Saturday, August 05, 2017

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon

Playing Crazy Golf at the 750th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

On Friday 4th August we hit another big minigolf milestone as the 750th course was visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since our odyssey began back in September 2006.

Pitch and Putt and Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
At the 750th miniature golf course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

The Crazy Golf course at Coate Water Country Park was in good condition and proving popular on my visit. It's an older style of course with nods to the continental European 'Beton' style of minigolf. The layout reminded me of the Crazy Golf course at Lister Gardens in Lyme Regis, with some very similar hole designs.

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
A look at holes 11-13 at Coate Water Country Park

In my round I scored a 48 - 21 out and 27 in. I was close to getting some holes-in-one too.

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Holes 3-5 on the Crazy Golf course

After my fun round I had a go on the 9-hole Putting Green which was in excellent condition. I scored a 19.

Putting Green at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
On the green

Putting Green at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
A look at the Putting Green at Coate Water Country Park

I didn't have time to play the 18-hole Pitch & Putt course on this occasion, but it looked like a superb course.

Pitch and Putt at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 1 on the Pitch & Putt

The 18-hole Crazy Golf course was £3 for a round, the Putting Green was £1 and the Pitch & Putt was £4. Great prices. Check out the Coate Water Country Park website for more information.

Richard Gottfried at the Coate Water Country Park Crazy Golf course in Swindon
At the 750th course visited on our travels

Photos of the Crazy Golf course at Coate Water Country Park.

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 1

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 2

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 2

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 2

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 3

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 4

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 5

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 5

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 5

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 5

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 6

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 7

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 8

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 8

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 8

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 8

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 9

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 10

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 10

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 10

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 11

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 12

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 12

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 13

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 13 

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 13

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 12's green and the jump on hole 13

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 14

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 14

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 14

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 15

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 15

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 15

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 16


Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 16

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 17

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 17

Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 17


Crazy Golf at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon
Hole 18

There's also a miniature railway at Coate Water Country Park. I didn't have time to see it this time, but look forward to having a go on it in the future.

On the 17th September last year we visited the 700th course on our travels at Vickersway Park in Northwich, Cheshire. 28 of the courses we've visited have been overseas and the 700th visited in the UK was at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan back in April.

Related blog posts:
- Swindon
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Coate Water Country Park

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.

New dinosaur Adventure Golf course heading to the Trafford Golf Centre

New Adventure Golf course at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester.


A jurassic adventure golf course is heading to the Trafford Golf Centre in Greater Manchester. The new 18-hole DinoFalls Adventure Golf course will be built at the golf facility which sits just off the M60.

It's not the first time the Trafford Golf Centre has been home to a minigolf course. Back in the late noughties there was a 9-hole Championship Miniature Golf course on the site. A course I won two tournaments on in 2009 - the Mini Masters and Mini Open!

We're looking forward to visiting and playing the new dinosaur adventure golf course at the Trafford Golf Centre as part of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour to visit all the courses in the UK. It'll be very local to us! Since 2006 we've been to 752 courses. The previous minigolf course at the Trafford Golf Centre was the 84th we played.

Playing minigolf at the Trafford Golf Centre during the Mini Open tournament in 2009
Playing minigolf at the Trafford Golf Centre during the Mini Open tournament in 2009

As well as the new DinoFalls Adventure Golf course, Trafford is also home to the 36-hole indoor courses at Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the intu Trafford Centre and an 18-hole Crazy Golf course at Wythenshawe Park. In central Manchester you can play at Junkyard Golf, although this month the indoor Crazy Golf course is moving from its location in Piccadilly to a new home in the Northern Quarter.

There are also minigolf courses in Bolton and Wigan which are worth a visit.

Related blog posts:
- Dinosaur
- Manchester
- Adventure Golf
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Trafford Golf Centre

Wednesday, August 02, 2017

New Hastings Minigolf Caddie Club to raise funds for local charity

Hastings Adventure Golf launches loyalty club and teams-up with charity partner.


Hastings Adventure Golf is using the launch of its new loyalty club, the Caddie Club, to raise funds for local charity – The Winkle Club.

With the help of a little brown bear, Caddie Bear, who arrived in Hastings last week, a fun photo caption competition is running online with every entry increasing the cash donation to the Winkle Club charity.

The competition, running weekly on Facebook, will see Caddie Bear in some precarious and fun situations. The public can suggest a photo caption with each suggestion raising more cash for the charity. The winning caption each week will also scoop free golf passes. Visit the Hastings Adventure Golf Facebook Page for more info.

Stuart Homewood from the Winkle Club & Simon Tompkins with Caddie
Stuart Homewood from the Winkle Club & Simon Tompkins with Caddie

Stuart Homewood of the Winkle Club charity said “Big thanks to Hastings Adventure Golf for giving us the opportunity. We are hoping to raise some much-needed cash for several local good causes.”

Simon Tompkins of Hastings Adventure Golf, said “We wanted to help the Winkle Club charity and its work with many local charities so what better way than getting our mischievous Caddie Bear to help. He’s a friendly fellow so we are asking the public to throw us their best and funniest captions and every captions results in a donation to the charity.”

The Winkle Club is an internationally famous charitable organisation formed by Hastings fishermen to help the less fortunate families of Hastings Old Town. Among the events and activities they organise is an annual Putting Competition held at the Hastings Adventure Golf complex.

The Caddie Club loyalty scheme is open to everyone who downloads the free app and registers. Details of the app can be found on the Hastings Adventure Golf website.

Links:
- Hastings Adventure Golf website
- Hastings Adventure Golf on Facebook
- Hastings Winkle Club

Related blog posts:
- Hastings Adventure Golf
- Mini Golf App
- Hastings

Putting Greens at Ardencote Golf Club

While on a spa weekend away in the midlands Emily stumbled upon two grass Putting Greens at Ardencote Golf Club.

Putting Green at Ardencote Golf Club in Claverdon, Warwick
Course number 748 on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Putting Green at Ardencote Golf Club in Claverdon, Warwick
Course number 749


Bingo in Stockport

We had a great night out at the Bingo last night. It was my first game since playing at Pontin's Prestatyn in 2014.

Gala Bingo in Stockport
Having a lotto fun at the Bingo in Stockport

I was interested to see the advances in what is essentially a simple game along with the introduction of electronic gaming tablets. Gala Bingo is certainly a slick operation.

I used to love playing Bingo as a kid with my Grandma. Emily and I used to be members at Gala when we were students too.

It's always nice having a game at classic seafront Amusement Arcade Bingo when we see them as well.

The Stockport venue was really big and colourful, with friendly staff. We're looking forward to returning for another few games soon. Next time I might play classic-style with paper tickets and a big dabber.

Link:
- Gala Bingo

Related blog posts:
- Bingo
- Stockport

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Minigolf in Norfolk

Details of miniature golf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses in Norfolk.


We've been visiting Norfolk for a number of years and Great Yarmouth was one of the first seaside resorts we went to on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in February 2007. Unfortunately on that occasion all of the courses there were closed for the season! We've since been back to the resort and other parts of the county and had some great rounds of minigolf.

Crazy Golf course at Pops Meadow in Gorleston on Sea
The Crazy Golf course at Pops Meadow in Gorleston on Sea became the 100th course visited when we swung by on the 10th May 2009

As of today we've visited 749 courses since September 2006. Of these 721 have been in the UK, with 28 overseas in eleven countries. There are approximately 40 courses in Norfolk and we have visited 32 courses of these so far. Twelve were closed / out of season at the time of our visit. Over the years we have visited eight courses in Great Yarmouth - some of which are no longer there.

Adventure Island Golf Course in Mundesley
At the Adventure Island Golf Course in Mundesley
  
With a Humpty at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth
With a Humpty at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth

Crazy Golf course at Eaton Park in Norwich
Playing Crazy Golf at Eaton Park in Norwich

Playing one of the partially outdoors holes at the indoor Crazy Golf course found within the old Windmill Theatre in Great Yarmouth
Playing one of the partially outdoors holes at the indoor Crazy Golf course found within the old Windmill Theatre in Great Yarmouth

At Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby
At Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby

Cromer Putting Green
Putting in Cromer

Crazy Golf course in Hunstanton
Playing Crazy Golf in Hunstanton

Courses played since our first visit to Norfolk in 2007:

