Minigolf Doubles Record Update - September 2014

Update of my career minigolf doubles record following the 2014 BMGA British Doubles Championship held at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge.

Minigolf Doubles Career Record (click to englarge)

My first minigolf doubles match was on the 17 May 2008, when I teamed with Emily in a loss to the 'Casual Force' combo of Sean Homer and Marion Homer at the 2008 BMGA British Doubles Championship in Warwick.

Playing the 12th hole at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

Since then I've played 75 matches, with 38 wins, 6 draws and 31 losses. In those 75 matches I've had a total of 21 playing partners - the latest being John 'Ted' McIver, who I teamed up with in a losing effort to Emily and my former team-mate Scott 'Donkey Gringo' Lancley.

Me and Chris Harding - 2011 Weymouth Open Team Champions

My other team-mates have been: Matt Smith, Andy Gonsalves, Owen Johnson, Paul Johnson, Kevin Moseley, Chris Harding, Simon Hall, Leo Kukielka, Christopher Gottfried, Alan Norman, Oliver Florence, Julio Kent, Richard Skeggs, William Collins, Michael Smith, Seth Thomas, Guy Martin and Adam Kelly.

Related blog posts:
- Doubles
- Dorridge

Minigolf Report from Dorridge

8th September 2014
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report from Dorridge

Results from the Midlands Open competition and BMGA British Doubles Championships held at the Four Ashes Golf Centre.

Luton Minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in two Minigolf tournaments at the 12-hole course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull on the 6th and 7th September.

In the Midlands Open competition held on Saturday Emily finished in 17th place overall in the 29 player field. Richard was 19th.

Emily playing the fourth hole at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

Emily scored a four-round total of 98(+2) with rounds of 26, 24, 24 and 24.

Richard scored a total of 100(+4) after rounds of 25, 24, 25 and 26.

Richard Gottfried playing hole five at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

On Sunday the pair teamed-up for the first time since 2008 to take on thirteen other duos in the BMGA British Doubles Championship. After six rounds of play the team finished in 6th place.

A score of 22(-2) in the first qualifying round saw them top the rankings. This was followed up with a 24(par) to finish 5th in the preliminary classification round.

In the seeded matchplay knockout stages they were drawn against the London pair of Max Plaice and Becky Statham and would go on to win 3&2.

In the quarter-finals the duo were defeated 3&2 by Margate’s Scott Lancley and Hastings’ John ‘Ted’ McIver.

The team bounced back in the classification match against Cambridge’s James Rutherford and Canterbury’s Marc Chapman with Emily scoring holes-in-one on four of the six holes she played and Richard acing the final hole for a 1up victory.

The pair were defeated by Brechin’s Freddie Blackburn-Shaw and London’s Will Donnelly in the match for 5th place, with Donnelly scoring a hole-in-one at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.

Commenting after the weekend’s events Emily said “I was really pleased with my 17th place finish in the Midlands Open. I felt that I played well, scoring quite a few aces, however I was let down by my performance on one particularly tricky hole. I carried that level of performance over into the Doubles on the second day of competition, achieving consistent aces through the day. Richard and I were a great team, helping and motivating each other and I was pleased with sixth place.”

Richard said “Emily played well all weekend and was a great partner in the British Doubles, scoring a huge amount of aces and we picked up some good wins and a great first round score.”

Michael Smith of Oxford won the Midlands Open, with Birmingham’s Chris Harding teaming with Smith to win the BMGA British Doubles Championship.

Ends

British Minigolf Rankings Update

Latest national ranking lists from the British Minigolf Association.

The official BMGA rankings have been updated following the inaugural Splash Point Open competition held at the 18-hole Splash Point Mini Golf course in Denton Gardens, Worthing.

Richard Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit in the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 12th of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 11th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 7th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 10th of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Splash Point Open - 11th of 85 places (138 players)

Richard Gottfried at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing earlier this year

Emily Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit in the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 42nd of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 34th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 26th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 21st of 85 places (138 players)
- Following the Splash Point Open - 21st of 85 places (138 players)

Emily Gottfried playing at Splash Point Mini Golf in Worthing earlier this season

In the current BMGA Matchplay Order of Merit rankings Emily is at 22 of 53 players (52 places), while I am in 43rd place.

In the BMGA Season Only Rankings following the Splash Point Open Emily is at 20th of 51 players, while I am in 26th place.

