Cwmbran Table Tennis Classic 2011

The traditional curtain-raiser ahead of the Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament) is a side-tournament in A.N. Other Sport or Game. Last year we played a Darts tournament, and in 2009 we played Boules.

However, this year the side-event took place after the main-event at the 2011 Cwmbran Table Tennis Classic.

In the final match Seve Kukielka defeated (destroyed) me, 21-3 in a not close at all Final. In doing so Seve became a two-time Side-Tournament Champion, having won the 2009 Boules Tournament in Swansea (Abertawe), where he also beat me in the final.

Jas beat Cindy in the third/fourth place play-off match.

The tournament saw each of the six players drawn into two groups, with each player playing each other once, with the winner from Group A taking on Group B's runner-up and vice versa.

The group matches were played to 11 points, with the semi-finals and final played to 21.

In Group A:
Richard lost to Cindy 11-8
Cindy beat Emily 11-6
Emily lost to Richard 11-5

Group A Winner - Cindy
Group A Runner-up - Richard

In Group B:
Seve lost to Jas 11-4
Jas beat Leo 13-11
Leo lost to Seve 11-6

Group B Winner - Jas
Group B Runner-up - Seve

Semi-Finals
Cindy lost to Seve 21-14
Jas lost to Richard 21-18

3rd/4th Play-Off
Jas beat Cindy 11-6

Final
Seve beat Richard 21-3

Photo: A shell-shocked Richard attempts to score a point against the merciless Seve

Photo: Seve receives the Cwmbran Table Tennis Classic Tournament Trophy from Emily

The 2012 Side-Tournament Sport or Game is undecided, suggestions welcome?

Cwmbran Darts Classic 2010

Boules Invitational Tournament 2009

A BIG Minigolf Roadtrip: Stonehenge Minigolf in Larkhill (& Hemsby). Plus visits to Maidenhead, Bracknell & Andover

Heading across to Wales to compete in the 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament), Emily and I were planning on visiting and playing the Minigolf course at the Stonehenge Golf Centre in Larkhill, Wiltshire on Friday 15th July 2011.

Last week I had noticed that a Ham & Egger Files Blog Post about the Stonehenge BIG Mini Golf in Hemsby, Norfolk, had been linked to in a Blog Post on the Clonehenge Blog - which is "A blog about Stonehenge Replicas". The Clonehenge Blog is also on the lookout for more photos of 'Stonehenge' Golf courses, so if you do see one let them know. One of the other links on the Clonehenge Blog was to a previous Blog Post of theirs about the Stonehenge Golf Centre - a course I was previously unaware of!

Me at the Stonehenge BIG Mini Golf in Hemsby in June 2010

Interestingly the course at the Stonehenge Golf Centre is a Beton-style Miniature Golf course, more commonly found in mainland Europe, so I was intrigued to see what condition the course was in, as they are very good types of course to practice on, as they are very very tough (as we have found when on International Minigolf Duty).

Prior to reaching the Stonehenge Golf Centre in Larkhill I remembered that a new Adventure Golf course had recently opened in Maidenhead at the Maidenhead Golf Centre. So we headed there to have a game. That course became the 253rd course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We then headed back on the road, and our next location of Bracknell, where we had spotted on the MiniatureGolfer.com List of Courses that there was a Crazy Golf course at Jocks Lane Recreation Ground.

There was indeed a course there, which turned out to be an 18-hole course consisting of 9-holes of Swedish Felt B-Run and a 9-hole Farm-themed Minigolf layout. This was the 254th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

So, with two new course visits under our belts we set off again to visit the Stonehenge Golf Centre.

However, just ten or so minutes away, and with time running out to reach Larkhill before they closed for the day, we took a wrong turn and ended up on the road to Andover!

With no junctions to make a u-turn we decided to head to Andover as, once again, the MiniatureGolfer.com Course List had come up trumps and showed a Crazy Golf course at the Charlton Lakeside Pavilion. Luckily for us it was still there and was open until 8pm! So, we had a game there.

