Pirate Cove Adventure Golf at Bluewater!

Visiting and playing the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf at Bluewater Shopping Centre.

On Friday 2nd of December 2011 we made a slight detour on our way to Southend-on-Sea to stop-off at Bluewater Shopping Centre as we hadn't yet played the two 18-hole Adventure Golf courses that opened there in the summer.

The Pirate Cove Adventure Park features two Adventure Golf courses - Pirates & Smugglers - and also has pedalos and a high-wire activity centre.

The courses became the 278th and 279th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

In our Irregular Mini Golf Tour Match-up I defeated Emily 41-47 on the Pirates course and 41-46 on the Smugglers course.

The new courses cover the area that used to be a 'Pro Tour Putting' Minigolf course that we visited on our Tour in March 2009.

Visit the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course website for details of the opening times and prices.

Previous Bluewater Blog Post:
- March 2009 - Minigolf Course Visit No. 80 - Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Minigolf Report - Stokesley NO/NIT Classic - Minigolf Tournament in Middlesbrough

Minigolf Report - Stokesley (NO/NIT) Classic - Minigolf Tournament in Middlesbrough

Emily Gottfried wins three-round tournament on Teesside

On Monday 28th November 2011 Pro-Minigolfers Emily ‘Lemony’ Gottfried, ‘Squire’ Richard Gottfried and John ‘Thighs’ Moore headed to Teesside to compete in the first-ever Stokesley NO/NIT Classic Minigolf Tournament. The competiton was won by Emily Gottfried.

Photo: New Stokesley Classic Champion Emily Gottfried with the prestigious 'Newcastle Open!?' trophy and Gold numberless medal

The three-round, 36-hole event was held on the 12-hole Crazy Golf course at Stokesley Golf Range, Middlesbrough and saw Luton’s Emily Gottfried take a two shot victory with a total of 92(+20) with rounds of 31, 37 and a course record round of 24(par) in round three.

Photo: Emily Gottfried Putting her way to victory at the Stokesley Golf Range Crazy Golf course

Richard Gottfried was runner-up with a score of 94(+22) following rounds of 35, 28 and 31. Newcastle’s John Moore was third on 100(+28) with rounds of 32, 34 and 34.

Photo: Richard Gottfried (l) and John Moore with their medals

New Stokesley NO/NIT Classic Minigolf Champion Emily Gottfried said "I love the course at Stokesley. There are some really good, but tough holes, especially the Volcano hole! I felt I played really well, and apart from a dip during the second round I was in the lead for much of the tournament. Despite some excellent competiton from Squire and John "Al" Moore I really felt I deserved the win."

Runner-up Richard Gottfried said "At the end of the event I was amazed I hadn't won, but equally I was amazed I hadn't finished third! My first round was awful and then after a very good second round I found myself in the lead. A brilliant event on a very good course, in bitterly cold conditions, with an excellent champion in Emily, and yet another minigolf score of 24 for her to crow about. Well done to her for winning with a perfect par final round though."

Bronze Medallist John Moore was unavailable for comment following the tournament's conclusion.

The Stokesley NO/NIT Classic was the 2011 edition of the annual ‘Newcastle’ tournament that was inaugurated in 2009 with the hosting of the Newcastle Invitational Tournament that saw play at three courses on Tyneside. Last year saw the first-ever Newcastle Open take place at Gosforth Park, Newcastle.

Newcastle NO/NIT/SC Hall of Fame:
2011 – Emily Gottfried (won Stokesley Classic)
2010 – Simon Hardie (won Newcastle Open, defeating John Moore & Richard Gottfried in a sudden-death play-off)
2009 – John Moore (won Newcastle Invitational Tournament)

A selection of photos from the 2011 Stokesley NO/NIT Classic Minigolf Competition.

Photo: Emily Gottfried takes a Putt on the 10th - Tunnels

Photo: John Moore playing hole 10 - Tunnels

Photo: John Moore on Hole 4 - Restrictor

Photo: Richard Gottfried on Hole 5 - Volcano

Photo: Richard Gottfried (l) on Hole 11 - Bunkers

Photo: Richard Gottfried on Hole 3 - Windmill

Photo: Emily and some bags of quality potatoes! The land that Stokesley Golf Range is on is owned by farmers, so you can handily pick up some spuds when you visit the course

Previous Results & Reports:
- Newcastle Open (NO) 2010
- Newcastle Invitational Tournament (NIT) 2009

Unrelated Blog Post (with a Tenuous Link to 'a Newcastle')
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 133 - Henllan Station on the Teifi Valley Railway (it's near a place called Newcastle Emlyn)

Crazy Golf at Stokesley Golf Range, Middlesbrough - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Crazy Golf course visited, but not played, in Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees

On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip to Teesside we made a visit to the 12-hole Crazy Golf course at Preston Hall Museum and Park in Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees.

Prior to our visit we knew the course would not be open and playable as I've been in contact with the new owners of the course who have plans to refurbish and reopen the course in the 2012.

We did have a wander around and had a look at the existing course.

To be honest, on our travels to the 436 Miniature Golf courses prior to visiting Eaglescliffe we have found some really Crazy Golf horror courses, many of which we've actually paid to play, so on seeing the condition of the Preston Hall Park course we didn't think it was that bad and obviously would have given it a play had it been open.

The borders of the course are solid and holes, such as the first (below), reminded me of Beton and Eternit type courses with wall shots needed.

The felt was worn in places and some holes had had patches replaced.

Leaf fall was a bit of a problem too!

We're looking forward to a return visit when the Crazy Golf course has been refurbed and we'll be having a look around the Museum there too, as it was also closed for a refurb on our visit.

Photos of the Stockton-on-Tees Crazy Golf course at Preston Hall Museum and Park on MiniatureGolfer.com

Link to more course visits on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf article in December 2011 Issue of Picture Postcard Monthly.

An article about Crazy Golf Postcards written by me and fellow Crazy Golf Museum Curator Tim 'Ace Man' Davies has been published in the December 2011 issue of Picture Postcard Monthly.

Picture Postcard Monthly is the top magazine for collectors of old and modern postcards worldwide and has been informing and entertaining the postcard world since 1980.

The Crazy Golf Postcards article looks at the history of Miniature Golf and Crazy Golf around the world since 1867, as well as featuring 14 postcard images showing a wide-range of Minigolf courses.

Issue 392, December 2011 costs £2.60 (+85p P&P) and also features articles on such topics as the Women’s Land Army, to Comic postcards from New Zealand, and Are postcards better mint or used? As it’s the Christmas issue there are also a number of seasonal articles, including one on Seasonal greetings from outer space!

You can order the latest issue of Picture Postcard Monthly online, details of the December 2011 issue can be found here.