Emily and I are both ranked in the World Minigolf Sport Federation's General Class ranking lists. In the women's rankings Emily is in tied 120th position of 128 places / 132 players. In the men's rankings I am ranked in tied 397th place of 413 places / 419 players.

For further information on the BMGA, competitions and how to join visit the BMGA website.

Links:
- British Minigolf Association (BMGA)
- BMGA on Facebook
- BMGA on Twitter

Related blog posts:
- World Minigolf Rankings for 2014
- Latest BMGA minigolf matchplay rankings
- Rankings
- Richard Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile
- Emily Gottfried's Minigolf Player Profile

Crazy Golf at The Dolphin Pub in Melbourn

A revisit to a pub beer garden course in Cambridgeshire. Or not as it would turn out.

On our way home from a recent visit to Ipswich we stopped off at The Dolphin Pub in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire for a quick soft drink in the beer garden there.

Back in May 2010 we'd visited the pub to have a look at the derelict 4-hole Crazy Golf course there. It wasn't playable then (no putters or balls at the bar) and we were told it was "just there"!

The 4-hole Crazy Golf course layout at The Dolphin pub in Melbourn (May 2010)

The course is long-gone now.

In the beer garden of The Dolphin pub in Melbourn (August 2014)

However, there was a little football target game set-up so I had a kickabout on that.

Having a kickabout in the beer garden

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Course Visit #223 Overall - The Dolphin Pub, Melbourn, Cambs
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Pub Beer Gardens

Link:
- The Dolphin Pub

A Crazy Golf 'ghost' course in Felixstowe

A revisit to Felixstowe, Suffolk.

While promenading in the East Anglian seaside resort of Felixstowe we always walk passed the once busy, but now derelict amusements and boating pond near to the leisure centre on Sea Road.

Back in 2006 the Crazy Golf that stood on the site was the 6th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

However, in April 2010 the course was removed from the land and moved just up the road where it became the Ocean Boulevard Crazy Golf course - in its new layout it became the 166th course played.

Amazingly even after all this time - and the strong weather conditions the sea front at Felixstowe receives - the outline of the course still remains as a ghostly echo!

The ghostly outline of the old Crazy Golf course on Sea Road in Felixstowe in August 2014

How the Sea Road Crazy Golf course looked in May 2009. More photos from our visits to the course since 2006 can be found here.

Related blog posts:
- Course Visit Update - Felixstowe Sea Road Crazy Golf (April 2010)
- Course Visit #166 (& 6a) - Felixstowe (Ocean Boulevard Golf/Hollywood Holes/Grand Canyon Golf - Sea Front) - Crazy Golf
- Felixstowe
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour List

Gluten Free Enjoy Life Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies

Finding some new gluten free cookies in Tesco.

While shopping in Tesco Metro in The Mall Luton I spotted an interesting box on the Free From shelves - it was was from the US company Enjoy Life and contained chocolate chip soft baked cookies.

As I'm always looking for new and different gluten free food & drink to try I had to get them.

The Enjoy Life Soft Baked Cookies contain twelve delicious treats. Unfortunately I had already scoffed four of them before I was able to take this photo

After poring over the details on the box to ensure they were total and utterly gluten & wheat free I was really pleased to see they were.

You get twelve cookies in a box for £3 and while they may look a little small they are packed full of choc chips, nice and squidgy, and delicious. Thinking back I may well have had some of the Enjoy Life range on a previous trip to the USA as I always try to stock up my hotel room from the nearest Whole Foods Market.

As someone with Coeliac Disease I've been 'stung' a few times over the years when products have proclaimed they are 'gluten free', but in the very small-print it'll say something along the lines of 'made in a facility that handles gluten/wheat etc.' so I was very pleased indeed to see that the box was full of reassuring signs of it being safe for me to eat.

Enjoy Life foods are 'Free from the 8 common allergens'*. On the Enjoy Life website you can read that they are dedicated to producing delicious snacks that are certified gluten-free and safe for those who have celiac (coeliac) disease, gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity so everyone can enjoy without worry.

The reassuring and bold messages on the box of Enjoy Life gluten free cookies

The Enjoy Life Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies are also Dairy, Nut and Soy Free and made in a dedicated nut and gluten-free bakery. Great to know.

