Showing posts with label Guildford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guildford. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Minigolf course in Stoke Park, Guildford (May 2016)

A look at the minigolf course in Guildford's Stoke Park.


Minigolf at Stoke Park in Guildford (May 2016)

The course was the 399th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We played the 18-hole Swedish Felt B-Run Minigolf course as part of a competition for National Miniature Golf Day in 2016.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

A look at Stoke Park's Crazy Golf course in Guildford, May 2016.


Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

We played the minigolf course at Stoke Park in Guildford, Surrey on National Miniature Golf Day 2016.

Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

It's a Swedish Felt B-Run Minigolf course.

Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

The 18-hole minigolf course was the 399th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Thursday, October 03, 2019

Putting Green at Allen House Grounds in Guildford

Not playing the Putting Green at Allen House Grounds in Guildford, Surrey.


Allen House Grounds in Guildford

On a visit to Guildford, Surrey back in April 2012 my friend and minigolf rival Oliver 'The Machine' Florence competed in a number of sports and games. One of those wasn't playing Putting at Allen House Grounds as the course was not yet open for the season.

Jabberwocky Maze at Allen House Grounds in Guildford
The Jabberwocky Maze at Allen House Grounds in Guildford was 'open'

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Crazy Golf in Stoke Park, Guildford

Back in 2008 the Crazy Golf course in Guildford's Stoke Park became the 75th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Last weekend it also became the 399th played. It has certainly changed a lot - even since my last visit in 2012.


The Swedish Felt B-Run course used to be a 12-hole layout. It's now a full 18-holes, and has a very different playing surface - with astroturf 'grass' and raised 'bunkers'. Quite different indeed.


Check out the photos of the new 18-hole Crazy Golf course layout below.













The new 18th hole

The course was built by City Golf Europe

It's a very tricky layout

This hole was nigh on impossible to play!

This one was trickier now it has thicker 'grass'

The longest hole on the course

A loop-di-loop with felt on the outside of the obstacle!

Another very difficult hole to play

The Stoke Park Minigolf course is in a very nice setting. It's worth a play - but don't expect to get a low score!

Our visit this time was as part of the Surrey Invitational Minigolf Tournament that took place on National Miniature Golf Day 2016!

Related blog posts:
- Guildford
- Actual Minigolf Course 75 - Guildford
- Report from the Surrey Invitational Minigolf Tournament 2016
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Videos:
- Hole in One at Guildford's Stoke Park Crazy Golf course 1 of 3
- Hole in One at Guildford's Stoke Park Crazy Golf course 2 of 3
- Hole in One at Guildford's Stoke Park Crazy Golf course 3 of 3

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems.

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Sunday, May 15, 2016

Report from the Surrey Invitational Minigolf Tournament 2016

Results of the second Surrey Invitational Tournament.

On Saturday 14th May five semi-pro minigolfers competed in the second edition of the Surrey Invitational Tournament in a two-round, two-course, 27-hole contest.

The Surrey Invitational Tournament competitors line-up for a shot at the title in Woking Park

The competition was played at the 9-hole Eternit Miniature Golf course at Woking Park, and the 18-hole Swedish Felt B-Run course at Stoke Park in Guildford. The staging of the 2016 event coincided with National Miniature Golf Day.

Inaugural Surrey Invitational Tournament champion Matt 'The Don' Dodd leads out the players on hole 1 at Woking Park

The champion after 27-holes of play was Burpham's Oliver 'The Machine' Florence, who was victorious with a score of 65, having shot rounds of 19 and 46. Luton's 'Squire' Richard Gottfried became a two time S.I.T. runner-up with a total of 74, with Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried picking up the bronze medal with a score of 82.

The new Surrey Invitational Tournament champion Oliver 'The Machine' Florence captured the title and big minigolf trophy at Guildford's Stoke Park

The first stage of the Surrey Invitational Tournament was won by Surrey's Steve 'F1' Gow with a score of 17(-1) on the Woking Park layout. However, the veteran and GB international was unable to maintain the momentum and scored 68 in round two to finish in fourth place.

Steve 'F1' Gow playing the snakey second hole in Woking

Defending champion Matt 'The Don' Dodd scored rounds of 33 and 61 to finish in fifth place.

Ollie on target in Woking

New Surrey Invitational Tournament champion Oliver 'The Machine' Florence said "At the first Surrey Invitational in 2014 I had a prior engagement which meant I had to leave the tournament after the first round and it was really disappointing as I was in the lead. I was a bit worried I was going to have to depart early this year as I was scheduled to attend my mother's birthday tea at 4pm in Weybridge but luckily I managed to get the job done before heading off to enjoy the party."

Oliver in action on hole 6 of the Woking Park Mini Golf course

Florence commented "Among the sandwiches my particular favourites were the mini ham rolls but I also took a shine to the cream cheese and cucumber offerings. After a round of scones, both fruit and plain, with raspberry jam and cream, I partook in a delightful mango cheesecake among other sweet treats."

Florence added "Thanks to Richard and Emily for organising the Surrey Invitational and Matt and Englefield Green's finest Steve for taking part. I look forward to defending the magnificent trophy next time."

