Crazy Golf at The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre in Preston

A look at the social distancing measures in place on the Crazy Golf course at The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre in Preston.

The 18-hole Secret Garden Crazy Golf course is one of the new minigolf courses we had planned to play before the coronavirus pandemic hit. The course is part of The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre in Preston, Lancashire.

We've heard great things from everyone who has had a chance to play there so far and the photos we've seen of the course have been amazing.

The team at The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre have kindly sent over photos of The Secret Garden Crazy Golf course and details of the measures they've put in place to make it as safe as possible for players and to be COVID-19 Secure in 2020.

The Crazy Golf course is open, however booking is compulsory.

Visit The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre's website for more information, opening times and prices.

In addition to the Crazy Golf course the centre is home to a wide-range of activities that will be reopening in the coming weeks and months.

The impact of coronavirus

It'll be interesting to see the changes to how minigolf is played as lockdown restrictions ease and it becomes safer to get out and about a bit more.

I've been writing about social distancing and the impact of coronavirus on minigolf and competitive socialising venues. You can see more of my posts at 'The Coronavirus (Ham & Egger) Files'.

Social distancing Pitch & Putt

We don't have any adventure, crazy or mini golf courses in Stockport, but we do have a Pitch & Putt miniature golf course at Bruntwood Park in Cheadle Hulme. We saw the social distancing measures in place there while out on our daily exercise recently.

Restarting the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

We're looking forward to restarting our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. It's currently paused at 948 course visits. We were on quite a roll this year as we visited 20 courses in the first 20 days of 2020.

We were also closing in on visiting the final 40 courses that were on our original list of 600 when our travels began in 2006.

Links:
- The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre website
- Staying 'COVID-19 Secure' in 2020 video

Related blog posts:
- Preston
- Social distancing
- A look at minigolf and competitive socialising in the time of coronavirus and social distancing

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

2016 - what a year

A look at a minigolf calendar from 2016.

During lockdown I've been looking through the archives and vaults of the Crazy Golf Museum and one of the things I found was this signed Matt "Mattie 5" Bellner calendar from 2016.

What an item!

What a year!

Matt is a professional Putt-Putt player and a member of the US national minigolf team. Check out the Mattie 5 website for more information.

If you had a time machine would you go back in time or forwards into the future?

Putt'n Score minigolf game

A look at the Putt'n Score minigolf game by Hilco Corporation, 2001.

One of a number of minigolf games in the Crazy Golf Museum.

Do you have a favourite miniature golf game, board game or toy?

Social Distancing Minigolf

Seeing new signs at miniature golf courses.

While we're still in lockdown some outdoor minigolf courses have been allowed to reopen as long as they have put in place social distancing measures.

We've seen examples of these measures at our local Pitch & Putt course at Bruntwood Park in Cheadle Hulme.

While out on our daily outdoor exercise we've been photographing social media signs, posters and messages and logging them on Instagram as a record of the times we're living through.

We'd be interested to see the different Covid-19 / social distancing posters and signs at minigolf courses in the UK and around the world.

Take a look at the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

New minigolf postcards?

We love seeing, sending and receiving minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf postcards.

One of two postcard designs you can find at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing

Do you know of any new/contemporary ones?

Does your course produce them?

Please do get in touch.

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