Friday, September 11, 2020

Halloween Minigolf

A look at Halloween-themed miniature golf courses and events in 2020.


A pumpkin golf ball from UrbanCrazy

I'm a big fan of Halloween and always looking out for themed events and activities in the run-up to the scary season. It'll certainly be an interesting one this year for sure!

Haunted Mini-Golf

Hidden Oaks Family Fun Center in East Liverpool, Ohio, USA is running The Hidden Haunted Trail & Mini-Golf this year, with the Haunted Mini-Golf teeing-off today (Friday 11th September).


If you know of any Halloween-themed minigolf courses or events please get in touch via the comments below.

Check out my other Halloween-related blog posts.


Last year our friends Tom and Robin over at A Couple of Putts shared their favourite scary miniature golf holes and obstacles on social media during October using the hashtag #Puttober.

Our friend Pat at The Putting Penguin is also a big fan of Halloween and themed minigolf.

Scary minigolf from our travels

We've seen some nice haunted obstacles and theming on course on our travels.

The Haunted House section of Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington in Cheshire
A spectretator watches me putt in Warrington

The Haunted House section of Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington in Cheshire
A bad putt could be a grave mistake

The Haunted House section of Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington in Cheshire
Hole 7 - doesn't look too lucky

The Haunted House section of Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington in Cheshire
Scary!

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

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

Slimer graffiti at Ghetto Golf in Newcastle
Slimer graffiti at Ghetto Golf in Byker, Newcastle

Halloween last year

It was a different time last year and there were some excellent Halloween events taking place.

Manchester Monster Invasion: Return of the Monsters
Manchester Monster Invasion: Return of the Monsters was a brilliant trail as part of Halloween in the City 

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Urmston
I got to see Ecto-1a and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Urmston, Greater Manchester last year too

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Minigolf in the time of coronavirus - Gator Golf in Chorley

A visit to the Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley, Lancashire.


Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

Last month we played our first round of minigolf in the time of coronavirus when we visited Gator Adventure Golf at the Escape Entertainment Venue in Chorley.

Escape Entertainment Venue in Chorley

The course was the 955th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

After seeing the open signs we popped inside, sanitised our hands and headed upstairs for a quick look.

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

The process for getting us out on the course was straightforward and gave peace of mind. The three members of staff we spoke to - at a great distance - were all friendly and professional and our thanks go to them for helping us have a fun experience.

Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

After giving our details for track and trace to one member of staff at the desk near the entrance another member of staff was getting our cleaned putters, golf balls, pencil and scorecard over by the course. We were told to leave our clubs and balls in the bucket at the exit.

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

After collecting our equipment we stepped onto the course and our first game of minigolf in the time of coronavirus got underway!

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

Covid-19 measures at Gator Adventure Golf course in Chorley

The venue was operating adjusted hours to normal so was closing at 8pm. We arrived at 7.30pm and luckily were able to have a quiet round with the course to ourselves. It was actually the perfect way to get back into the swing of minigolfing and nice to pick up a putter again after so long.

For more information, opening times and prices visit the Escape Entertainment website.


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Magical Mini Golf courses

A look at some magical miniature golf courses.


Magical Miniature Golf

With news of a new magic-themed mini golf course planned to open in York next year it got me thinking about the other magical courses we've been to on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Harry Putter Crazy Golf

One of the UK's first indoor minigolf courses and one of our most visited is at Manning's Amusements in Felixstowe, Suffolk. We first played what was then known as Golf FX back in November 2006.

Harry Putter and the Magical Crazy Golf in Felixstowe

The course has gone through a number of changes through the years and has been known as Magical Golf FX, Harry Putter and the Magical Crazy Golf and Harry Putter Crazy Golf. It's now called Magical Golf.

Magical Golf in Felixstowe

Harry Putter Crazy Golf in Felixstowe

Level Preston

We've also found a 'Harry Putter' hole at Trailer Trash Jim's Crazy Golf at Level Preston.

'Harry Putter' at Trailer Trash Jim's Crazy Golf at Level Preston

Scrapheap Golf

We haven't been to Scotland for a few years now, but we're looking forward to checking out the new courses up there. One of those is a Wizard Golf layout at Scrapheap Golf in Edinburgh.

Do you know of any other magical minigolf courses?


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Plans for a new Adventure Golf course in Northumberland

There are plans for a new Adventure Golf course to be built at the Sandy Bay Holiday Park.