Interestingly, the course's second hole housed a Dolmen - which is what Stonehenge is a collection of!

I remember I had once had a discussion with Anthony Pope, from the excellent Splash Point Mini Golf course in Worthing (course played #181), about Dolmen as he was considering adding one to the course.

I also found an interesting way to Ace the 18th hole on the Andover Crazy Golf course.

With the time past 7pm we were too late to play at the Stonehenge Golf Centre in Larkhill, but still decided to head along to have a look to see if we could snatch a look at the course from beyond the fence.

We couldn't.

But we did spot a Putting course at the centre.

We then headed back on the road to Wales, and decided to drive past the real Stonehenge on the way. The car park was closed so there was nowhere to park up, but Emily did manage to grab the photo below.

I had visited Stonehenge with my family when I was a child, but Emily had never been, so it was a nice bonus to have a quick visit of sorts. We were both amazed at how close the road actually is to it, and unlike its neighbour, Woodhenge, was actually very visible to passing drivers.

As another bonus before we reached Wales, we also got to have a very nice two-course meal at The Barge Inn at Seend Cleeve, Wiltshire, which offers a great Gluten Free Menu for Coeliacs.

Our eight hour journey to Wales turned up some interesting 'finds' and was a nice start to a long weekend of fun in Cwmbran, Newport, Clevedon and Weston-Super-Mare.

Writing this blog post also reminded me of a Minigolf and Stonehenge-related story I had seen before with claims that Stonehenge was ‘part of crazy golf course for race of giant humans’.

Links:
Another closed course – Stonehenge, Hemsby

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - course re-visit and played course #174 - Hemsby's Stonehenge BIG Minigolf

Hemsby Stonehenge BIG mini golf - course revisit - 4th June 2011

Clonehenge Blog

More from the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

A new photo blog that's NOT about Minigolf, by a fellow Minigolfer!

My Minigolf rival and fellow Great Britain Minigolf Team member Marion 'Double Trouble' Homer recently started a new photo blog called The Daily Clicker Project.

As Marion says in the blog's first post, the project "will challenge and develop my photographic skills and hopefully be of interest to others!".

So far the photographic subjects have been pencils, flowers and a pair of trainers!

Marion is a keen photographer and has been snapping away at Minigolf events for a number of years.

Please do check out The Daily Clicker Project.

Minigolf Report – Richard Gottfried wins the 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

18th July 2011
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Richard Gottfried wins the 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried won the third-annual Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament) on Saturday 16th July.

The eight-player invitational tournament was held over five nine-hole rounds at three courses in Newport, Wales. Richard won the competition with a total of 114.

At the 9-hole Tredegar Park Minigolf course Richard scored rounds of 24, 20 and a course record of 18, to head to the Celtic Manor Adventure Golf courses trailing Cwmbran’s Seve Kukielka by three shots. At Celtic Manor’s Celtic Challenge course Richard hit a round of 21 to set another course record and followed this up with a 31 on the Kingdom of Legends course to finish four-shots clear of Seve Kukielka.

Seve Kukielka was runner-up for the second year running with a score of 118, with 2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg champion Jas Kukielka picking up the bronze medal with a score of 121.

Emily Gottfried was also in action at the event and finished in fourth-place with a score of 131, ten shots off third-placed Jas Kukielka.

Richard said “I am very pleased to have won such a great title against some great opponents. The Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg is one of my favourite events of the year and the format of playing a mix of such different Minigolf courses in the competition makes it very interesting. Hard luck to Seve though, who played incredible well in the morning’s three rounds at Tredegar Park. I’m looking forward defending the title in what will be another highly competitive tournament next year.”

Ends

Minigolf Report from the 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

Minigolf Report
2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

Luton’s Richard Gottfried wins the 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg in Newport

The 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament) was played out over five rounds and 45-holes, on three minigolf courses, on Saturday 16th July 2011.

