Putt-In-Play by Gibbs Toys, circa 1930

A look at a Parlor Golf putting game from the 1930s.

We love finding and showcasing games, interesting items, ephemera, stories and history from the world of minigolf.

The Crazy Golf Museum is home to a number of fun, old and interesting items.

Yesterday I posted about the Parlor Golf game made by Parlor Golf MFGR. Co. of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA in the USA.

Putt-In-Play

Today's putting game for Minigolf Monday is the Putt-In-Play set by Gibbs Toys of Canton, Ohio, USA.

A 9-hole set up of Putt-In-Play

Also known as The Parlor Golf Game, the 9-hole wooden set has a nice range of obstacles to putt through.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

 

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

The Putt-In-Play set originally consisted of the 9-holes, two wooden shafted 5 1/2" putters with metal heads, six steel golf balls, rules, blank score cards and a golf bag.

It's ace to look back at historic items from days gone by. The Putt-In-Play layout looks quite similar to Beton and Eternit types of miniature golf that were created in the 1950s and are still very popular in Continental Europe.

Do you have a favourite miniature golf game, or know of any others?

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website for more minigolf toys and games.

Picture Postcard Magic - Barry Island

Check out my new guest post about Barry Island postcards on the Picture Postcard Magic blog from Reflections of a Bygone Age.

Social distancing at Cheadle Makers Market

We went to our first outdoor market during the coronavirus pandemic on Saturday morning.

It was an interesting experience indeed.

There was a lot of social distancing signage and a good range of stalls.

There were lots of people out and about too too. Unfortunately not everyone understands what arrows and warning signs mean.

We didn't stay there for too long, but did buy some nice gin and mixers from DS Artisan Food & Drink before we scarpered.

I've been posting snaps of the wide-range of social distancing posters and signs I see on my daily outdoor exercise during the time of coronavirus. You can see them here on the blog and on my Instagram. I've seen some interesting, colourful and clear ones. And some really terrible ones too.

Happy Ghostbusters Day

Ghostbusters was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

This photo was taken at the Eden Square shopping centre in Urmston, Greater Manchester last Halloween.

Celebrating Halloween in Urmston last year

I'm so glad I went along to see the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Ecto-1a.

Who knows when the next retailtainment event like it will take place...

Parlor Golf

A look at a minigolf game from 1930.

The Crazy Golf Museum is home to a number of interesting, fun and old items from the world of miniature golf.

One such item that ticks all three boxes is this, Parlor Golf from 1930. The game was made by Parlor Golf MFGR. Co. of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA.

The set instructs players on how to create an 18-hole course by using the four wooden base plates and five obstacles.

By making the holes shorter and varying the placement of the obstacles you can create even more combinations.

Check out the Crazy Golf Museum website for more minigolf toys and games.

Do you have a favourite putting game, minigolf board game, or know of any others? Do let us know.

Related blog posts:
- Board Games
- Putt at home
- The Crazy Golf Museum

Moby Golf in Romford, Essex

A look at the Moby Adventure Golf course at Golf Kingdom in Romford.

On 6th June 2014 we played Moby Golf adventure golf course at Golf Kingdom in Romford.

The 18-hole adventure golf course was the 561st visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 948 courses since 2006.

The inspiration behind the course is the legend of 'Moby Dick' - a whale that washed up nearby in Dagenham back in 1790!

The Moby Golf course is located Golf Kingdom and depending on who you ask is located in Romford, Chadwell Heath, Hainault, London and Essex!

For reference and ease of locating it the postcode for the course is RM6 6SB.

Failing that just look out for the GIANT whale and MASSIVE pirate ship by the main road.

Check out our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

World Crazy Golf Championships

The World Crazy Golf Championships were due to take place at Hastings Adventure Golf this weekend.

Playing in the final of the 2009 World Crazy Golf Championships

Unfortunately it's another thing the coronavirus pandemic has put a stop to.

We both made our debuts in the 2007 edition when it was known as the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships. It was Emily's first ever miniature golf tournament.

Emily playing hole 1 in the 2015 World Crazy Golf Championships

The 18-hole Crazy Golf course at Hastings Adventure Golf in East Sussex turned 45 years old this year, having opened on Saturday 21st March 1975.

The course was the 39th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in October 2007.

The World Crazy Golf Championships began in 2003. Two-time, back-to-back World Crazy Golf Champion Marc 'The Force' Chapman was due to defend the title in what would have been the 18th edition of the event.

Check out the Hastings Adventure Golf website for more information on the three 18-hole courses there.

