Minigolf Magazin from Germany

Now in the Crazy Golf Museum - the latest issue of Minigolf Magazin.

Minigolf Magazin

The official magazine of the German Minigolf Federation / Deutsche Minigolfsport Verband.

Christmas Crazy Golf

Can you guess where this festive themed minigolf course was?

A festive minigolf course from our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour travels

This sign stinks

This sign in Stockport stinks.

This sign stinks

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Revisiting the Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, North Wales.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

We revisited the North Wales coast on Saturday afternoon and swung by one of our favourite courses - the Arnold Palmer Putting Course on Bastion Road in Prestatyn.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

The course was the 147th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

As one of our local seaside towns we normally head to Prestatyn a few times a year. But the last visit either of us made was in June 2019!

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Our revisit at the weekend looked like it could've been in the summer with how clear the sky was.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Blogiversary of the Ham and Egger Files

I've been blogging for 15 years today.

People often ask me how it is that a blog about minigolf has the name the 'Ham and Egger Files'? The answer is that it didn't initially start out life as a minigolf blog.

I published my first post about how I planned to participate in as many obscure and minority sports as I could and see what would happen with the sporting ability I have!

The term 'ham and egger' has connotations ranging from that of 'ordinary person' to that of 'loser'. The origin of the term comes from prize fighters whose modest skills wouldn’t let them win large purses. Therefore, the fighter or their manager - who received a percentage of purses won - were never able to afford to eat better than ham and eggs.

Since that first post 15 years ago I have published more than 4,800 posts and received more than 2.1 million pageviews! Admittedly a large number of the blog posts have been about minigolf.

Our interest in minigolf and what would soon become our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour had actually begun on the 30th September 2006, but I didn't publish a post about the sport until the 29th January 2007 when I announced that I had joined the British Minigolf Association - a competition circuit I made my actual debut on in Southend-on-Sea on the 28th April 2007.

Since then we've visited 982 miniature golf courses. 943 of those have been in the British Isles, while 39 have been in eleven overseas countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the USA.

If you're wondering what happened to the quest to play lots of different sports, that has continued and I've participated in some very interesting events over the years!

A big thank you goes to everyone who has ever read one of my posts, commented, shared, or guest blogged on the site, it really is very much appreciated.

A minigolf scorecard from Sweden

A scorecard from the Sports World Mini Golf course at O'Leary's in the Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden.

A scorecard from the Sports World Mini Golf course at O'Leary's in the Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden

One of nine courses we visited on our 42-hour Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip to Sweden in 2018.

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Revisiting the Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

We took a look at the Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf course in Rhyl on Saturday afternoon.

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

The course was the 146th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009. 

The last time either of us were in Rhyl was when I had a day out there in September 2019! Crazy to think as it's one of our most local seaside resorts.

Related blog posts:

• Mini Golf courses in Rhyl, Wales
• Rhyl

Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Revisiting the Palace Fun Centre Mini Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

We took a look at the indoor Mini Golf course at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl on our day trip to the seaside resort on Saturday.

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Indoor Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

Sign of the pandemic times at the Mini Golf course at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

The course was the 523rd played and 911th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in June 2019.

The last time either of us were in Rhyl was when I had a day out there in September 2019! Crazy to think as it's one of our most local seaside towns.

Related blog posts:

• Mini Golf courses in Rhyl, Wales
• Rhyl

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl

Revisiting the Drift Park Crazy Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl

We swung by the Crazy Golf course at Drift Park in Rhyl on Saturday during a day out on the North Wales coast.

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl

The course was the 145th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

The last time either of us were in Rhyl was when I had a day out there in September 2019! Crazy to think as it's one of our most local seaside towns.

Related blog posts:

• Mini Golf courses in Rhyl, Wales
• Rhyl

A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford

A look at a flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford.

A flyer from Looney Golf in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford

A flyer for Looney Golf in Bradford

From our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visit to Looney Golf earlier this month.

Check out the Looney Golf website for more information.

The best Christmas tree I've seen so far this year

We spotted this marvellous Christmas tree made out of skips as we passed by Cheadle Skip Hire on Friday evening!