Luton’s Richard Gottfried won the title in the eight player field with a total score of 114(+24), four shots clear of 2010 Runner-up Cwmbran’s Seve Kukielka on 118(+28) and seven clear of bronze medallist, the 2009 Champion, Europe’s Jas Kukielka on 121(+31).

The Top Three, from l-r Seve Kukielka, Richard Gottfried, Jas Kukielka

The defending champion, Leo Kukielka was unable to retain the title and finished in a disappointing tied sixth place with 2010 British Women’s Number One Cindy Kukielka, with Leo and the perennial Welsh Ladies Number One both scoring 135(+45).

On the morning of the tournament a draw was held to decide the groups and order of play for the first round, with the groups reorganised based on scores after each round. With heavy rain forecast, and delivered, the tournament teed-off at a revised time of 11.30am

With North Wales’ finest, Peter Jones unable to commit to the invitation to play, and fellow invitees Paul and Owen Johnson competing in a Crazy Golf Tournament in the Midlands, eight players would contest the third edition of the Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg.

Rounds one to three were played at the 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Tredegar Park in Newport, Wales, with rounds four and five played at the two new Celtic Manor Adventure Golf courses.

At the 9-hole Tredegar Park Minigolf course Seve held the lead for rounds one to three, scoring consistently low scores of 20, 20 and 19. Jas Kukielka and Richard Gottfried were both scrapping for second place, with Seve taking a three-shot lead into the final two rounds.

Competitive Minigolf newcomers Maria and Chris Thomas made their debuts at the 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg, with the Welsh duo putting in some good rounds on a difficult Tredegar Park course, with Chris setting the clubhouse course record at 19(+1), prior to Richard scoring an 18(par). After Maria’s first round of 40, she settled into the action and carded two rounds of 28(+10), with both players continuing to put in competitive scores at the Celtic Manor courses.

At Celtic Manor’s 9-hole Celtic Challenge course Richard hit a round of 21, to Seve’s 29, to set a course record, and followed this up with a 31 on the 9-hole Kingdom of Legends course to finish four-shots clear of Seve.

Round by Round scores from the Tournament

New Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg champion Richard Gottfried said “I am very pleased to have won such a great title against some great opponents. The Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg is one of my favourite events of the year and the format of playing a mix of such different Minigolf courses in the competition makes it very interesting. Hard luck to Seve though, who played incredible well in the morning’s three rounds at Tredegar Park. I’m looking forward defending the title in what will be another highly competitive tournament next year.”

Final Tournament Rankings

The Aces Champions for 2011 were Seve Kukielka and Jas Kukielka who tied on four Holes-in-One apiece.

The cumulative scores for the Welsh & English players as 'Teams' saw England beat Wales 2, with Wales 1 in third place.

Photos from the 2011 Event

The 2011 Field. From l-r Emily Gottfried, Leo Kukielka, Cindy Kukielka, Seve Kukielka, Jas Kukielka, Chris Thomas, Maria Thomas, Richard Gottfried

 Emily Gottfried plays the first-hole at Tredegar Park

Chris Thomas plays the first-hole at Tredegar Park

Chris shows off the broken Putter after playing the first-hole at Tredegar Park

Richard Gottfried plays hole 6 at Tredegar Park

Chris playing hole seven at Tredegar Park

Maria Thomas plays hole 8 at Tredegar Park

Jas Kukielka plays hole 9 at Tredegar Park

Seve Kukielka plays hole 9 at Tredegar Park

Cindy Kukielka plays out of a bunker at Celtic Manor

Seve Kukielka plays over a water hazard at Celtic Manor

Jas Kukielka plays over another water hazard at Celtic Manor

The 2011 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg Champion - Richard Gottfried

Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg Roll of Honour
2011 - Richard Gottfried (ENG)
2010 - Leo Kukielka (WAL)
2009 - Jas Kukielka (EUR)

Previous Results and Reports:
2010 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

Course Played #43 Hastings (White Rock Gardens) - Minigolf - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Archive

We first visited the 18-hole Adventure Golf course at White Rock Gardens (aka Planet Hastings, aka Clambers) in Hastings, East Sussex on the 14th March 2008 when it became the 43rd course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We were in town preparing to compete in the 2008 Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open, which takes place on each of Hastings' minigolf courses in one day!

