UrbanCrazy Minigolf Course Party in East Finchley

Visiting the 250th course location on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!
On Saturday 7th August 2010 Emily and I were guests of UrbanCrazy at the launch party of their latest minigolf course, at the home of their client in East Finchley, London.




The six-to-nine hole minigolf course is a course tailor-made for the customers and features some unique obstacles and some changeable holes! This means that it can vary from round to round and range from a six hole to a nine hole course!

In the practice rounds and various challenge matches against other guests my best score was 12(par). I also managed to Ace every hole bar the 1st and 5th. It's a tricky, interesting and visually pleasing minigolf course. The course was the 190th we have played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and is also the 250th overall course location visited in the four years of the Tour.

Minigolf Report - Richard Gottfried wins the GMGC Club Tournament at Hither Green

GMGC Club Tournament at Hither Green

Richard Gottfried accepted an invitation to compete in the Green Mini Golf Club’s first Club Tournament on Friday 6th August. Competing in a field of eleven players Richard won the 36-hole event with scores of 35(-1) and 36(par) for a total of 71(-1) – adjusted to 63 with the GMGC’s handicap scoring system. Hither Green’s Julio Kent was runner-up, with Kent’s Sean Homer third.

The event was a first for the Green Mini Golf Club (GMGC) which is based at the 18-hole Green Indoor Mini-Golf course in Hither Green, Lewisham. Earlier this year the course hosted the Spring Classic Competition where Richard was runner-up. The GMGC is now looking to organise regular competitions at the venue.

In the un-handicapped competition Richard’s two rounds were good enough to see him ranked third, behind London Open champion Nick Sandqvist and Sean Homer.

Richard said “It’s great to get a tournament win, and after my recent spate of runner-up spots it’s good to grab gold and a bronze. It makes a change to second place silver. The GMGC’s Club Tournaments also look like they are going to be great developmental events and I can’t wait to return for more action.”

Full results list from the GMGC Club Tournament.

Photos from the GMGC Club Tournament:

Richard at the Green Indoor Mini Golf Course in his new GMGC Club Polo Shirt.

Course owner Nick Sandqvist presents the prize money.

Richard plays a shot on the course.

The 'podium' at the first-ever GMGC Club Tournament, from l-r Sean Homer (3rd), Richard Gottfried (1st), Julio Kent (2nd).

The 18-hole indoor Swedish Felt minigolf course in Hither Green, Lewisham, London was the 160th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in February 2010.

Richard is currently ranked at a new career high of 7th of 88 players in the 2009-2010 BMGA Order of Merit. Emily is currently 34th in the BMGA Order of Merit list. Having missed two ranking events this season, Richard has dropped slightly from 8th to 11th, in the 2010 BMGA Season Only Ranking list. Emily is 56th of 94 players in the list.

Ends

All Four Home Nations Visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Since our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began on the 30th September 2006 we have now visited 249 minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf, miniature golf and putting courses all over the UK.

Our recent trip to Bangor, Belfast, Antrim and Larne in Northern Ireland completed the list of home nations visited to play Miniature Golf on the Irregular Mini Golf Tour, The Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and the BMGA Tour.

Obviously our first course was played in England, at the Treasure Island Adventure Golf in Portsmouth/Southsea on the 30th September 2006.

The next country visited was Scotland, where we headed to Glasgow and played three courses (and found a derelict) in May 2009. We've since been back to Scotland, where we competed in the BMGA Scottish Open tournament at Codonas Amusement Park in Aberdeen in May 2010.

Next up was our Minigolf Tour of Wales in August 2009. The first of the 28 Welsh courses we played was at Smuggler's Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island / Ynys y Barri (another island visit too) and the last was at Riverside Park, Llangollen. While in Wales we also competed in the 2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament), and visited the Isle of Anglesey/Ynys Môn to play the island's three courses (Holyhead Park, Henblas Park and Anglesey Sea Zoo).

The trip to Northern Ireland saw us play five courses. One in Antrim, two in Larne (1&2), and two in Belfast. We also competed for a new Minigolf title in the NIBBAL-IT Doubles Challenge Competition, which saw the Bangor Minigolf Club defeat the Luton Wanderers in the 7-round event. In January 2010 we popped to Ireland for 30 seconds!?

On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we've also headed to a few other 'Islands' within the British Isles. Back in 2008 we visited the Isle of Wight and Hayling Island (for Minigolf, Shooting Shacks, Rollercoasters, Miniature Steam Railways and Scarecrows), and in 2008 and 2009 we also visited Canvey Island.

In July 2010 we even found ourselves in New England!

Other countries we've visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour include Finland (once), USA (thrice - 1, 2, 3) and Austria (once). Although there wasn't a minigolf course there and it's not on a map(!?) we did drive through Egypt on the way back from a Minigolf Tour in August 2010!

Minigolf Report & Results - NIBBAL-IT Competition in Northern Ireland

Minigolf Report & Results - NIBBAL-IT Competition in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Belfast Bangor Antrim & Larne Invitational Tournament (NIBBAL-IT) trophy.

On Saturday 31st July and Sunday 1st August the first ever Northern Ireland Belfast Bangor Antrim & Larne Invitational Tournament (NIBBAL-IT) trophy was contested between the Bangor Minigolf Club and the visiting Luton Wanderers Minigolf Club.

The 2010 NIBBAL-IT Champions - The Bangor MGC - l-r, Mark Swain, Craig McCallister.

