Happy Miniature Golf Day Eve

Where will you be playing minigolf tomorrow?

Indoors or out there are a lot of miniature golf courses to play in the UK and around the world

For some ideas and inspiration check out our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list to see the 925 courses we've visited in the last 13 years.

At our 900th course - the North Bay Crazy Golf in Scarborough

Each year there are two annual 'days' to celebrate the game of miniature golf.

The first of the year is National Miniature Golf Day which is on the second Saturday in May - you'll next be able to celebrate that on Saturday 9th May 2020. The second is Miniature Golf Day and is ALWAYS on the 21st September.

Emily playing in Guildford on a previous minigolf day

A wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man in Stockport

Spotting a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man in Stockport.

I've gone years without seeing any wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men and then I've seen three so far this month!

What a sight to behold

While walking to Stockport town centre today I turned a corner and heard the trademark flapping sound of an airdancer and saw the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man advertising Stockport Powder Coating Ltd on Brinksway Trading Estate.

Video of the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man advertising Stockport Powder Coating Ltd

Earlier this month I saw a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man on The Clubhouse Stoke's Crazy Golf course in Newcastle-Under-Lyme and another wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man advertising Mr Bubbli's Car Wash in Leicester.

Other inflatable advertising I've seen in Stockport borough include a Father Christmas wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man in Cheadle Heath, an inflatable advertising man at United Carpets and Beds in Hazel Grove and an inflatable at Toyota in Stockport.

I wonder where I'll see one next...?

Scrapheap Golf opening in Edinburgh

New indoor Scrapheap Golf course opening in Edinburgh.

A new indoor minigolf venue is opening in Edinburgh next month.

The venue will be home to two 9-hole courses - 'Wizard Golf' and 'Scrappy Doo'.

The opening date is Friday 4th October 2019.

More info can be found on the Scrapheap Golf website.

Related blog posts:
- Edinburgh
- Crazy Golf
- Indoor Crazy Golf

Yarr, happy Talk Like a Pirate Day

Avast ye today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Garr, we've sailed into many a Pirate Adventure Golf course on our voyages.

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Related blog posts:
- Pirates
- Pirate Adventure Golf

New Adventure Golf course to open in Harrow

New dinosaur adventure golf course opening in Harrow, London.

Plans have been approved for a new dinosaur-themed adventure golf course to be built in Harrow.

The adventure golf course will be at Bannister Outdoor Sports Centre in Uxbridge Road, Harrow.

There's a real minigolf boom in London with lots of Jurassic and jungle-themed adventure golf courses opening up in the last five or so years. There are also a lot of new indoor minigolf and crazy golf courses opening in the city.

When we lived in Bedfordshire and commuted into London there were very few permanent courses in London, with a sprinkling in Greater London.

Back in July 2008 the 9-hole 'Mini Majors' Adventure Golf Course at Northwick Park in Harrow became the 59th minigolf course we played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We revisited in 2010.

New Adventure Golf course at Exmouth Leisure Amusements

Treasure Island Adventure Golf now open at Exmouth Leisure Amusements in Devon.

There's a new Crazy Golf course now open at Exmouth Leisure Amusements.

The 9-hole pirate themed layout can be found on the seafront in Exmouth.

Happy Minigolf Monday

Happy Minigolf Monday.

This Saturday is Miniature Golf Day. Where will you be playing?

Playing at Lane7 in Newcastle upon Tyne last Miniature Golf Day

A Crazy Golf Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man

There's a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man on one of the holes at The Clubhouse Stoke Crazy Golf course in Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

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 we've seen an Airdancer on.

Related blog posts:
- Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Airdancer

Happy Video Games Day

Today is Video Games Day.

The 32-bit era was my favourite. It was a wonderful and interesting time to be a gamer - prior to the Sony PlayStation my family opted for the '64-bit' Atari Jaguar

What games will you be playing?

I played a Philips CD-i for the very first time at last month's Power Up exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester 

Zany Golf for the SEGA Mega Drive

Sinclair Crazy Golf for the ZX Spectrum

Related blog posts:
- Videogames
- Video Games

A message from Mr Vending Machine

It's out of order.

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