Tuesday, February 09, 2021

New minigolf course opening in Weston-super-Mare

A new indoor minigolf course is opening in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.


A new indoor minigolf course is opening in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Weston-super-Mare will be home to a new indoor minigolf course as the former Seaquarium is converted into a family-themed restaurant and minigolf venue.

It'll be another new course for us to play when we revisit the seaside resort on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Related blog posts:

Only Cars and Commercials

We spotted this amazing van on our daily walk in Cheadle on Saturday!


Cheadle Car Sales Only Fools and Horses van

I'd literally just said to Emily that I hadn't seen anything fun to photograph recently as we've been locked down in the borough.

Cheadle Car Sales Only Fools and Horses van

Only Fools and Horses is a pop culture icon that has been ripe for bootlegging and parodies over the years.

It's crazy how many Reliant Regal Supervans we've seen on our minigolf travels.

Elsewhere in Stockport you can see a hearse from a business called Shed's Household Independent Traders.

Shawfield Line Marking Specialists Ltd. is another business that operates in Stockport and some less exotic locations like London, Paris and New York.

If you're in Blackpool you can visit Lester's Independent Trading Co.

Monday, February 08, 2021

Putt18 World Pro League Results - Season Two, Week Two

The results are in for the second week of the 2021 Putt18 World Pro League.


Putt18 2021 World Pro League

After shooting rounds of 74, 85, 85 and 80 for a 72-hole total of 324 I am currently in 13th place on 24 points and in 15th place in the strokeplay standings.

Putt18 World Pro League Player Richard Gottfried

21 players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA are competing in the seven event series to find the world's best putter on the Putt18 Golf Putting Game System.

Matt Ansley, NZL has maintained his lead, with Dave Gomm, GBR in second and Josh Mars, AUS in third place.

You can watch my rounds from week two in the video below.

  

 Visit the Putt18 website for more information.

Minigolf American Football in Sweden

A look at the minigolf course at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna.


Sports World Mini Golf at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden

We visited our 801st minigolf course and 32nd overseas at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden in February 2018.

Sports World Mini Golf at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
Hole 12 was Gridiron themed

Sports World Mini Golf at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden

The Sports World Minigolf course was a 14-hole indoor layout with sports themed holes.

 


Visit the O'Leary's website for more information.

Tuesday, February 02, 2021

New Adventure Golf course in Skelmersdale

There are retailtainment plans for the Concourse Shopping Centre in Skelmersdale, Lancashire.


There are plans for a new Adventure Golf course at the Concourse Shopping Centre in Skelmersdale

As well as an indoor Adventure Golf course, the WonderWorld attraction at the Concourse Shopping Centre will include a wide-range of activities for adults and children including an inflatable assault course, darts, tenpin bowling, amusements, arcade games and more.

Link:


Retailtainment

More and more shopping centres, retail parks and high streets are adding retail entertainment offerings to increase footfall, attract and retain customers. There are a lot of new minigolf courses, competitive socialising venues and family entertainment centres in development and under construction at the moment, all gearing up to be ready for the post-covid world.

Porth Island Krazy Golf in Newquay

A look at the Porth Island Krazy Golf course in Newquay, Cornwall.

We played the Porth Island Krazy Golf course in Newquay on our road-trip around the South West coast of England back in June 2015.

Porth Island Krazy Golf in Newquay

The course was similar to a Beton Concrete type of miniature golf course and interesting, if a little too difficult, to play.

The course was the 47th visited on our two-week holiday, the 377th played overall and the 646th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Visit the Newquay Football Golf website for more information on the Porth Island Krazy Golf course.

New Adventure Golf course in Henley

Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire could become home to a new Adventure Golf course.


Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire could become home to a new Adventure Golf course

There are plans to create a new 9 or 18-hole Adventure Golf course on the site of the Putting Green at Mill Meadows in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

It'll be another new course to play in my home county!

It's Groundhog Day

Happy Groundhog Day.


Do you want to see six more weeks of Winter or an early Spring?

Monday, February 01, 2021

Lost shops - Debenhams in Stockport town centre

A look at Debenhams in Stockport town centre. Now a lost shop.


