Monday, March 16, 2020

Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes

A look at the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.


The 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes
The 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes

I've played a lot of minigolf courses on my travels and my favourite type is the classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course.


There aren't too many examples left in the UK, but the majority of those still out there are in very playable condition. They are superb fun and a real test of putting skill.

I highly recommend giving them a play the next chance you get to have a game of miniature golf.





One of my all-time favourite courses is the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. I played it a lot on our trip to the seaside resort in 2018.

Holes 1-9 of the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes
Holes 1-9

Holes 10-18 of the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes
Holes 10-18

You can read more about Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in my blog post about them at 'Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in the UK'.


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A Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

Seeing a Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford.


Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

Last summer I ticked 'See a real life DeLorean' off of my bucket list.


On Friday I managed to see another one at MediaCityUK in Salford and that one was a Back to the Future version!


Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

I still need to drive one...

Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford
What time would you go to?

Check out the Back to the Future car's website for more information.


Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

Fried Round Gluten - my kryptonite!

Spotting a new glutenous product to avoid.


As someone with the autoimmune condition Coeliac Disease I MUST avoid gluten at all costs.


While at Bolton Market on Saturday Emily spotted a bag of my kryptonite!


Fried Round Gluten
I wonder what Fried Round Gluten tastes like? I'll never know

I've also seen Fried Gluten in a can and Roasted Gluten before.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. For people with Coeliac Disease gluten is a very dangerous substance that causes all manner of health problems. Check out the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Friday, March 13, 2020

Playing Junkyard Golf in Manchester

A visit to Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester.


Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester

On Monday I revisited Junkyard Golf on First Street in Manchester city centre for a game with James and Mark from UrbanCrazy.


Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester

We played the 'Pablo' crazy golf course.


Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 1

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 2

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 3

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 4

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 5

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 6

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 7

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 8

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester
Hole 9

The other two 9-hole indoor minigolf courses are 'Gary' and 'Bozo'.

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester

Visit the Junkyard Golf website for more information, opening times and prices.

Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester

As well as the Manchester site you can find Junkyard Golf courses in London, Leeds, Oxford and Liverpool. There is also a new course opening Newcastle upon Tyne later this year.

The three Junkyard Golf courses in Manchester were the 765th, 766th and 767th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back when the First Street venue opened in 2017.

We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

New Crazy Golf course in Dundee

A new Crazy Golf course is planned to open in Dundee.


A new Crazy Golf course is planned to open in Dundee

A new indoor Crazy Golf course is hoped to open as part of a new adventure play centre. The venue will also have tenpin bowling lanes.


The site is a former Toys 'R' Us superstore on Kingsway West Retail Park in Dundee.


The family entertainment centre would be built by House of Play.

The proposal is another example of the popularity of using former retail spaces for retailtainment options giving a people to visit, revisit and stay in a shopping area.

It's also another example of a venue combining crazy golf and tenpin bowling in its offer.

Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness

Spotting an old Kwik Save shop in Barrow.


On our travels it's always interesting to spot ghost signs and dead brands. We've seen quite a few different remnants of retail from years gone by, including Tandy in Hitchen, RadioShack in Lytham Saint AnnesWoolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and Blockbuster Video in Manchester.


While on a trip to Barrow-in-Furness last year we saw the remains of the old Kwik Save there.


The former Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness
The former Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness

The company went into administration in 2007. The brand does live on, albeit in a much smaller form, and is now owned by Costcutter.

The former Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness
Definitely not 'Now Open'

The changing face of the high street and retail marketing has seen a number of former shop premises turned into family entertainment centres and competitive socialising venues including crazy golf, tenpin bowling, axe throwing, retro arcade gaming, darts, ping pong and more.

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Adventure Golf at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk

A look at the Adventure Golf course at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Thetford, Norfolk.


Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

My brother Christopher, a founder member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and his family were recently on holiday at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk and sent over these photos of the Adventure Golf course there.


Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

The approach to the course on Treasure Island looks really good.


Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

More photos of the course below.


Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020
A pirate lavvy?

Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

Adventure Golf on Treasure Island at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, March 2020

Visit the Center Parcs Elveden Forest website for more information.


The last minigolf course Christopher visited was also in Norfolk.

The very first course we visited on our travels was the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course in Southsea.


The combined total of Crazy World of Minigolf Tour course visits is now at 973.


Related blog posts:
- Center Parcs
- Norfolk

Lunch at The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester

Guess who had lunch* out yesterday?


Marvellous steak and eggs at The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester
Marvellous steak and eggs at The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester

It was delicious.

* technically I should call it 'dinner' since I now live in the North West!

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Finding 100% gluten free food.


As someone with Coeliac Disease the challenge to find food that is not only safe, but healthy and tasty when out of the house is massive.



