Crazy World of Minigolf Tour update - 883 courses visited

We're now up to 883 minigolf course visits on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Before heading off on our latest minigolf road-trip last Friday morning we'd visited 865 courses overall (827 in the British Isles and 38 overseas) and had played 507 of them.

Our first stop was at Bridgemere Garden World in Nantwich and the Jurassic Golf course there

Our road-trip to Southampton saw us visit 18 more courses, playing eight of them. We've now visited 883 courses overall and played 515 of them.

Courses visited on our recent trip to Southampton and back:
508 (866) Nantwich (Wyevale Bridgemere Garden Centre) - Jurassic Golf Bridgemere
509 (867) Worcester (Ravenmeadow Golf Centre) - Jungle Safari Adventure Golf

Putting at the jungle-themed course in Worcester

868 Worcester (Ravenmeadow Golf Centre) - Pitch and Putt
869 Witney (The Leys Recreation Ground) - Adventure Golf
870 Southampton (Southampton City Golf Course) - Putting Green
871 Southampton (Southampton City Golf Course) - Putting Green
872 Southampton (The Outdoor Sports Centre) - Eternit Miniature Golf / Crazy Golf
510 (873) Lymington (Lymington Golf Centre) - New Forest Adventure Golf

Emily in action at the Surrey Invitational Tournament, this year it was held in Hampshire!

874 Lymington (Macdonald Elmers Court Hotel & Resort) - Putting Course
511 (875) Hamptworth (Hamptworth Golf Club) - Crazy Putting Challenge

The Crazy Putting Challenge at Hamptworth Golf Club was a pleasure to play

876 Hamptworth Hamptworth Golf Club) - Putting Green
877 Romsey (Romsey Rapids Sports Complex) - Adventure Golf
878 Hedge End, Southampton (Hedge End Golf Centre) - Viking Valley Mighty Adventures Adventure Golf - opens on 18th May 2019
512 (879) Netley, Southampton (Royal Victoria Country Park) - Crazy Golf

We found one Humpty obstacle on this trip

880 Weston Shore, Southampton - Weston Shore Pitch and Putt at the On the Water Cafe
513 (881) Southampton (East Park) - Mini Golf

The Mini Golf course at East Park in Southampton was very tricky

514 (882) Andover (Riverside Bowl) - Glo-Golf

The Glo-Golf course in Andover was the only indoor course visited on this trip

515 (883) Sherfield on Lodden (Wyevale Garden Centre) - Tidal Bay Crazy Adventure Golf

The final course on our BIG minigolf road-trip was a Crazy Adventure Golf layout

Like our last minigolfing road-trip this one also began with a stop-off at a garden centre in Staffordshire to play minigolf. In fact, this trip saw us top and tail our journey by playing courses at two Wyevale Garden Centres!

This time last year we reached 815 course visits after a Bank Holiday weekend away in Suffolk.

When our travels began in 2006 there were around 600 courses in the UK. We're now nearing the next BIG minigolf milestone of 900 courses visited. Where will it be...?

Jurassic Golf at Bridgemere Garden Centre in Nantwich

Playing the Jurassic Golf course at the Wyevale Bridgemere Garden Centre in Nantwich, Cheshire - the 866th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Hole-in-One on Humpty - Crazy Golf at Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley

Scoring a Crazy Golf hole-in-one on Humpty at the Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, Southampton - the 879th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Hole-in-One - Crazy Golf at Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley

Crazy Golf at the Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, Southampton - the 879th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

 

National Miniature Golf Day 2019

Not long to go until National Miniature Golf Day 2019.

The first of the years Miniature Golf Days is this Saturday.

National Miniature Golf Day falls on the second Saturday in May, this year that's Saturday 11th May.

Where will you be playing this year?

Playing on the Jurassic Adventure Golf course at the Wyevale Bridgemere Garden Centre in Nantwich

For some ideas and inspiration check out our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour blog post to see the 880+ courses we've visited on our travels since 2006.

Each year there are two annual 'days' to celebrate the game. The first is National Miniature Golf Day, while the second of these awareness days is Miniature Golf Day on the 21st of September.

Minigolf report from the Surrey Invitational Tournament

David Hartley wins the 2019 Surrey Invitational Minigolf Tournament.

The field of competitors at the 2019 Surrey Invitational Tournament

Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club member David Hartley was victorious in the 2019 Surrey Invitational Tournament played at the New Forest Adventure Golf course in Hampshire on Sunday 5th May.

