Thursday, August 29, 2024

New pétanque piste in Felixstowe

A pétanque piste is one of the features of the new activity park on Sea Road in Felixstowe, Suffolk.


Pétanque piste in Felixstowe

It was nice to see the new pétanque piste on Felixstowe sea front. We'll have to remember to take our boules with us next time we visit.

Pétanque piste in Felixstowe

Pétanque piste in Felixstowe

Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd

A look at the underground minigolf course at Zip World Llechwedd.


Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024
Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024

Zip World Llechwedd near Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd, Wales is home to an underground adventure golf course.

Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024
Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024

Many thanks to our friend and minigolf rival Mark Swain for sending over these snaps of the course from his recent visit there.

Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024
Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024

We haven't made it to Zip World Llechwedd to have a game on the 18-hole course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour yet. But's it's on our list.

Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024
Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2024

Take a look at the Zip World Llechwedd website for more information.


The Rules of Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2
The Rules of Underground Golf at Zip World Llechwedd. Photo by Mark Swain, August 2

Deepest underground miniature golf course in the world


The Underground Golf course at Zip World Llechwedd holds the Guinness World Record for being the "Deepest underground miniature golf course" as it is 152 metres below ground. It's a record I was part of verifying in my role as a Consultant for the Guinness World Records. Check out the Guinness World Records website and the 2024 edition of the book to see more minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf records.

Indoor Crazy Golf in Llandudno

There are plans for a new indoor Crazy Golf course in Llandudno.


There are plans for a new indoor Crazy Golf course in Llandudno

The new Crazy Golf venue could be opened in the former M&S shop in Llandudno.

We've played minigolf in Llandudno several times on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, including the two Adventure Golf courses on the Great Orme mountain in the seaside resort.

New Hole in Wand Magical Mini Golf opening in Murton, Seaham, County Durham

The team at The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf are opening a new indoor minigolf course at the Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Centre in Murton, Seaham, County Durham.


The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf

You can currently find The Hole In Wand minigolf courses in Blackpool, Chester and York.

Visit The Hole in Wand website for more information.


It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New Adventure Golf course in Middleton, Rochdale

Bowlee Park Driving Range has plans to open a new Adventure Golf course.


Bowlee Park Driving Range has plans to open a new Adventure Golf course

The new outdoor Adventure Golf course would be at Bowlee Park Driving Range in Middleton, Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Visit the Bowlee Park Driving Range website for more information.


It'll be another new - and fairly local - course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New Putt Putt Social course in Coventry

A new Putt Putt Social indoor minigolf venue is opening in Coventry.


The venue will be home to three indoor crazy golf courses.

The Putt Putt Social minigolf course in Norwich. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, September 2023
The Putt Putt Social minigolf course in Norwich. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, September 2023

You can find other Putt Putt Social indoor minigolf centres in Norwich, Gloucester, Telford and Bedford.

Check out the Putt Putt Noodle website for more information.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Swingers Crazy Golf in Boston

Swingers Crazy Golf opening in Boston, Massachusetts.

A new Swingers Crazy Golf venue is opening in Boston, Massachusetts, USA in 2025.

Swingers West End Crazy Golf in London, October 2019
Swingers West End Crazy Golf in London, October 2019

There are Swingers Crazy Golf courses in Washington, DC and New York City, with another new location opening in Las Vegas this year.

Check out the Swingers Crazy Golf USA website for details of courses in the USA.

Visit the Swingers Crazy Golf UK website for more information on the UK courses.

Swingers Crazy Golf is also opening a venue in Dubai this year. Take a look at the Swingers Crazy Golf Dubai website for more information.

We played the first Swingers Crazy Golf pop-up course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in Shoreditch back in September 2014. The brand has grown since then, with Swingers in The City opening next to the Gherkin in 2016 and Swingers West End following in 2018.

Tredegar Park Mini-Golf has reopened

The Tredegar Park Mini-Golf course in Newport, Wales has reopened.


Tredegar Park Mini Golf is reopening

The course was damaged in an arson attack earlier this year and has managed to re-open following the damage caused.

The course and new hut/kiosk is looking very good. You can find out more on the Tredegar Park Mini Golf Facebook Page.


The Tredegar Park Mini Golf course was the 192nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in August 2010. It was one of the courses played as part of the 2010 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament).

Tredegar Park Mini Golf in 2010
Hole 9 on the course was an absolute round killer back in 2010! I wonder what it's like now...?

It'll be interesting to see how the course plays all these years later. From the photos on the course's Facebook Page it looks in nice condition - and from what I've heard is still a great test of putting skill.

