A couple of rounds at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Replaying Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

We returned to Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester last night for our first rounds on the two 18-hole courses for a few weeks.

I finally got my hands on one of the 'I got a hole-in-one' stickers

Teeing-off on the Temple Ruins course first Emily shot a 33 to take the win, scoring five holes-in-one in the process. I hit a 35, including four aces. I had a crazy start to my round going 1, 3, 1, 1, 3!

Emily playing hole 3 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course

Next up was a quick game on the Tiki Hut Trail. I scored a 34 with four aces, while Emily shot a 36, including four holes-in-one.
 

Emily about to ace hole 6 on the Tiki Hut Trail

This meant our match over 36-holes was a tie, with 69 apiece.

On aces Emily won 9-8.

On round difference I won with a difference of 1, to Emily's 3.

We both won a free game on the lucky last hole too!

On the Temple Ruins Adventure course

A hole-in-one on hole 4 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 5 of the Temple Ruins course


Playing hole 7 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 8 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 9 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 5 of the Tiki Hut Trail


Related blog posts:
- Paradise Island Adventure Golf
- Trafford Centre
- Manchester

Link:
- Paradise Island Adventure Golf

Garden Centre Minigolf

A look at garden centres with miniature golf courses.

Jurassic Golf at Bridgemere Garden World in Nantwich

It's brilliant to find new minigolf courses opening in different places and over the last few years we've seen more being created at garden centres.

Minigolf has become very popular in recent years and has developed from being a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors or out.

Much like at shopping malls, outlet centres and on the high street, customers are looking to be entertained while they shop and garden centres are a perfect spot for a game of minigolf.

The space available at or next to garden centres and the potential to decorate or theme the course with products available at on-site retailers make it a great combination.

In July 2015 we played the excellent 12-hole Peterborough Minigolf course at Dobbies Garden Centre.

Peterborough Minigolf

In April this year we visited Fletchers Family Golf Centre in Eccleshall, Staffordshire to play the Crazy Golf course there.

Crazy Golf at Fletchers Garden Centre

Earlier this summer we visited 18 more courses on our trip to Southampton and back. On the way down the first course we played was Jurassic Golf Bridgemere in Nantwich, Cheshire and the last course we played on the way back up north was the Tidal Bay Crazy Adventure Golf at the Wyevale Garden Centre in Sherfield on Loddon, near Hook in Hampshire.

Tidal Bay Adventure Golf

The Jurassic Golf course at Wyevale's Bridgemere Garden Centre in Nantwich has sister courses at Heighley Gate Garden Centre in Morpeth, Northumberland and at Bents Garden and Home in Glazebury near Warrington.

Emily played the Jurassic Cove Adventure Golf course at Bents Garden and Home in June 2017.

Jurassic Cove Adventure Golf

We also visited Golf Attractions' pop-up Jurassic and Pirate adventure golf courses when they were at the Centre MK shopping centre in Milton Keynes and at the Galleria in Hatfield a few years ago.

The Golf Attractions Dinosaur Adventure Golf course at the Centre MK in Milton Keynes

Offering fun activities like minigolf where people of all ages and abilities can take part is a nice way to attract and retain both new and old customers.

Related blog posts:
- Garden Centres
- Shopping Centre Minigolf
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

If you are interested in installing or building a minigolf course and would like to receive specialist help, Richard Gottfried is able to provide experience, knowledge and support for all aspects of minigolf business, at any stage of the process. Get in touch to find out more.

Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men

Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men in Newcastle-Under-Lyme and Leicester.

There are few finer things in life than finding a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man on your travels

You go years without seeing a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man and then you see two Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men in two days!

The Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man on hole 10 at The Clubhouse Stoke minigolf course

The first Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man we found on our latest road-trip was on hole 10 of the indoor Crazy Golf course at The Clubhouse Stoke in Newcastle-Under-Lyme last Thursday night.

We spotted the second Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man at Mr Bubbli's car wash as we were driving out of Leicester city centre on Friday afternoon.

Mr Bubbli?

We've seen quite a few wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men, windy men, airdancers and other assorted inflatable advertising on our travels.

Related blog posts:
- Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man
- Inflatable advertising
- Windy Men
- Airdancers

Art and sculpture trails

A look at some of the art and and sculpture trails we've followed this year.

This summer we've seen a number of different art and sculpture trails pop-up in Greater Manchester and beyond.

Last year there was the Bee in the City trail in Manchester with 100 big bees and 130 little bees to spot. Some of those are still in situ.

A bee in Didsbury

There was also an ice sculpture trail in Stockport town centre last December and this summer the town has had a very popular frog trail with 22 decorated frogs to spot on the Giant Leap.

