Adventure Golf at Lydiard Park in Swindon

A new Adventure Golf course is planned for Lydiard House in Swindon, Wiltshire.

Lydiard House at Lydiard Park in Swindon could soon be home to an Adventure Golf course.

Lydiard Adventure Golf would be an outdoor course with a wildlife-theme.

It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Toys R Us on the Western Esplanade in Southampton

Visiting the old Toys R Us store on the Western Esplanade in Southampton, Hampshire.

We made a trip to the former Toys R Us store at Western Esplanade in Southampton in May 2021.

There was still a lot of signs on display at the large old unit.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

New crazy golf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK.

For information about new minigolf, crazy golf, and adventure golf courses opening in the UK take a look at the posts with the New course tag here on the Ham & Egger Files minigolf blog.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Visiting the Crazy Golf course at the end of the Pier in Southend-on-Sea

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 courses. Many locations have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed many many times!

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Only two of those original courses were indoor venues. Now the indoor game is booming and you can find minigolf courses indoors at shopping centres, retail parks, and in town and city centres around the country.

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,090 courses.

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Check out the full list of courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

World Book Day - The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing

Today is World Book Day.

My ebook to help minigolf players better market themselves, their clubs, tournaments and courses is available to purchase from Amazon.

The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing

I’ve been really pleased to see the ebook bought and used by a number of minigolf associations and federations, course owners and managers, bloggers, course reviewers and competition players around the world.

As a minigolfer with over a decade of experience as a tournament competitor and years of experience in marketing and communications I designed the guide so that anyone interested or involved in minigolf could help promote the game. It’s a niche title, but an audience and subject I know a lot about.

Writing the book was brilliant and enabled me to bring two areas of my life together. I’ve worked in marketing since 2003 and have played minigolf since I was a child. Stepping up to compete on the national minigolf tour circuit and in international tournaments opened my eyes to the potential of the game. I’ve also had the honour of serving on the committees of the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) and the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF).

Minigolf is a sport for all. People of all ages, sexes, backgrounds and abilities can pick up a putter and play the game.

When Emily and I began travelling around the country on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour there were around 600 courses in the UK. We’ve now visited more than 1,000 courses, including 47 overseas.

My sports, games and travel blog at the Ham & Egger Files contains over 5,400 posts that have attracted 3.1 million page views.

There are a huge amount of interesting and fun stories to tell and positive aspects to highlight to potential players, the media, sponsors and the wider sporting community. The Minigolfer’s Guide to Marketing should give federations, associations, courses, clubs and fellow players ideas, inspiration and support in their marketing efforts.

Much of the guidance could also be applied to a number of other sports clubs and organisations to help raise their profile and boost memberships.

Buy The Minigolfer’s Guide to Marketing ebook on Amazon.

Other minigolf books

While you're at it I also recommend checking out the following books about miniature golf:

• Amazing Strokes by Gretchen Smith
• Tilting at Windmills: How I Tried to Stop Worrying and Love Sport by Andy Miller
• The Path Behind the Green Jacket by Olivia Prokopová
• 10 Courses for 10 Years by The Putting Penguin
• Mini Golf by photographer Simon Martin

There are a number of other books about the game listed at the Crazy Golf Museum.

Crazy Golf in Midsomer Norton, Somerset

A new Crazy Golf course is planned for Midsomer Norton in Somerset.

A new Crazy Golf course has been proposed to replace a derelict public toilet block in the town of Midsomer Norton in Somerset.

The new Adventure Golf layout will be an outdoor course created on the spot where the public conveniences were outside the leisure centre.

It'll be another course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf at Jimmy G's amusement arcade in Leysdown

A new Adventure Golf course is planned for Leysdown-on-Sea, Isle of Sheppey.

The new adventure golf course at Jimmy G’s Amusements on The Promenade in Leysdown will be created as part of a refurbishment of the amusement arcade.

Visit the Jimmy G's Amusements website for more information.

It'll be another course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Toys R Us at Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke

Visiting the old Toys R Us store at the Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

We visited the old Toys R Us store in Basingstoke in May 2021.

There was still a lot of signage on display at the former store.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

Cherry Blossom at Putt Putt Noodle

There's always Sakura at Putt Putt Noodle.

Cherry Blossom at Putt Putt Noodle

Cherry Blossom at Putt Putt Noodle Mini Golf at the Castle Quarter shopping and entertainment centre in Norwich, Norfolk.

Cherry Blossom at Putt Putt Noodle

These snaps were by my brother Christopher - a charter member of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Together we've visited a combined 1,090 courses since September 2006.

Putt Putt Noodle Mini Golf in Norwich

Gluten free at The Oxford Place in Leeds

We had another amazing meal at The Oxford Place in Leeds last Sunday.

Pan-Fried North Sea Cod with Crushed New Potatoes, Lilliput Capers and a Prosecco and Brown Shrimp Sauce - this was one of the best things I've ever eaten

It was my first meal out since last September!

Mozzarella Carozza with a Rich Basil and Tomato Sauce - note the side order of Skinny Fries, another must have to share before the main courses

I've had some brilliant meals there before, and this was right up there with the best food I've had. Delicious.

As someone with Coeliac Disease it's always nice to be able to eat out-of-the-home with safety and peace of mind. And when that is combined with delicious and interesting food (such as the Carozza) and a variety of drink options it makes the experience absolutely marvellous.

Emily had the Tempura Battered Vegetables with Homemade Sweet Chilli Sauce for her starter

The Oxford Place is a must visit restaurant if you're a Coeliac or on a gluten free diet. I've dined there with people with Coeliac Disease as well as people on 'normal' diets and we've always been impressed by the food and service.