  • Cromer (Cromer Putting) - Putting Green
  • Gorleston-on-Sea (Pop's Meadow Putting Green) - Minigolf
  • Great Yarmouth (Hollywood Adventure Golf, Windmill Theatre) - Indoor Adventure Golf
  • Great Yarmouth (Merrivale Model Village) - Crazy Golf
  • Great Yarmouth (Pirates Cove) - Adventure Golf
  • Great Yarmouth (Pleasure Beach) - Adventure Golf
  • Hemsby - Lost World Adventure Golf
  • Hemsby (Stonehenge) - BIG Mini Golf
  • Hoveton/Wroxham (Wroxham Barns) - Adventure Golf
  • Hunstanton (Blackbeard's Adventure Golf) - Adventure Golf (Aztec Course)
  • Hunstanton (Blackbeard's Adventure Golf) - Adventure Golf (Pirate Course)
  • Hunstanton (Vegas Amusement Arcade) - Crazy Golf
  • Hunstanton (Victorian Pavilion) - Crazy Golf
  • Hunstanton (Victorian Pavilion) - Putting
  • Mundesley (Adventure Island Golf) - Adventure Golf
  • Norwich (Eaton Park) - Crazy Golf
  • Sutton Staithe, near Stalham (Sutton Staithe Hotel) - Miniature Golf


Courses visited but not played:

  • Clippesby Touring Park in Norfolk - Minigolf
  • Cromer (Cromer Putting) - Putting Green
  • Cromer (North Lodge Park) - Putting
  • Cromer (The Meadow) - Pitch & Putt
  • Fritton (Caldecott Hall Leisure Complex) - Crazy Golf had been removed 
  • Fritton (Caldecott Hall Leisure Complex) - Putting Green
  • Gorleston-on-Sea (Bure Park) - Pitch & Putt/Minigolf
  • Great Yarmouth (Castaway Island Mini Golf) - Adventure Golf - formerly two Arnold Palmer Putting courses
  • Norwich (Eaton Park) - Putting Green
  • Norwich (Norwich Family Golf Centre) - Congo Rapids Adventure Golf
  • Norwich (Norwich Family Golf Centre) - Putting Green
  • Sheringham - Putting Green


Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Great Yarmouth
Sadly the 9-hole and 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting Courses are no longer in their original form in Great Yarmouth

Courses we've played but have since closed:

  • Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) - Minigolf 9-hole - replaced by Castaway Island Mini Golf
  • Great Yarmouth (Arnold Palmer) - Minigolf 18-hole - replaced by Castaway Island Mini Golf
  • Great Yarmouth (Jungle Golf at the Gardens) - Crazy Golf - turned into a Segway Grand Prix track in 2009


Courses still to visit in Norfolk:

  • Abraham's Bosom, Wells-next-the-Sea
  • Banham Zoo
  • Bawburgh Golf Club, Norwich
  • Caister Holiday Park, Caister-on-Sea
  • Cherry Tree Holiday Park, Burgh Castle, Great Yarmouth
  • Kings Head Pub, North Lopham
  • Pirates Adventure Golf at Norfolk Premier Golf in Blofield
  • Waveney Valley Holiday Village, Burgh Castle, Great Yarmouth


If you know of any other courses we've missed off the list above, or hear about new courses opening do get in touch or leave a comment on this post.

Minigolf course in Riga, Latvia

A look at the Play4Score miniature golf course in Riga, Latvia.


Many thanks to fellow minigolf enthusiast Simon Dewhurst for sending along some snaps of a miniature golf course he recently played in Riga, Latvia.

The Play4Score miniature golf course in Riga, Latvia
The Play4Score miniature golf course in Riga, Latvia

It's an 'eternit' type of minigolf course and Simon tells me it was laid out in a circle, the first time he's seen a set-up like it.

The Play4Score miniature golf course in Riga, Latvia
An interesting looking layout and setting

The Play4Score miniature golf course in Riga, Latvia
Simon tells me he finished in 2nd place in the mini-competition on the course

You can find the Play4Score minigolf course in the Northern District, Riga, LV-1014. Visit the Play4Score website for more info.

Links:
- Play4Score website
- Simon Dewhurst on Twitter

Crazy Golf interview on the Ginger and Nuts Show

Interview about our minigolf adventures on the Ginger and Nuts Show.

You can now listen to my interview about the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour from this week's Ginger and Nuts Show online.

Southend Pier Crazy Golf course
Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is nearing the 750 course visit mark!