From a Minigolf Course to Flower Beds...

...the Minigolf course in Orford Park, Warrington no longer exists.

No Crazy Golf course in Heaton Park anymore

Following the Gottfrieds and the Johnsons trip to Wythenshawe Park we headed to Heaton Park to find the Crazy Golf course there. However, this course was long gone!

There was a Pitch & Putt though.

We didn't play it.

'Old School' Joke on the Minigolf Course

Minigolf Doubles - Career Stats

Minigolf Course Visit No. 114 - Wythenshawe Park

Following the Manchester Miniature Open, Emily and I were joined by two fellow Crazy Golf Course Tourists and Enthusiasts Paul and Owen Johnson in a visit to Wythenshawe Park in Manchester.






The Gottfrieds also took on the Johnsons in 9-hole Strokeplay and Matchplay Doubles Matches, with one win for each team. Full Doubles record and scores follow.

A 'new' golfing definition of 'ham and egger'

Golf course architects Forrest Richardson & Associates have a list of Golf Course Terms on their website at http://www.golfgroupltd.com/golf_course_terms.html

Under 'h' they list the term 'ham and egger' as "...a feature or golf course that is very common in nature."

A list of other definitions and an introduction to The Ham and Egger Files can be found on my first blog post from 21st December 2006 here http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/2006/12/ham-egger-files-introduction.html

Minigolf Report – Gottfrieds finish first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament

26th July 2009
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Gottfrieds finish first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament

Luton minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried finished first and second in the Manchester Miniature Open tournament at the 9-hole Championship MiniatureGolf course at Playgolf Manchester on Saturday 25th July.

The second ‘Mini Major’ competition of the year was played over 27-holes, and in a field of twelve players Richard won with a three round total of 87(-18) after scoring rounds of 27, 31 and 29.

After tying for second place with scores of 90(-15), Emily and Birmingham’s Paul Johnson played a four-hole cumulative score play-off to decide second and third place. Emily was able to score a total of 11, while Johnson hit 15, giving Emily her highest minigolf tournament finish to date.

Richard Gottfried said “I am so happy to have won my second Mini Major minigolf title. I seem to play really well on the tough greens in Manchester. It’s so difficult to ace any holes here that a two is worth its weight in gold. The final round was very tense, as going into it I was only two shots ahead of Emily and Nick Ashfield. Emily did very well to get second place.”

Emily said “It was a really great tournament, and at one point I thought I might win it as I was playing really well, but Rich played better and definitely deserved to win.”

The Manchester Miniature Open is Richard’s fifth tournament win since his British Minigolf Association debut in April 2007; he is also the Manchester Mini Masters Champion, Weymouth Open Champion, Adventure Island/Heart FM Open Champion, and one-quarter of the reigning BMGA British Club Champions.

Richard is currently ranked 19th of 81 players in the BMGA Order of Merit Rankings, while Emily is in 44th place.

Ends

Richard Gottfried wins the Manchester Miniature Open minigolf tourney...

...Emily Gottfried second after a four-hole cumulative score play-off victory over Birmingham's Paul Johnson.

Full results to follow.

Practice at Tea Green Crazy Golf

This evening I had nine practice rounds at Tea Green's Crazy Golf course and scored rounds of 15, 17, 21, 20, 18, 16, 17, 17 and 19. The round of 15(-3) included three aces and six twos and was an equal to my course record, and my lowest score on the 'new' course since it was semi-refurbished.




Hole 3 has changed for a second time with the obstacle switching positions and now has the ramp to the left hand side (below).


Speaking with Tea Green Golf's manager Lester Coles the Crazy Golf competition scheduled for Friday 17th July was postponed due to the torrential rain that fell, flooding the course.

Tea Green Crazy Golf Course 'Then' & 'Now'

When I first visited Tea Green's Crazy Golf course on the 1st July a couple of the holes were in need of some refurbishment, and I am happy to say that they have now been improved.

Hole 3 - 1st July

Hole 3 - 16th July

Hole 8 - 1st July

Hole 8 - 16th July

More improvements are planned for the course over the summer and I look forward to returning again soon to try and better my PB and Course Record of 15(-3).

Tea Green Crazy Golf Course Record and Competition

The course record for the Crazy Golf course at Tea Green, near Luton, that I set on my visit on the 1st July has now been equalled by Course Manager Lester Coles who managed to hit a 15(-3) earlier today.

The course is holding a knockout minigolf tournament for new players tomorrow (17th July) and are advertising this (and the course record) outside the clubhouse.




The Crazy Golf course has also been improved a lot over the last few weeks, with new obstacles on the third and the eighth holes, and with other holes re-concreted and freshly painted.

More details, and 'then' & 'now' photos to follow.

Minigolf Course Visit No. 113 - Putting Green at Tea Green

Thursday 16th July saw me play on my 113th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when I teed-off on Tea Green's Putting Green.





In the game I managed a 21(+3), which included an Ace on the 3rd hole.

Crazy Golf, Big Golf and Putting at Tea Green

A bumper evening of Crazy Golf, Big Golf and Putting took place at Tea Green Golf this evening, with 54-holes played in total.

In the 'Big' Golf I had a victory over Issarrar Malik, followed by wins in four games of Crazy Golf, and a 9-hole match on the Putting Green (which was also my 113th course played).

The Joy of the Amusement Arcade - Crazy Air Squash in Hastings

Back in October 2008 Minigolfers Richard Gottfried and Steve Gow battled it out in a game of Crazy Air Squash at The Deluxe Amusement Arcade in Hastings, East Sussex, which in turn was a kind-of-rematch from their original Air Hockey battle at Wroxham Barns, Norfolk.