Debenhams in Stockport town centre

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Putt18 World Pro League - Season Two, Week Two

I'll be teeing-off in week two of the Putt18 World Pro League at 6pm on Saturday 6th February.

Putt18 2021 World Pro League

You can watch my rounds live via the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Facebook Page.

Richard Gottfried, Putt18 player

Putt18 World Pro League

A total of 21 players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA are competing in the seven event series to find the world's best putter on the Putt18 Golf Putting Game System.

Week One Results

After shooting rounds of 71, 74, 80 and 77 for a 72-hole total of 302 I am currently in tied 12th place on 18 points and in tied 10th place in the strokeplay standings. Tom Loftus of the USA shot a 302 for 18 points too.

About Putt18

The Putt18 roll out putting mat allows players to compete on an 18-hole course from their own home - and against other people around the world. Players tee-off from one of six tee boxes and aim at each of the three holes in turn, starting with a par-4, followed by a par-5 and ending on a par-3. They then move to the next tee position and take aim at the holes in turn again.

Visit the Putt18 website for more information.

Boom: Battle Bar opening in Coventry

Coventry will be home to a new Boom: Battle Bar.


A new Boom Battle Bar with an indoor crazy golf course is opening at the Skydome in Coventry

Boom: Battle Bar at the Skydome in Coventry will include a Crazier Golf minigolf layout as well as a number of other competitive socialising activities.

Check out the Boom: Battle Bar Coventry Facebook Page for more information.

Related blog posts:

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Putt18 World Pro League Results - Season Two, Week One

The results are in for the first week of the 2021 Putt18 World Pro League.


Putt18 Golf Putting Game Mat

After shooting rounds of 71, 74, 80 and 77 for a 72-hole total of 302 I am currently in tied 12th place on 18 points and in tied 10th place in the strokeplay standings. Tom Loftus of the USA shot a 302 for 18 points too.

A total of 21 players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA are competing in the seven event series to find the world's best putter on the Putt18 Golf Putting Game System.

Matt Ansley, NZL leads the way, with Dave Gomm, GBR in second and Josh Mars, AUS in third place.

Check out the Putt18 website for more information.

Puttery mini golf

A new mini golf brand has been created and will launch in the USA this summer.


Puttery Mini Golf from Drive Shack is launching in the USA

Puttery venues will offer high-tech indoor mini golf along with dining and drinking options.

Puttery is being developed by Drive Shack and the minigolf brand will be delivered in partnership with Rory McIlroy.

The first Puttery location will open in Dallas, Texas this summer. A further site is planned for Charlotte, North Carolina with another five Puttery venues opening in 2021. A further ten locations are planned to open in 2022.

Visit the Drive Shack website for more information.

New Crazy Golf course planned for Redcar

The Coatham area of Redcar in Teesside will be home to a new 18-hole Crazy Golf course on the site of the former Coatham Bowl.

The Coatham area of Redcar in Teesside will be home to a new 18-hole Crazy Golf course on the site of the former Coatham Bowl

We've been to Redcar a couple of times on our travels around Teesside and it'll be good to head back to play the new course in the future.

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Results of the Putt18 Battle of the Brits tournament

Play has concluded in the 2021 Battle of the Brits Putt18 competition.


Putt18 Golf Putting Game Mat

The first-ever Putt18 Battle of the Brits tournament has been completed - and I won it!

Richard Gottfried, Putt18 player

I scored a total of 281 over 72-holes - a new personal best four round total. My round of 67 was also a personal best. My scores were good enough for first place in Nett scores and third place in Gross un-handicapped scoring.

Eight players competed in the event. With David Gomm runner-up and Steve Lovell in third place.

Putt18 Battle of the Brits tournament

The Putt18 World Pro League 2021

The 2021 Putt18 World Pro League has teed-off with 22 players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA competing in rounds using the Putt18 Golf Putting Game Mat between now and April.

Visit the Putt18 website for more information.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Art Deco in Doncaster

We're big fans of Art Deco style, design and architecture and we've been remembering our trip to Doncaster last year and our stay at the superb Earl of Doncaster Hotel in Bennetthorpe.




Roaring twenties in the 2020s.


