Results of the Third Annual Watford Classic

Emily Gottfried today won the third annual Irregular Mini Golf Tour Watford Classic, played at the Adventure Golf course at TopGolf Watford.

In the three player strokeplay tournament Emily finished with a 36-hole total of 91 (+19) to lift the trophy for the second time in three years. Second was the defending champion Richard Gottfried with 92 (+20) and the mystery player was third with 96 (+24).

Results of previous Watford Classic tournaments:
2007 - R. Gottfried*
2006 - E. Gottfried
* After play-off

Minigolf Doubles Strokeplay Match - Result

Result from 15th December 2008:
Chris Harding (Midlands) & Rocky Bullin (London) beat Richard Gottfried (Midlands) & Owen Johnson (Midlands), and Ruth Bullin (London) & Matt Smith (Midlands) in an 18-Hole Doubles Strokeplay Match on the Hidden Cove Challenge course at Star City, Birmingham.

1st Chris Harding & Rocky Bullin = 35 (-1)
2nd* Richard Gottfried & Owen Johnson = 37 (+1)
3rd Ruth Bullin & Matt Smith = 37 (+1)

* Won an Aces Play-Off on the 17th Hole

Winter Minigolf League Match Results - 15/12/08

Results from my matches in the Star City Monday Night Winter League on the 15th December 2008.

beat Chris Harding 34 - 37 on the Hidden Cove Course
lost to Matt Smith 36 - 35 on the Hidden Cove Course
beat Matt Smith 38 - 43 on the Lost Hut Course
beat Chris Harding 36 - 38 on the Lost Hut Course

My Adventure Island Mini Golf Winter League win/loss record:
Played - 10
Won - 8
Drawn - 1
Lost - 1
Points - 25

Gottfried's Crazy World of Minigolf - the Tour So Far

'Crazy World of Minigolf' - the Tour So Far

All courses played 30th September 2006 – 7th December 2008
1 Abingdon (Abbey Meadow) – Crazy Golf
2 Abingdon (Abbey Meadow) – Pitch & Putt
3 Bedford – Putting Green
4 Birmingham (Star City) – Adventure Golf (Hidden Cove Challenge)
5 Birmingham (Star City) – Adventure Golf (Lost Hut Trail)
6 Blackpool (Pleasure Beach) – Adventure Golf (New)
7 Blackpool (Pleasure Beach) – Adventure Golf (Old)
8 Blackpool (Stanley Park) – Crazy Golf
9 Blackpool (Starr Gate) – Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
10 Brighton (East of Palace Pier) – Crazy Golf
11 Brighton (Peter Pan's) – Adventure Golf
12 Broadstairs (Lillyputt Minigolf) – Lillyputt Minigolf (Arnold Palmer)
13 Broxbourne (Paradise Wildlife Park) – Adventure Golf
14 Coalville – Adventure Golf
15 Eastbourne (Treasure Island) – Adventure Golf
16 Felixstowe (Fantasia) – Adventure Golf
17 Felixstowe (Mannings) – Golf FX
18 Felixstowe (Sea Front) – Crazy Golf
19 Felixstowe (Sea Front) – Putting Green
20 Filey – Crazy Golf
21 Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) – Minigolf 18 Hole
22 Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) – Minigolf 9 Hole
23 Great Yarmouth (Hollywood Adventure Golf, Windmill Theatre) – Indoor Adventure Golf
24 Great Yarmouth (Jungle Golf at the Gardens) – Crazy Golf
25 Great Yarmouth (Pirates Cove) – Adventure Golf
26 Great Yarmouth (Pleasure Beach) – Adventure Golf
27 Hastings (Planet Hastings) – Minigolf
28 Hastings (Seafront) – Adventure Golf
29 Hastings (Seafront) – Crazy Golf
30 Hastings (Seafront) – Minigolf
31 Hayling Island – Adventure Golf
32 Letchworth Garden City – Par 3 Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
33 Letchworth Garden City – Putting Course on Grass
34 Lowestoft – Adventure Golf
35 Luton (Stockwood Park) – Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
36 Luton (Wardown Park) – Crazy Golf
37 Luton (Wardown Park) – Mini Golf/Pitch & Putt
38 Luton (Woodside Animal Farm) – Adventure Golf
39 Lytham St Anne’s – Crazy Golf
40 Margate (Little Oasis Crazy Golf) Cliftonville – Minigolf (Arnold Palmer) 1 of the 2 18-hole courses
41 Margate (Palm Bay Café) Cliftonville – Crazy Golf on Grass
42 Margate (Strokes) – Adventure Golf
43 Milton Keynes (Willen Lake) – Adventure Golf
44 Northwick Park – ‘Mini Majors’ Adventure Golf
45 Portsmouth/Southsea (Treasure Island) – Adventure Golf (Victory & Warrior Trails)
46 Ryde (Isle of Wight) – Adventure Golf
47 Rylstone Gardens (Isle of Wight) – Crazy Golf
48 Sandown (Isle of Wight) – Beton Crazy Golf
49 Sandown (Isle of Wight) – Indoor Adventure Golf
50 Scarborough – Adventure Golf
51 Shanklin (Isle of Wight) – Adventure Golf
52 Shanklin (Isle of Wight) – Beton Crazy Golf
53 Shefford, Bedfordshire (The Green Man Pub) – Crazy Golf
54 Southend-on-Sea (Adventure Island) – Adventure Golf (Aztec & Inca courses)
55 Southend-on-Sea (Arnold Palmer Minigolf) – Minigolf
56 Southsea – Crazy Golf
57 Southsea – Putting Green
58 Southsea (Golf Links) – 9 Hole Par 3/Pitch & Putt
59 St Albans, Hertfordshire (Verulamium Park) – Crazy Golf
60 Stonham, Suffolk (Stonham Barns) – Crazy Golf
61 Stratford-upon-Avon – Minigolf
62 Tampere, Finland – Beton
63 Tampere, Finland – Eternit
64 Tampere, Finland – Swedish Felt
65 Warwick (St Nicholas Park) – Adventure Golf
66 Warwick (St Nicholas Park) – Derelict Crazy Golf
67 Watford (Top Golf) – 9 Hole Putting Green
68 Watford (Top Golf) – Adventure Golf
69 West Hagbourne, Oxon (Horse & Harrow Pub) – Crazy Golf
70 Wroxham Barns – Adventure Golf
71 Bury St Edmunds (Abbey Gardens) – Crazy Golf
72 Dorridge (Four Ashes Golf Centre) – Minigolf
73 Coventry (Allesley Park) – Crazy Golf
74 New Malden – Jurassic Golf
75 Guildford (Stoke Park) – Swedish Felt
76 Weymouth (Sea Life Centre) – Adventure Golf
77 Weymouth (Bowleaze Cove) – Crazy Golf
78 Herne Bay – Adventure Golf