A froggy character was part of the Stockport Ice Trail last December

Edgeleap, the Stockport County frog

As fans of tickable lists, wandering and exploring we've enjoyed the different art and sculpture trails we've taken part in.

Earlier this summer the Trafford Centre had a Big Bug Tour and on a recent trip to the Lowry Outlet mall in Media City we saw there was a Bear Hunt.

Meadow grasshopper - number 8 on the Big Bug Tour

Sitting on a sitting Grizzly Bear - number 2 on the Lowry Outlet's Bear Hunt

The latest trail we followed was quite unexpected. On a trip to visit family and friends in Ipswich we noticed an elephant sculpture at the side of the road and soon noticed a lot more of them on the drive to our hotel.

Elephant number 1 - Pip - the first of the elephants we saw

They were part of Elmer's Big Parade Suffolk in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice with 139 placed around Ipswich. In the short time we were in town we managed to find 55 of them.

Nine of the elephants on parade in Ipswich

We've also found quite a few more of the Space Invader pieces of street art by the French artist Invader on our trips to London and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as well as seeing some reactivated pieces in Manchester city centre.

The seven Invaders in Gateshead

A selection of the Invaders in Manchester

The various trails and maps we've followed have seen us explore new places, see different things and also rediscover parts of towns and cities.

They're a nice way to bring communities together, attract and retain visitors to towns, shopping centres and malls, as well as raising money for good causes.

Do you have a favourite art-trail, or know of others? Do let us know in the comments.

Related blog posts:
- Art
- Sculptures
- Tickable Lists

Looking back at the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship

A look back at the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship at The Belfry.

Two years ago we visited The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield to play the Ryder Legends Mini Golf course as part of the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship.

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

A pre-final interview with Gemma Care from Sky Sports

The tournament was a televised event and the competition was shown on Sky Sports Golf in November 2017. The National Adventure Golf Championships can be seen in the video below from 26m 55s.

Along with Peter Jones I'd qualified for the grand final of the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship by winning the Welsh Regional Qualifier in April 2017.

Each of the 12-holes on the Ryder Legends Mini Golf course is based on a famous hole from 'big' golf. It's a tricky layout with some very long holes.

Playing one of the very long holes at The Belfry

The Ryder Legends Mini Golf course was the 456th course played and 768th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. You can see videos of the 12-holes on our YouTube Channel (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12).

Playing hole 3 in the final

We've now visited 925 miniature golf courses since September 2006.

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

Related blog posts:
- American Golf Adventure Golf Championship
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Adventure Golf
- The Belfry

The Holbeck Putting Green in Scarborough

Three months ago today the next stage of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began as we visited our 901st course since September 2006.

The Holbeck Putting Green in Scarborough was the 901st visited and the 521st played on our travels.

Views of the Holbeck Putting Green

The Holbeck Putting Green was opened in 1925 and was the first Putting Green to be established in the town.

Related blog posts:

- Scarborough

- Mini Golf in Scarborough

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Great Blakenham Cycle Speedway in Suffolk

A look at the Great Blakenham Cycle Speedway track.

Ever since our friend John Moore took us to watch the British Veterans over 50s and over 60s Cycle Speedway Individual Championships in Edinburgh's Redbraes Park back in 2011 we've kept our eye out for other cycle speedway tracks.

A couple of years ago we found the track at St Thomas' Recreation Ground in Stockport and yesterday afternoon we saw the one at Great Blakenham in Suffolk.

We'd only stopped off at the village hall as we'd seen a sign for a car boot sale that was starting there at 1pm.

The Great Blakenham Cycle Speedway velodrome looked to have a very nice track.

Related blog posts:
- Cycle Speedway
- Suffolk

Link:
- Great Blakenham Cycle Speedway

Crazy Golf at The Clubhouse Stoke in Newcastle-Under-Lyme

A visit to the The Clubhouse Stoke in Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

While travelling to Leicester last Thursday we made a stop in Newcastle-Under-Lyme to play the new Crazy Golf course at The Clubhouse Stoke.

The 18-hole indoor minigolf course was the 925th we've visited and 527th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

It was the first Crazy Golf course we've played that had a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man on it!



For more information, opening times and prices visit The Clubhouse Stoke's website.

  

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Staffordshire

New indoor Crazy Golf venue opening in Cambridge

Two new indoor Crazy Golf courses will open in an old pub in Cambridge.

Plans have been approved to allow the City Pub Group to turn an old fire-damaged pub into a Crazy Golf venue.

The site on Chesterton Road in Cambridge will be home to two 9-hole Crazy Golf layouts.

Halloween-themed minigolf

There's not all that long to go until Halloween and it got me thinking whether many miniature golf courses will be doing anything special for the season of the witch.

