Happy birthday Putt-Putt - 69 years old today

Today marks 69 years since the world's first Putt-Putt course opened.

The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA on this day back in 1954.

Putt-Putt is the only patented game of miniature golf and began in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1954. In the 1960's Putt-Putt franchises began opening outside of the US, in locations such as South Africa, Australia and Japan. There were also courses in the UK, the first of which opened in Sunderland in 1968. Others followed at Flamingo Land in Yorkshire and in Buxton, Derbyshire. However, information on these UK courses is limited. You can read the Putt-Putt story on the Putt-Putt Fun Centres website.

The Putt-Putt miniature golf course in Three Anchor Bay in Moullie Point / Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals

Ephemera from the Putt-Putt Golf centre at Moullie Point in South Africa. From PJ Goedhals

A Putt-Putt Postcard from South Africa

A selection of Putt-Putt tokens

On the competitive side of the game, Putt-Putt tournaments have been played since 1959. You can read about the history of the PPA and APA on the Professional Putters Association website.

A Putt-Putt Puzzle of a very crazy Miniature Golf course. Published by Hallmark Cards Inc. Many thanks to our friend 'Hacksaw' Jon Drexler for sending it across the pond to live in the Crazy Golf Museum

Check out the Putt-Putt Golf website for more information on Putt-Putt brand minigolf. You can find out more information about Putt-Putt tournaments on the Professional Putters Association (PPA) website.

Electric Greens Crazy Golf at The Tivoli in Cambridge

A look at the Electric Greens Crazy Golf courses at The Tivoli in Cambridge.

We recently swung by The Tivoli indoor entertainment venue in Cambridge and took a look at the two 9-hole minigolf courses there.

Visit The Tivoli website for more information and booking details.

We arrived in time to have a drink, but not to have a round on either course.

One to play another day on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Tivoli is a former cinema - and in the Art Deco style. It's a very nice looking venue.

Tredegar Park Mini Golf is reopening

The Tredegar Park Mini Golf course in Newport, Wales is reopening on Saturday 24th June.

Find out more on the Tredegar Park Mini Golf Facebook Page.

The Tredegar Park Mini Golf course was the 192nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in August 2010. It was one of the courses played as part of the 2010 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament).

Hole 9 on the course was an absolute round killer! I wonder what it's like now...?

It'll be interesting to see how the course plays all these years later. From the photos on the course's Facebook Page it looks in nice condition.

Where in the world is this minigolf course?

Can you identify the location of this miniature golf course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour?

Gremlins

The hit film Gremlins was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

What a day at the cinema that must've been - with Ghostbusters out on the same day!

Gremlins causing a scene Totally Stockport Comic Con last year

Gizmo's in Morecambe, Lancashire is open from 4pm to late - I hope it closes before midnight

Ghostbusters Day

Happy Ghostbusters Day!

The blockbuster film was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

Ghostbusting in Urmston in 2019

Check out my Ghostbusters-related blog posts.

Museum Week 2023

This week is Museum Week.

Since 2014 MuseumWeek has grown to include over 60,000 participants from 100+ countries. It has has become the first virtual, worldwide cultural event across social media.

MuseumWeek is an annual offline and online event based on the mechanism 7 days, 7 topics, 7 hashtags.

Find out more on the Museum Week website.

The Crazy Golf Museum

As the Curator of the Crazy Golf Museum it's always nice to be able to support museum initiatives such as MuseumWeek.

The Crazy Golf Museum is the world's first virtual crazy golf museum - a worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera.

The Crazy Golf Museum

Did you know:

• The world's first Miniature Golf course was created at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867. The Himalayas is still there now and is a real pleasure to play.
• The first minigolf course in the USA opened in 1916. James Barber opened the 'Thistle Dhu' layout in Pinehurst, NC.
• A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games.
• The very first Crazy Golf course in the UK opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.
• The first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA in 1926 when Garnet Carter created the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
• The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930. 
• The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA back in 1954.
• National Miniature Golf Day always falls on the second Saturday in May.
• Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website and check out these Crazy Golf Museum-related blog posts for more info.

Adventure Golf at Bristol Golf Centre in Hambrook

There will soon be two Adventure Golf courses at Bristol Golf Centre in Hambrook, Bristol.

Bristol Golf Centre in Hambrook is home to Kong Adventure Golf and will soon add an Around the World themed layout to the venue.

We looked for the original Pirate Bay Adventure Golf course / Bristol Golf Centre on a Crazy World of Minigolf Tour road-trip back in November 2012 and couldn't find it at all. Hopefully on our next trip there we'll be able to better navigate!

Visit the Bristol Golf Centre and Caddy Gilmore's websites for more information.

Putt Above Mini-Golf in Bournemouth

There are plans for a new Putt Above Mini-Golf centre to open in Bournemouth, Dorset.

Bournemouth could soon be home to a new minigolf course as a Putt Above Mini-Golf centre is planned to open in the former Argos shop in the town centre.

The venue would be Putt Above's second location, following the created of their high-tech mini golf venue in Dudley, West Midlands.

We haven't had a chance to play Putt Above's version of the game yet. It sounds like they've got an interesting twist on the minigolf experience. Rather than moving from hole to hole as you play the course, games at Putt Above are played out on the same 'hole', but with different interactive elements shown on the digital 'lane'!

Visit the Putt Above website for more information.

New Adventure Golf at Dobbies Garden Centre in Peterborough

A new Roman-themed Adventure Golf course has opened at Dobbies Garden Centre in Peterborough.

Dobbies Garden Centre in Peterborough is now home to two miniature golf layouts.

The existing 12-hole course at Dobbies Garden Centre in Peterborough is still in place, with the new 18-hole Roman-themed Adventure Golf course sitting next to it.

Visit the Peterborough Minigolf website for more information about the Roman Golf Empire course.

Mini-Golf at Richmond Swimming Pool in Richmond, North Yorkshire

There's an 8-hole Mini-Golf course at Richmond Swimming Pool in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

The layout recently re-opened after receiving a refurbishment.

Visit the Richmondshire Leisure Trust website for more information.

Putt Putt Noodle Crazy Golf in Poole

A new indoor crazy golf venue has opened at the Dolphin shopping centre in Poole, Dorset.

Putt Putt Noodle Poole is the latest location opened under the Putt Putt Noodle. There are also Putt Putt Noodle minigolf courses in Norwich, Norfolk and Telford, Shropshire.

Visit the Putt Putt Noodle website for more information.

Swedish Felt at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb

A look at the Swedish Felt minigolf course at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb in Sweden.

Many thanks to fellow minigolf enthusiast Martyn Williams for sending these photos of the Swedish Felt minigolf course at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb in Sweden.

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Swedish Felt Minigolf at Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb. Photo by Martyn Williams, April 2023

Martyn, of the Welsh Minigolf Club, took the photos of the course while over in Sweden to compete in the City Golf Tour 1 event. 

Visit the Sundbybergs Bangolfklubb website for more information.

Crazy Golf at Yum Yum World in Rugby

We swung by the Yum Yum Crazy Golf course in Rugby, Warwickshire on our recent visit to the town.

Unfortunately the course and venue looked to be closed down. There is another Yum Yum World on the same street a stone's throw away on the other side.

The building used to be home to a Woolworths!

PAR 'N' BAR Cosmic Crazy Golf in Rugby

We recently made a stop off in Rugby, Warwickshire and spotted the PAR 'N' BAR Cosmic Crazy Golf.

We didn't have time for a round at the indoor minigolf course on this occasion.

Visit the PAR 'N' BAR Cosmic Crazy Golf website for more information on the 9-hole UV course.