Courses visited but not played* 30th September 2006 – 7th December 2008
A Southend-on-Sea (Arnold Palmer Minigolf) – Derelict Minigolf
B Alton Towers – Extraordinary Golf
C Lowestoft – Putting Green
D Lytham St Anne’s – Crazy Golf #2
E Weymouth – Putting Green
F Guildford Lido – Minigolf
G Margate (Little Oasis Crazy Golf) Cliftonville – Minigolf (Arnold Palmer) the 2nd 18-hole course
H Canvey Island – Crazy Golf
I Oxford (Cutteslowe and Sunnymead Park) – Swedish Felt
J Oxford (Bury Knowle Park) – Swedish Felt
K Oxford (Florence Park) – Swedish Felt

* Due to closure, flooding or dereliction

Related Blog Post:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf in Oxford, in December

On an icy cold and foggy Sunday in December what better way to spend your time than searching the historic City of Oxford for it's hidden Minigolf treasures.

Three of Oxford's parks are home to Minigolf courses, and all three are Swedish Felt courses!

The first park we visited was Cutteslowe and Sunnymead Park, in the north of the city, where we found the first of the three 9-hole courses.





Stop two of the day was at Headington's Bury Knowle Park.





Our last stop of the afternoon, and with the fog creeping in, was at Florence Park where I managed to get these photos just before the park gates closed.





We're now looking forward to returning to Oxford in the summer to improve our scores on these very testing Swedish Felt courses.

Link:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Doubles Matchplay - Results & Stats

Results from 24th November 2008:
Fraser Cameron & James Bonsor beat Richard Gottfried & Owen Johnson 4&3 in an 18-Hole Doubles Matchplay Match at Star City, Birmingham.

Richard Gottfried's Career Doubles Matchplay Stats:
Played – 11*
Won – 5
Drawn – 1
Lost – 5

* Seven matches at the 2008 BMGA British Doubles Championship, Warwick (with Emily Gottfried) and four matches at Star City, Birmingham (with Andy Gonsalves x 2, Matt Smith & Owen Johnson).

Back in Action

After a three week break from competitive Minigolf, following the end of the BMGA's 2008 season, I re-entered the fray at Star City's Monday Night Winter League yesterday.

