Crazy Golf at Walton on the Naze in Essex

A look back at the Crazy Golf course we visited at Walton on the Naze in Essex.

We visited the Crazy Golf course at Coronation Gardens in Walton on the Naze, Essex back in 2013.

It was the 535th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

There was also a grass Putting layout next to the Crazy Golf.

Sadly both were closed because of bad weather. It was a shame as Swedish Felt type courses are always interesting to play. The Putting Green looked fun too.

Related blog posts:
- Swedish Felt Mini Golf courses in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Essex

------------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

New Iron Age themed Adventure Golf course to be built in Andover, Hampshire

Plans for the new Iron Age themed Adventure Golf course in Andover, Hampshire have been approved.

The new course will be built by Greenspan Projects and it'll completely replace the existing layout at Charlton Leisure Centre.

The existing Adventure Golf course as it looked nine years ago

That Adventure Golf course was the 255th we played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in July 2011. We've now been to 949 courses since 2006.

New minigolf courses

The plans for the new Adventure Golf course in Andover were the first I heard about for a new course since before the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the plans were announced we've heard about a number of other new courses being planned, built and opened during the pandemic.

We're looking forward to getting back out on the road and visiting courses again in the future.

------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Junkyard Golf opening in Newcastle upon Tyne

A new Junkyard Golf crazy golf venue is set to open in Newcastle this year.

The new Junkyard Golf venue in Newcastle has been given the green light and will open on Newgate Street in the city centre.

Junkyard Golf Newcastle will be home to three 9-hole indoor crazy golf courses.

The last minigolf course I played before lockdown was at Junkyard Golf on First Street in Manchester back in March.

You can also find Junkyard Golf courses in London, Leeds, Oxford and Liverpool.

Visit the Junkyard Golf website for more information.

------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Four days left to back Pitch & Plakks on Kickstarter

Post contains affiliate links.

There are now just four days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter.

The campaign has been incredibly popular with more than 1,300 backers so far helping reach a number of stretch goals.

Dragon Classic minigolf tournament at Fontygary Leisure Park

Details of the Welsh Minigolf Club's Dragon Classic competition at Fontygary Leisure Park in Barry.

The Dragon can be found on holes 2 and 18 of the Fontygary Leisure Park course

The first mid-pandemic socially distanced minigolf tournament in the UK is taking place on Sunday 26th July.

Organised by the Welsh Minigolf Club the 2020 Dragon Classic will be held on the Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry.

Entry is limited to 18 players and more information can be found on the Welsh Minigolf Club's website and Facebook page.

Good luck to all of the players in the event.

Playing the course

I played the 18-hole Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park during my trip to compete in the Welsh Double's Championship in May last year.

There are some superb views from Fontygary Leisure Park and it's well worth a visit

Other tournaments

The last minigolf tournament held in the UK before lockdown was the 19th edition of the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Open held on the 1st March. The Thanet Open had been held in Margate, Kent on 9th February.

Details of minigolf tournaments in the UK can be found on the British Minigolf Association website.

------------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Bart the Plumber!

My recent post about the Itchy & Scratchy graffiti in Manchester reminded me I spotted this bit of Simpsons bootleggery in Rhyl last year.

If Bart doesn't fix your plumbing you'll have to wash yourself with a rag on a stick

Happy tenth birthday to the Crazy Golf Museum

The Crazy Golf Museum is ten years old today.

Many happy returns to the Crazy Golf Museum as it marks it's tenth birthday today.

I set-up the museum with Crazy Golf legend Tim 'Ace Man' Davies back on the 15th July 2010, the virtual museum is a treasure trove and archive for all things related to minigolf.

It's been an incredibly interesting decade!

Prior to the pandemic

There were so many marvellous things going in the world of minigolf prior to the Coronavirus pandemic. New courses were being built, tournaments held and interesting items and ephemera were being created.

Some of this is on-hold as the world tackles Covid-19.

Minigolf in the time of Coronavirus

I've been using some of my time during lockdown documenting 'Minigolf in the time of coronavirus' and creating a time line of the game during the pandemic.

After the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 and during part of the Great Depression minigolf boomed and we have some records of the time. But to actually be living through such a life changing time is something else!

There are still milestones and anniversaries to be celebrated and courses to be supported for when it's ready to get out and play again.

The future of minigolf

Minigolf is still being played and new courses continue to be planned, developed and built. Thankfully the game will go on, albeit in a different form for a while.

There will be lots of minigolf fun to be had again.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website, like our Page and join our Group on Facebook, check us out on Twitter, and see our Instagram for information, photos, items, ephemera, stories, videos, postcards, games and more...

If you'd like to contribute any items, merchandise, course history, current developments or guest blog posts please do get in touch.

What a difference a year makes

This time last year I saw my first DeLorean in real life at the Didsbury & South Manchester Car Show in Didsbury Park.

DeLoreans are like buses - you wait over 30 years to see one and then get to see two at the same time

If only I had a time machine to go back to then - or forward to after the pandemic.

One of the last times we travelled anywhere outside of Stockport was to see a Back to the Future time machine DeLorean at Media City in Salford back on the 13th March.

What a car!

Happy 12th birthday to Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Today is the twelfth birthday of Paradise Island Adventure Golf at Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The Tiki Hut Trail course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in January this year

The 36-hole indoor Adventure Golf venue at the Trafford Centre opened on this day in 2008. How time flies!

The Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses were the 85th and 86th courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

The Temple Ruins Adventure Golf course at PIAG Manchester

We've returned a number of times since then and following our move north in 2016 Paradise Island Adventure Golf became one of our local places to play.

I won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships in 2018 and Emily is the reigning champion having won the tournament in 2019.

Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for more information about the courses in Cheshire Oaks, Derby, Glasgow, Livingston, Manchester, Plymouth, Rushden Lakes and Sheffield.

------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Lost shops - Toys R Us in Ancoats, Manchester

Views of the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

I took a look at the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Ancoats, Manchester just prior to it's demolition in March 2019.

All of the stores on the site have been demolished and the area is being turned into car parking.

More photos can be found in my blog post: Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

Working at Toys R Us

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Dead brands

We've seen a number of other old and defunct brands on our travels around the country, including Woolworths in Stoke-on-Trent, Tandy in Hitchin, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes, Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness and Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Blade in the place, Didsbury

Spotting the Blade barber shop in Didsbury, Manchester.

We spotted Blade Brown barbers while having a wander last week.

I wasn't familiar with this shop before last week. A sign I need a haircut perhaps...

We recently saw the Resident Needle tattoo studio in Woodley, Stockport too.

Five days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter

Post contains affiliate links.

There are now only five days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter.

The campaign has been very popular and a number of stretch goals have been reached.

Mini Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

A look at the Miniature Golf course at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry.

On this day in 2012 we were in Oswestry, Shropshire for The Oswestry Games multi-sports festival.

We first visited the Cae Glas Park Miniature Golf course at the end of our road-trip around Wales in 2009. It was the last course we played on the trip and the first one after crossing the border back into England.

It's one of the few Eternit type of miniature golf courses in the UK.

We had a brilliant time in the Oswestry as part of the Oslympics. We met some great people, put on some fun coaching sessions and played in two excellent competitions.

The Oswestry Games minigolf team - from l-r Emily Gottfried, Ruth Burke, Steve Sturdy, Richard Gottfried, Marc Chapman, John Moore

We were also bronze medalists in the Oswestry Games pub quiz at the Cricket Club.

We're looking forward to revisiting Oswestry and playing the course again in the future.

Caddy Shack indoor mini golf at Shanklin Seafront

There's a new indoor minigolf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight.

Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight is now home to a new 18-hole indoor miniature golf course. The layout is located at the summer arcade in the seafront resort.

Visit the Shanklin Seafront website for more information, opening times and prices.

There are also two outdoor adventure golf courses at Shanklin Seafront. One of those opened after our visit in 2016. The other replaced a Putting course that was still there on our first visit in 2008.

We've only had day trips to the Isle of Wight before and are looking forward to having a longer stay there in the future. A few other new courses have opened since our last visit in 2016, while some courses have been refurbished.

------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Jolly Rodger Crazy Golf at Wonderland Telford

A look back at our visit to the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course at Wonderland Telford.

We visited the 500th course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour while en route to Oswestry on Friday 13th July 2012.

It was memorable for a number of reasons. As well as being a landmark course visit we clearly remember how bad the weather was on that day. It was tipping it down! We were the only people brave (foolish) enough to play the course. It was also one of the most unique layouts we've played as each of the holes had a different playing surface. Some were concrete, others had felt, others were wooden and some were a mixture!

Watering Hole was an incredibly appropriate name for this hole!

The obstacle and shape of this hole reminded us of some Swedish Felt Mini Golf courses. Except it had metal rails and a concrete base!

That's a huge obstacle in the way!

Pitching my putt

You wouldn't want to over hit your shot into the end of this hole 

The Treasure Island Adventure Golf course at Wonderland Telford became the 300th course we managed to play on our travels.

Emily won our minigolf match-up on the 9-hole course with a score of 29 to my round of 30.

On board the wooden Pirate Ship hole

Emily playing hole 1

Quite the follow-through on my shot

We've now been to 949 courses since September 2006.

About to walk the plank

Check out the Wonderland Telford website for more information.

------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight

A look at the Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.

Many thanks to our friend Philip Walsh for sending over some snaps of the Rylstone Crazy Golf course at the Tea Gardens in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.

We first visited the course in 2008 and returned in 2016.

There have been some modifications and additions to the course since our last visit.

Philip told me this was the round killer hole - it certainly looks like it could be tough to play!

We're looking forward to heading back to the Isle of Wight in the future. We've only been there on day trips before, next time we'll have to do a longer trip and take in more of the isle.

Six days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter

Post contains affiliate links.

There are only six days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter.

The campaign has been incredibly popular and a number of stretch goals have been reached.

Picture Postcard Magic - REALLY CRAZY GOLF!

The latest post on the Reflections of a Bygone Age blog is about Golf. John Claydon’s Confessions of a Collector post includes some mentions of Crazy Golf.

Crazy Golf at St Michael's Park in Cirencester

A look at the Crazy Golf course at St Michael's Park in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Many thanks to our friend, minigolf rival and fellow adventure golf traveller Matt Dodd for sending over some snaps of the 12-hole Crazy Golf course at St Michael's Park in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

We haven't played there on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour yet.

Looking online St Michael's Park is also home to a Pitch & Putt course and a Boules Piste.

Mini Golf in Maryport, Cumbria

A look back at our visit to the Lake District Coast Aquarium Crazy Golf course in Maryport.

We travelled up to Scotland in April 2012 and en route swung by the Lake District Coast Aquarium in Maryport, Cumbria to play the minigolf course there.

Unfortunately we arrived just after 5pm so couldn't have a game.

The Maryport Crazy Golf course was the 469th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

------------

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Bookbuster in Hastings

Back in 2013 we spotted this old Blockbuster Video store in Hastings that had been turned into a book store called Bookbuster.

Check out Bookbuster on Facebook for more information.

Do you know of any Blockbuster branding that still exists on old stores in the UK? Do let me know.

You can still see the remnants of Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Related blog posts:
- Blockbuster
- Hastings
- Shops

We gonna rock down to Corona Avenue

What a year it's been so far!

And to think it's not over yet...