Globetrotters Mini Golf Tournament at Tilgate Park

Globetrotters Mini Golf at Tilgate Park in Crawley, West Sussex will be hosting a Mini Golf Tournament on Sunday 25th August.


Globetrotters Mini Golf at Tilgate Park in Crawley, West Sussex will be hosting a Mini Golf Tournament on Sunday 25th August 2024

Check out the Globetrotters Mini Golf website and social media for more information.


The Mini Golf Tournament is being held in support of Crawley Open House.

It's always nice to hear about new minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf competitions.

Good luck to all of the competitors in the Globetrotters Mini Golf Tournament.

The 9-hole Globetrotters Mini Golf outdoor course features obstacles themed from around the world.

The pop-up summer mini golf course is open until Sunday 1st September.

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich

A look at the Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf course at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norfolk.


Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

My brother Christopher and his family recently revisited the Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Park in Lenwade, Norwich and while there played the Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf course.

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

Check out the Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure website for more information.


Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

The combined total of courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is now at 1,110 since September 2006!

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich. Photo by C.Gottfried, August 2024

UV Glow Crazy Golf at the Winter Glow event in Malvern

Malvern Showground will be home to an 18-hole UV Glow Crazy Golf course as part of the Winter Glow event this festive season.


Malvern Showground will be home to an 18-hole UV Glow Crazy Golf course as part of the Winter Glow event this festive season

Winter Glow will be taking place between the 22nd November and 31st December.

Check out the Winter Glow website for more information on the event and attractions.

Swingers Las Vegas is opening in November

Swingers Crazy Golf Las Vegas is opening at the Mandalay Bay on Friday 8th November 2024.


Swingers Las Vegas

Swingers Las Vegas is opening five crazy golf courses at MGM's Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino this year!

Emily was on holiday in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA earlier this year where she swung by the new Swingers Las Vegas indoor minigolf venue where the five 9-hole indoor crazy golf courses are being created at Mandalay Bay.

Swingers Las Vegas

The new Swingers Las Vegas crazy golf location is set to open on Friday 8th November.

Swingers Las Vegas

Visit the Swingers Crazy Golf website for more information.


We've played several Swingers Crazy Golf courses - including the original pop-up course - on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour over the year.

Sunday, August 11, 2024

The Alnwick Garden Golf

A look at The Alnwick Garden Golf course.


Many thanks to our friend and minigolf rival John Moore for sending this photo of the minigolf course at The Alnwick Garden.

The Alnwick Garden Golf. Photo by John Moore, 2024
The Alnwick Garden Golf. Photo by John Moore, 2024

We're yet to visit The Alnwick Garden and we'll have to swing by for a game on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour one day.

Check out The Alnwick Garden website for more information.

Millport Crazy Golf

A look at the Crazy Golf course in Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae.


Many thanks to our friend and minigolf rival Seth Thomas for sending over this snap of the Crazy Golf course in Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland from his recent trip.

Millport Crazy Golf. Photo by Seth Thomas, 2024
Millport Crazy Golf. Photo by Seth Thomas, 2024

We played the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour ten years ago while in Scotland for the Commonwealth Games.

Check out the Millport Crazy Golf Facebook Page for more information.

Minigolf at Burrowhead Holiday Village

I recently found out there is a Pitch & Putt course, Crazy Golf, and a Putting Green at the Burrowhead Holiday Village in Cutcloy, Scotland.


There is a Pitch & Putt course, Crazy Golf, and a Putting Green at the Burrowhead Holiday Village in Cutcloy, Scotland

It's always interesting finding out about new places to play minigolf. Hopefully we'll get to visit these layouts on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Check out the Burrowhead Holiday Village website for more information. 

Golf Fang crazy golf opening in Nottingham

The new Golf Fang indoor minigolf venue in Nottingham is opening on the 6th September.


Golf Fang

There are plans for three new Golf Fang venues to open in London, Bristol and Nottingham this year.

You can currently find Golf Fang indoor crazy golf venues in Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Sheffield and Cardiff.

Visit the Golf Fang and Big Fang Collective websites for more information.


The new locations will be new places to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Friday, August 09, 2024

Memories of the 2012 Oslympic Games

Looking back at the 2012 Oswestry Games multi-sport event in Shropshire.


Back in the summer of 2012 we were proud to be a part of the Oswestry Games. The festival of sport in Shropshire saw the sport of minigolf included in a multi-sport games event in the UK for the first time.