I'll be looking out for more Enjoy Life products on sale in the UK.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac Disease

Links:
- Enjoy Life
- Tesco
- Empire Food Brokers

* Enjoy Life products are free of eight common allergens and listed on the box are: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish. They are also made without casein, potato, sesame and sulfites. They are also marked as 'Certified Gluten-Free' by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) - a program of The Gluten Intolerance Group.

World Minigolf Rankings for 2014

Latest international Minigolf season rankings published by the World Minigolf Sport Federation.

The World Minigolf Sport Federation, the world governing body for the sport, has published the latest World Minigolf Rankings for 2014.

Emily and I are in the WMF General Class ranking lists, dated 1st March 2014.

In the women's rankings Emily is in tied 120th position of 128 places / 132 players.

In the men's rankings I am ranked in tied 397th place of 413 places / 419 players.

Great Britain has retained its place at number 15 in the nations ranking list.

The Great Britain 3 team at the 2013 WMF World Adventure Golf Masters in Hastings

Emily is the reigning WMF World Adventure Golf Masters Women's Champion, winning the title for the second time at the 2013 event in Hastings.

I finished the WMF World Adventure Golf Masters in 20th place of 37 players, with Emily in tied 27th place. Playing as part of the Great Britain 3 team alongside John Moore and Craig Patterson we finished the team event in 5th place of 7 teams, and the second placed GB team.

GB players are also listed in the WMF World Ranking Lists for Junior and Senior players.

The WMF is the umbrella organisation of Minigolf sports association's worldwide and continental associations in Asia, Europe and America. The WMF currently has 46 member nations whose players and clubs play on four Minigolf systems recognised by the WMF – Concrete, Miniaturegolf, Feltgolf and Minigolf Open Standard (MOS). The WMF is a member of SportAccord, the International Federations' Union.

Worldwide there are over 38,000 Minigolf players registered with the WMF, 1,000 courses approved for competitions, 900 clubs and over 1,500 Minigolf tournaments held each year.

Visit the World Minigolf Sport Federation website for more information.

Links:

- World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF)

- Mode of World Ranking List

- World ranking list for General Class men and women 1st March 2014

- British Minigolf Association (BMGA)

- Great Britain Minigolf Team on Facebook

- Great Britain Minigolf Team on Twitter

Related blog posts:

- Miniature Golf Player Profile of Richard Gottfried

- Miniature Golf Player Profile of Emily Gottfried

- WMF International Minigolf Rankings for 2013 Season Published

- End of Season BMGA Tour Minigolf Rankings for 2013

- Emily Gottfried wins the WMF World Adventure Golf Masters Women’s Title in Hastings

- A New Career High Minigolf Ranking!

- World Minigolf Sport Federation Rankings Update (March 2012)

- Gottfrieds in the World Minigolf Sport Federation Rankings – Nov 11 Update

- Gottfried's in the WMF World Minigolf Rankings (November 2010)

- Gottfried's in the latest WMF World Minigolf Rankings (March 2010)

- Gottfried's in the WMF World Minigolf Rankings (Nov 09)

- Gottfried's in the WMF World Rankings

- Official WMF World Minigolf Rankings (Nov 08)

Putterfingers Crazy Golf in Bury St Edmunds

Putterfingers Crazy Golf course to be at the Arc Shopping Centre in Bury St Edmunds this weekend.

The Putterfingers Crazy Golf course set-up at the Arc Shopping Centre in Bury St Edmunds last weekend. Photo by Kate Tubby

Last weekend my sister in law Jo and niece Kate were at the Arc Shopping Centre in Bury St Edmunds and spotted the Putterfingers Crazy Golf course set-up for the Raiders of the Lost Arc event and sent me the great photo above.

The Putterfingers course is back at the Arc Shopping Centre this weekend (30 & 31 August) too.

Check out the links below for more info on Putterfingers and the Arc Shopping Centre.

Related blog posts:
- Putterfingers
- Bury St Edmunds
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:
- Putterfingers
- Arc Shopping Centre

Putt Putt #2 Crazy Golf in Croydon

Visiting and playing the Putt Putt #2 art installation Crazy Golf course in Croydon.

The colourful TURF Projects Putt Putt #2 Crazy Golf course at Platform Ruskin Square in Croydon

Over the summer the Croydon-based art group TURF Projects has had a playable art installation set-up at Platform Ruskin Square just outside East Croydon train station.

