Thursday, May 16, 2019

Looking back at the Dull Men's Club's Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston

A look back at the Dull Men's Club's Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston.


A year ago yesterday I was a speaker at the Dull Men's Club's 'Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening' at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston.


Richard Gottfried, guest speaker at the Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening at UCLan in Preston
Talking (minigolf) balls

Where has the last year gone*.


Richard Gottfried,  guest speaker at the Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening at UCLan in Preston
Showing off my Putter to the audience

The keynote speaker at the event was Dr Sandi Mann, aka ‘Dr Boredom’, author of The Science of Boredom: The Upside of Downtime, who spoke to the attendees about the benefits of boredom and her research on the Thirty Habits of Boring People.

The Dull Men's Club is where dull men — and women who appreciate dull men — share experiences of enjoying everyday, mundane things, far from glitz and glam — "Celebrating the Ordinary".

The Dull Men's Club celebrates the ordinary

Some highlights of my presentation covered my travels on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and how I, along with Emily, had - up to that point - visited 815 miniature golf courses since 2006.

The desk space in the lecture theatre was a lovely shade of grey
The desk space in the lecture theatre was a lovely shade of grey

Some of the intricacies of the sport were also discussed, with the show & tell element on minigolf balls being a particular highlight.

Later that evening I visited the 816th course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when I swung by the indoor Crazy Golf course at Level Preston. We've now visited 887 courses.

Trailer Trash Jim's indoor Crazy Golf course at Level Preston
One of the holes at Trailer Trash Jim's indoor Crazy Golf course at Level Preston

Following the event we've since met up with fellow dull man and writer Elliot Windmill who profiled us on his excellent website.

Playing Crazy Golf with Elliot at Manor Park in Glossop
Playing Crazy Golf with Elliot at Manor Park in Glossop

One of the other guests we met at the event was Martin, head of the Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society. Interestingly (for some) Telegraph Pole Appreciation Day and Miniature Golf Day both fall on the 21st September each year. Martin also wrote a nice blog post following the event.

A telegraph pole I spotted on our visit to the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway heritage steam railway in the Lake District last year
A telegraph pole I spotted on our visit to the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway heritage steam railway in the Lake District last year

What a wonderfully dull world we inhabit.

Related blog posts:
- A Delightfully Dull, Brilliantly Boring Evening in Preston
- Meeting the Dull Men of Great Britain – The Crazy Golfers
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Dull Men's Club
- Preston

Links:
- Dull Men's Club
- Lossul
- Sandi Mann's website

* I would have put an exclamation mark at the end of that sentence, but they are frowned upon by the Dull Men's Club.

Glo-Golf indoor Crazy Golf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover

A visit to the Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover.



Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Ah, Andover - the Paris of Hampshire

Our road-trip to Southampton and back saw us visit 18 more courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. One of them was the indoor Glo-Golf course at the Riverside Bowl in Andover, Hampshire.


Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Playing in Holland

Each of the holes on the Glo-Golf course is themed after a certain city or country. It looks superb.




In our minigolf match on the 9-hole Glo-Golf course Emily won with a score of 30 to my 34.

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Emily Putting in New York City

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
London. In Andover

The Glo-Golf indoor minigolf course at the Riverside Bowl in Andover, Hampshire was the 882nd course visited and 514th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.



The Glo-Golf course in Andover was the only indoor course visited on this trip



Minigolf holes on the Glo-Golf course at the Riverside Bowl in Andover.

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 1

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 2

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 2

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 3

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 3

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 4

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 5

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 6

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 7

Hole 8

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 9

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Hole 9

Visit the Riverside Bowl website for more information, opening times and prices.

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
Another minigolf course scorecard added to the collection

Glo-Golf indoor minigolf at the Riverside Bowl in Andover
A glow in the dark crocodile, or alligator

Related blog posts:
- Andover
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour update - 883 courses visited

The World's Oldest Bowling Green

A visit to Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green.



Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

As a fan of sporting history it was very interesting to stumble upon the World's Oldest Bowling Green during our minigolfing road-trip to Hampshire.


Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

Southampton Old Bowling Green - the World's Oldest Bowling Green

We've not played a game of bowls before. But we do play Petanque. We've also played minigolf on a number of bowling greens that have been used as Putting courses, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and at the Wales National Crown Green Bowling Centre in Rhyl. We also found an excellent pair of Putting courses in Looe, Cornwall. Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour has also seen us play miniature golf at the bowling club in Aberdovey, Wales.

Putting course at Looe Bowling Club in Looe, Cornwall
The Putting Green above the Bowling Green in Looe, Cornwall

Related blog posts:
- Bowls
- Bowling Green
- Southampton

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot

A visit to the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course in Aberavon, Port Talbot.


Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot

The 12-hole Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course became the 885th course visited and 516th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.


Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot

Created by the Natural Play Company, it's a tricky layout and while there are hole-in-one opportunities, they are few and far between!

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Playing hole 11

I was in town to compete in the Welsh Mini Golf Club's Doubles Championship at the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course.

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
I do like minigolf sharks

Aberavon seafront is such a lovely spot and provides spectacular views - Swansea Bay to the right and the steelworks to the left! It was a very nice place to spend time Putting.

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot

Check out my blog post Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - update from Wales to see how me and my team-mate Seve Kukielka got on in the Welsh Mini Golf Club's Doubles Championship.

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Playing hole 12

Visit the Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course website for more information, opening times and prices.


Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
The Rules

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Another nice minigolf scorecard added to the collection

Photos of the 12-hole Pirate Cove Adventure Golf course in Aberavon.


Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 1

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 1

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 2

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 2

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 3

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 3

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 3

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 4

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 4

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 4

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 5

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 6

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 7

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 7

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 7

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 8

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 8

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 8

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 8

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 9
  
Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 9

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 9

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 10

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 10

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 11

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 11

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 11

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 12

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 12

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Dare you play through the shark's mouth?

Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Hole 12


Pirate Cove Adventure Golf in Aberavon, Port Talbot
Fin

Related blog posts:
- Wales
- Aberavon
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - update from Wales