The scores and first-round rankings from Woking were:
1. Steve 'F1' Gow - 17
2. Oliver 'The Machine' Florence - 19
3. 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 24
4. Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 28
5. Matt 'The Don' Dodd - 33

'Squire' Richard Gottfried playing the second hole in Woking

Matt tackles the fifth hole

Steve on the seventh

Each round winner of the Surrey Invitational Tournament gets to lift the trophy, but only the overall winner gets to keep it until the next edition of the event.

Steve 'F1' Gow with the Grand Prix - for the first round at least

The scores and second-round rankings from Guildford were:
1. Oliver 'The Machine' Florence - 65
2. 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 50
3. Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 54
4. Matt 'The Don' Dodd - 61
5. Steve 'F1' Gow - 68

Tournament leader Steve Gow tees-off round two at Guildford's Stoke Park

Emily playing the second hole. Quite possibly the most difficult hole in minigolf - all of the players scored a seven on it!

Matt tackling another very difficult hole

Richard has slightly better luck than Matt as Ollie looks on

Steve playing his second shot as Ollie gets ready to tee-off

The final rankings and two-round totals from the Surrey Invitational Tournament 2016 were:
1. Oliver 'The Machine' Florence - 65
2. 'Squire' Richard Gottfried - 74
3. Emily 'Lemony' Gottfried - 82
4. Steve 'F1' Gow - 85
5. Matt 'The Don' Dodd - 94

Surrey Invitational Tournament champion Oliver 'The Machine' Florence playing the Stoke Park loop-di-loop hole. Strangely, the loop is turfed on the outside!

Surrey Invitational Tournament Hall of Fame
2016 - Oliver 'The Machine' Florence
2014 - Matt 'The Don' Dodd

National Miniature Golf Day Tournament Hall of Fame
2016 - Oliver 'The Machine' Florence
2015 - Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems.

You can also now sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter.

Friday, April 05, 2013

Playing Archery Tag in Guildford

Trying out the new sport of Archery Tag.

As a fan of all manner of sports and games, whether old or new, traditional or obscure, I'm always on the lookout for new ones to have a go of. Following my blog post on the 1st of January 2013 where I asked the question "What sport or game that we haven't tried already should we give a go in 2013?" I had some responses via the comments, Facebook and Twitter.

One of these came from fellow sporting polymath Oliver 'Lawrence' Florence who suggested we give Archery Tag a go. He had heard an upcoming event would be taking place in Guildford and so it'd be a chance to have a play of the game for free!

Me, Guy Martin (grey) and Oliver Florence (red) in Archery Tag action

After a busy day of Minigolfing in Beckenham, Croydon and Carshalton Emily and I headed to Guildford and the Spectrum Leisure Complex which was the host venue for the Archery Tag event. Our group had been booked in for the 7pm session so we took some time beforehand to watch the action in the busy sports hall from the spectator's gantry. 

Before we got stuck into the game our group decided to warm-up with some target practice using the specific Archery Tag equipment. The bow and arrows differ from those used in Archery and the main thing you notice is the foam pad on the end of the arrows, these ensure that if (when!) you get hit by a shot it doesn't injure the competitor.

Richard 'Michael Skaggs' Skeggs (left) and Oliver 'The Machine' Florence warming-up before the main-event

Our group was then ready to hit the court (arena, course, battlefield?) and after a briefing by the Archery Tag organiser - Joshua from Discover Archery - we were provided with protective face masks, a bow and two arrows.

The game mixes Archery with rules similar to Dodgeball, Paintball and Laser Tag with two teams of players taking up positions on either side of the battlefield and once the whistle goes it's a free-for-all of arrows firing at the opposing force. In a competitive match we were told that if you get hit you are eliminated from the game for a one-minute period before re-entering the fray. For our have-a-go session we were involved in two seven-minute games, played with 'no outs'. So it gave us a great opportunity to practice our aim and have fun, without the fear and threat of elimination.

The Archery Tag 'battleground'

Once you've used up your initial two arrows you can then collect any arrows from the floor and re-use them - just be careful not to get hit while retrieving them! The arena also had a number of inflatable bases and barriers to hide behind and you certainly needed to use them as the game is non-stop with a constant hail of arrows coming in from the opposing team.

Launching a shot towards the opposition

One of the great things about the game is that you can also get 'catches'! So, if you see an arrow coming towards you and fancy grabbing it from mid-air then that is perfectly allowable - and quite an achievement too! I managed a couple of catches in the two games and hit some of the opposition too. Fellow sports enthusiast Richard 'Richard' Skeggs got really stuck into the sport and planted a perfect shot on my face - thank goodness for the protective face masks! I did get a couple of catches off him to slightly make up for it though.

Richard Skeggs - the 'one man gang' of Archery Tag!

It was great fun and I'd definitely like to play a competitive match. Perhaps a Luton team could travel to Guildford, or vice versa...

Emily models the Archery Tag 'look'

Check out details of Archery Tag on the Discover Archery website.

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