With just three days before the course was packed away I managed to make it down to give the course a visit. It was well worth it.

Hole 1 of Putt Putt #2 - by WELCHWHITAKER

Hole 2 of Putt Putt #2 - by W A V E Y B O Y Z

Hole 3 of Putt Putt #2 - by Natalie Finnemore

Hole 4 of Putt Putt #2 - by Holly Hendry

Hole 5 of Putt Putt #2 - by Nicolas Henninger

Hole 6 of Putt Putt #2 - by Mark Scott-Wood

Hole 7 of Putt Putt #2 - by Liz West

Hole 8 of Putt Putt #2 - by AV Co-op

Hole 9 of Putt Putt #2 - by Iain Haines

The course had a real mix of playing surfaces - felt, concrete, plastic, metal & gravel!. The artist's designs led to the creation of some very tricky obstacles. I really liked the look of the course and the scorecards were nicely designed too.

TURF Projects began in October 2013 and last year the nomadic artist-run project team of artists, filmmakers and architects created a temporary Mini Golf course in Croydon.

The aim of the TURF Projects group is to shine a spotlight on the diverse, rapidly changing cultural landscape of Croydon, and provide opportunities for local residents and visitors to be involved.

The Putt Putt #2 art Mini Golf course is curated by Alice Cretney and David McLeavy and features work by artists including AV Co-op, EXYZT, Natalie Finnemore, Iain Hales, Holly Hendry, Mark Scott-Wood, W A V E Y B O Y Z, WELCHWHITAKER and Liz West.

Chatting to Alice at the course she told me that Putt Putt #2 has proved to be really popular with a real mix of people giving the course a play.

You can read all about the Putt Putt #2 installation and the story behind it on the Turf Projects website.

The course was the 345th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 578th visited overall since September 2006.

Playing hole 8 at Putt Putt #2 in Croydon

Hole 1 - Easy Hole - not as easy as it looks!

Playing hole 5 of the Putt Putt #2 art installation - a very long and winding hole built around the rocks

Since July 2008 Emily and I have visited 43 (and a half) Minigolf, Crazy Golf, Miniature Golf, Adventure Golf and Putting Courses in and around London, playing 27 (and a half) of them.

Thank you to Alice for taking the action photos of me playing the course.

For more information on Putt Putt #2 and other art projects, events and activities from the Turf team check out the links below.

The course is free to play and is open until Saturday 30 August 2014.

Links:
- Turf Projects website
- Turf Projects on Twitter
- Turf Projects on Facebook
- PUTTPUTT#2 event on Facebook
- Platform Ruskin Square

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
- Art
- Croydon
- Minigolf and Art in Croydon

Finger Jousting videos from the World Alternative Games 2014

Competitors from five countries competed in the World Finger Jousting Championships at the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales with Sara Galvao of Portugal and Denis Taylor of Russia crowned as new world champions.

The Finger Jousting Champions and Corinthian competitors at the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells

Following the event the World Finger Jousting Federation, the governing body for the sport of Finger Jousting, has uploaded a number of videos with action from the event to the WFJF YouTube Channel.

Video: An introduction to the official 2014 World Finger Jousting Championships

Check out the World Finger Jousting Federation's YouTube Channel for more videos from the 2014 World Finger Jousting Championships.

You can read the report from the World Finger Jousting Championships on the WFJF website.

Links:
- World Finger Jousting Federation
- World Finger Jousting Federation on YouTube
- World Alternative Games

Related blog posts:
- Finger Jousting
- World Alternative Games

Glutamel Gluten Free Baguettes

Over the weekend we were in Felixstowe, Suffolk and had a look in the Co-Operative supermarket at the station and were pleased to see a number of gluten and wheat free foods that we hadn't seen before!

One of the products that looked good and was reasonably priced were the ready to bake baguettes that came in packs of three.

Glutamel Baguettes are gluten free, wheat free and dairy free. They taste great

We bought two packs and have enjoyed eating them with a variety of fillings. They taste great and have a very good texture and consistency. Well done Glutamel.

Looking on the Glutamel website there are a lot more items available from the brand. I look forward to hopefully finding more on sale near us in Luton, Bedfordshire and on our travels around the UK.

I'm also really pleased that the team at Glutamel have ensure the products are gluten AND wheat free (with no codex wheat starch) so I'll be able to eat the lot.