On the 14th Emily and I had a practice on each of the courses, with Emily scoring a 62 at the course, with me hitting a 48. In our Irregular Mini Golf Tour Match-ups in Hastings that weekend I defeated Emily 311-332 in the Irregular Mini Golf Tour Hastings Challenge (over seven rounds) and I won the four round Irregular Mini Golf Tour Hastings Open 185-196.

In the 2008 Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open I finished in 25th spot of 32 players, with Emily only one-shot back in 26th place.

The course was the setting for many BMGA Tour competitions over the years, the last of which was the BMGA British Open 2010. This was the final competitive tournament to be held on the course as it was turned into an outdoor laser tag arena in early 2011! A real shame as it was a brilliant miniature golf course.

On Sunday 19th September 2010 the course was also the location of "The Minigolf Welly Boot Swamp Ball Incident in Hastings."

Update - May 2011 - White Rock Gardens - From Minigolf to Laser Tag!

Photos of the new Battle Zone arena (4th May 2011)

Photos of Clambers Adventure Golf (as it was) at MiniatureGolfer.com

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

New Las Vegas Mini Golf Course Opening at 'The Swingers Club' at the The Plaza Hotel & Casino

A tweet from my fellow Minigolf aficionados at the excellent Putting Penguin website yesterday alerted me to the fact that there will be a brand new Minigolf course opening in Las Vegas next month. What's even better is that we're heading back to Las Vegas in September so we will definitely be giving it a go when we visit.

The new Minigolf course is part of the Swingers Club that is opening at the brand new Plaza Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas, and will be a 9-hole set-up with Las Vegas theming. What's great is the course will be open from 11am until 4am, 7 days a week.

The rather risqué name for the new Music and Mini Golf venue doesn't refer to anything that the double-entendre may suggest (I don't think!).

The Minigolf course will also have a special added attraction that in the early hours, as the DJ starts to play, the course will become a Glow In The Dark Disco Golf course! During the day and evening the Swingers Club will feature music by Dueling Pianos!

We're really looking forward to making a visit, or two, to play the course and also check out the newly updated Plaza Hotel and Casino.

You can read the Press Release which has more information about the new Mini Golf course, and the Plaza Hotel and Casino at Swingers Club to debut at the Plaza Hotel and Casino

Last June we played at the four Minigolf courses that Las Vegas had to offer at the time, these were courses visited and played 175, 176, 177 and 178 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

175 King Putt (North West Las Vegas, USA) - Indoor Mini Golf - Review at The Putting Penguin here
176 Pike's Pass (Circus Circus, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) - Miniature Golf
177 King Putt (Henderson, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) - Indoor Mini Golf - Review at The Putting Penguin here
178 The Putt Park (Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) - Miniature Golf - Review at The Putting Penguin here

Emily and me in Fabulous Las Vegas last summer

Results of the 2010 Las Vegas Minigolf Desert Classic competition between me and Emily.

On our last holiday in the UK we headed to Lincolnshire and North Norfolk, the very last Crazy Golf course we played on this roadtrip was in Hunstanton, at the Vegas Amusement Arcade. This year we also spotted a "Little Las Vegas" at a funfair in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.

On our 2012 holiday to Las Vegas there will be another Minigolf course for us to play, as a KISS-themed Mini Golf course is opening there in November 2011!

Links:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- The Putting Penguin website

Minigolf Doubles Teams - Gottfried & Lancley / Gottfried & Shepherd - Sponsorship Opportunities Available

A new Minigolf Doubles Team will be created at the upcoming 2011 BMGA British Doubles Championships to be held at the Four Ashes Golf Centre, Dorridge, West Midlands, as Luton's 'Squire' Richard Gottfried teams up with Great Britain team-mate Scott 'Donkey Gringo' Lancley, who hails from Margate. In last year's tournament Richard's team (with Kevin Moseley) were on the podium in 3rd place, losing only one-match during the event. Scott's team (with Nick Chitty) finished in 13th place.

