Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Happy National Hot Dog Day

Today is National Hot Dog Day!

Happy National Hot Dog Day.

A Hot Dog mascot in Bridlington

You can find out more about National Hot Dog Day and National Hot Dog Month on the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council website.

Related blog posts:
Hot Dogs
National Hot Dog Month

Links:
- #NationalHotDogDay
#NationalHotDogMonth
National Hot Dog and Sausage Council website

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Hampions of Cheadle Hulme

Better a Hampion than a Ham & Egger.

There's a lot of sports played at the Manchester Rugby Club venue in Cheadle Hulme
Not sure if Manchester Rugby Club are the champs, or if the winners are the visitors

Seeing this sign reminded me of the Championship Winning Ham at a butchers in Needham Market, Suffolk. Surely a Ham Championship is a Hampionship...

You can get Championship Winning Ham at a butchers in Needham Market, Suffolk
Just hampion

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Crazy Golf at Manor Park in Glossop

Playing a round of Crazy Golf at Glossop's Manor Park.


On the 28th June the Crazy Golf course in Glossop's Manor Park became the 743rd course visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Unfortunately as it was a weekday the course wasn't open to play, so last Saturday we returned to give the course a go. Luckily the weather was a lot better than my visit the week before.

Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop
About to play a shot on hole 1

Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop
On the third hole

Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop
Playing hole 4

Check out the blog post from my original look at the course at "A visit to the Crazy Golf course in Glossop's Manor Park."

A view of the Manor Park Crazy Golf course in Glossop from the Miniature Railway's station platform
A view of the Crazy Golf course from the Miniature Railway's station platform

We also got to have a ride on the Miniature Railway which was brilliant fun.

Manor Park Miniature Railway in Glossop
The rules of the railway

Manor Park Miniature Railway in Glossop
The 6-minute train ride costs £2 per passenger and takes you round an interesting journey around the park and through the woods. You also get your hand stamped which means you can ride again for free!

Manor Park is a tremendous facility and we'd definitely visit again. Glossop as a whole is well worth seeing as there are some fantastic views of the Peak District from the town, as well as some interesting shops and pubs there too.

Links:
Manor Park, Glossop
- Friends of Manor Park

Videos:
- Crazy Golf at Manor Park, Glossop - Hole 1
- Crazy Golf at Manor Park, Glossop - Hole 2
- Crazy Golf at Manor Park, Glossop - Hole 7
Crazy Golf course at Manor Park, Glossop
A walk round the Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop

Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Miniature Railways
Crazy Golf

Friday, July 14, 2017

MiniLinks Par-3 Miniature Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes

Playing the MiniLinks Par-3 Miniature Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes.

On the 18th June the MiniLinks Par-3 Miniature Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes became the 742nd visited and 437th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

MiniLinks Par-3 Miniature Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
A view looking back at hole 1

MiniLinks Par-3 Miniature Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
The course was proving incredibly popular all day

MiniLinks Par-3 Miniature Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
There are some great views from the links golf course

MiniLinks Golf hosts a number of public tournaments on the Par-3 Golf course throughout the year and there are four special competitions that run at the same time as the 'Majors' in regular golf. Next up is the MiniLinks Open running from the 20th-23rd July.

MiniLinks US Open golf trophy
The MiniLinks US Open golf trophy

My score of 67(+13) - recorded as a 65(+11) with the Beginner's Handicap taken into consideration - saw me finish in tied 13th place in the MiniLinks US Open tournament. A total of 43 players submitted their scores over the weekend, with the winner scoring a round of 48(-6).

Visit the MiniLinks Golf website for more information.

Related blog posts:
Minigolfing in Lytham Saint Annes
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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.

Thursday, July 13, 2017

There's truth in advertising and then there's this!

Now, I'm all for truth in advertising, but I can't help but think this piece of signage at a butchers in Leeds Kirkgate Market would've benefited from a better descriptor of the product on sale.

Tripe for sale at Leeds Kirkgate Market
I suppose the 'branded' name of this product is 'Chitterlings'

The photo certainly caused a stir among followers of the Tripe Marketing Board on Twitter.

Ever since I first spotted tripe on a butcher's stall at Wigan Market in 2012 I've been following the Tripe Marketing Board with interest. Although not enough interest to have actually tried tripe. I'm fairly certain that cow's stomach is something of an acquired taste.

Visit the Tripe Marketing Board website for more information about tripe. You can also use Tripe Adviser to locate sellers of the 'delicacy'.

Related blog posts:

Links:

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Taste of Carpets

I spotted this great shopfront while walking through Edgeley, Stockport yesterday evening.

The 'Taste of Carpets' shop in Edgeley, Stockport
I wonder why the shutters are down?

Not sure what's more bizarre - the Taste of Carpets, or being a Watermelon Specialist...

We've also got an Instascran shop in Stockport.

Related blog posts:
- Shop
- Funny Signs
- Carpet Shop

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

MiniLinks Pennines Putting Mini Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes

Playing the MiniLinks Pennines Putting Mini Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes.


On the 18th June the Pennines Putting Mini Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes became the 740th visited and 434th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
The MiniLinks Pennines Putting course

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
A view of the fine grass putting course

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
It's not a flat layout! The flag and cup for this hole are on the other side of the hill

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
A long shot into the corner of the course 

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
You have to putt through a hedge on this hole!

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
About to score a hole-in-one on the course

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
The course is nicely laid out and the hole configuration certainly keeps you on your toes

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
Another hedge to putt through!

Pennines Putting minigolf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
The big flag on the last hole

Visit the MiniLinks Golf website for more information.

Related blog posts:
Minigolfing in Lytham Saint Annes
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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.

Friday, July 07, 2017

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes

Playing the MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes.


Back in 2008 the Crazy Golf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes became the 48th visited and played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
The MiniLinks Crazy Golf course

On the 18th June I replayed the course on my day out at the seaside resort.

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
It's always great to find a Humpty obstacle on a course

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
The Crazy Golf course is next to the kiosk and sits next to the first hole of the MiniLinks Par-3 Golf course

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 1

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 2

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 3

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 4

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 5 - and the green of hole 1 of the Par-3 MiniLinks Golf course

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 5

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 6

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 7 - Humpty

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 8 - you can see the old hole 8 on this blog post

MiniLinks Crazy Golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 9

Visit the MiniLinks Golf website for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolfing in Lytham Saint Annes
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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.

Thursday, July 06, 2017

Minigolf competitions in July

There are lots of opportunities to get into the competitive swing of things this month.

As we know, there's no such thing as a 'friendly' game of minigolf - everyone wants to win when they play. Well, this month there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the competitive side of the game.

Putt 'n BBQ in Prestwick
There's a Putting event taking place at Putting Plus in Prestwick this coming weekend. Players at the event on Sunday 9th July will receive free entry to the Scottish Open Putting Championship where there are a range of category prizes up for grabs! There's also a BBQ at the Parkstone Hotel on the Prom. Visit the Putting Plus Facebook page for more info.

Putt 'n BBQ in Prestwick on Sunday 9th July

British Open in Hastings
The 20th annual BMGA British Open championships are taking place in Hastings this weekend, with action teeing-off on the brilliant Pirate Course on Saturday 8th July. Entries to take part have closed, however spectators are always welcome to watch the action. More details on the British Minigolf Association and Hastings Adventure Golf websites.

The BMGA British Open is at Hastings Adventure Golf this weekend

Worthing Mini Golf Club Open at Splash Point
If you're looking to compete with the BMGA pro players you won't have to wait long though, as the next stop on the tour is the excellent Splash Point Mini Golf course at Worthing's Denton Gardens. The venue hosts the first Worthing Mini Golf Club Open on Saturday 15th July. The event has an evening tee-off time of 5pm, which will give ample time to practice during the day. Check out the event info on the Worthing Mini Golf Club Facebook page.

The Worthing Mini Golf Club Open tournament is on Saturday 15th July

Holeymolies Crazy Golf
The team at Holeymolies Crazy Golf course in Skelton-in-Cleveland are organising a minigolf tournament to celebrate a successful first year for the course. The open event is offering a top prize of £1,000 to the overall champion. Qualifying is taking place between Monday 10th July and Saturday 15th July, with the finals held on Sunday 16th July. More info on the format and rules can be found on the Mini Golf 1k Competition Facebook event listing.

MiniLinks Mini Open in Lytham Saint Annes
The team at MiniLinks Golf organise a number of competitions throughout the year, including four Mini Majors. Next up is the Mini Open taking place on the Par-3 miniature golf course from the 20th-23rd July. For more info check out the MiniLinks Golf website.

A Crazy Golf spider's eye view of the Par-3 Golf course at MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

There's also a Crazy Golf course and Pennines Putting layout at MiniLinks. I had a great time playing them during my visit to the seaside town last month. I also finished in tied-13th place in the MiniLinks US Open tournament.

US Pro Minigolf Association Open
Speaking of US Opens, the USPMGA Tour's national Open tournament is taking place at the Bluegrass Miniature Golf course in Oceanport, New Jersey on the 21st and 22nd July. Our friend Pat Sheridan of the Putting Penguin website is competing. Visit the USPMGA and Bluegrass Miniature Golf websites for more details.

Pro Minigolfer Pat Sheridan playing the Putt in the Park course in Wandsworth on a visit to London

Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships
The Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships are once again taking place at the indoor Paradise Island courses around the country. This year's event runs from the 20th-23rd July and will also see action at the newest Paradise Island Adventure Golf venue in Derby. More details of the event and the other PIAG courses at Cheshire Oaks, Glasgow, Livingston, Manchester and Sheffield can be found on the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website.

