Crazy Golf at Fletchers Family Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Staffordshire

A visit to the Crazy Golf course at Fletchers Family Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Staffordshire.

On Thursday 18th April we visited Fletchers Family Golf Centre in Eccleshall, Staffordshire for a game on the Crazy Golf course there.

The Crazy Golf course at Fletchers Family Garden Centre was the 863rd we visited

The course had at one point been an 18-hole layout, but holes 4 to 7 were nowhere to be seen. It looks like they were removed and the area flattened. The scorecard still shows 18-holes, but the numbered holes leap from hole 3 to hole 8.

A look at the Crazy Golf course

The Crazy Golf has the look of a continental European Beton style concrete course to it, albeit with a felt surface and some additional Crazy Golf obstacle elements to it.

Hole 9 - which is now the 4th hole on the course

We had a fun round on the tricky layout and the result was a one-shot victory to me with a score of 47 to Emily's 48.

A nice tee-shot from Emily

Not the where you want to be on this type of hole!

Playing hole 11

Emily with a tricky second shot on hole 11

How do you get your ball ON TOP OF a loop-di-loop!?

Playing hole 13

Emily on hole 13

The longest hole on the course

Emily on hole 16

The Crazy Golf course at Fletchers Family Garden Centre in Eccleshall was the 505th played and 863rd we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Playing the hole 17

Photos of the Crazy Golf course:

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 3

Where holes 4, 5, 6 and 7 were

Hole 8 - now the 4th playable hole

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 8 - now the 4th

Hole 9

Hole 9

Hole 9

Hole 9

Hole 10 - the hardest hole on the course

Hole 10

Hole 10

Hole 11

Hole 11

Hole 11

Hole 11

Hole 12

Hole 12

Hole 13

Hole 13

Hole 14

Hole 14

Hole 15

Hole 15

Hole 15

Hole 15

Hole 16

Hole 16

Hole 16

Hole 17

Hole 17

Hole 18 - the only hole we managed to get a hole-in-one on

Hole 18

As a bonus we also got to have a ride on the Hilcote Miniature Railway at Fletchers Family Garden Centre. The excellent little railway is located next to the Crazy Golf course. We were really impressed with the layout.

Both the Crazy Golf and the Miniature Railway were £1.50 each, a bargain. We saw some pigs, ducks, Shetland ponies, rheas and a chicken during the journey.



Check out the Fletchers Family Garden Centre website for more information.

Fletchers Family Garden Centre is well worth a visit

Link:
- Fletchers Family Garden Centre

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Staffordshire
- Crazy Golf
- Miniature Railway

Crazy Golf in Felixstowe

A look at two minigolf courses in Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Fantasia Adventure Golf on Sea Road in Felixstowe

While visiting family in East Anglia last weekend we once again had a day out at Felixstowe - our most visited seaside.

We've been to Felixstowe a lot in the last 19 years!

While there we also swung by two of the first courses we ever played, which are also the two most visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The Magical Golf course (formerly Golf FX and Harry Putters) at Mannings Amusements was originally the 5th played on our travels, while the Fantasia Adventure Golf course on the seafront was the 6th played on our tour. We've now visited 865 courses.

Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe

Home to a Magical Golf course

The Crazy Golf course at Mannings is an indoor layout 

Hole 1 of the Fantasia Adventure Golf course

Hole 1 of the Fantasia Adventure Golf course

 

Hole 2 of the Fantasia Adventure Golf course

Hole 2 of the Fantasia Adventure Golf course

Hole 3 of the Fantasia Adventure Golf course

Hole 9 of the Fantasia Adventure Golf course

Related blog posts:
- Felixstowe
- Suffolk
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

The Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - the story so far

Our crazy golfing adventures began at Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Southsea back in September 2006. Since then we've visited hundreds of weird, wonderful and wacky courses.

Playing hole 18 at Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry

On Easter Sunday Teezers Retro Golf course in Coventry became the 865th course we've visited in the last thirteen years. We've travelled to 38 courses in eleven countries so it was the 827th we've been to in the British Isles.

At the first course we visited over the long weekend - at Fletcher's Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Staffordshire

The 18-hole indoor Crazy Golf course at Teezers Retro Golf opened last year and was the 507th course we've played to date. 358 of the courses we've visited have been unplayable for one reason or another, including flooding and dereliction, or they were closed as it was out-of-season at the time of our visit.

Playing the loop-di-loop on hole 12 at Teezers Retro Golf

When we began our quest there were 600 courses in the UK. We visited our 600th UK course at Goodrington Sands, Paignton, Devon in June 2015. There are now around 1,000 courses in the UK, with new courses opening all the time.

Playing the Miniature Golf course at Fletcher's Garden Centre before we had a ride on the Miniature Railway you can see in the background

Over the long weekend we also played the Crazy Golf course at Fletcher's Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Stafford and the new Smugglers Bay Adventure Golf course at Stonham Barns in Suffolk.

Emily at Smugglers Bay Adventure Golf course. The layout opened last year

Playing an elaborate hole at Stonham Barns

While visiting family in East Anglia we once again had a day out at Felixstowe - our most visited seaside. While there we also swung by two of the first courses we ever played, which are also the two most visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The Magical Golf course at Mannings Amusements was originally the 5th played on our travels, while the Fantasia Adventure Golf course on the seafront was the 6th played on our tour.