We couldn't have asked for a better spot - Art Deco magnificence and the hotel was right next door to a park with a Crazy Golf course in it.

Crazy Golf at Elmfield Park in Doncaster
The Crazy Golf course at Elmfield Park

Danum House was another nice Art Deco building in the town centre.

Danum House in Doncaster

We're looking forward to getting back out on our travels, exploring new places and revisiting our favourite spots when it's safe to do so in the future.

Putt18 World Pro League 2021

The 2021 Putt18 World Pro League tees-off today with players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA competing in rounds using the Putt18 Golf Putting Game Mat between now and April.

Putt18 World Pro League 2021

More information can be found on the Putt18 website and the 2021 Putt18 World Pro League Facebook Group.

From 20 to 1 in 2021

This time last year we'd already visited 20 minigolf courses!


What a difference a year makes. By this time last year we'd visited 20 minigolf courses as our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour got off to a flying start.

As it stands today we've been to one course in 2021. And that was just passing by it during a walk on New Year's Day.

Our travels in the first days of 2020 took us to miniature golf venues in Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Northwich, Doncaster and Castleford.

Crazy Golf at Sunnybank Gardens in Hatfield, Doncaster
The last new course we played together before the pandemic was the Crazy Golf course at Sunnybank Gardens in Hatfield, Doncaster on the 19th January 2020

Minigolf in the time of coronavirus

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic we were closing in on visiting the final 40 courses of the original 600 we set out to play in 2006. We were also very close to hitting 1,000 course visits overall.

We were still able to visit a total of 46 courses in 2020, including revisits. 15 of them were new layouts to us. We visited eight courses during the pandemic (March to December), playing two of them.

Gator Adventure Golf at Escape Entertainment in Chorley
The last new course we played was the Gator Adventure Golf at Escape Entertainment in Chorley in August

New minigolf courses in the UK

We've continued to research, monitor and promote the game and know about at least another 90 new courses now open, being built, in development or planned to open in the UK. It'll be nice to swing by them when it's safe to get back out on the road again.

Pop-up Crazy Golf at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London
The last pop-up Crazy Golf course I visited was at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London last February

Related blog posts

Putt18 Battle of the Brits competition

Update from the Putt18 Battle of the Brits putting tournament.


I competed in the Putt18 Battle of the Brits putting tournament yesterday evening and scored a total of 281 over 72-holes - a new personal best four round total.

Putt18 Golf Game Putting Mat

My scores were as follows:
  • Round 1 - 68
  • Round 2 - 73
  • Round 3 - 73
  • Round 4 - 67

My round of 67 was also a personal best.


Eight British players are competing in the event during January.


More information on the Battle of the Brits competition can be found on the Putt18 Facebook Group.

The 2021 Putt18 World Pro League tees-off today with players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the USA in action over the coming months.

Putt18 2021 World Pro League

Check out the Putt18 website for more information.



Putt18

Minigolfers, golfers and other players from around the world have been playing the Putt18 golf game mat for fun and in competitions during the pandemic.

The roll out putting mat allows players to compete on an 18-hole course from their own home - and against other people around the world. Players tee-off from one of six tee boxes and aim at each of the three holes in turn, starting with a par-4, followed by a par-5 and ending on a par-3. They then move to the next tee position and take aim at the holes in turn again.

Emily and I competed in the first Putt18 Four Nations Cup in May last year and I played in the inaugural Putt18 World Pro League that was completed in October 2020.

The Putt18 World Pro League was a fun and interesting way to keep on putting and compete during the pandemic. It was also a first in terms of getting players from around the world to compete on the same playing surface in a regular league format.

With no end in sight to the coronavirus pandemic and with Stockport in the highest level of restrictions it looks like we'll be doing a lot more putting at home and socialising via competitive isolation activities for some time to come.

Link:


Related blog posts:

What day is it?

Today is Penguin Appreciation Day and National Cheese Lover's Day.



Pat, Mandy & Putt of the Putting Penguin team and guest contributors have reviewed 366 courses on the site since 2001.


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

It can be found on Eternit Miniature Golf courses.


National Cheese Lover's Day is not to be confused with National Cheese Day in June.