The 2019 Surrey Invitational Tournament champion David Hartley

Eight players were in action over two rounds on the 18-hole New Forest Adventure Golf course at Lymington Golf Centre.

The competitors at the New Forest Adventure Golf course

The title race was incredibly close and required a sudden-death play-off to decide the winner as defending champion Oliver 'The Machine' Florence and David Hartley had tied with scores of 105 after 36-holes. Interim champion 'Squire' Richard Gottfried missed out on the play-off by one-shot and had to settle for third place.

New Surrey Invitational Tournament champion David Hartley in action

The play-off began on hole 10 and saw David hit a two, which Oliver couldn't match or beat, meaning David took the victory.

David Hartley looks on as Oliver plays his tee-shot in the sudden-death play-off

Speaking after his win, new Surrey Invitational Tournament champion David Hartley said "I’m absolutely chuffed to nine pence as I now have three trophies adorning my top shelf. Maz and I play for the enjoyment of the sport and for the friendship and camaraderie. Prizes and trophies don’t often come our way so when they do, it is very gratifying. It was a great tournament, with excellent colleagues, played on a beautiful, well designed and well maintained course."

Results:
1. David Hartley – 54 + 51 = 105*
2. Oliver Florence – 56 + 49 = 105
3. Richard Gottfried – 50 + 56 = 106
4. Dave Gomm – 58 + 52 = 110
5. Matt Dodd – 57 + 59 = 116
5. Emily Gottfried – 61 + 55 = 116
7. Marion Hartley – 59 + 60 = 119
8. Emily Dodd – 90 + DNF = DNF

* won play-off at first extra-hole

The New Forest Adventure Golf course is an incredibly tricky layout and holes-in-one are scarce. Three players managed to score an ace, with David Hartley getting an ace on hole 9 in round 1, Marion Hartley on hole 13 in round 1 and Oliver Florence on hole 4 in round 2. This meant a play-off was required to decide the event's Aces Champion.

Oliver Florence in action

All three players scored twos on hole 1, with Oliver's ball ending incredibly close to the hole. On hole 2 Marion shot a 4, David followed with a 3 and Oliver couldn't match or beat the 3, which meant that David won the Aces title and trophy to go with his overall championship at the event.

The Surrey Invitational Tournament trophy and Aces crystal ball

Surrey Invitational Tournament Roll of Honour:
2019 – David Hartley
2016 – Oliver Florence
2014 – Matt Dodd

New Surrey Invitational Tournament Champion David Hartley and former winners Matt Dodd and Oliver Florence

Each round winner of the Surrey Invitational Tournament gets to lift the trophy, but only the overall winner gets to keep it until the next staging of the event.

Interim champion after round 1 - Richard Gottfried

Interim champion after round 2 - Oliver Florence

Interim Champions:
2019 – Oliver 'The Machine' Florence at New Forest Adventure Golf in Lymington
2019 – 'Squire' Richard Gottfried at New Forest Adventure Golf in Lymington
2016 – Oliver 'The Machine' Florence at Stoke Park, Guildford
2016 – Steve 'F1' Gow at Woking Leisure Centre
2014 – 'Squire' Richard Gottfried at Horton Park Golf Club, Epsom
2014 – Oliver 'The Machine' Florence at Hoebridge Golf Centre, Woking

Photo gallery from the event:

The first shot of the S.I.T. by Richard Gottfried

Dave Gomm in action

Oliver Florence putting

Emily Gottfried playing hole 1

Matt Dodd playing the hardest hole on the course

A trip to the Isle of Wight

Marion Hartley teeing-off in the Aces championship play-off

As close to an ace as you could get on the first hole

Marion Hartley playing hole 2 in the Aces title play-off

Cheers - the off licence where everybody knows your name?

Having spotted the Cheers II pub in Worthing last month we noticed this Cheers off licence while down in Southampton.

The Cheers off licence in Woolston, Southampton

Dragon's Quest Mini Golf at Fontygary Leisure Park

New Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales.

I recently heard about the new Dragon's Quest Mini Golf at Fontygary Leisure Park from the team at Greenspan Projects.

The minigolf course at the caravan park is open to the public, with a round costing £7 for adults and £5.50 for children.

