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea on the tenth anniversary of our tour

At the end of the round on the Victory Trail Adventure Golf course I fired the cannon on the Lucky Last Hole to win a FREE GAME and our minigolf travels have rolled on since then. How different would our lives have been if I'd missed my shot on the final hole?

Adding another FREE GAME card to my collection

We last played the course on the 30th September 2016 and I won another FREE GAME. I also won a FREE GAME when we revisited the course on the fifth anniversary of our tour on the 30th September 2011. Incredibly I won again on the 7th August 2015!

Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea

I've never used the prize vouchers - instead they are safely deposited in the Crazy Golf Museum.

The infamous FREE GAME PASS!

Since 2006 we've visited a total of 846 miniature golf courses in the UK and overseas. 38 of the courses have been overseas, with 808 of them in the British Isles.

We've certainly logged some miles and spent some dough on our pursuit!

While we've been able to play a lot of the courses multiple times, some of those locations we've visited have been closed, derelict or abandoned. As of last weekend we've played a total of 500 different courses, with number 500 being the unique indoor miniature golf course at Holey Molies in Skelton-in-Cleveland.

Playing at Holey Molies Miniature Golf

When our travels began on the 30th September 2006 there were approximately 600 courses in the UK. That number has skyrocketed and the figure is now closer to the 1,000 mark. A phenomenal number, especially when you consider how many courses have closed in the last decade too.

The game is experiencing a real boom, with a range of unique and interesting minigolf layouts opening up. From Crazy Golf bars, to jungle-themed Adventure Golf courses, to traditional seaside courses and classic putting greens there is a rich variety of courses to play.

Earlier this year we had a crazy 42-hours in Sweden where we were able to visit nine courses, including our 800th overall - at Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm.

At Swing by Golfbaren in Stockholm

Since that trip in February it's amazing to think we've reached the 846 mark!

We're looking forward to the next 12 years and beyond. It won't be long until we hit the magical 1,000 courses visited milestone either.

Check out our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses for links to the places we've been.

Treetop Adventure Golf at The Printworks in Manchester

A visit to the new indoor Treetop Adventure Golf course at The Printworks in Manchester.

On Thursday 6th September we visited the new Treetop Adventure Golf venue at The Printworks in Manchester city centre. It's a superb setting.

The Tropical Trail Adventure Golf course, #800 on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour travels

The visit to the brilliant courses also made a new piece of minigolf history as they were the 799th and 800th courses we've visited in the British Isles, bringing our total to 838 courses visited since September 2006.

We really liked the big features on the course,

The first Treetop Adventure Golf location opened in Cardiff in 2015 and like that site the new Manchester location features two 18-hole courses.

I really liked the snake on the 17th hole

The venue has excellent theming and very playable holes. It's not an easy layout and that's a good thing. You can plan your shots to get some skillful holes-in-one.

Although neither of us managed to score an ace on the Lucky Last Hole

The Lucky Last Hole

In our first game on the Ancient Explorer course Emily stormed to victory with a round of 37 to my 40, scoring three holes-in-one in the process.

The Rules

Emily on her way to victory

There are some really tricky greens on the course

In our second game, played on the Tropical Trail course I managed to win with a score of 37 to Emily's 45.

The Rules

A big tree that plays a part in three of the holes

You really have to see hole 8 of the Tropical Trail course in real life in order to get a sense of how difficult it is!

I was as happy as this tree with my win on the Tropical Trail

Emily won the Aces Championship, shooting five in total compared to my three.

The theming and attention to detail at the course is excellent

We're looking forward to a return visit to see if we can reach the top of the leader-board.

Simi, the Treetop mascot

Treetop Golf is a high quality venue and well worth a visit

The team at Treetop Adventure Golf are also opening a course at the Highcross Shopping Centre in Leicester. We're looking forward to playing there on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when it opens in 2019.

Related blog posts:
- Treetop Adventure Golf
- Indoor Adventure Golf
- Manchester

Links:
- Treetop Adventure Golf website
- The Printworks website

Happy Miniature Golf Day

Today is Miniature Golf Day 2018!

Happy Miniature Golf Day. Where will you be playing a game (or two) of minigolf today?

Each year there are two quasi-official annual 'days' to celebrate the game. The second of these awareness days is Miniature Golf Day and it's ALWAYS on the 21st of September.

We played the Crazy Golf course at Rhos Fynach in Rhos on Sea on Miniature Golf Day last year

The Crazy Golf at the Rhos Fynach in Rhos on Sea became the 462nd played and 781st visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

After this particular Miniature Golf Day the next is National Miniature Golf Day. That 'minigolf day' falls on the second Saturday in May. In 2019 it'll be on Saturday 11th May.

Related blog posts:

- Miniature Golf Day

- Key minigolf dates for the year ahead

It's a year since the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championships

Looking back at the Grand Final of the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championships on Sky Sports Golf.

Peter Jones and I competed in the tournament held at The Belfry Hotel & Resort on the 8th September 2017, with the event shown on Sky Sports Golf in November last year.

The minigolf tournament was part of the Family Championship episode as shown on Sky Sports Golf last November. The National Adventure Golf Championships can be seen from 26m 55s.

Peter in action on the 3rd hole in the semi-final

We had qualified for the Grand Final after winning the Welsh qualifying tournament in Wrexham in April.

Playing hole 3 in the final

The American Golf Championship Tour Season Review programme can also be watched on the American Golf YouTube Channel with the Adventure Golf event at 31m 33s.

A pre-final interview with Gemma Care from Sky Sports

Links:
- American Golf Finals 2017 - Family Golf and Adventure Golf Championships
- American Golf

Related blog posts:
- American Golf
- The American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final
- Ryder Legends Mini Golf at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield