Hollywood Bowl Mini-Golf at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees

A new Mini-Golf course is opening at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees.

The 12-hole indoor Mini-Golf course is set to open as part of an expanded Hollywood Bowl centre.

The layout will be a Puttstars Mini-Golf course and is opening on Friday 22nd March.

Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)

Visit the Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars websites for more information.

We've played at Puttstars before, and been to Teesside Retail Park - but not done both together. We visited the old Toys R Us store there in April 2021.

Garden Centre Minigolf

You can find minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses at several garden centres in the UK.

Minigolf has become very popular in recent years and has developed from being a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors or out.

Charity Crazy Golf at Woburn Sands Emporium in Woburn Sands near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Much like at shopping malls, outlet centres and on the high street, customers are looking to be entertained while they shop, and garden centres are a perfect spot for a game of minigolf.

Aces Minigolf Gloucester at Dobbies Garden Centre

Check out these blog posts to find out more about the miniature golf courses that we've found out about, visited, and played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf at Fletchers Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Stafford

The Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire

A look at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.

We had a brilliant break in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire in May 2018. The seaside resort has a number of minigolf courses, one of which is the classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course near the pier.

The Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cleethorpes was the 482nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing ebook

You can buy The Minigolfer's Guide to Marketing on Amazon.

My ebook to help minigolf players better market themselves, their clubs, tournaments and courses is available to purchase from Amazon.

As a minigolfer with over a decade of experience as a tournament competitor and years of experience in marketing and communications I designed the guide so that anyone interested or involved in minigolf could help promote the game. It’s a niche title, but an audience and subject I know a lot about.

Writing the book was brilliant and enabled me to bring two areas of my life together. I’ve worked in marketing since 2003 and have played minigolf since I was a child. Stepping up to compete on the national minigolf tour circuit and in international tournaments opened my eyes to the potential of the game. I’ve also had the honour of serving on the committees of the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) and the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF).

Minigolf is a sport for all. People of all ages, sexes, backgrounds and abilities can pick up a putter and play the game.

When Emily and I began travelling around the country on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour there were around 600 courses in the UK. We’ve now visited more than 1,000 courses, including 47 overseas.

My sports, games and travel blog at the Ham & Egger Files contains over 5,400 posts that have attracted 3.2 million page views.

There are a huge amount of interesting and fun stories to tell and positive aspects to highlight to potential players, the media, sponsors and the wider sporting community. The Minigolfer’s Guide to Marketing should give federations, associations, courses, clubs and fellow players ideas, inspiration and support in their marketing efforts.

Much of the guidance could also be applied to a number of other sports clubs and organisations to help raise their profile and boost memberships.

Buy The Minigolfer’s Guide to Marketing ebook on Amazon.

Toys R Us at Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees

Visiting the old Toys R Us store at Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees.

We visited the former Toys R Us store in Stockton-on-Tees back in April 2021.

It's a very nice example of a closed store, with lots of the original signage still visible.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

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.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

A Back to the Future DeLorean - in 2020

I saw a Back to the Future DeLorean time machine four years ago today.

This was the last event we went to, as the world went into shutdown with the coronavirus pandemic shortly afterwards.

In 2019 I ticked 'See a real life DeLorean' off of my bucket list.

On Friday the 13th 2020 I managed to see another one at MediaCityUK in Salford and that one was this Back to the Future version!

Four years later and I still need to drive one...

What time would you go to?

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

Toys R Us at the Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

A visit to the old Toys R Us store at the Wyvern Retail Park in Derby.

We visited the old Toys R Us store at the Wyvern Retail Park in Derby back in November 2020.

Lots of the signage was still visible at the location.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

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.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

Easter Mini-Golf in Shrewsbury

Free mini-golf at The Darwin shopping centre in Shrewsbury this Easter.

There will be a pop-up 9-hole mini-golf course at The Darwin shopping centre in Shrewsbury on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th March.

Visit the Shropshire Council website for more information.

We enjoyed two trips to Shrewsbury last year and are looking forward to returning this year. Unfortunately we won't be there in time for the Easter mini-golf event.

New Adventure Golf at Leicester Golf Centre

Leicester Golf Centre will soon be home to a new outdoor Adventure Golf course.

An 18-hole space-themed outdoor Adventure Golf course is being created at Leicester Golf Centre in Oadby, Leicester.

The course is planned to open in July 2024.

Visit the Leicester Golf Centre website for more information.

The new course will be another for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Toys R Us at Festival Retail Park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

A visit to the old Toys R Us store at Festival Retail Park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

We made a trip to the old Toys R Us store at Festival Retail Park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent back in September 2020.

This was shortly before the location became a Go Outdoors store.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

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.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze

Playing The Crystal Maze game at CC2000, near Narbeth, Wales.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Challenge TV are showing repeats of The Crystal Maze every weekday evening at 6pm and I'm addicted to watching it. It was a staple of my childhood and teenage years, and it would've been brilliant to go on the show. Perhaps I should apply if and when a new series is made.

Rewatching the show has reminded me of our holiday around the Welsh coast in 2009 when we took a break from playing Crazy Golf to visit the Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre - where we entered The Crystal Maze!

At that time it was the last remaining Cyberdrome Crystal Maze game in the UK. Sadly it closed for good in June 2010. It would've been brilliant to return for a few more games there.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was absolutely awesome to play. More of them should have been built back in the day. There were a total of eight built - five in the UK, two in Japan, and one in Dubai.

Just like the TV show, games were played in four themed zones - Aztec, Futuristic Medieval, and Ocean. But unlike the TV, show players were guided around the maze by Merlin - a computerised Maze Master.

Being set a task by Merlin

Aztec Zone

Futuristic Zone

Medieval Zone

Ocean Zone

We managed to win six of the nine games we played, and in the Crystal Dome itself we collected 103 Gold and 28 Silver 'tokens' for a grand total of 75. So we didn't win the the "super-duper" prize, but we were first on the leaderboard for the day and got 1st of 1 on our souvenir certificate!

Inside the Crystal Dome

At that time the Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was the closest you could get to playing the real Crystal Maze. Now you can play The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience in London and Manchester. We Manchester venue is so close, we really ought to get a team together for a game there.

Photos of The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in Tenby

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Toys R Us at St James Retail Park in Northampton

A visit to the old Toys R Us store at St James Retail Park in Northampton.

I made a trip to see the old Toys R Us at St James Retail Park in Northampton back in June 2021.

A Home Bargains shop has now opened in the unit.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

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.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

Refurbishment of the Adventure Golf at Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull

The Adventure Golf course at Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull is getting a makeover.

The 18-hole outdoor Adventure Golf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre is closing for a refurbishment on Monday 8th April. Following approximately two weeks of work the venue will be unveiling a brand new course!

Adventure Golf at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull. September 2017

Visit the Four Ashes Golf Centre website for more information.

Playing the Adventure Golf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull. September 2017

We played the Adventure Golf course at Four Ashes Golf Centre in September 2017. The layout was the 770th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've visited the Four Ashes Golf Centre a lot over the years to play tournaments on the centre's 12-hole Mini Golf course. It was originally course number 72 visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in September 2008.

The old 12-hole minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull. March 2015