Saturday, May 23, 2015

Mini Golf at Tea Green Golf at Wandon End, Luton

A visit to the new Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club in Wandon End, Luton.

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton
The old Crazy Golf has been upgraded to this bright new Mini Golf 

Tea Green Golf Club in Luton has unveiled its upgraded Mini Golf layout and on Friday I headed up there for a few rounds on the course.

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton
Playing hole 1. The 'classic' ace line has been blocked by two obstacles. There is still a way to get a hole-in-one though. You can see the old version of hole 1 here

Emily and I have been visiting Tea Green Golf since we found out that the club was home to a Crazy Golf course in July 2009. The course was the 111th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Since that first visit almost six years ago the courses has undergone some changes.

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton
Revisiting the 111th course on our tour

Using the base holes as a foundation for the new miniature golf layout the 9-hole course has been refurbished and freshened up with new borders, obstacles and colours. I'm very pleased to say that the course manager Lester Coles and the team have taken on-board some of my suggestions for updating the course. There are now some nice undulations on the course, bright colours, high quality felt to play on, and of course there's a windmill on one of the holes.

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton
Hole 5 has a windmill obstacle on it. It blocks the straight shot to the hole, but there is a fine angle to make the ace

Lester has also been a minigolf rival of mine since we first played the course in 2011 so he was itching to give me a game - and what a clash it was. Having set the record of 17(-1) on the first official day of the new course Lester bested me in the first two rounds (18 to 19), before we tied on 17. We then played another 18-hole round which saw me force a play-off with an ace at the last hole. The game continued to the 4th extra-hole before I was robbed by a bounce out from my second putt.

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton
A view of the course from the turnaround point. Hole 7 (the blue hole in the photo) used to be hole 9

Over the years we've had many rounds on the course and scored a lot of holes-in-one. Lester and I were both amazed at how tricky it is to ace many of the holes during the round - we did however make some nice shots in some practice play. It'll be very interesting to see if the old course record of 14 (held forevermore by Scott Holmes) will ever be equalled or bettered...

The cost to play the Tea Green Mini Golf course is just £2 and gives you unlimited play on your visit. Great value
The cost to play the course is just £2 and gives you unlimited play on your visit. Great value

Check out the photos of the 9-hole course below.

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Mini Golf course at Tea Green Golf Club at Wandon End, Luton

Tea Green Golf is a really friendly golf club that welcomes members and non-members alike. The Par-3 Golf course is a great test and they also have a really popular Footgolf course. Plus there's a bar, restaurant and games area (pool and darts). Visit the Tea Green Golf website, and check out the club on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

Links:
- Tea Green Golf
- UrbanCrazy

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Tea Green
- Luton

Videos:
A round of Minigolf at Tea Green Golf Course in Luton (July 2009)
- Attempting to play Crazy Golf in the snow at Tea Green Golf, Luton (January 2010)
- Hole in One at Tea Green Golf's Minigolf Course (March 2010)
- A round of Minigolf at Tea Green Golf Luton (May 2010)
- A round of Minigolf at Tea Green Golf for the Putter King Scavenger Hunt (September 2011)
- Minigolf Trick Shot - Blindfolded Hole-in-One for the Putter King Miniature Golf Scavenger Hunt (September 2011)

Friday, May 22, 2015

The Original Crazy Golf in Skegness

A revisit to the Original Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness.

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
A view of England's first Crazy Golf course location

In May 2011 we visited Skegness as part of a road trip along the Lincolnshire coast. In May 2015 we returned for some more fun and games in the seaside resort.

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
At the Crazy Golf course on South Parade

When we arrived on the Friday afternoon we had a wander along the seafront to see what had changed with the minigolf courses. Unfortunately the Crazy Golf course on South Parade was once again closed.

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
Recreating my look of sadness from May 2011

The course is noted as England's first-ever Crazy Golf course. There's a relatively new sign at Grand Parade advertising the course and the date it was established is listed as 1926.

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
The new sign for the old Crazy Golf course

On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we've now visited 598 courses, playing 363 of them. As well as the visit to England's first course, we've played England's first Pitch & Putt (opened in Southsea in 1914) and the world's first Miniature Golf course (the Himalayas in St Andrews was created in 1867).

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
There has been Crazy Golf on this site since 1926

On the Saturday the course was once again closed, so we played an impromptu Aces Competition on National Miniature Golf Day using an 11-Wood that Chris Jones had just bought in a charity shop. The course became the 363rd played on our tour.