After eight (!) practice rounds on the Lost Hut and Hidden Cove courses to get warmed up I faced Owen Johnson (I won 37-50), James Bonsor (I won 35-42) and Fraser Cameron, who I defeated with a new personal best score on the Hidden Cove Challenge course of 32 (Fraser scored 39).

My score of 32 (-4) also equals my all-time personal best score on any 18-hole Minigolf course. My first '32' was on the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Hastings.

In my three rounds of league play I hit 9 holes-in-one.

My Adventure Island Mini Golf Winter League win/loss record:
Played - 6
Won - 5
Drawn - 1
Lost - 0
Points - 16

Derelict Crazy Golf in Southend...

...the course gets more derelict as time goes by, such a waste.





Especially as the other 18-Hole Arnold Palmer course on the same site is in good condition.


Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

10 Minutes in Canvey Island

On a trip to Southend-on-Sea today we decided to take a quick detour to Canvey Island as it was on our 'seasides to visit' list.

Despite the driving rain we decided to brave the elements and have a walk along the seafront and to our amazement what did we discover but a 9-Hole Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cheeky Monkey's Fun Fair that was previously unknown to us!





Unfortunately it was closed (what with it being a very wet day in November), but we'll be back in Canvey Island in 2009 to test it out and give it a Crazy World of Minigolf Tour play.


Related blog posts:
- List of courses visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Canvey Island
- 10 Minutes in Canvey Island

Minigolf Rankings - BMGA, WMF, WCGC & AIMG

Richard Gottfried
2007-2008 BMGA Order of Merit Ranking – 14th of 68 Players*
2008 BMGA Season Only Ranking – 8th of 129 Players**
2008 WMF World Minigolf Ranking – 425th of 433 Places (443 Players)***
2008 Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships – 17th of 68 Players****
2008 AIMG League Ranking – 2nd of 8 Players*****

Emily Gottfried
2007-2008 BMGA Order of Merit Ranking – 46th of 68 Players*
2008 BMGA Season Only Ranking – 29th of 129 Places**
2008 WMF World Minigolf Ranking – 115th of 120 Places (129 Players)***
2008 Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships – 43rd of 68 Players****
2008 Castle Golf Women’s World Crazy Golf Championships – 3rd of 9 Players****

Notes on the Rankings Systems:
* The BMGA Order of Merit Ranking System is calculated by adding a player’s top four scores of the current season to the top two scores from the previous season. BMGA competitions are played on Minigolf Open Standard (MOS) courses.
** The BMGA Season Only League Table Ranking System began on 16/03/2008 following the first event of the 2008 Tour (the PHCGC Open). These rankings are separate to the official BMGA Order of Merit Rankings and are based only on the current season’s results. Points are scored only in official BMGA events and will not be carried forward to the next year. Points are awarded in multiples of 5, starting at 10, up to the second placed player when the difference to the winner will be 10.
*** The WMF World Minigolf Rankings are those of the World Minigolfsport Federation and are published twice annually. Competitions that earn WMF Ranking Points are predominantly played on Eternit, Beton and Swedish Felt Courses.
**** The Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships Rankings are based on the annual World Crazy Golf Championships that take place in Hastings, rules dictate that all players must use only one type of ball for play (Minigolf tournaments allow players to choose from a number of different balls of varying properties). In 2008 a Women’s Championship was introduced and competed for in parallel with the main tournament.
***** The AIMG League Ranking is based upon weekly competition at the Adventure Island Mini Golf Courses at Star City, Birmingham.

Official WMF World Minigolf Rankings (Nov 08)

Following our selection to compete for the Great Britain Minigolf Sport Team in the 2008 Nations Cup in Finland back in May, Emily and I have received our Official World Minigolfsport Federation (WMF) World Minigolf Rankings for International Team Competition.

In the Women's Rankings Emily is ranked in tied 115th place of 120 places (129 players qualify to be currently ranked) and is one of only two Great Britain female minigolfers currently ranked in the WMF List (the other is Marion Homer). Along with Emily and Marion, Ruth Bullin is the only other female to have represented Great Britain in a WMF Sanctioned International Minigolf Tournament.

In the Men's Ranking List I am ranked in joint 425th of 433 places (443 players qualify to be currently ranked).

In the Nations Rankings Great Britain has dropped one place to 20th in the World. Germany, Sweden and Switzerland are currently ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The USA has also dropped one place, and are now 19th in the List.