The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester city centre is superb as it's one of the very few 100% gluten free places that are safe for people with Coeliac Disease in the whole of the UK.



I highly recommend a visit.

Check out The Remedy Kitchen website for more information.

The Remedy Kitchen was previously called 3 Squared Cafe and rebranded last year. The name is different, but the approach to serving high quality food is the same.

We first heard about the restaurant last September.

The menu is 100% gluten and wheat free, as well as being diary free and refined sugar free.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Gutterball Alley now open in North Shields

Tenpin bowling, minigolf and more at Gutterball Alley in North Shields.


The team behind Lane7 have opened a new family friendly venue with Gutterball Alley.


The first Gutterball Alley family entertainment centre in North Shields is home to tenpin bowling, guttergolf minigolf, pool, arcades, ping pong and indoor baseball batting cages.


Lane7 indoor minigolf course
A look at the Lane7 indoor minigolf course

Visit the Gutterball Alley website for more information, opening times and prices.

We've played minigolf at the Lane7 location in Newcastle. It's a very good 9-hole course.

Lane7 indoor minigolf course
Playing the Lane7 Mini Golf course last August

New Crazy Golf course heading to Nottingham

A new Caddyshackers adults-only crazy golf course is planned to open in Nottingham.


Caddyshackers Crazy Crazy Golf

Caddyshackers are planning to open a new adults-only crazy golf venue in Nottingham.


The city centre venue will be home to a 9-hole and an 18-hole crazy golf layout, with a bar and dartboards too.


There is an 18-hole Caddyshackers venue in Leicester. It was the 903rd course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we played there last year.

Caddyshackers Crazy Crazy Golf
One of the holes at Caddyshackers in Leicester

Caddyshackers Crazy Crazy Golf
Playing the ablutions hole as my mate Brad looks on

Many thanks to my friend, minigolf rival and sometimes team-mate Jam Trubridge for letting me know about the course news.

Sunday, March 08, 2020

Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf opening in Putney, London

A new Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf venue is opening in Putney, London this year.


A new Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf is opening in Putney, London

London will be home to a new indoor Adventure Golf venue as Jungle Rumble sets up on Putney High Street.


My friend and fellow minigolf enthusiast Simon Dewhurst tipped me off about the course after he saw a banner advertising jobs at the course while down in London recently.


Visit the Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf website for more information about the Jungle Rumble courses in Bristol, Brighton and Glasgow.

Friday, March 06, 2020

Artainment and the world of minigolf

A look at how minigolf has been used in artistic creations.


We've seen the worlds of art and minigolf combine a number of times over the years.


A relatively new term for this combination is 'artainment' - where art and entertainment mix to immerse visitors to an exhibition, gallery or installation in an interactive experience.


Playing Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf course at York Art Gallery
Playing Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf course at York Art Gallery in 2017

We've seen a number of art trails created in the last couple of years and they are becoming a popular part of 'retailtainment' and 'shoppertainment' where entertainment options have been added to the high street or shopping malls to help attract and retain customers.

Crazy Golf and art.


There is currently an art installation pop-up Crazy Golf course at Coal Drop's Yard in King's Cross, London. It's playable until the 29th March. Club Golf is a combination of sport, art and retail entertainment. Artists Baker & Borowski created the 9-hole themed Crazy Golf layout inspired by the rave culture in the King's Cross area back in the 1980's and 90's.

Club Golf at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London
Club Golf at the Coal Drops Yard shopping and dining area in King's Cross, London

Minigolf is a very visual thing and each course is a work of art in its own right. We love seeing time, effort and thought put into the design of a minigolf hole and when they are aesthetically pleasing it's marvellous.

Playing hole 1 of Putt Putt #2 in Croydon in 2014
Playing hole 1 of Putt Putt #2 in Croydon in 2014

My favourite miniature golf layouts are Arnold Palmer Putting Courses. They are a design classic and look wonderful. They are also a real test of putting skill and incredibly playable today.

The old Arnold Palmer Putting Course from The Rotunda amusement park in Folkestone was turned into an art installation in the seaside town back in 2008.

18 Holes by Richard Wilson in Folkestone
18 Holes by Richard Wilson in Folkestone

New art-based minigolf courses in 2020.


This September the Creative Folkestone Triennial will play host to an amusement arcade and crazy golf-themed art installation by the artist genuinefake (Rachel Stella Jenkins).

My friend Jack Hurley aka Loud Ribs of Rubbish Seaside fame has also let me know about an art-based Crazy Golf course being created at Saltaire in Bradford over the May Bank Holiday weekend.


The art-based minigolf courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour include:


18 Holes by Richard Wilson in Folkestone in 2010.

18 Holes by Richard Wilson in Folkestone
18 Holes by Richard Wilson in Folkestone

Crazee Golf at the Tintype Art Gallery
in London in 2012.