A couple of years ago there were quite a few scares to be had at minigolf courses in the UK, Canada and the USA.

So far I've seen that Fun Fore All Family Fun Park in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, USA will have Trick-or-Treat Trail Glow Golf every Friday and Saturday night from the 27th September to the 26th October.

I'm also aware that Golfland Entertainment Centers have previously hosted Spooktacular Golf events during October.

I'll be adding details of any Halloween minigolf events I find out about in the comments section below and also on my guest blog post about Halloween at Minigolfnews.

Hopefully the courses on the list of Halloween minigolf events we compiled in 2017 will be doing something again this year.

If you know of any other Halloween-themed minigolf courses or events please get in touch via the comments below.

Related blog posts:
- Halloween
- Halloween Minigolf

Shopping mall minigolf

The growth of shopping centre crazy golf.

It's wonderful to see miniature golf courses popping up in different places. Minigolf courses are becoming a fixture on the high street and at out-of-town shopping malls where customers are looking to be entertained while they shop.

Minigolf is becoming more and more popular and has grown from being a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors, outdoors and at pretty much any time of the day.

On Saturday we made a short trip up the road to the Walkden Town Centre shopping mall in Worsley, Salford, Greater Manchester to have a game on the pop-up Crazy Golf course there.

Crazy Golf at Walkden Town Centre

The 9-hole Crazy Golf layout was set-up for three days as part of the shopping centre's Summer of Fun events.

We got there nice and early and had a clear course ahead of us.

Crazy Golf at Walkden Town Centre

After our game we had a wander round the shopping centre as we hadn't been there before. As we walked past the course a few more times it was nice to see lots of people enjoying a game and were glad we got there early.

The course at Walkden Town Centre was the 924th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 526th played.

When our travels began back in September 2006 there were just two permanent indoor minigolf venues among the 600 courses in the UK. One of those was in Felixstowe and the other in Great Yarmouth. There are now close to 100 indoor venues, with more opening up every week.

This summer has seen pop-up miniature golf courses in shopping centres including Affinity Outlet Staffordshire and Touchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull.

New permanent courses have opened at retail venues this year including Treetop Adventure Golf at the Highcross shopping centre in Leicester. There are also Treetop Adventure Golf courses at St David's shopping centre in Cardiff and at The Printworks in Manchester.

There are now three Treetop Adventure Golf venues, each with two indoor courses

More Junkyard Golf venues have opened, with courses at the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford and at The Light in Leeds. There is also a Junkyard Golf course at the Liverpool ONE shopping, leisure and entertainment complex.

Junkyard Golf in Oxford

The new Angry Birds Adventure Golf course at the intu Metrocentre in Gateshead is nearing completion and will open this year.

The minigolf boom is also continuing in London, with a new Puttshack course set to open in the city this December. The first Puttshack course opened at the Westfield shopping centre in White City last year. The second Puttshack opened at the Lakeside shopping centre earlier this year and there are plans for a fourth venue to open at intu Watford next year.

While in Greater Manchester the new Riverside entertainment, leisure and shopping centre in Rochdale will be home to an indoor minigolf venue called Puttstars when it opens in April next year.

One of the first indoor Adventure Golf courses to open at a shopping mall was Paradise Island Adventure Golf. Back in 2008 the first of the PIAG venues opened at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. It's now our local course and we've won some tournaments there too.

Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester, one of seven PIAG locations. A new course is opening in Plymouth soon

A new entertainment centre, including an Adventure Golf course, is also being planned for the Market Walk Shopping Centre in Chorley, Lancashire.

Some of the courses we've seen on our travels have been more seasonal pop-up layouts.

In 2013 the Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough hosted a Christmas-themed 9-hole Miniature Golf course from Mini Golf and Games. I'd played the course when it was set-up, without the festive decorations, in Letchworth Garden City that summer.

Minigolf in Letchworth Garden City

Lakeside Village Shopping Centre in Doncaster has also hosted minigolf courses, with summer and Christmas pop-ups.

Crazy Golf in Doncaster

Over the years we've played pop-up Crazy Golf, Jurassic Golf and Pirate Golf courses at The Centre MK in Milton Keynes.

Jurassic Golf in Milton Keynes

Pirate Golf in Milton Keynes

I also visited the Pirate Mini Golf course when it was set up at the Galleria Shopping Centre in Hatfield.

Pirate Golf in Hatfield

Having fun activities on offer like minigolf where people of all ages and abilities can take part is a nice way to attract both new and old customers to a shopping centre, and to help them stay at the venue for a little longer too.

If you are interested in installing or building a minigolf course and would like to receive specialist help, Richard Gottfried is able to provide experience, knowledge and support for all aspects of minigolf business, at any stage of the process. Get in touch to find out more.