Minigolf in Southend on Sea - The Southend Classic 2010

While in Southend on Sea for a family BBQ on Saturday 10th July 2010, my young cousin Ryan Jones challenged me to a game of Crazy Golf at the 18-hole Arnold Palmer course on the seafront.

I accepted the challenge and off we went for a round!

Also playing were Emily and another Cousin of mine, three year old Ronnie Jones (caddied by his mum Elaine).

The tournament - The Southend Classic - was contested over one 18-hole round. We were the third from last group out for the night, but eventually were the last group in!

The Southend Classic Results:
1. Richard Gottfried - 45(+9)
2. Emily Gottfried - 52(+16)
3. Ryan Jones - 64(+28)
4. Ronnie Jones - 101(+65) - but did not play from hole 13 (so scored 7's for holes 14-18)

Ryan played very well and beat me on holes 2, 3, 5 and 16! He also matched me on a few of the other holes too. Another player to watch out for in the future!

Ronnie played some excellent shots too, and some were far above those I'd expect from a three year old. He was knocking in alot of good 3's and even had a hole-in-one on the 12th (when me and Ryan had a 2 each, and Emily got a 3!)

The Water Wheel hole has a very fast moving set of blades (much faster than at Hastings Crazy Golf), this makes your tee-shot even more crucial!

The Classic Windmill hole!


After losing my ball on the second hole (!?) I had to go back to the hut and ask for another. Wary of giving me another 'good ball' this is what I was given to use for the next 16-holes!!!

Unfortunately none of us were able to ring the bell on the Top Hole.

Great fun. Looking forward to another round again soon.

Upminster (Hall Lane) - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit - Derelict Course

On Sunday 11th July 2010 we headed to Upminster on our way home from Southend on Sea.

We had heard from London Minigolf Club member (and St George's Day Classic Champion) Gareth Holmes that there was a 9-hole Miniature Golf / Crazy Golf course on Hall Lane - he had played there last summer.

However, the course was most definitely closed on our visit (and by the looks of it, and the sign on the gate, it had been for some time).










View other courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Link to a blog post about other Mini Golf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf courses in and around London.

Brentwood (King George Playing Fields) - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit - Course Unable to be Opened!?

On our way to Southend on Sea on Saturday 10th July 2010 we had a check online to see if Brentwood was home to any minigolf or crazy golf courses, and we were in luck!

At the King George Playing Fields in Brentwood, Essex, there is a fine looking 18-hole Miniature Golf course. However it was not to be the 182nd course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour*, but would be added to the long-line of course visits that end in disappointment as the course was only open between 11am and 3pm.








I'm not too sure when I'll next be in Brentwood between 11am and 3pm. Hopefully I'll get to play the course in the future, as me and Emily were looking forward to a competitive round.

* The eventual 182nd course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the 18-hole Novelty Golf course at Billericay's Lake Meadows Park.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Essex

Non-courses on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour (plus one 'not sure') - Hornchurch, Romford and Havering

While touring the UK on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we get to visit some great towns, cities and villages; meet some great people; and best of all play lots of Minigolf in all it's many guises.

However, on our travels we have often found that courses that should (or did once) exist are no longer there (or have very little trace of their remains). In the cases of the three courses we attempted to seek out below we found that they no longer exist:

- Hornchurch (Harrow Lodge Park) - Minigolf/Miniature Golf - Did not exist!?


- Hornchurch (Haynes Park) - Minigolf/Miniature Golf - Did not exist!?



- Romford (Harold Wood Park) - Mini Golf - Did not exist!?
So, if you are venturing out to any of the locations in the hope of a round of Miniature Golf, it's probably best not to!

If however you're reading this and have any information on the history of the courses above do let me know?

There was also another Miniature Golf course in Havering, at Central Park, however our time touring Essex on the 10th and 11th July 2010 was fading fast and we had to give up the search.


Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Essex

Wickford Memorial Park, Wickford, Essex - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit - Derelict Course

Following our visit to the Novelty Golf course in Billericay's Lake Meadows Park in Essex on Saturday 10th July 2010, we headed to Wickford Memorial Park, Wickford, Essex to seek out another 'Novelty Golf' course.



Unfortunately this course was an 18-hole derelict.

















Speaking to some locals at the park, we found out that the 18-hole course had been abandoned some time ago, and it is no longer used. A real shame, as it was easily accessible and the park was a fair size too.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

Novelty Golf in Billericay (Lake Meadows Park) - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - Course Visit #182

The 182nd course that we managed to visit and play on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the 18-hole 'Novelty Golf' course at Billericay's Lake Meadows Park in Essex on Saturday 10th July 2010.


The price to play the course was only 75p per round (with a refundable £1 deposit for equipment per player). That's just 4p per hole!

The course was not in the greatest of conditions, but was actually surprisingly still fun to play! Concrete (and felt-less) courses with wear and tear are always difficult to play, but I did still manage five holes-in-one and a total score of 39(+3). Emily managed a 49(+13).
The 4th/5th holes were very interesting as they were a cross-over hole. With the bridge on the 5th containing a hole down to the pipe on the 4th if you were unlucky enough to drop down!







Hole 10 was certainly 'novel' too, as it contained two holes on the 'green' itself!?










The Novelty Golf course in Lake Meadows Park was almost exactly the same as the (unfortunately) derelict Novelty Golf course in Wickford Memorial Park that we visited later the same day. Speaking to some locals in Wickford, the 18-hole course had been abandoned some time ago, and it is no longer used. A real shame, as it was easily accessible and the park was a fair size too.

Lake Meadows park also had a large Pitch & Putt course that was called 'Miniature Golf'. Unfortunately we didn't have time to play it.



Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex