Monday, October 21, 2019

Playing Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City

A visit to Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London.


Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

We celebrated my birthday with a game of super tech mini golf at Puttshack while down in London. It was the first time we've played a course using technology-enabled balls.


Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
A Puttshack ball

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Waiting for take-off!

We played a round on the Emerald course - one of four 9-hole layouts at Puttshack.


Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
I'm always ready for minigolf

Once you place your ball on the tee you have to wait until the lights go green before teeing-off. You've then got one minute to play the ball.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Two apiece on hole one, but Emily was slightly quicker on her putting

Time is against you on each subsequent putt and the quicker you play, the more points you'll pick up. However, accuracy is required and so you still need to get the ball in the hole in the least shots possible.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

There are also 'Super Tube' holes on the course which give you a nice route to the cup and are the best chance for a hole-in-one. Emily managed to hit two aces during our game.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Emily about to shoot an ace

Hole 8 was interesting as there were three routes to the cup - the tricky Super Tube, a tunnel to the left and a tunnel to the right. Which tunnel you putted through depended on whether you knew the answer to a question that appeared on the screen when you placed the ball on the tee. Luckily I got my question right and picked up some extra points, while Emily was incorrect and dropped ten points.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
The question hole

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Spin the wheel...

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
...to win a prize or points...

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
...or not as was the case in our game

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Minigolf roulette

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Sgt Putters Club Band

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
Emily hit an ace on hole 7

Emily picked up the win in our match-up with a score of 390 points to my 376.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
I lost

Unfortunately there aren't any scorecards to take away with you after playing at Puttshack, nor are your scores emailed to you. It's a real shame as we didn't take note of the number of strokes on each hole, or the points we picked up along the way. According to the screens Emily took 17 shots while I played 19 strokes.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

After our game we had some drinks and Emily enjoyed some food at the venue. It was nice to see branded wet-wipes at the course, one of which is now in the Crazy Golf Museum's vaults.

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London

I first visited Puttshack while in London last December. The Christmas party season was in full swing and the courses were heaving!

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
One of the three courses was asleep when we arrived, but was busy by the time we left

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
The Sapphire course

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
A view of the Sapphire course

Puttshack super tech mini golf at White City in London
A pool-themed hole on the Sapphire course

Puttshack White City was the brand's first location and opened at Westfield London in 2018. The second Puttshack opened at intu Lakeside in August this year. The new Puttshack at Bank is due to open on Saturday 23rd November. There are also plans for a new Puttshack to open in Watford next year. For more information visit the Puttshack website.

Pitch and Putt at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington

A look at the Pitch and Putt course at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington.


Pitch and Putt at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington

We've visited Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington a couple of times on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.


The first time was to play the old Crazy Golf course and Putting Green back in 2009.


The second time was in 2016 when we played the new Adventure Golf course.

Next time we'll have to have a go on the Pitch and Putt course there.

Pitch and Putt at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington

New Birdies indoor Crazy Golf course opening in London

A new Birdies Crazy Golf course is opening in Battersea, London.


The team at Birdies are opening a new Crazy Golf course in Battersea later this year.


There's a new indoor Birdies Crazy Golf course opening in Battersea, London

The new indoor Birdies Crazy Golf course will be housed inside a tunnel at Battersea Power Station. As well as the minigolf course the venue will offer street food and a bar.


For the last few years you've been able to play Birdies rooftop Crazy Golf at the SFG Club at Roof East in Stratford.

For more information visit the Birdies website.

We played the first Birdies pop-up crazy golf course when it was in The Vaults underneath Waterloo station in 2015. Back then it was among the first wave of new-style of 'competitive socialising' miniature golf venues in London.

Birdies Crazy Golf Club
Playing at Birdies Crazy Golf Club in 2015

That course became the 672nd visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 390th we played.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in Great Yarmouth

A look at the lost Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in Great Yarmouth.


On our last visit to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk back in July 2016 we swung by Castaway Island Mini Golf.


Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth
The entrance to Castaway Island Mini Golf

The new course replaced the 9-hole and 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting courses on the promenade.


Hole 1 of the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Great Yarmouth
Hole 1 of the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting Course

Those old courses were the 22nd and 23rd courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in June 2007.

We're looking forward to our next visit to the seaside resort. It'll be brilliant to be back to see what's changed and what's stayed the same.

The scary month of Puttober

October is Puttober.


Mr Mulligan's Lost World Adventure Golf in Cheltenham
Skulls on a spike at Mr Mulligan's Lost World Adventure Golf in Cheltenham

Our friends Tom and Robin over at A Couple of Putts have been posting their favourite scary miniature golf holes and obstacles on social media this month using the hashtag #Puttober.


Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry
Do you want to play a game at Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry?

Getting in on the spirit of the season here are some of the haunted and Halloweeny courses we've found on our travels.


Hole 14 at Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry
Rest in Peace on hole 14 at Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry

Our friend Trevor Robertson found this obstacle on the Grass Putting course at Marine Gardens in Worthing back in 2016
Our friend Trevor Robertson found this obstacle on the Grass Putting course at Marine Gardens in Worthing back in 2016

Hole 9 Clown & Out - the final hole of the Bozo course at Junkyard Golf in London
Hole 9 Clown & Out - the final hole of the Bozo course at Junkyard Golf in London

Hole 9 at Junkyard Golf in Manchester

Funder Park Adventure Golf course in Dawlish Warren
Inside a giant rock mouth at Funder Park Adventure Golf in Dawlish Warren!

Funder Park Adventure Golf course in Dawlish Warren
What a view

A grave on the Funder Park Adventure Golf course in Dawlish Warren
Brown bread

The Smuggler's Jail hole on the Smugglers Bay Adventure Golf course at Stonham Barns
The Smuggler's Jail hole on the Smugglers Bay Adventure Golf course at Stonham Barns

Slimer graffiti at Ghetto Golf in Newcastle

Toxic Waste warning at Junkyard Golf in Manchester

There are a LOT of Halloween-themed minigolf events going on in the run-up to the 31st October and on the big day itself. Check out my Halloween minigolf blog post here on the Ham and Egger Files and my guest blog post at Minigolfnews for more information.

Halloween minigolf
Are you playing any Halloween minigolf this year?

In October 2014 we headed to Mead Open Farm for a morning of fun on the farm. And some Crazy Golf! The course was the 350th we've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 584th visited overall.

Getting a high-five off of a giant inflatable pumpkin witch
Getting a high-five off of a giant inflatable pumpkin witch at Mead Open Farm's Halloween event

The 9-hole course at Mead Open Farm was the last of the 'local' courses for us to play when we lived down in Bedfordshire and it was worth the wait 
Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm in Billington
Crazy Golf at Mead Open Farm in Billington

Dull Men's Club - Anorak of the Year

A dull event is being planned to announce 'Anorak of the Year'. It will take place in Manchester on Tuesday 26th November, 6pm to 8.30pm.

The Dull Men's Club - celebrating the ordinary

The Dull Men's Club celebrates the ordinary.

If you'd like to see more simple, everyday, run-of-the-mill things visit the Dull Men's Club website.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

What a Clown Car!

Looking through my photo archives I spotted this snap of a crazy clown car I saw in Great Yarmouth on my last visit to the seaside resort.

A clown car in Great Yarmouth
A wacky clown car advertising the circus in Great Yarmouth

I'm looking forward to heading back to Great Yarmouth in the future. It'll be interesting to see what's new in the town.

Crazy Snooker Pool Billiards Golf and Pit-Pat

A look at some of the stranger miniature golf and cue-sports crossover games we've played.


A look at some of the stranger miniature golf and cue-sports crossover games we've played

On our travels we've seen quite a few variations of hybrid minigolf / golf / pool / snooker / billiards games including Crazy Golf Pool and Pit-Pat, as well as some Crazy Golf obstacles that have used pool and snooker tables.


Crazy Golf Pool at Krazy Golf Lydney in the Forest of Dean
In October last year we played Crazy Golf Pool at Krazy Golf Lydney in the Forest of Dean

Pit-Pat in Vienna, Austria
I first saw the game of Pit-Pat (obstacle billiards) in Vienna, Austria in 2010 - it's like Crazy Golf but played with cues

Golf Apocalypse course in London
The 7th hole of the Golf Apocalypse course in London back in 2012 used a snooker table

Plonk Golf course at Efes Snooker Hall in Dalston, London
Hole 5 of the Plonk Golf course set-up at Efes Snooker Hall in Dalston, London in 2015 involved a pool table

Snooker Golf course in Blankenberge, Belgium
Emily spotted the Snooker Golf course in Blankenberge, Belgium in 2017

Friday, October 18, 2019

Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Sea

A look back at Gorleston Putting Green in Norfolk.


Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Sea

Back in May 2009 we visited Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk for the first time and swung by the Putting Green on the seafront.


Putting Green in Gorleston-on-Sea
It was late in the day when we arrived at the course

When we returned to the seaside town in June 2010 we were able to play the nearby Pops Meadow Putting Green but didn't have time to revisit the Putting Green.


There was also a sign for the Bure Park Pitch & Putt at the Putting Green. That's a course we've got to check out the next time we're in the area.

Bure Park Pitch & Putt in Great Yarmouth