Happy Underdog Day

Happy Underdog Day to ham and eggers, journeymen, jobbers, local competitors, enhancement talent, jabronis, wildcards, also rans, palookas, runners-up, Mr Nobodies, silver medalists, and Average Joes everywhere.

The third Friday in December is the day to celebrate and honour unsung heroes, the second best among us and life’s runners-up. Not to forget those people that have made a name for themselves against the odds.

Meeting Olympic underdog Emanuele Guidi of San Marino (left) at the London 2012 Games

Check out the Dull Men's Club website for more details of Underdog Day.

Related blog posts:
- Underdog Day
- Dull Men's Club
- Day

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Merlin Pirate Adventure Mini Golf in Blackpool

A revisit to the indoor Adventure Golf course on the promenade in Blackpool.

While visiting Blackpool in October we swung by the indoor Adventure Golf course on the promenade. When we played the course in 2009 it was called Golden Isle Adventure Golf.

It's now operated by Merlin and called Pirate Adventure Mini Golf - the same as the outdoor course at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth. Both courses are attached to the Sea Life Centres.

There's a MASSIVE minigolf octopus on the course!

The course was proving popular on our visit which was good to see. Check out the Merlin Pirate Aventure Mini Golf course website for more information on prices and opening times.

Link:
- Merlin Pirate Aventure Mini Golf website

Related blog posts:
- Blackpool
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 151 - Blackpool, Golden Isle Indoor Adventure Golf
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses in and around Blackpool

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

This Christmas tree is beyond ludicrous

I've seen some sorry excuses for Christmas trees dotted around the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in recent weeks. But this one on St Petersgate in Stockport town centre is truly ludicrous!

This tree wins Christmas

Related blog posts:
- Christmas Trees

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf

Revisiting the Adventure Golf course at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

On our trip to Blackpool in October we walked passed the Adventure Golf course at the Pleasure Beach.

The Art Deco signage at the course is in keeping with the Casino building at the Pleasure Beach

The course was the scene of my victory in the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open tournament in 2009.

Winning in 2009

We first visited the course in 2008 when we helped with the launch event and inaugural competition - won by minigolf legend Chris Harding.

The course is next to the entrance to the Pleasure Beach

It's great to see the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf course is still proving popular.

My first round in the 2009 Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open competition was a 24

Check out the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website for more information on prices and opening times.

There used to be another miniature golf course inside the Pleasure Beach - an Alpine themed one. That was the 46th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Link:
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach website

Related blog posts:
- Blackpool
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses in and around Blackpool

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Shanklin Seafront Pirates Adventure Golf

Visiting the Pirates Cove Adventure Golf course on Shanklin Seafront.

When we arrived at Shanklin Seafront we were faced with a dilemma as we only had time to play one of the two miniature golf courses before they closed for the day. We opted to give the renovated Crazy Golf course a go and leave the Pirates Cove Adventure Golf course until the next time we visit.

  

The Pirate Adventure Golf course was built on the spot where a grass Putting Green used to be. When we visited Shanklin in 2008 the two course layouts were very different.

Shanklin Seafront minigolf courses in 2008

The Pirates Cove Adventure Golf course on Shanklin Seafront became the 708th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

For opening times and prices check out the Shanklin Seafront website.

We also spotted a Shark at the amusement park next to the minigolf courses

And an alligator (or crocodile)

Related blog posts:
- Isle of Wight
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Shanklin Seafront website

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Rylstone Tea Gardens and Crazy Golf course

A revisit to the Rylstone Tea Gardens and Crazy Golf course on the Isle of Wight.

While on the Isle of Wight in October we revisited the Crazy Golf course at Rylstone Gardens in Shanklin.

The course was originally the 65th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2008. It was incredibly well signposted then, and still is today.

As we'd packed in a lot on our day trip to the Isle of Wight we arrived at the course just as the gates were closing. However, the owners were kind enough to let us in for a look around and a revisit to see what was new.

They'd also been waiting for our visit(!) so they could give us one of their new Crazy Golf postcards. Marvellous.

Posting the course postcards in The Pillarbox obstacle

The course is well worth a visit and it's a unique layout. The obstacles that are around 50 years old are still in use, but the old 'tables' they used to sit on have been replaced by a concrete base.

The Rylstone Tea Gardens Crazy Golf course

It really is a quirky course. Nice and colourful and madcap like a good British seaside Crazy Golf course should be. Some of the holes are named and themed after local landmarks, such as The Needles and Shanklin Old Village.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 9

Hole 10

Hole 11

 

Hole 12

Hole 13

Hole 14

Hole 15

Hole 16

Hole 16

Hole 17

Hole 17

Hole 18

Hole 18

  

Hole 18

If you're visiting the Isle of Wight then Rylstone Tea Gardens and Crazy Golf course is well worth a visit.

A nice touch in case of weather

I wonder how many people have scored over 101 on the course!

The original Crazy Golf tables and obstacles were used in the 1973 film That'll be the Day starring David Essex and Ringo Starr! Check out this video to see the course in use in the film.

Below are some snaps of how the course looked on our first visit in 2008.

The Golf Tables at Rylstone Tea Gardens

Hole 12 - Skittles - has been replaced by a Windmill

The Funnel is still on the course

Check out the Rylstone Tea Gardens & Crazy Golf course on Facebook for more information, opening times, events and prices.

Related blog posts:
- Isle of Wight
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Rylstone Tea Gardens & Crazy Golf

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.