There are plans for a new Adventure Golf course to be built at the Sandy Bay Holiday Park in Ashington

Parkdean Resorts are planning to revamp the leisure facilities at the Sandy Bay Holiday Park in Ashington, Northumberland. Part of the work includes the creation of an Adventure Golf course.

Visit the Sandy Bay Holiday Park website for more information.


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New indoor minigolf course opening in York

A new minigolf course is planned to open in York city centre.


A new minigolf course is planned for York city centre

There are plans for a new indoor minigolf course to open in York early next year.

Hole in Wand will be a 13-hole indoor venue in the Coppergate Centre and will be operated by the team behind Potions Cauldron shop in the Shambles.

A crowdfunding campaign for Hole in Wand minigolf is underway with rewards on offer to backers.

Check out the Hole in Wand website for more information.


We're looking forward to playing the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

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Thursday, September 10, 2020

Crazy Golf at Haven Rockley Park Holiday Park

A look at the Crazy Golf course at the Haven Rockley Park Holiday Park.


Many thanks to our friend Pete Campbell for sending over a snap of the Crazy Golf course from his recent stay at the Haven Rockley Park Holiday Park in Poole, Dorset.

Crazy Golf at Haven Rockley Park Holiday Park near Poole. Photo by Peter Campbell, August 2020

Check out the Haven website for more information.


Crazy Golf at Haven Holiday Parks

You can also find Crazy Golf courses at the following Haven holiday parks: Allhallows, Blue Dolphin, Burnham-on-Sea, Caister-on-Sea, Church Farm, Craig Tara, Doniford Bay, Golden Sands, Kiln Park, Lakeland, Primrose Valley, Quay West, Riviere Sands, Seashore, Weymouth Bay and Wild Duck.

A look at some of the Haven minigolf courses

Our friends Sophia and Karl Moles and their family have stayed at a few Haven parks over the years and have sent us photos of the minigolf courses they've seen:
- Mini Golf at the Haven Wild Duck Holiday Park
- Mini Golf at Allhallows Leisure Holiday Park
Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf at Haven's Caister-on-Sea Holiday Park

Our friend Gemma Woplin sent us photos of the Thorpe Park Adventure Golf course in Cleethorpes from her stay there in 2017.

Our friends and minigolf rivals Matt and Helen Dodd sent us photos of the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course when they stayed at the Haven Golden Sands Caravan Holiday Park in Mablethorpe.

Visiting Craig Tara

The Craig Tara park was formerly Butlin's Ayr. My family stayed there back in the 90's. I'll have to look through our old family albums to see if there are any snaps of us playing Crazy Golf there.

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Ilfracombe Crazy Golf

A look at the Ilfracombe Crazy Golf course.


Ilfracombe Crazy Golf. Photo by Adam Dewar, September 2020

Many thanks to my friend Adam Dewar for sending along a few snaps from his recent visit to Ilfracombe, Devon where he had a game on the Crazy Golf course.

Ilfracombe Crazy Golf. Photo by Adam Dewar, September 2020

Ilfracombe Crazy Golf. Photo by Adam Dewar, September 2020

Ilfracombe Crazy Golf. Photo by Adam Dewar, September 2020

We visited the course on Ilfracombe Promenade during our south west coast road-trip in 2015 but were just too late to have a game there.

It's an interesting looking layout and the 12-hole course has some unique obstacles to play up, over, under, around and through.

Visit the Ilfracombe Crazy Golf website for more information.


A postcard from Ilfracombe

I actually bought a couple of crazy golf postcards of the Ilfracombe course at the last postcard fair I attended before the pandemic.

We're looking forward to returning to Ilfracombe on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

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MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

A look at the MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes.


MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

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

MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

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.

MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

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

MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

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.

MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

Check out the MiniLinks website for more information.


MiniLinks in Lytham Saint Annes

Graffiti Golf course in Blackpool

Swinging by the Graffiti Golf course in Blackpool.


Graffiti Golf 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.

Graffiti Golf in Blackpool

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.

Graffiti Golf in Blackpool

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.

Social distancing at Telford Town Park's Adventure Golf course

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

Social distancing at Telford Town Park's Adventure Golf course
 
Social distancing at Telford Town Park's Adventure Golf course

Social distancing at Telford Town Park's Adventure Golf 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.


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.

Video Future

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


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!

Wednesday, September 09, 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.

Site of the old Crazy Golf course at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes
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.

Crazy Golf at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes (June 2017)
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.

Crazy Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

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.

Crazy Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

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.

Crazy Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

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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