The 2010 NIBBAL-IT Runners-Up - The Luton Wanderers MGC - l-r, Emily Gottfried, Richard Gottfried.

The NIBBAL-IT was played on four courses and comprised seven rounds, totalling 126-holes. The team tournament was won by the Bangor MGC with 47 points to the Luton Wanderers MGC's 32 points in the point-play system used to decide the NIBBAL-IT Champions.

The competitors receive their prizes (also pictured Eva McCallister - Bangor MGC Team Mascot).

Mark Swain, Co-Captain of Bangor MGC said "It feels fantastic. We used the home advantage well. It’s great to win."

Craig McCallister, Co-Captain of Bangor MGC said "It’s nice to win, despite my great efforts not to. I look forward to the return leg in Luton."

In the individual standings Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain won the gold medal, by 15 clear shots of runner-up 'Squire' Richard Gottfried. Craig 'Kamikaze' McCallister was third. Emily 'Coach' Gottfried took the NIBBLA(sic)-IT Wooden Spoon in fourth place.

The final individual strokeplay rankings were:
1st - Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain (NI & BMGC) - 293(+41)
2nd - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 308(+56)
3rd - Craig 'Kamikaze' McCallister (NI & BMGC) - 325(+73)
4th - Emily 'Coach' Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 332(+80)

Defeated tourist Richard Gottfried of the Luton Wanderers MGC said "What a fantastic tournament weekend in Northern Ireland. It was great to compete against such nice opponents in a fun, but very competitive tournament. The courses, the format of the competition and the quality of the players involved meant that the outcome was hard to predict. Mark and Craig's knowledge of the PAG course in Belfast, coupled with them being used to the inclement Northern Irish weather conditions certainly played into their favour. I can't wait for the 2011 NIBBAL-IT tournament now."

Emily Gottfried said "It was a really great tournament. All four course were challenging in their own way, so we all had a chance to take the lead during the seven rounds. Congratulations to Mark for his well-deserved win, and thanks also to Mark and Craig for a tough, but thoroughly enjoyable, doubles competition!"

The tournament began early on Saturday 31st July at the 18-hole Pirate themed Junction Jack's Adventure Golf course in Antrim, where the opening two NIBBAL-IT rounds were contested. After round one the Luton Wanderers MGC led by four points. After round two the score was ten points apiece.

Round three took place at the 18-hole Minigolf course at Larne's Carnfunnock Country Park. With Mark Swain winning the round with a score of 48(+12) to see the Bangor MGC take an overnight lead with 19 points to the Luton Wanderers' 15 points.

The day one standings were as follows:

Teams:
1st - Bangor MGC
2nd - Luton Wanderers MGC

Individuals:
1st - Mark 'The Horse Whisperer' Swain (NI & BMGC) - 132
2nd - 'Squire' Richard Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 142
3rd - Craig 'Kamikaze' McCallister (NI & BMGC) - 146
4th - Emily 'Coach' Gottfried (ENG & LWMGC) - 151

The second and final day's play took place at the Bangor MGC's current home courses, at the 36-hole Pirates Adventure Golf centre in Dundonald, Belfast.

Two rounds were played on the Blackbeard's Adventure course first, with the standings after four rounds with Bangor MGC ahead by seven points.

After round five Bangor MGC led by five points. In the individual standings Mark had lost his 10-shot lead and shared first place with Richard heading into the final 36-holes on the Captain's Challenge course.

After the sixth round Mark had regained the lead, which also helped the Bangor MGC extend their lead to 11 points.

The inaugural NIBBAL-IT Trophy and Title was eventually won in round seven on the 5th hole, and saw the Bangor MGC lift their first piece of sliverware since Mark Swain won the Top Local Championship at the 2007 BMGA Irish Open.

Photos and Videos from the NIBBAL-IT 2010.

Rounds 1&2 at Antrim













Videos - Action from Antrim's Junction Jack's Adventure Golf course.





Round 3 at Larne






Video - Action from Larne's Minigolf at Carnfunnock Country Park.



Rounds 4-7 at Belfast













Video - The new NIBBAL-IT Champions - The Bangor MGC - Interviewed Following the Tournament.



The prestigious title will be contested again at the NIBBAL-IT (Northern Ireland Bangor Bedfordshire and Luton - Invitational Tournament) in 2011.

Pirates Adventure Golf in Belfast, Northern Ireland

A visit to two Adventure Golf courses in Belfast.


On Sunday 1st August 2010 we headed to Pirates Adventure Golf in Dundonald, Belfast, Northern Ireland to play the final four rounds of the first-ever NIBBAL-IT minigolf competition.

We launched straight into the tournament play, tackling two rounds on each of the two course.



The 188th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was Blackbeard's Adventure.



The 189th was The Captain's Challenge.


The 189th course played was also the 249th Minigolf Course Visit overall on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since our journey began on the 30th September 2006.








The visit was great fun and we enjoyed the whole trip to Northern Ireland to see (and compete against) our friends Mark Swain and Craig McAllister. We look forward to a future visit.

The Pirates Adventure Golf course was also the host venue for the 2006 and 2007 BMGA Irish Open tournaments.

You can find the Pirates Adventure Golf course at 111a Old Dundonald Road, Dundonald, Belfast, BT16 1XT. Check out the Pirates Adventure Golf website for more information, opening times and prices.

Link:
- Pirates Adventure Golf website

Related blog posts:
- Results of the 2010 NIBBAL-IT Minigolf Competition
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Winning some Pirates Adventure Golf 'Treasure'