Emily's main course of Slow Cooked Belly Pork with Baked Apple, Celeriac Purée, Crackling and a Red Wine Jus

I'm really looking forward to my next visit already.

99.9% of the time I have the Sticky Toffee Pudding for my dessert when I'm at The Oxford Place

Check out The Oxford Place's website for more information.

Our friend had the Vanilla Cheesecake - and I nabbed a bit of the ice cream. It's so nice to be able to share meals with friend, something that is very tough for people dining gluten free, unless they're somewhere that is 100% like The Oxford Place

Mini Golf at Westminster Park in Chester

A new 18-hole outdoor mini golf course is opening in Chester, Cheshire.

The course at Chester's Westminster Park is opening on Saturday 9th March.

Check out the Green Day Café and Golf Facebook Page for more information.

It's another new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Pop Playrooms Mini-Golf in Kingston Upon Thames

A new indoor minigolf course is opening in Kingston Upon Thames, Greater London.

Pop Playrooms Mini-Golf is opening at The Rotunda in Kingston Upon Thames on Thursday 7th March.

The indoor course is a 9-hole layout.

Check out the Pop Playrooms website for more information.

It's another new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Adventure Golf at Camel Creek Family Adventure Park

Camel Creek Family Adventure Park in Wadebridge, Cornwall has a new Adventure Golf course.

A new pirate-themed Adventure Golf course is opening at the Camel Creek Family Adventure Park in Cornwall.

Camel Creek Family Adventure Park is re-opening in March.

Visit the Camel Creek Family Adventure Park website for more information about the theme park and the new Shipwreck Shores Adventure Golf course.

It's another new course - and theme park - for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New Putt Putt Noodle course in Coventry

There are plans for a new Putt Putt Noodle indoor minigolf course to open in Coventry.

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

The venue would be home to three indoor crazy golf courses.

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

You can find Putt Putt Noodle courses in Bedford, Norwich, Poole and Telford.

Check out the Putt Putt Noodle website for more information.

Mini Golf at Gulliver's Land Theme Park Resort in Milton Keynes

A look at the Mini Golf course at Gulliver's Land Theme Park Resort in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

My brother Christopher and his family visited Gulliver's Land Theme Park Resort in Milton Keynes and sent these snaps of the mini golf course there.

The combined total of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is now at 1,090 courses visited since September 2006!

Check out the Gulliver's Land Theme Park Resort website for more information.

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool

A look at the Urban Street Golf course at Gravity Max in Liverpool.

Our friend and minigolf rival Gareth Holmes recently visited Gravity Max and sent these photos of the Urban Street Golf course there.

We visited Gravity Max on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour during our last trip to Liverpool last November. The course looks superb lit up in the daytime, and looks stunning in the evening.

Visit the Gravity website for more information on Gravity Max, Gravity Active and Gravity Social.

A Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Finding a Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston.

On our way back home from a trip south we visited the abandoned Toys R Us in Derby as well as the still open Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston.

One of the retro brands I remember clearly from growing up in the 80s and 90s was Happy Shopper. The colourful sign with the happy chappy face is a lovely throwback. Happy Shopper received a rebrand in 2000, but if you are lucky you can still find the original branding and signage on some shops.

Having a look round the Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston we spotted an extra bonus - it used to be a video shop too!

Other Happy Shopper shops

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Ashwellthorpe
• Ormesby St Margaret
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent 1
• Burton-on-Trent 2

Crazy Golf Meets the Movies! at Uredale Mill in Askrigg

A pop-up crazy golf course is opening at Uredale Mill in Askrigg for Easter.

The Crazy Golf Meets the Movies! 18-hole indoor minigolf course will be open at Uredale Mill in Askrigg, North Yorkshire from the 23rd March to the 7th April.

Visit the Uredale Mill website and Incredible Artists Facebook Page for more information.

World Crazy Golf Championships 2024

The 2024 World Crazy Golf Championships will be held in Hastings, East Sussex from the 7th to the 9th June.

Entries are open for the 2024 World Crazy Golf Championships at Hastings Adventure Golf.

The major miniature golf tournament will see the main event take place on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June. A juniors event will be held on Saturday 8th June. And a team event will be held on Friday 7th June.

You can find out all the details on the Hastings Adventure Golf website, and the new Facebook Page for the World Crazy Golf Championships.

Richard Gottfried playing in the World Crazy Golf Championships

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

Emily Gottfried playing in the World Crazy Golf Championships

The competition is played on the 18-hole Crazy Golf course at Hastings Seafront. The layout is of the Arnold Palmer Putting Course variety. 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 and has been held at Hastings Adventure Golf every year, except 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic). The current champion is Adam Kelly who is enjoying his second reign as world champion having also won the 2022 event.

Crazy Golf at The Friars Head at Akebar

The Friars Head pub at Akebar in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire has a free-to-play Crazy Golf course.

The Friars Head pub at Akebar is reopening on the 1st March and there's a free-to-play Crazy Golf course at the venue.

It'll be a new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out The Friars Head website for more information.

Remains of a Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk

A ghost sign at the old Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk.

We were surprised and amazed to see an old Happy Shopper sign while en route to Hemsby during an East Anglian Road-Trip.

We had taken a couple of detours because of traffic and ended up on a different road towards the seaside that took us through the village of Ormesby St Margaret. We're always looking for points of interest and new things to spot when on our travels and as we drove past the village shop we both said to each other jokingly "I wonder if that used to be a Happy Shopper?"

Imagine our shock when we saw a really old, classic Happy Shopper sign in one of the shop windows!

Other Happy Shopper shops

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Ashwellthorpe
• Ormesby St Margaret
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent 1
• Burton-on-Trent 2