Crazee Golf at the Tintype Art Gallery in London
Crazee Golf at the Tintype Art Gallery in London

Bompas & Parr's Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party saw a 9-hole London & Cake-themed Crazy Golf
course created at Selfridges Oxford Street in London in 2012.

Bompas & Parr's Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party Crazy Golf at Selfridges Oxford Street in London
Bompas & Parr's Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party Crazy Golf at Selfridges Oxford Street in London

M!MS Empire Sunset Nine Hole Mini Golf
course in Bedford in 2013.

M!MS Empire Sunset Nine Hole Mini Golf course in Bedford
M!MS Empire Sunset Nine Hole Mini Golf course in Bedford

Putt Putt #2 by TURF Projects in Croydon in 2014.

Putt Putt #2 by TURF Projects in Croydon
Putt Putt #2 by TURF Projects in Croydon

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at the New Art Exchange
in Nottingham in 2016.

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at the New Art Exchange in Nottingham
Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at the New Art Exchange in Nottingham

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at York Art Gallery
in 2017.

Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at York Art Gallery
Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf at York Art Gallery

Our friends Gareth and Lurlyn Holmes played Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf course at the Venice Biennale in 2015.

Doug Fishbone’s Leisure Land Golf in Venice. Photo by Gareth & Lurlyn Holmes, 2015
Doug Fishbone’s Leisure Land Golf in Venice. Photo by Gareth & Lurlyn Holmes, 2015

Also in 2015 our friends Matt and Helen Dodd played the Mini Gulf course at Banksy's Dismaland Bemusement Park in Weston-super-Mare.

Mini Gulf course at Banksy's Dismaland Bemusement Park in Weston-super-Mare. Photo by Matt Dodd, 2015
Mini Gulf course at Banksy's Dismaland Bemusement Park in Weston-super-Mare. Photo by Matt Dodd, 2015

There was Crazy Golf at Clerkenwell Design Week in 2014. But we didn't get to play the course.

There were plans for a Visionary Golf course to be created in Trafalgar Square as part of the London Design Festival in 2016. However, the funding campaign was unsuccessful.

There was a Post-Apocalyptic Minigolf course at the Now Play This festival in London in 2017. However, we didn't manage to get along to play it.

Art and minigolf in the USA.


Our friends Tom and Robin at A Couple of Putts in the USA have also played on and created a number of art-minigolf holes on their adventures, including Sparkle City Mini Putt in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

The team at The Putting Penguin have seen and reviewed a number of art designed courses over the years too.

We're looking forward to seeing where the next art-based minigolf course pops up.


Related blog posts:
- Art
- Art Trails
- Crazy Golf
- Minigolf

Thursday, March 05, 2020

Mini Golf in Cutteslowe Park, Oxford

Crazy Croc's Mini Golf at Cutteslowe Park in Oxford.


I recently found out there's been a change to one of the minigolf courses in my home city.


Our fellow minigolf adventurers Matt and Helen Dodd were in Oxford and swung by Cutteslowe Park and let us know the course there is now an adventure golf-style layout.


When Emily and I visited back in 2008 and 2009 the course in the park was a Swedish Felt Mini Golf B-Run.

The old Mini Golf course in Cutteslowe Park, Oxford
How the now lost minigolf course looked on a frosty day in December 2008

The new Crazy Croc's Mini Golf in Cutteslowe Park is a 9-hole layout.

Visit the Crazy Croc's Mini Golf website for more information, opening times and prices.

It'll be a new course to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Creative Folkestone Triennial to feature Crazy Golf

The Creative Folkestone Triennial art festival will feature a Crazy Golf course.


Folkestone in 2010


Folkestone will play host to the fifth Folkestone Triennial with 20 artworks being set up around the seaside town in Kent.


One of those will be amusement arcade and crazy golf-themed.


The artist genuinefake (Rachel Stella Jenkins) will be setting up a pavilion with an amusement arcade and crazy golf course on the site of the old Rotunda amusement arcades.

The Creative Folkestone Triennial, formerly the Folkestone Triennial, takes place between Saturday 5th September and Sunday 8th November 2020.

Find out more on the Creative Folkestone Triennial website.

It's not the first time that Crazy Golf has been a part of the Folkestone Triennial. The first edition saw the 18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson. This permanent artwork was made using the old Arnold Palmer Putting Course from The Rotunda to resemble three beach huts!

18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson
18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson in Folkestone

18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson in Folkestone
What a wonderful use of an old minigolf course

18 Holes Crazy Golf art installation created by Richard Wilson in Folkestone
A nice view

It was nice to see the old minigolf course used for something as the site of The Rotunda resembled a desolate wasteland when we visited in 2010.

The Rotunda in Folkestone
The Rotunda in Folkestone