Playing hole 2 in the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships

Richard's results at the World Crazy Golf Championships

• 20th - World Crazy Golf Championships 2015
• 32nd - World Crazy Golf Championships 2014
• 21st - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2013
• 17th (Finalist) - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2012
• 25th - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2011
• 17th  (Finalist) - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2010
• 17th  (Finalist) - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2009
• 17th  (Finalist) - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2008
• 39th - Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships 2007

Richard's Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Rankings:

• October 2010 - 26th
• October 2009 - 31st
• June 2009 - 45th

Emily and The Gommery Trophy at the 2014 World Crazy Golf Championships. Emily is a two-time winner of the trophy

Emily's results at the World Crazy Golf Championships

• 34th - World Crazy Golf Championships 2015
• 26th (tied) - World Crazy Golf Championships 2014
• 4th - Castle Golf Women's World Crazy Golf Championships 2013
• 51st - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2013
• 5th - Castle Golf Women's World Crazy Golf Championships 2011
• 51st - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2011
• 5th - Castle Golf Women's World Crazy Golf Championships 2009
• 45th - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2009
• 3rd - Castle Golf Women's World Crazy Golf Championships 2008
• 43rd - Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2008
• 6th - Virgin Money Women's World Crazy Golf Championships 2007
• 54th - Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships 2007

Emily's Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Rankings

• October 2010 - 55th
• October 2009 - 50th
• June 2009 - 82nd

Check out our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Miniature Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

A look at the Eternit Miniature Golf course at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry.

There aren't too many Eternit Miniature Golf courses here in the UK and some of those that do exist have been modified over the years.

One of the best examples is at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry, Shropshire.

We first visited the course at the end of our road-trip around Wales in 2009. It was the last course we played on the trip and the first one after crossing the border back into England.

We returned in 2012 to run the minigolf events at the Oswestry Games, aka the Oslympics.

We had a marvellous time in the town as part of the sports festival. We met some great people, delivered some fun coaching sessions and competed in two superb tournaments. We were also bronze medalists in the Oswestry Games pub quiz at the Cricket Club.

When it's safe to do so we'll head over to Oswestry to see what the course is like now.

Photos of the 18-hole Miniature Golf course (2012).

 

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Definitions of minigolf - Crazy Golf

A look at names for the game of minigolf.

Crazy Golf – Crazy Golf is a name most commonly used in the UK. It is seldom, if ever, used overseas except in tourist spots popular with UK natives.

England's first Crazy Golf opened on South Parade in Skegness in 1926 and the game is widely known by that name in the UK.

At The Original Crazy Golf in Skegness back in May 2015

See other definitions for other names of the game of minigolf

Mini Golf in Goodrington Sands

On this day in 2015 - we visited our 600th miniature golf course in the UK.

We played the Mini Golf course in Goodrington Sands on the 4th June 2015 during our mammoth road trip around the South West coast of England.

In two weeks we visited 62 minigolf courses.

The Beton-style Concrete 18-hole Goodrington Park Mini Golf course in Goodrington Sands, Paignton was the 600th course visited in the UK and the 621st overall.

 

When our travels began in September 2006 we had a target to visit all 600 courses in the UK. Between then and now hundreds more course have opened, while others have closed, been demolished, abandoned or refurbished.

We've now been to 948 courses, including 39 overseas.

Hopefully we'll get to return to Devon and the South West again in the future as we had a marvellous time in 2015.

The Jurassic Golf course at Santa-Fe Adventure Park in Swanage, Dorset was the 600th course visited overall on our tour on Sunday 31st May 2015.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Happy National Cheese Day

Today is National Cheese Day.

Did you know there's a minigolf obstacle called Käse?

It can be found on Eternit Miniature Golf courses.

The Käse on the Kelsey Park Mini Golf course in Beckenham

The official name of the obstacle / lane is "Schrager kreis mit hindernis" (Oblique circle with obstacle). Sometimes the obstacle is "schrager kreis mit niere" (oblique circle with kidney). Many thanks to my friend, minigolf rival and Great Britain team-mate Steve 'F1' Gow for reminding me of the name in German.

Miniaturegolf / Miniaturgolf courses (also known as Eternit / Eternite) are a type of course made using a thin concrete material. Courses consist of 18 holes made from a selection of 28 standardised designs.

An official Schrager kreis mit hindernis - this was lane 15 at Tantogårdens Bangolf in Stockholm, Sweden

Checking in the Overview for Beginners to Miniaturgolf, the Käse obstacle is "erstaunlicherweise eher im norden verbreitet" (surprisingly more common in the north of Germany).

A very useful guide to playing Miniature Golf

We don't have too many Eternit Miniature Golf courses here in the UK and some of those that do exist have been modified over the years.

We played the Cae Glas Park Miniature Golf course in Oswestry in 2009 and 2012

We have played two Schrager kreis mit hindernis holes where the obstacle was Käse. One was at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry, Shropshire, the other was in Kelsey Park in Beckenham, Greater London.

Hole 7 at Kelsey Park has the cheese obstacle on a flat lane

The pyramid obstacles are normally found on hole 1, while the cheese obstacle should be on this base lane design with the raised green and cup