Fontygary Leisure Park is in Rhoose, Barry, Wales. My family used to holiday at Barry Island, but I've not been to Rhoose yet. We're looking forward to visiting Dragon's Quest Mini Golf on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf at Hedge End Golf Centre in Southampton

A visit to the new Adventure Golf course at Hedge End Golf Centre in Southampton.

The Adventure Begins at Hedge End. On the 18th of May

During our recent minigolf road-trip we visited Hedge End Golf Centre in Southampton as we'd been told via a comment on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Facebook Page that a new Adventure Golf course was being built there.

Fresh minigolf putters and balls in the Reception!

When we arrived we saw the T-Rex and a lot of BIG theming on the new course.

The T-Rex!

The Adventure Golf course at Hedge End Golf Centre will be one of three Mighty Adventures courses, the others being in Bournemouth, Dorset and Colchester, Essex.

A lot of the surprises on the course are still under wraps

The course is due to open on Saturday 18th May.

The entrance to the course

What looks to be a Viking longboat and a wrapped up dinosaur!

Check out the Mighty Adventures and Hedge End Golf Centre websites for more information.

Minigolf at Brooklands in Lancing

A look at the old minigolf course at Brooklands in Lancing.

There are only 7-holes still in place

Many thanks to our friend and minigolf rival Steve Lovell for sending over these snaps he took of the minigolf course Brooklands in Lancing, West Sussex.

The windmill obstacle is still there

It's always interesting to see courses - especially those that appear to have been forgotten or abandoned!

It took a few looks to figure out that this obstacle is a train. At least, that's what I think it is

We've tried visiting Brooklands Pleasure Park on our trips to Worthing over the years, but we always got there too late to have a game.

The Smallest Pub on the Planet at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Revisiting The Signal Box Inn - the Smallest Pub on the Planet.

Last May we had a brilliant weekend away in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. It was our second visit to the seaside town, having previously stayed there on our Lincolnshire coast road-trip in May 2011.

The Signal Box Inn

We stayed in the Premier Inn over the road from the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway and as soon as we arrived we called in to The Signal Box Inn - the Smallest Pub on the Planet.

The Games Mezzanine at The Signal Box Inn

The Games area includes a Miniature Golf course too

Check out the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway website for more info on the railway and the pub.

Lakeside Station at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Where's the engine?

A little shunter

Awaiting the return leg of our journey at Cleethorpes Kingsway station

The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing ebook

Marking two years since the publication of my marketing ebook.

Time certainly flies when you're having fun!

Two years ago today I published The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing, my ebook guide to promoting the brilliant sport of miniature golf.

The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing could help you wow the crowd in the crazy world of miniature golf

It's amazing how fast the last two years have flown by. I'm so pleased to have seen the book bought and used by a number of competition players, course owners & managers, bloggers, course reviewers, minigolf associations and federations around the world.

Check out the Amazon listing for The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing to read a preview and see reviews of the book.

As a player with over a decade of experience as a tournament competitor and years of experience in marketing and communications I designed the guide so that anyone interested or involved in minigolf could help promote the game. It's a niche title, but an audience and subject I know a lot about. 

Writing the book was brilliant and enabled me to bring two areas of my life together. I've worked in marketing since 2003 and have played minigolf since I was a child. Stepping up to compete on the national minigolf tour circuit and in international tournaments opened my eyes to the potential of the game. I’ve also had the honour of serving on the committees of the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) and the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF).

Minigolf is a sport for all. People of all ages, sexes, backgrounds and abilities can pick up a putter and play the game.

When Emily and I began travelling around the country on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour there were around 600 courses in the UK. We've now visited 865 courses, including 38 overseas, and there are still many more for us to visit. The game is really booming and not a week goes by without the announcement of a new course opening.

There are a huge amount of interesting and fun stories to tell and positive aspects to highlight to potential players, the media, sponsors and the wider sporting community. The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing should give federations, associations, clubs and my fellow players ideas, inspiration and support in their marketing efforts.

Much of the guidance could also be applied to a number of other sports clubs and organisations to help raise their profile and boost memberships.

A BIG thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of the book to date. It's very much appreciated.

Links:

- The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing on Amazon
- RG Marketing & Events
- Minigolf Consultancy

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf
- Marketing
- Exhibition Minigolf
- Richard Gottfried's minigolf player profile
- The Crazy World of Minigolf - the story so far