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
Finally having a play on the course

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
Chris Jones having a putt on an obstacle that wasn't there in 2011, nor I doubt in 1926

As we were leaving on the Sunday we noticed it was open!

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
The course was open on the Sunday

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness
People having a round on the course

Check out more photos of the 12-hole course.

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness

Related blog posts:
Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Gold Mine Adventure Golf in Skegness

A revisit to the Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness.

Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness
The Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness

In May 2011 we visited Skegness as part of a road trip along the Lincolnshire coast. In May 2015 we returned for some more fun and games in the seaside resort.

Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness
Gold Mine Adventure Golf in Skegness

The course was the 239th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Back then we also took a ride on the Canyon River around the course.

Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness
The Cactus Canyon River Ride runs through the minigolf course

This time we played the course as part of the Skegness Minigolf Championship that took place on National Miniature Golf Day!

Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness
Playing the last hole

Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness
Careful of the Crocs. Or Alligators

Gold Mine Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach in Skegness
There's some great theming on the course

Related blog posts:
- Bottons Pleasure Beach in Skegness
Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

Gluten free food from Gilbert's Kosher Foods

Trying some gluten free food from Gilbert's Kosher Foods.

I'm always looking for new food and drink to make my strict gluten free diet more interesting, so I was pleased to see a new section at Tesco in Dunstable. Many of the Kosher products in the refridgerated section are also gluten free (as well as dairy free). And very good they are too.

Mr Freed's Small Fish Balls are very nice!
Mr Freed's Small Fish Balls are very nice!

The Blooms Vienna beef sausages make for great hot dogs
The Blooms Vienna beef sausages make for great hot dogs

Check out the Gilbert's Kosher Foods website for more information on the products available.

Related blog posts:
Gluten Free
Coeliac
Funny things about being a Coeliac

Links:
- Gilbert's Kosher Foods
Tesco Free From
Coeliac UK

Ocho Reales gluten free ale

I recently heard about Ocho Reales gluten free beer via MexImport on Twitter and I was very pleased to receive a couple of sample bottles.

Ocho Reales gluten free Ale
The name was taken from the old currency 'Real de a ocho' - more commonly known as the Piece of Eight

Allergen information on the Ocho Reales gluten free Ale
Allergen information on the Ocho Reales gluten free Ale

I'm looking forward to trying them with a Mexican meal soon.

Check out the links below for more info.

Links:
- MexImport
- Ocho Reales

Related blog posts:
- Gluten free beer
Gluten Free
Coeliac

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

A special gluten free delivery from Udi's

It was very nice to recently receive a hamper of Udi's Gluten Free goodies.

A special gluten free delivery from Udi's

The hamper included bagel chips, cake mix, soft baked cookies, muffins and more.

The Udi's Tiger Bloomer was Highly Commended in the Bread Category of the 2015 FreeFrom Food Awards
The Udi's Tiger Bloomer was Highly Commended in the Bread Category of the 2015 FreeFrom Food Awards

The Tiger Bloomer is very good - I had it to hold together a tasty filling of jerk pulled chicken and slaw that Emily cooked up. Sorry there's no photo as I'd got in late from a minigolf trip and wolfed it down!

Do check out my Gluten Free Journey blog on the Udi's website.

Udi's Gluten Free have been operating in the USA since 1994 and launched in the UK in 2013. Do visit the Udi's website for further details of their range and stockists near you.

Links:
Udi's Gluten Free UK
Udi's Gluten Free USA
- Udi's Gluten Free blog

Related blog posts:
- Udi's
Gluten Free
Coeliac

Princes Parade Pitch and Putt in Skegness

On Saturday 9 May 2015 we revisited the Pitch and Putt course on Princes Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire. We previously visited the course in May 2011.

Princes Parade Pitch and Putt course in Skegness, Lincolnshire
Princes Parade Pitch and Putt in Skegness

The Pitch & Putt course is operated by Golfwise and is a 9-hole layout. It's only open during the summer season, so our visit in early May was probably a bit too early in the year.

Visit the Golfwise website for more information. They have a number of courses in London and Essex. Their Pitch and Putt course at West Park in Chelmsford is a great layout.

Related blog posts:
- Putting and a Pitch & Putt on South Parade, Skegness
Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

Link: