Sunday, August 12, 2018

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

A visit to Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf course at Fletcher's Arcade in Cofton Hackett, Birmingham.



Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham


On Sunday 5th August we visited the 829th miniature golf course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and what a course it was!


Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Our first game of Crazy Crazy Golf

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf course at Fletcher's Arcade in South Birmingham is a unique and quite frankly ludicrous minigolf course. If you're expecting to play a 'regular' round of Crazy Golf there you'll be in for a surprise.

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Using the wizard's staff was one of many different 'Putters' we used during our round

The course and game-play has to be seen and experienced to be believed. It really is Crazy Crazy Golf! What's extra special about the layout is the inspiration the course owner's and designers have drawn from the local area, history, their business and their own interests.

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 1 involved a number of 'putting' styles, including a rope pulley

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
This was the first time I've putted using a spirit level

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
The final putt was played with a normal club

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
My favourite hole at the course - Wac-Man!

Fletcher's Arcade has been on the same site since 1920, with the Crazy Crazy Golf course an addition in 2017.

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Emily playing the 'plain' Just Crazy Golf hole

Emily won our minigolf match-up on the outlandish 9-hole Crazy Crazy Golf course with a score of 61 to my 64. The course was the 829th overall course visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since 2006. It was the 791st course visited in the UK and the 491st we've played.

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 1 - The Man Hole

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 2 - The Longbridge Job

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 3 - Two Tongued Toad Hole

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 4 - Middle Earth

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 5 - WAC Man

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 6 - Just Crazy Golf

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 7 - Rock N Roll

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 8 - Blind Fold Hole - yes, you do have to play it blindfolded. Your opponent has to guide you on how to play it, as the score you make is added to THEIR total!

Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf at Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Hole 9 - Whole Lot of Laughs - you tee-off while sat on Jasper Carrott's funky moped!

As well as the Crazy Crazy Golf course Fletcher's Arcade has a number of great retro arcade games including Pac-Man, Track & Field, Space Invaders and Defender. It's well worth a visit.

Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham
Playing Pac-Man

Check out Joe Joe Jim's Bar and the Fletcher's Arcade website for more info, opening times and prices.

The arcade is also home to one of only two Little Pro Family Golf Games made by Bromley. What a treat it was to see it and have a play on it!

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Little Pro Family Golf Game made by Bromley. At Fletcher's Arcade in Birmingham

Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Birmingham

Link:
Joe Joe Jim's Bar and the Fletcher's Arcade website

facefood takeaway in Blackpool

A visit to facefood in Blackpool.

As a fan of bootleg stuff I had to swing by facefood while in Blackpool.

facefood in Blackpool
Like

Here in Stockport we've got Instascran. I wonder if there are any other social media fast food outlets around...?

Related blog posts:
Funny sign
Bootleg

Malt Disley!

Malt Disley - a Micro Bar and Bottle Shop in Disley, Cheshire East.

A few months ago we drove through Disley and spotted this brilliant bar/shop name. Yesterday I returned to get a snap of it.

Malt Disley - a Micro Bar and Bottle Shop in Disley, Cheshire East.
What a play on words

Link:
- Malt Disley

Related blog posts:
- Funny sign
- Bootleg

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Mario's in Blackpool

On a trip to Blackpool it was super to see Nintendo are getting into the takeaway business.

Mario's takeaway in Blackpool
I bet Luigi was miffed he didn't get his name on the sign too

Popeye and 'facebook' also have takeaways in Blackpool!

Related blog posts:
Funny sign
Bootleg

Friday, August 10, 2018

New Junkyard Golf course opening in Leeds

New indoor Crazy Golf course opening at The Light in Leeds.


New Junkyard Golf indoor Crazy Golf course opening at The Light in Leeds

The team at Junkyard Golf will soon be opening their latest indoor Crazy Golf venue at The Light in Leeds, with three courses being built at the venue.


With courses in Manchester, London and Oxford, the Leeds venue will see more of the unique Junkyard Golf style injected into the city centre location.

Junkyard Golf at The Light in Leeds
We swung by for a look while we were recently in Leeds

We've played the Manchester and London courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, but have yet to tackle the Oxford site.

Check out the Junkyard Golf website for more information.

Thursday, August 09, 2018

New dinosaur Adventure Golf course opening in Birmingham

New Adventure Golf course opening at Wast Hills Golf Centre in Kings Norton, Birmingham.


Birmingham will soon be home to a new Adventure Golf course as a dinosaur themed layout is planned to open at Wast Hills Golf Centre in Kings Norton.

A new Adventure Golf course is opening at Wast Hills Golf Centre in Kings Norton, Birmingham

We're looking forward to playing the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Funny signs in Stockport

Spotting a number of legitimate businesses around Stockport.