Break out the bunting! Paradise Island Adventure Golf courses are hosting their own Open events later this month

World Minigolf Sport Federation
Check out the World Minigolf Sport Federation's website and calendar of events to find out about the sport and how you can get involved. The WMF has member associations in 63 countries around the world and is growing all the time. Visit the WMF website for more info.

Shouting about your success
Don't forget, whether you win or lose there's always a sporting story to tell about your participation in an event. Share your results online, send a report to your local media and be proud of your achievement.

If you want to take things a step further then why not check out my ebook, The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing, to find out how you can help promote yourself, your club, your local course, your national association and the great game. It's available in multiple formats via Amazon and Ganxy.

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.

Wednesday, July 05, 2017

Crazy Golf in Grange over Sands

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Promenade Recreation Park in Grange over Sands.


My mate and minigolf rival Marc 'The Roller' Bazeley has been out and about playing Crazy Golf in Cumbria and sent over these great snaps from his visit to the minigolf layout at Promenade Recreation Park in Grange over Sands. It's a course we're yet to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

The Crazy Golf course at Grange over Sands Promenade Recreation Park. Photo by Marc Bazeley, 5th July 2017

The Crazy Golf course at Grange over Sands Promenade Recreation Park. Photo by Marc Bazeley, 5th July 2017

Marc tells me the 9-hole course is £3 to play. He also tells me that he won the match against his girlfriend Lauren by 9-shots. Knowing how Marc rolls that could be a likely story!

The Crazy Golf course at Grange over Sands Promenade Recreation Park. Photo by Marc Bazeley, 5th July 2017

Visit the Grange Promenade Recreation Park website for more information and opening times. Looking on it there's a grass Putting Green there too. I look forward to playing both courses there in the future.

Links:
- Grange Promenade Recreation Park website
- Grange Promenade Recreation Park on Facebook

Monday, July 03, 2017

A visit to the MiniLinks Golf courses in Lytham Saint Annes

Playing the three MiniLinks Mini Golf courses in Lytham Saint Annes.


MiniLinks Golf on the seafront in Lytham Saint Annes is home to three miniature golf courses and on Sunday 18th June I played all of them.

Miniature Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
If you're heading to the courses from the town centre or Saint Annes on the Sea railway station, just follow this handy - and BIG - Miniature Golf brown tourist sign to the front

First up was a replay of the 9-hole Crazy Golf course. Emily and I had first played the layout in 2008. In my two rounds on the course I scored a 21 and a 20.

Crazy Golf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
The Crazy Golf course at MiniLinks Golf

Next I played the Pennines Putting course. It's a brilliant 18-hole grass putting course, with some very interesting routes to the cups! In my round I scored 43 - shooting 21 'out' and 22 'in'.

The Pennines Putting miniature golf course at MiniLinks Golf in Lytham Saint Annes
About to score a hole-in-one on the Pennines Putting miniature golf course

After a wander around the town and a play of the Crazy Golf course on the pier and the layout at Fairhaven Lake I returned to the MiniLinks for a game on the Par-3 Miniature Golf course when it was a little quieter as it'd been really busy all day. I'd also had a couple of rides on the Miniature Railway which runs around the perimeter of the course to scope it out a bit.

The MiniLinks Crazy Golf course and Miniature Railway in Lytham Saint Annes
The MiniLinks Crazy Golf course and Saint Annes Miniature Railway

My score of 67(+13) - recorded as a 65(+11) with the Beginner's Handicap taken into consideration - was enough to see me finish in tied 13th place in the MiniLinks US Open tournament. A total of 43 players had submitted their scores over the weekend, with the winner shooting a round of 48(-6).

The MiniLinks Par-3 miniature golf course in Lytham Saint Annes
Hole 1 of the popular miniature golf course

The MiniLinks US Open trophy
The MiniLinks US Open trophy

The Pennines Putting and Par-3 courses were the 740th and 742nd visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, with the Crazy Golf course already the 48th visited and played back in 2008.

MiniLinks Golf hosts a number of public tournaments on the Par-3 Golf course throughout the year and there are four special competitions that run at the same time as the 'Majors' in regular golf. Next up is the MiniLinks Open running from the 20th-23rd July.

Visit the MiniLinks Golf website and Twitter for more information, opening times, tournament details and prices.

All in all it was a brilliant day out at the seaside. It's always nice to revisit somewhere after a number of years and this time I got to really explore the town. I'm looking forward to my next visit to Lytham Saint Annes already.

MiniLinks Golf gets the thumbs-up from me
MiniLinks Golf gets the thumbs-up from me

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.