Emily 'Coach' Gottfried will also be in action at the BMGA British Doubles Championships, once again teaming with London's Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd. Last year the duo were 3rd in the Lost World Classic in Hemsby, Norfolk. In the 2010 BMGA British Doubles Championships Emily and her partner Cindy Kukielka finished in 4th place, while Brad and his team-mate Chris Jones finished in 7th spot.

All four players are Great Britain International Team Members.

Both Minigolf Partnerships are seeking Sponsorship for the one-day tournament, with opportunities for player sponsorship also available for the Midlands Open minigolf competition to be held the day before the BMGA British Doubles Championships at the end of July.

To sponsor the teams, and/or Richard and Emily Gottfried in future Minigolf tournaments please get in touch.

Link to the British Minigolf Association.

EcoStyle Tenpin Bowling Team Runners-up in Namco Luton Business Bowling Tournament

On Thursday 7th July 2011 the EcoStyle Tenpin Bowling Team entered the third heat of the Luton Business Bowling Tournament at Namco in Luton.

The team of five were up against two other teams and finished as runners-up to Luton's G Casino.

In May the EcoStyle-CEuk Team entered the second qualifying heat to attempt to qualify for the Ultimate Championship Final in November. In that event the team finished 4th. They will next be in action at the fourth heat in August.

The EcoStyle Tenpin Bowling Team

From l-r Emily ‘Slow Hand’ Gottfried, Simon ‘Bowling Ball’ Hall, Clémentine ‘Striker’ Facque, James ‘Blaster’ Cunliffe, Richard ‘High Swing’ Gottfried

EcoStyle promotes awareness and understanding of renewable energy technologies. They design and manufacture demonstration models to teach renewable energy in schools and colleges, or for use as marketing tools within industry.

Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf in Southend-on-Sea - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

The 14th, 15th and 16th courses we visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour were in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on Saturday 31st of March 2007. We were in town to enjoy the seaside and also get in a bit of practice ahead of my debut in a British Minigolf Association tournament.

A year ago today we headed back to Southend for a family event, and made another revisit to the great Minigolf courses at the resort, of which there are three.

In the Adventure Island Theme Park itself there is an 18-hole Adventure Golf layout, divided into two separate 9-hole courses - the Inca Challenge and the Aztec Adventure. Just down the esplanade next to the Sea Life Centre is an 18-hole Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course. When we first visited in 2007 (and for a couple of years after) there was a second 18-hole course that was in a 'derelict' state.

Photos from our visit in March 2007

Back in 2007 I made my Professional Minigolf Debut in the BMGA British Masters tournament in Southend-on-Sea, where I finished in 24th spot of 28 players. I've since played in a further 66 BMGA Tour Events, and a number of other Minigolf Competitions in the UK and Overseas.

Other courses in Essex visited on the road to Southend-on-Sea a year ago today included Brentwood, Billericay and Wickford and we visited Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Havering in Essex on the way home on Sunday 11th July 2010.

Ham & Egger Files Blog Posts about Southend-on-Sea:
- Minigolf Report from the BMGA British Masters 2008
- Arnold Palmer in Southend...
- Derelict Crazy Golf in Southend...
- Minigolf Friendly Match - 24/04/09 - Squire vs. His Excellency
- Minigolf Report from the BMGA British Masters & British Matchplay Championships 2009
- Then & Now – Southend Arnold Palmer ‘West’ Course
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour heads 'South'!
- Minigolf in Southend on Sea - The Southend Classic 2010
- Minigolf in Southend on Sea - Arnold Palmer West Course
- Minigolf in Southend on Sea - The Southend Masters
- Minehead & Southend on Sea - pre-Crazy World of Minigolf Tour course visits