One of our most visited courses - Fantasia Adventure Golf on Sea Road in Felixstowe, Suffolk

We've visited 38 courses in eleven overseas countries:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Finland
- Hong Kong
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- USA

We've visited 827 courses in the British Isles:
- England
- Wales
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
- Jersey
- Isle of Man

You can see the full list of courses we've visited and played since September 2006 on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour blog. We've been to a lot of the courses more than once.

If you know of any courses we haven't visited yet do let us know in the comments.

New Adventure Golf course in Craigavon, Northern Ireland

Captain Green's Space Adventure Golf now open in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

Captain Green's Space Adventure Golf opened earlier this year and is home to two 18-hole indoor Adventure Golf courses.

We're looking forward to visiting Green's Space Adventure Golf on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We haven't been over to Northern Ireland for a while and need to re-ignite our minigolf rivalry with our friends and fellow minigolf enthusiasts Mark Swain and Craig McAllister.

Check out the Green's Space Adventure Golf website for more information.

Gloof - 100% gluten free in Soham, Cambridgeshire

Last Thursday we visited Gloof, the new 100% gluten free coffee shop in Soham, Cambridgeshire.

We'd heard about it online and were looking forward to our stop-off in the town while en route to Ipswich.

Look at that array of cakes. The empty spot at the front of the counter is where the sausage rolls were

We received a warm welcome and I was amazed by the selection of cakes and sweet treats on the counter. I also spotted sausage rolls and ordered one immediately.

A sign every Coeliac wants to see

We then sat down and had a look at the menu. It was superb to once again read that EVERYTHING is gluten free on the menu. As someone with Coeliac Disease I have struggled for years to find places that are 100% gluten free. Thankfully, the owner of Gloof is also a Coeliac so understands the risks and has ensured that the environment is free of cross-contamination.

We ordered a panini each - I went for Cheese & Ham, while Emily had the Mozzarella and Sun Dried Tomatoes one so we could share.

Luckily we arrived just before three other couples came in, creating a mid-afternoon rush.

All of the food looked great and the sausage rolls were proving popular, so popular that they actually ran out while we were there. Nice to see, but it did stop me from ordering a second one.

Sausage roll starter

The sausage roll arrived shortly after ordering and was served warm, with a sachet of ketchup. It's been so long since I've been able to eat something seemingly so simple for lunch. I might get to eat a sausage roll from M&S, but when I'm out and about I wouldn't be able to get a hot one. Little things like that can make a big difference and I really enjoyed this 'starter'.

Panini main

The paninis were up next and were really good. It's very rare that Emily and I get to have a lunch together where we both get to eat and it was especially nice to be able to share half of our paninis.

We still had room for dessert, so I had the double chocolate cake and Emily had a cheese scone. Both were excellent.

Double chocolate cake with a cake fork for dessert

Before leaving we also had a try of the lemon drizzle cake. It was delicious.

We both rate Gloof highly for the service, environment, range of food and general niceness. We're looking forward to our return visit already.

Check out Gloof for more information and opening times.

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten Free
- 100% gluten free places in the UK

100% gluten free places in the UK

As someone with Coeliac Disease it can be a nightmare finding somewhere that is 100% gluten free and safe for coeliacs.

While there do seem to be more and more places offering 'gluten free' options these days, there is still the risk of cross-contamination unless the place is 100% gluten free.

A very happy Coeliac on a recent gluten free day out in Leeds

Thankfully there are some superb 100% gluten free restaurants, tea rooms, pubs and takeaways that we've found on our travels, including The Oxford Place in Leeds and Gloof in Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Look at all those cakes at Gloof in Soham - they are all 100% gluten free

We also know about, but have yet to visit, 2 Oxford Place in York and Niche in London.

Luckily there is a gluten free deli opening up in Altrincham, Greater Manchester this Saturday. We're looking forward to checking out Off the Wheaten Track soon.

Do you know of any other 100% gluten free places in the UK? If so, do let me know in the comments.

Crazy Golf at Becketts Farm in Birmingham

That Funky Golf Place minigolf course now open at Becketts Farm in Birmingham.

There's a new 18-hole indoor minigolf course at Becketts Farm in Wythall, Birmingham. The course opened earlier this year. Another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

Find out more at That Funky Golf Place and Becketts Farm.

New Caddies Crazy Golf courses heading to Derby and Norwich

Two new Caddies Crazy Golf venues are opening soon in Derby and Norwich.

The indoor Crazy Golf boom is continuing as Caddies Crazy Golf will soon be opening up two new venues in Derby and Norwich.

Some of my cousins recently played at Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend-on-Sea and my cousin Claire sent me some snaps of the course.

Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend is home to two 9-hole indoor minigolf courses with a retro 70's theme. As well as the Crazy Golf, Caddies also has a bar and restaurant.

Check out the Caddies Crazy Golf course website for more information on the Southend course and the two new locations.

We're looking forward to playing at the three venues on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.