On our travels we're always on the lookout for funny signs, bootlegs and parodies. Living in Stockport we don't often have to look that far.

Here are a few of the gangster-related signs and business names we've seen.

Godfather takeaway in Hazel Grove, Stockport
The king of takeaways

Godfrey Wright in Edgeley, Stockport
I recognise that font

The Wash Father in Edgeley
The Wash Father in Edgeley. I wonder if they do laundry too

Al Capone's in Cheadle
Somewhere for a Valentine's Day meal in Cheadle perhaps

Al Pacino takeaway in Stockport town centre

One of my all-time favourite bootleg takeaways is Instascran in Heaviley, Stockport.

Related blog posts:
Funny sign
Bootleg
- Stockport

Wednesday, August 08, 2018

New Adventure Golf courses opening in Birmingham and Bournemouth

Two new Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf courses will soon be opening up in Birmingham and Bournemouth.


There are two new Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf courses opening in Birmingham and Bournemouth

Both new locations will contain three indoor Adventure Golf courses in the Mr Mulligan's Space Golf theme.


Check out the Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf website for more details.

We're looking forward to playing at the new Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf venues to add to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've played a number of Mr Mulligan's Adventure Golf courses on our travels, most recently in Cheltenham.

Monday, August 06, 2018

2018 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales

The World Alternative Games, the multi-sport event for quirky, odd and obscure games, is back for its fourth-edition.


As ever, the festival of sport will be taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales and competitors will be flocking to the town between the 11th and 27th August 2018 to take part in an action packed calendar of events for people of all ages and abilities.



Sports include egg throwing, worm charming, 4 Square, finger jousting, backward running, pea shooting, bog snorkeling, wheelbarrow racing and much much more.

We had a superb time at the inaugural event in 2012 and the follow-up in 2014.

Egg Throwing Championships at the World Alternative Games
Alongside Jas Kukielka I captured the 2012 World Egg Throwing Championships!

Check out the World Alternative Games website for more details and the event schedule.

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham

A revisit to the Ghetto Golf course at the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham.


Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham

Over the weekend we revisited the Ghetto Golf course at the Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham. Last year the indoor Crazy Golf course became the 780th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.


Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
Ghetto Golf is a Cool Spot to visit

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
Sonic the Hedgehog appears on the final hole (Final Zone?)

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
Super Mario can be found on the course too

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
As can Donkey Kong!

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
The final few holes are all retro videogame related

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
I love this piece of artwork and the use of the wall

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
Hole 1 at Ghetto Golf

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
The last Blockbuster in the UK?

Ghetto Golf at the Custard Factory in Birmingham
A sporting hybrid of tenpin bowling and minigolf

There's also a Ghetto Golf course in Liverpool that we're yet to visit. Check out the Ghetto Golf website for opening times and prices.

Related blog posts:
- Ghetto Golf in Birmingham
- Ghetto Golf in Digbeth, Birmingham
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Birmingham

Thursday, August 02, 2018

Mini Golf on the Isle of Man

Details of the Crazy Golf and Minigolf courses on the Isle of Man.


We've just returned from holiday on another of the islands in the British Isles. It was a trip where we were able to add to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour tally, clocking up another five miniature golf course visits.


Crazy Golf at Onchan Pleasure Park in Onchan, Isle of Man
Crazy Golfers and Island Explorers

First up we had a look for the TT Crazy Golf Garden course at Noble's Park in Douglas. Sadly the course is no longer there.

Noble's Park in Douglas, Isle of Man
Noble's Park was a nice spot, but sadly there's no longer a Crazy Golf course there

Next we had a look at the Crazy Golf course and Mini Golf (Pitch & Putt) in Onchan Pleasure Park in Onchan on Saturday 28th July. The courses are open daily from 11am, but we visited in the evening so they were closed. We did get to play them on Tuesday 31st July.

Crazy Golf at Onchan Pleasure Park in Onchan, Isle of Man
Playing the 4th of 18 holes at Onchan Pleasure Park

Mini Golf at Onchan Pleasure Park in Onchan, Isle of Man
Emily putting on the Pitch & Putt minigolf course at Onchan Pleasure Park

We headed to Ramsey at the north of the Isle of Man on Monday 30th July where we were able to play the TT Putting Crazy Golf course at Mooragh Park. As a bonus we also got to play a Putting course next to it, one we were unaware of before our visit.

TT Putting Crazy Golf course at Mooragh Park in Ramsey, Isle of Man
Emily playing hole one of the TT Putting Crazy Golf course at Mooragh Park in Ramsey  

Mini Golf Putting course at Mooragh Park in Ramsey, Isle of Man
Playing the minigolf Putting course at Mooragh Park

We've now visited a total of 828 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.