MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

A look at the MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes.

We swung by the MiniLinks courses in Lytham Saint Annes on our way back from Blackpool last week.

The MiniLinks on the sea front is home to three miniature golf courses - an 18-hole Par-3 course, a 9-hole Crazy Golf and an 18-hole Pennines Putting layout.

The Crazy Golf course at the MiniLinks became the 48th visited and played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in 2008.

The Pennines Putting Mini Golf course became the 740th visited and 434th played and the Par-3 Miniature Golf course became the 742nd visited and 437th played in 2017.

Check out the MiniLinks website for more information.

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Graffiti Golf course in Blackpool

Swinging by the Graffiti Golf course in Blackpool.

We were recently in Blackpool for the first time since last year and swung by Graffiti Golf course on our walk along the prom.

We first played the course back in 2009 when it was a 'normal' indoor Pirate Adventure Golf course. It was the 151st played on our travels. Since then the venue has changed hands a couple of times. In 2016 it was a Merlin Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course.

We played the Graffiti Golf version of the layout in August 2018.

Visit the Graffiti Golf website for more information.

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Social distancing at Telford Town Park's Adventure Golf course

A look at the social distancing and Covid-19 measures on the Adventure Golf course in Telford Town Park.

We revisited the Adventure Golf course in Telford Town Park while on a recent trip to Telford, Shopshire.

The course is open but currently has restrictions on the opening times, with online bookings required to enter the course.

 

Visit the Telford Town Park website for more information.

A look at minigolf and competitive socialising in the time of coronavirus and social distancing

I've been blogging about the world of minigolf since 2006 and have seen how the game boomed in the last decade.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works into the whole world and as such minigolf courses and competitive socialising venues have taken a hit.

I've collated a number of blog posts from recent months, looking at the rise of competitive socialising, tenpin bowling and minigolf combinations, minigolf in a retail setting, technological innovations through minigolf scoring and loyalty apps, as well as the popularity of mixing art and minigolf.

You can read more about social distancing at minigolf courses in this blog post - Social distancing minigolf.

Minigolf in the time of coronavirus

My specialist knowledge and experience in the worlds of minigolf and marketing were recently demonstrated in InterGame's discussion of the opportunities and challenges of operating a mini-golf venue amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

You can watch the Minigolf in the time of Covid-19 video on the InterGame website and YouTube.

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Video Future

Spotting an old video shop in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.

Video Future!

You can also see the remains of a Woolworths store on the main street in Longton. It's quite a sight to behold in 2020!

Lost Minigolf Courses - Crazy Golf at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes

A look at the lost minigolf course at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes.

We made a quick stop off at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes on our trip to Blackpool last week.

Until this year there had been a Crazy Golf course there.

You can still see the outline of the old course

That course was the 436th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in June 2017. We'd originally made a flying visit to it in 2008.

How the course looked in June 2017

A new Adventure Golf course at Fairhaven Lake is nearing completion and should be open soon.

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Playing Crazy Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

A revisit to the Cae Glas Park Crazy Golf course in Oswestry, Shropshire.

There aren't too many 'Eternit' Miniature Golf courses here in the UK and some of those that do exist have been modified over the years.

One of the best examples is at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry.

We first played the course in 2009 and returned to compete on it during the Oswestry Games in 2012. It was the 149th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It was nice to have a game on it again earlier this week. Even if it started tipping it down as soon as we teed-off.

The 18-hole layout is still in great condition and there are some nice ace opportunities.

The course only costs £1.30 for adults / 50p for children to play! Unbelievable value.

Cae Glas Park is a superb setting and right in the town centre.

We're looking forward to playing it more in the future.

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Adventure Golf at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge

We played Adventure Golf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull four years ago today.

Time flies!

The 18-hole Adventure Golf course became the 770th visited and 457th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out the Four Ashes Golf Centre website for more information, opening times and prices.

We've now been to 956 courses since September 2006.

We've visited the Four Ashes Golf Centre a lot over the years. We played in a number of tournaments on the centre's now closed 12-hole Mini Golf course. That course was the 72nd visited on our tour.

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American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship

Looking back at the American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship.

I competed in the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final at The Belfry three years ago this week.

My team-mate Peter Jones and I qualified for the American Golf Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship Final by winning the Welsh Regional Qualifier at Clays Golf Centre in April 2017.

The final was televised on Sky Sports Golf in November 2017. It was the first miniature golf tournament to be televised in the UK.

The National Adventure Golf Championships can be seen in the video below from 26m 55s.

The American Golf Championship Tour Season Review programme can also be watched on the American Golf YouTube Channel with the Adventure Golf competition starting at 31m 33s.

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Fuddruckers

Fuddruckers is soon to be no more.

It was announced this week that the brand is to be liquidated. Fuddruckers was founded in Texas in 1979. As of last year there were 156 Fuddruckers.

I've never eaten at one but did see a branch at The Orleans Casino in Las Vegas back in 2011.

If you've never seen the film Idiocracy check it out for a brilliant Fuddruckers visual gag.

Orange Wednesday

Last Wednesday was a very orange Wednesday.

It was brilliant to spot this old Orange Mobile shop sign while we were in Oswestry last Wednesday. A relic from another time.

We popped into a charity shop to escape the rain and while browsing spotted this old Orange mobile phone too. I used to sell mobiles from that era when I got my first job at Tandy back in 1996!

Orange launched in 1994 and merged with EE in 2010. The orange brand was continued until 2015 with existing customer plans ceasing in 2019.

Other lost and defunct brands

We've seen a number of old shop signs and retro retail remnants on our travels including Tandy in Hitchin; RadioShack in St Annes on the Sea; Toys R Us stores in Ancoats, Manchester, Warrington, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent and Preston; Woolworths Big W in Brunstane, Edinburgh; Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent; BHS in Stockport; Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness; Cooltrader in Blackpool; Happy Shopper in Preston and Blockbuster Video stores in Manchester, Colne, Oldham, Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Hastings, Felixstowe, Telford, Prescot and Chester.

New Adventure Golf course at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes

The new Adventure Golf course at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes is nearing completion.

We swung by Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes on our trip to Blackpool last week.

The new 18-hole adventure golf course at Fairhaven Lake is almost ready to open.

The new course is being created by the team at Greenspan Projects.

We look forward to playing it on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf at Fairhaven Lake

Until this year there was a Crazy Golf course at Fairhaven Lake.

In 2017

That course was the 436th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in June 2017. We'd originally made a flying visit to it in 2008.

Now a lost minigolf course

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Crazy Golf at The Beaver Inn, Appledore, Devon

There's a Crazy Golf course at The Beaver Inn, Appledore, Devon.

Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Alan 'Storming' Norman for sending over these photos of the Crazy Golf course at The Beaver Inn in Appledore, Devon.

It looks like a very nice layout and one we've added to our To Play list when we're next down that way on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It's always fun finding minigolf courses in pub beer gardens.

Visit The Beaver Inn website for more information.

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Adventure Golf in Telford Town Park

A look at the Adventure Golf course in Telford Town Park.

We swung by the Adventure Golf course in Telford Town Park while on a recent trip to Telford, Shopshire.

The 12-hole Adventure Golf course was made by City Golf and has a Telford-theme to it featuring local landmarks.

It was the 716th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when I first visited it in October 2016. we've now been to 956 courses since September 2006.

Unfortunately it hasn't been open on either occasion I've been there.

The course is open but currently has restrictions on the opening times, with online bookings required to enter the course.

Visit the Telford Town Park website for more information.

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