More information and the full rankings can be found at the World Minigolfsport Federation (WMF) website http://www.minigolfsport.com and http://www.minigolfsport.com/download/ranking-list.pdf

Details of our participation in the 2008 Nations Cup can be found here http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2008/05/nations-cup-tampere-finland.html

Details about the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) can be found here www.minigolf.org.uk

BMGA End of Season Rankings Video

BMGA End of Season Rankings Video



Richard Gottfried – Up 20 places to 14th of 68

Emily Gottfried – New Entry at 46th of 68

Minigolf Player Profile - Richard Gottfried

Richard Gottfried
Member of the Midlands Minigolf Club
Debut – 2007 BMGA British Masters – 24th Place
Putter – Funsports

2007 Tour
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open – DNP
BMGA Irish Open – DNP
BMGA British Masters – 24th
BMGA English Open – 23rd
BMGA Brighton Open – 18th
BMGA Players Championship – 5th
BMGA British International Open – 29th
BMGA British Championships – 19th
BMGA Doubles Championships – DNP
BMGA Club Championships – DNP
BMGA Midland Invitational Tournament – 4th
BMGA Midland Open – 15th
Tunbridge Wells Invitational Tournament – DNP
Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships 2007 – 39th
BMGA Kent Open – 12th
2006-2007 BMGA Order of Merit Ranking – 34th

2008 Tour
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open – 25th
BMGA British Masters – 22nd
Pleasure Beach Open – 6th
Midland Invitational Tournament – 3rd
Nations Cup (Individual) – 51st
Nations Cup (Team) – 13th
The Viking Horn – 5th
BMGA British Doubles Tournament – 11th
BMGA English Open – 4th
BMGA British Club Championships – 1st
BMGA Brighton Open – 19th
BMGA British Championships – 18th
BMGA Players Championship – 16th
BMGA British Open – 28th
Weymouth Open – 1st
Tunbridge Wells Invitational Tournament – DNP
BMGA British Matchplay Championships – 26th
Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2008 – 17th
BMGA Kent Open – 13th
2007-2008 BMGA Order of Merit Ranking – 14th of 68 Players
2008 BMGA Season Only Ranking – 8th of 129 Players

Tweet

Minigolf Player Profile - Emily Gottfried

Emily Gottfried
Debut – 2007 Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships – 54th Place
Putter – Funsports

2007 Tour
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open – DNP
BMGA Irish Open – DNP
BMGA British Masters – DNP
BMGA English Open – DNP
BMGA Brighton Open – DNP
BMGA Players Championship – DNP
BMGA British International Open – DNP
BMGA British Championships – DNP
BMGA Doubles Championships – DNP
BMGA Club Championships – DNP
BMGA Midland Invitational Tournament – DNP
BMGA Midland Open – DNP
Tunbridge Wells Invitational Tournament – DNP
Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships 2007 – 54th
BMGA Kent Open – DNP
2006-2007 BMGA Order of Merit Ranking – N/A

2008 Tour
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open – 26th
BMGA British Masters – DNP
Pleasure Beach Open – 7th
Midland Invitational Tournament – DNP
Nations Cup (Individual) – 53rd
Nations Cup (Team) 13th
The Viking Horn – 7th
BMGA British Doubles Tournament – 11th
BMGA English Open – DNP
BMGA British Club Championships – 7th
BMGA Brighton Open – DNP
BMGA British Championships – 26th
BMGA British Women’s Championships – 3rd
BMGA Players Championship – 23rd
BMGA British Open – 44th
Weymouth Open – DNP
Tunbridge Wells Invitational Tournament – DNP
BMGA British Matchplay Championships – DNP
Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships 2008 – 43rd
Castle Golf Women’s World Crazy Golf Championships 2008 – 3rd
BMGA Kent Open – 21st
2007-2008 BMGA Order of Merit Ranking – 46th of 68 Players
2008 BMGA Season Only Ranking – 29th of 129 Players

Minigolf Report – BMGA End of Season Review

5th November 2008
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – BMGA End of Season Review

Richard & Emily Gottfried have completed their second season on the British Minigolf Association Tour and they have both risen up the official rankings.

After competing in 14 BMGA Tour events Richard ended the season ranked 14th of 68 Players in the 2007-2008 BMGA Order of Merit Rankings, and 8th of 129 Players in the 2008 BMGA Season Only Rankings.

Richard said “Heading into the 2008 Season I had set myself three main Minigolf objectives. To win a tournament on the BMGA Tour, reach the top 20 of the BMGA British Rankings, and play for Great Britain in an overseas tournament. And I was lucky enough to achieve all three by June of this year. Next year I’m planning on winning more individual BMGA Tour events and breaking into the top 5 of the BMGA British Rankings.”

He added “It’s been a very successful year for me with wins in the British Club Championships, Adventure Island/Heart FM Open and the Weymouth Open, and Emily has picked up some good finishes as well.”

He added “I’m now looking forward to having a bit of a break now, but I know I’ll be itching to get back into competition in a few weeks. There will be around 16 tournaments in the calendar next year and hopefully I’ll get to compete in them all.”

After playing in 11 BMGA Tour events Emily finished 46th in the BMGA Order of Merit and 29th in the 2008 BMGA Season-Only Rankings. Highlights of Emily’s season included 3rd place in both the BMGA British Women’s Championships and the Castle Golf Women’s World Crazy Golf Championships and selection for the Great Britain team.

Emily said “This has been a fantastic season, and although each competition was challenging, I know I did my best and a 46th place finish for my first full year is great. I’ve played on some lovely courses in the UK and abroad and I’m looking forward to next season.”

The 2009 BMGA Tour tees off in January in Birmingham as Star City hosts a special season opening tournament, followed by the ninth annual Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open in March.

Ends

Photo - The Gottfried's trophy shelf with the Weymouth Open Trophy & Medal, Adventure/Island Heart FM Trophy, Tampere 2008 Medal and the BMGA British Club Championship Trophy.

Minigolf Report – BMGA Kent Open Report

5th November 2008
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – BMGA Kent Open Report

Luton Minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried competed in the season closing BMGA Kent Open on Sunday 2nd November at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate.

26 BMGA Tour Players competed in the event which comprised of three rounds over 54 holes. Richard carded rounds of 40, 47 and 41 for a total of 128 (+20) to finish in 13th place. Emily scored rounds of 47, 49 and 53 for a total of 149 (+41) to end in 21st position.

The tournament winner was Andy Exall from Tunbridge Wells with a three round total of 105 (-3). Dave Forrest of the Kent Minigolf Club was runner-up with a total of 107 (-1). Third place went to the London Minigolf Club’s Bill Bullin with a total of 109 (+1).

Ends

A bleak start to the day's weather.


Emily Teeing-off in an Aces Play-Off.


Minigolfing Arch-Rivals (from l-r) Steve 'F1' Gow, Alan 'Stormin' Norman & 'Squire' Richard Gottfried.

Welcome to Margate

Before we played in the BMGA Kent Open on Sunday 2nd November we had planned to practice at Strokes Adventure Golf Course, however seeing the somewhat stormy conditions on the Seafront course (below) we decided to visit Margate's mysterious Shell Grotto.




According to Shellgrotto.co.uk "The Grotto’s discovery in 1835 came as a complete surprise to the people of Margate; it had never been marked on any map and there had been no tales of its construction told around the town."

If you're in, or around the Margate it's well worth a visit (as is Strokes Adventure Golf Course).



More information about the Shell Grotto can be found here.

Not Minigolf Course 74 Or 79!

It wasn't Minigolf course visited number 74, and it's not Minigolf course visited 79 - the second of the two Arnold Palmer courses at Cliftonville, Margate was not open (again) on my second visit of the year (1st November 2008).


For the look of disappointment back in September click here: http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2008/09/not-course-number-74.html

Not playing Minigolf in Broadstairs

On our visit to Broadstairs on Halloween we found the LillyPutt Mini Golf course to be closed.

Fortunately we have played there before (and very good it is too), hopefully we'll get back to play there again next summer.





Links:
- LillyPutt Mini Golf in Broadstairs
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Bowlingo in Broadstairs

A hard fought contest which was won by Emily 103-97.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 78 - Herne Bay

A visit to the 18-hole sea front minigolf course in Herne Bay.

On our way to play in the season-closing 2008 BMGA Kent Open in Margate Emily and I made a few seaside stops at Whitstable, Herne Bay, Westgate-on-Sea and Ramsgate.

Ahead of our road trip I had heard a whisper that Herne Bay was home to a new Minigolf course and upon our arrival the rumour was found to be true, as there is an 18-Hole Mini Golf course on the sea front.

Deciding the time was right to host an irregular minigolf event our Irregular Mini Golf Tour Herne Bay Classic was staged. Emily shot a 44 (+8) and I scored 40 (+4) to take the win.





Related blog posts:
- Herne Bay Revisit - Minigolf and the Pier
- Visits to the Mini Golf course in Herne Bay
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Link:
- Herne Bay Mini Golf website

Photos from the 2008 World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings

Photos from the 2008 Castle Golf World Crazy Golf Championships.

Emily practices.




Richard playing the Minigolf course.


Richard sitting in second place after three rounds of play - one shot off the lead.


A shot of Richard through the crowds during the final - Ace'ing the first.


Ranked 17th in the world.