With the previous matches being a draw and one win to Steve, the battle to become the UK (and arguably the world's) number one Air Hockey & Variants Champion drew the attention of two new challengers (and fellow Minigolfers) - Scott Lancley and Kevin Moseley.

In a new format, the four would battle it out at the Family Amusements on Hastings' Sea Front following the first day's play in the BMGA British Championships.

In the first match reigning and defending Crazy Air Squash Champion Steve Gow beat Richard Gottfried 8-4.

In the other first round match Scott Lancley beat Kevin Moseley 5-3 to take him through to the final.

Both matches saw plenty of off 'field' action with the puck being lost at least five times.

In the final, Steve Gow lost his crown to newcomer Scott Lancley in an exciting, high scoring and very close match, with the final score standing at 8-7.

In the 3rd/4th place play-off match Kevin Moseley beat Richard Gottfried 5-4.

Rankings
1. Scott Lancley
2. Steve Gow
3. Kevin Moseley
4. Richard Gottfried

Photos from the event:

Steve Gow and Richard Gottfried ahead of their Crazy Air Squash match.

Heads of Tails - pre-match coin toss to see who hits the puck first.

Scott Lancley and Kevin Moseley battle it out in their first round encounter.


Richard Gottfried and Kevin Moseley following their 3rd/4th place play-off match.

The final score in the final between defending Crazy Air Squash Champion Steve Gow and new challenger Scott Lancley.
Scott Lancley receives the 'prestigious' trophy.


Following the four-player tournament, play took place at the original Crazy Air Squash table in The Deluxe Amusement Arcade as the originators of the sport battled to find out the winner in the ongoing Gow/Gottfried competition.

In a high scoring and 103 second time-limited match it was Gottfried who took the win 9-5. Gow/Gottfried Air Hockey Competition Results to date: Wroxham Barns (Aug 08) - Draw Hastings (Oct 08) - SG Win Hastings (July 09) - RG Win

Minigolf Players Tackle Tea Green's Big Golf

BMGA Minigolfers 'Squire' Richard Gottfried and Jon 'The Stance' Angel competed in a round of 'Big' Golf at the Par-3 course at Tea Green, near Luton on Saturday 11th July.

Below: Jon 'El Pato' Angel and 'Hot Streak' Richard Gottfried adopt new nicknames for their round of golf.

Richard & Jon head to their respective bunkers for their second shots on the sixth hole!

'Hot Streak' Richard Gottfried beat Jon 'El Pato' Angel by one-shot with the same total he hit on his first visit, a 48(+19).

After the Big Golf came a round of Minigolf on the centre's Crazy Golf course.

With four holes currently being refurbished, holes 1, 2, 5 and 6 were replayed as the back four.

Jon 'The Stance' Angel beat 'Squire' Richard Gottfried 17(-1) to 21(+3).

The Tea Green Crazy Golf course record of 15(-3) set on the 1st July 2009 and held by Richard remains.

Photo published in Living Locally Magazine, July 2009

A photo of mine featuring a Duck and her chicks in Wardown Park, Luton has appeared in the July 2009 edition of Living Locally Magazine.

You can read the magazine here. The photo is on page 27.

Gottfried Minigolf Reports in the Luton News

Following my recent participation in the Midland Open, BMGA British Matchplay Championships and BMGA British Championships the following Minigolf Sports Reports have been in the Luton News:

"Tenth place for Gottfried"
www.lutontoday.co.uk/lut/Tenth-place-for-Gottfried.5417434.jp

"Disappointing weekend for minigolfer Gottfried"
www.lutontoday.co.uk/lut/Disappointing-weekend-for-minigolfer-Gottfried.5435610.jp

New Tenpin Bowling Personal Best

At Namco Station Luton yesterday (8th July) I hit my all-time personal best Tenpin Bowling score with a 179 (including 5 Strikes, a Turkey and 3 Spares).

My previous PB was in Denver Colorado in March, details here.

Minigolf Report – British Championships & British Matchplay Championships 2009

6th July 2009
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – British Championships & British Matchplay Championships 2009

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried competed in two minigolf tournaments in Hastings, East Sussex over the weekend.

First up was his second-round match in the BMGA British Matchplay Championships against British number seven, and Planet Hastings Club Co-Captain, Ted McIver. Played on the Sea Front Crazy Golf course on Friday 3rd July, Richard lost by one-hole after fighting back from being four-down after seven holes. His holes-in-one on the 16th and 17th holes were not quite enough to force a play-off.

On Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July Richard competed in the 2009 BMGA British Championships played on the 18-hole Sea Front Minigolf course. Played over 126-holes Richard entered rounds of 39, 43, 39, 45, 39, 37 and 41 to finish with a total of 283(+31) and be ranked 25th of 31 players. The winner was Keith Kellard from Bishop’s Stortford, with a seven-round total of 241(-11).

Kellard’s winning average score per hole was 1.91 shots, with Richard hitting an average of 2.24 shots per hole.

Richard said “I must admit I’m disappointed in both being knocked out of the matchplays and my finish in the British Championships. But to lose to Ted in the second round by only one-hole after a fightback from four-down wasn’t too bad, nor were many of my shots in the British Championships. So many of them were nearly Aces and over the course of the tournament I had 95 twos and so many shots that were so close to going in. Although I must have set a new BMGA Tour record after going 78 holes without a hole-in-one, but I managed to knock a few in on the Sunday.”

Ends

Video - Richard Gottfried attempts some practice ahead of the BMGA British Championships with an audience of Seagulls.