The coaches and competitors in the Pro-Am minigolf tournament at Cae Glas Park

The Oswestry Games, or 'Oslympics' as they became known, were a mammoth undertaking for the organisers at the Oswestry Sports Council and it was a real pleasure and honour for Emily and I to organise the minigolf events along with other coaches and players from the national tour.

The Oswestry Games consisted of more than 50 sports and cultural events held over ten-days in July 2012.

Minigolfing at the Oswestry Games
Minigolfing at the Oswestry Games

Things got off to a great start on our first night in the town - not only were we recognised while on our way to the sporting quiz night at the town's cricket club, but we also won the bronze medal in the quiz itself.

The bronze medal winning quizzing minigolfers - Marc, Richard, Emily and Ruth
The bronze medal winning quizzing minigolfers

The Saturday morning of the Games saw us organise coaching sessions for locals youth and adult players on the 18-hole 'Eternit' miniature golf course in Cae Glas Park in the town centre. This was followed by the BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic team tournament in the afternoon - won by Marc 'The Force' Chapman, Steve Sturdy and Chris Powell.

On the tricky Cae Glas Park miniature golf course
On the tricky Cae Glas Park miniature golf course

Sunday was the closing day of the Games and a large number of clubs, regional organisations and national governing bodies gathered at the Leisure Centre for a jam-packed day of sporting fun, games and competition.

Playing the Putterfingers Crazy Golf course at the Oswestry Games
Playing the Putterfingers Crazy Golf course at the Oswestry Games

With a Putterfingers modular Crazy Golf course we took centre stage and had a large number of the public, athletes and competitors from other events joining us for a round on the 9-hole course.

Oswestry Games medals
We scooped Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the Games - and what very fine medals they are too

We ended our trip to the Oslympics by contesting the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship - which I won!

The podium for the pro-tournament - Marc Chapman, Richard Gottfried and John Moore
The podium for the pro-tournament - Marc Chapman, me and John Moore

Did you know - Miniature Golf was once played during the actual Olympic Games! While it was not officially part of the Games programme, the participants in the Golf tournament at the 1904 Olympic Games held in St Louis, USA also competed in a Putting Championship on a specially built miniature golf course at the Glen Echo Country Club.

It'd be great to see miniature golf become an Olympic sport one day. And we'd also like to see the Oswestry Games return once more. Perhaps when the UK next hosts the Olympics, minigolf will be an event, and Oswestry will host their Games again.

The future for the sport of miniature golf looks bright, with the international governing body - the World Minigolf Sport Federation - gaining further recognition on the global stage all the time.

Back in 1989 the sport (Bahn Golf) was a demonstration event in the IWGA World Games in Karlsruhe, Germany. The WMF is also hoping to have minigolf included in other multi-sport events in the future.

We're hoping to one day visit the Olimpiapark Munchen too as the venue has an eternit miniature golf course that was set-up in the Athletes Village for the 1972 Olympic Games. That'd be a great course to play on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Miniature Golf at Baker's Golf in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, USA

A look at the Miniature Golf course at Baker's Golf in Lanesborough, MA, USA.


It's always nice to see different minigolf courses around the world and I recently received these photos from Kevin Dias who was back home in the USA and swung by Baker's Golf in Lanesborough, Massachusetts for a game on the outdoor miniature golf course.

Miniature Golf at Baker's Golf in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, USA. Photo by Kevin Dias, 2024
Miniature Golf at Baker's Golf in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, USA. Photo by Kevin Dias, 2024

Take a look at the Baker's Golf website for more information.


Miniature Golf at Baker's Golf in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, USA. Photo by Kevin Dias, 2024
Baker's Golf was established in 1943

Kevin was the brains behind The Putter King - a minigolf brand that brought together minigolfers from around the world in an international treasure hunt!

Ilfracombe Crazy Golf course to be revamped

There are plans to revamp the minigolf course in Ilfracombe, Devon.


There are plans to revamp the minigolf course in Ilfracombe, Devon

We visited the course on Ilfracombe Promenade during our south west coast road-trip back in 2015.

It'll be nice to revisit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Star Pins opening in Coventry

An indoor mini golf course will be part of the new Star Pins family entertainment centre in Coventry.


An indoor mini golf course will be part of the new Star Pins family entertainment centre in Coventry

Star Pins Coventry is the first venue of the new brand from the team behind Roxy Leisure and King Pins. The Star Pins Coventry location is scheduled to open in November.

As well as ten pin bowling and mini golf, the entertainment centre will also feature darts, ping pong, shuffleboard, pool and ice-free curling.

Star Pins will be another new venue for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.