A Christmas tree at Cheadle Skip Hire

A flyer for House of Holes Crazy Golf in Derby

We found this leaflet at Hartshead Moor Services!

A flyer for House of Holes Crazy Golf in Derby

It's a course we're yet to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Visit the House of Holes Crazy Golf website for more information.

Today's Golfer magazine - minigolf fun for 2022

Check out the new issue of Today's Golfer magazine, Number 421, February 2022.

Today's Golfer magazine, Number 421, February 2022

Page 47 is especially interesting to read, even if we do say so ourselves.

Gamestation in Norwich

Spotting at old Gamestation shop sign in Norwich.

Gamestation in Norwich, November 2021

I used to buy a lot of retro games at Gamestation but the brand left the high street in 2012.

Gamestation in Norwich

So I was a little surprised to see the shop sign still up at the former Castle Quarter shopping centre location in Norwich last month.

This URL now re-directs to Game.co.uk

Gamestation was founded in 1993 and was purchased by Game in 2007. The remaining stores were rebranded as Game in 2012.

Note the Covid-19 signs on the pillar

Other lost shops

It's interesting to see traces, remnants and signage of lost shop brands on our travels. We've also seen a number of former Blockbuster Video stores, a lot of Toys R Us shops, a handful of Woolworths, a British Home Stores or two, a Kwik Save, some Tandy and RadioShack shops, a few old Grainger Games stores, quite a lot of Debenhams, as well as some former Carphone Warehouse and JJB Sports stores.

Playing Looney Golf in Bradford

Visiting the 981st and 982nd courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Looney Golf in Bradford

We played the two new indoor crazy golf courses at Looney Golf in Bradford on our recent trip to the city.

Looney Golf in Bradford

There are two 8-hole minigolf courses at Looney Golf - the Neon Jungle and the Dump Yard - plus a bonus hole.

Looney Golf in Bradford

We played the Neon Jungle, followed by the Dump Yard. We were the first players of the day and as we were playing a few other groups started their rounds, but there was plenty of space between us.

Looney Golf in Bradford

We were joined in the minigolf match-up by our friend and crazy golf rival Cat Patterson. A rival who has secured wins against us both before, so we knew it was going to get competitive.

Looney Golf in Bradford

In our game on the Neon Jungle Cat did indeed take the win, with a round of 21, including a hole-in-one on hole 2 'Holey Moley'.

Looney Golf in Bradford

I shot a 25 for second place, while Emily hit a 27.

Looney Golf in Bradford

Including our shots on the bonus hole Emily and I tied on 29, with Cat winning with a 25.

Looney Golf in Bradford

Moving on to the Dump Yard layout Emily started strongly with an ace at the first hole.

Looney Golf in Bradford

However, I was able to secure the win by one shot, with a round of 29 to Emily's 30. Cat was five shots back on 35.

Looney Golf in Bradford

The overall result saw me win with a score of 54. Cat was runner-up with 56, with Emily in bronze medal position on 57.

Looney Golf in Bradford

Including the bonus hole score the result saw me score 58, Emily 59 and Cat 60.

Looney Golf in Bradford

You can find Looney Golf on North Parade in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The indoor minigolf venue was created in a former retail unit in the city centre.

Looney Golf in Bradford

Visit the Looney Golf website for more information.

Looney Golf in Bradford

Lost Shops - Grainger Games in Bradford

Spotting an old Grainger Games shop in Bradford.

Grainger Games at the Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Bradford

We saw this empty(ish) Grainger Games shop at the Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Bradford at the weekend.

A sign from the old days

I wonder what the last Pre-Order games were?

Some nice, clear and bright signage

The shelves are bare - but still branded

Note the Covid-19 social distancing signs outside the shop

We've also seen former Grainger Games stores in Stretford, Salford, Hyde and Ashton-Under-Lyne. Interestingly some of them still had a few bits of stock inside!

The company was founded in 1996 and ceased operations on the 28th March 2018.

As a brand with shops in the North of England and Scotland I only became a regular shopper at Grainger Games when I moved to Stockport in 2016. I picked up some nice old games for my SEGA Master System there.