I'm looking forward to using some of the baguettes for garlic bread, another item that's not easy to get hold of as a Coeliac.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac Disease
- New Free From range at the Co-operative

Links:
- Glutamel
- The Co-Operative

New Gluten Free Milkshake from Shaken Udder

A new breed of milkshake from Shaken Udder.

A bottle of Chocolush gluten free milkshake by Shaken Udder

While shopping in the Tesco in Royston on Sunday I spotted a new milkshake called 'Shaken Udder' and had a check to see if it was gluten free. Luckily for me, it was.

The three flavours of Shaken Udder milkshake are £1.29 a bottle in Tesco

I do like milkshakes, but as someone with Coeliac Disease my choices are limited, so it was great to see a new product catering for the needs of a gluten free diet.

Priced at £1.29 for 330ml the Shaken Udder milkshakes come in three flavours - Chocolush, Vanilla-Licious and Top Banana flavours. As a chocoholic I had to buy the Chocolush one and it was delicious.

The new gluten free milkshakes from Shaken Udder gets a thumbs up from me

Gluten free milkshakes are obviously like buses as on Friday I spotted the My Straw Milky Magic milkshake tubes on sale in the Waitrose in Newmarket are gluten free too!

Check out the Shaken Udder website, Twitter and Facebook for more information on the brand.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac Disease
- Gluten Free Milky Magic milkshake straws

Links:
- Shaken Udder
- Tesco

Where is the best Crazy Golf course in Dorset?

"Where is the best Crazy Golf course in Dorset?" - That's the question asked on a new promotional leaflet from the team at three Miniature Golf courses in Dorset.

A photo of Emily playing at Poole Park's Crazy Golf course appears on the leaflet

There's a photo of me playing a shot on the 12th hole at Poole Park's Crazy Golf course on the leaflet too

Over the years we've visited all three courses (including the course that was previously in Poole Park) and each is quite different. Rather than answering the question I'd suggest giving them all a play.

Playing Crazy Golf at Poole Park in October 2010

Emily at Boscombe Chine Mini Golf in July 2013

Playing at Sandbanks Crazy Golf in June 2009

On our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour we've visited over 570 courses and quite a few in Dorset. Check out my blog post 'Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Dorset' for details of the courses we also played in Weymouth, Bournemouth, Southbourne and Fordingbridge between October 2008 and March 2013.

Some of my most viewed videos on my YouTube Channel are from visits to Poole Park. Check out this 'Pro' shot hole-in-one video.

Many thanks to Mick 'The Man' Gisbourne for sending along the new promotional leaflet.

Playing the old 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Poole Park in October 2009

There's also a grass Putting Green at Poole Park

Emily and I aren't the only Minigolfers adorning a promotional leaflet for a course - Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson and Chris 'Who' Harding are in the flyer for the Quest Krazy Golf course at Merry Hill in Dudley!

For locations, contact information, prices and opening times of the Sandbanks, Poole Park and Boscombe Minigolf courses check out the links below.

Links:

- Sandbanks Crazy Golf
- Poole Park Crazy Golf
- Boscombe Mini Golf

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Dorset
- Dorset
- Sanbanks
- Poole Park
- Revisit to Poole Park in Dorset - Crazy Golf & Minigolf
- Boscombe
- A great piece of Minigolf ephemera
- Ephemera
- Merchandise

Gluten Free Milky Magic milkshake straws

Spotting a new gluten free milkshake drink in Waitrose.

On a flying visit to Newmarket on Friday we popped into Waitrose to have a look at what gluten free food and drink they had in stock.

One of the products I hadn't seen before were the My Straw Milky Magic milkshake straws.

My Straw Milky Magic milkshake straws are gluten free

Available in chocolate or strawberry flavours you simply put the straw into a glass of milk to create a gluten free milkshake.

As you're drinking the milk through the flavour crystals it actually takes longer to drink than you'd think. It's also quite odd drinking normal coloured milk but getting the taste of chocolate or strawberry as you'd expect the liquid to be brown or red!

You get five 'milk flavouring straws' in each pack - not bad for 60p each, or two for a pound in the deal I got.

My Straw Milky Magic milkshake straws are available in Chocolate and Strawberry flavours

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac Disease
- New Gluten Free Milkshake from Shaken Udder

Link:
- Waitrose