The Ham and Egger Files

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Obstacle Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria

A look at the Obstacle Golf course at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria.

We revisited the Obstacle Golf course at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria in June this year.

Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria

There's also a grass Putting layout and a Pitch & Putt at Hope Park (and Boules) and there are some wonderful views of the Skiddaw mountain from the courses.

Obstacle Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria

We first visited the park back in April 2012 and played the Putting course on that occasion.

Crazy Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria

Miniature Golf at Hope Park

At Hope Park in Keswick

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 10

Hole 11

Hole 12

Hole 13

Hole 14

Hole 15

Hole 16

Hole 17

Hole 18

Putting at Hope Park

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Today is Miniature Golf Day

Happy Miniature Golf Day.

Snaps from our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Each year there are two Miniature Golf Days - National Miniature Golf Day on the second Saturday in May and Miniature Golf Day on the 21st September.

Happy Miniature Golf Day 2023

Today is Miniature Golf Day.

Playing The Himalayas - the world's first miniature golf course - at the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club in 2012

Playing at The Himalayas on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in 2012. The course is the world's first miniature golf and home to the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club

Each year there are two Miniature Golf Days - National Miniature Golf Day on the second Saturday in May and Miniature Golf Day on the 21st September.

Sunday, September 17, 2023

Miniature Golf did you knows...?

Did you know these things about miniature golf?

The world's first miniature golf course was set-up at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867.
James Barber opened the first minigolf course in the USA in 1916. The 'Lilliputian' miniature golf course was called 'Thistle Dhu' and located in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games in the USA.
Crazy Golf is 97 years old in 2023. The first course opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England in 1926.

At The Original Crazy Golf in Skegness in May 2015

1926 also saw the first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA. Garnet Carter opened the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930.
The first Putt-Putt brand miniature golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA in 1954.

What are your favourite minigolf facts and stats?

Miniature Golf Day 2023 is on Thursday 21st September

This Thursday is Miniature Golf Day.

Playing The Himalayas - the world's first miniature golf course - at the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club in 2012

Each year there are two Miniature Golf Days - National Miniature Golf Day on the second Saturday in May and Miniature Golf Day on the 21st September.

Playing The Himalayas - the world's first miniature golf course - at the St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club in 2012

Friday, September 15, 2023

Putt Putt Noodle Minigolf in Norwich

A look at the Putt Putt Noodle indoor minigolf venue at the Castle Quarter in Norwich, Norfolk.

Putt Putt Noodle Crazy Golf in Norwich. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, September 2023

My brother and charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour recently replayed Putt Putt Noodle minigolf in Norwich. He first played there in May last year.

Putt Putt Noodle Crazy Golf in Norwich. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, September 2023

Visit the Putt Putt Noodle website for more information.

Those katakana characters on the left of the logo translate as 'Lucky'

Thursday, September 14, 2023

Guinness World Records 2024

The new Guinness World Records book is out today.

It was wonderful to buy the new Guinness World Records 2024 book today as I'm in it. Twice!

Guinness World Records 2024

I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press).

And it was incredible to be a Consultant on the book for the minigolf category.

There are a total of 2,638 records, selected from nearly 30,000 applications, in the Guinness World Records 2024.

Find out more about the 2024 edition of the book on the Guinness World Records website.

You can see the full list of courses Emily and I have visited since the 30th September 2006 on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour page.

I've had a whale of a time on my minigolf adventures over the last 17 years

Monday, September 11, 2023

Wacky Social: Golf, Arcade, Bar in Darlington

A new indoor minigolf venue is opening in Darlington in 2024.

Wacky Social will be home to a crazy golf course, an arcade, and a bar - and it'll be located somewhere in Darlington, County Durham next year.

Visit the Wacky Social Facebook Page for more information.

Richard Gottfried

I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer.

Wednesday, September 06, 2023

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel - a new minigolf book by Glenda Young

There's a new murder mystery book out, and it features crazy golf in the plot!

Author and big minigolf fan Glenda Young has written a new book. Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel is the third in the Scarborough-set cosy crime series.

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel will be available in the UK and internationally in both physical and e-versions from Thursday 14th September.

We were lucky enough to receive an advance copy from Glenda and it arrived yesterday. I'm pleased to say that I read it from cover to cover in one go and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young - a minigolf book

You can find out more about Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel here.

Glenda blogs about minigolf at Two Crazy Golfers - with Scarborough a firm favourite location to play the game. It's one of our top tip for places to have a game too as there are so many courses there and such variety.

Richard Gottfried

I’m a Champion Miniature Golfer on a tour of the UK’s minigolf and crazy golf courses. Coeliac living a gluten free life. Train nerd. Retro gamer. Urban explorer.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars Minigolf in Colchester

A new Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars minigolf venue is heading to Colchester, Essex.

Puttstars Minigolf

Hollywood Bowl is opening a Puttstars indoor minigolf course and a tenpin bowling centre at the Northern Gateway leisure area in the town.

The location was first announced in January 2020.

There are now Puttstars minigolf centres in Leeds, Harrow, York, Rochdale and Peterborough.

Check out the Puttstars website for more information.

The retailtainment and minigolf boom

Minigolf is a big part of the retailtainment boom, with courses opening as standalone entertainment activities, or as part of large shoppingtainment leisure offerings in shopping centres, malls, high streets and retail parks.

Playing Puttstars

We played Puttstars Minigolf in Rochdale on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in June 2021. It was the first course we played in ten months following coronavirus pandemic lockdowns!

Puttstars Minigolf in Rochdale

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Höfner Stübl Minigolf in Sasbachwalden

A look at the Miniature Golf Höfner Stübl course in The Black Forest (Schwarzwald).

Many thanks to my brother Christopher for sending over these photos of Höfner Stübl Minigolf in Sasbachwalden, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

The course was the 1,072nd visited on our combined Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.