Showing posts with label On The Buses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label On The Buses. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn, Wales

Revisiting the Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales.


The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales

Last September we revisited one of our favourite minigolf courses while on the Holiday on the Buses fan-club weekender in Prestatyn.

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Playing hole 3

The Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course on Bastion Road is a superb layout and a real test of putting skill.

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
A view of the course

Once again we competed in The Butler Cup Holiday on the Buses Crazy Golf tournament, a title I was defending!

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Emily playing hole 6

The tournament part of the Holiday on the Buses Weekender in Prestatyn is organised by the On the Buses fan-club and held at the Bastion Road Crazy Golf course.

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Teeing-off on hole 6

Prior to 2018 the Butler Cup tournament had two categories - Pro and Amateur - as quite a few professional minigolfers are also members of the fan-club! In 2014 Emily won the first edition to feature the Pro category. Brad Shepherd won the 2015 event, no tournament was held in 2016, while I won in 2017.

Our group won in the On the Buses fan-club Crazy Golf tournament, quiz and raffle
Our group won in the On the Buses fan-club Crazy Golf tournament, quiz and raffle

In 2018 57 players competed in a single title 18-hole one round shoot-out with Brad Shepherd once again lifting the title - in a tie with a fellow fan-club member. I was next in the rankings after the joint winners.

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 1

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 2

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 3

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 3

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 4

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 5

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 6

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 6

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 6

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 7

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 7

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 8

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 9

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 10

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 11

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 11

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 12

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 13


The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 14 
The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 15



The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 16

The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 17 
The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Hole 18



The Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, Wales
Top Hole - Hole 19

We're looking forward to our next visit to play the course.














Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 147 - Arnold Palmer Putting at Prestatyn
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn (2014)
- Prestatyn Crazy Golf (2017)
- The Butler Cup Holiday on the Buses Crazy Golf tournament 2017
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Prestatyn

Videos:
- Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Prestatyn
- Hole-in-one on the Windmill at Prestatyn Crazy Golf

Link:
On the Buses fan-club

Wednesday, November 01, 2017

The Butler Cup Holiday on the Buses Crazy Golf tournament

Part of the Holiday on the Buses Weekender in Prestatyn is a Crazy Golf tournament organised by the On the Buses Fan-club and held at the Bastion Road Crazy Golf course.

The On the Buses Fan-club at Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course
The characters of the On the Buses Fan-club

The Butler Cup tournament has two categories - Pro and Amateur - as quite a few professional minigolfers are also members of the fan-club! In 2014 Emily won the first edition to feature the Pro category. Brad Shepherd won the 2015 event, while no tournament was held in 2016.

Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course
Playing a very tough plateau obstacle

The 2017 competition took place on Sunday 24th September and saw 23 players compete in one 18-hole round shoot-out.

Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course
Chris Jones leads off the tournament

In the Butler Cup contest for Pro players staying at Pontins for the Fan-club Weekender I scored a round of 35(-1) to take the win - a far-cry from my dismal sixth place finish in 2014. Alan 'Stormin' Norman shot a 37 to take the runner-up spot, with Emily in third on 38.

The Butler Cup Champion for 2017
The Butler Cup Champion for 2017

Also competing in the Pro category were Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd who scored 39, Seth 'Wandsworth' Thomas who hit a 40 and Chris Jones who shot a 43.

The Holiday on the Buses and Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course get the thumbs-up
The Holiday on the Buses and Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course get the thumbs-up

In the Holiday on the Buses Amateur category Ad Burton took the win with a score of 49, with Paul Thompson runner-up with a round of 51.

Ad Burton and Richard Gottfried - Prestatyn's Crazy Golf Champions
Ad Burton and me - Prestatyn's Crazy Golf Champions

Local minigolf professional Peter 'The Crazy Aced Assassin' Jones shot the low score of 33 to take the overall honours on the day.

Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course
Playing hole 2

Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course
Emily on the 1st

Prestatyn's Crazy Golf course
A classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course hole and a good chance of a hole-in-one

Check out the On the Buses Fan-club's website for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Prestatyn
- On the Buses
- Holiday on the Buses
- Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Link:
- The On the Buses Fan-club

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

50 years ago today Reg Varney used the world's first ATM

It was in Enfield.

Enfield’s branch of Barclay’s bank was the location of the world’s very first cash machine – opened and used by Reg Varney on this day in 1967!

There's a blue plaque at the site of the world's first ATM

As a big fan of On the Buses I had a chance to see the Reg Varney Star Plaque on the Elstree & Borehamwood Walk of Fame by the train station during the On The Buses Fan Club 40th Anniversary event in 2011 and it was great to follow this up with the chance to have a photo at ‘Stan Butler’s’ cashpoint!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness

Report and results from the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition in Skegness.

Mini Golf at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness, Lincolnshire
The competitors watch Alan 'Stormin' Norman play hole 2

On the last day of our holiday weekender in Skegness, Lincolnshire we visited the Arnold Palmer Putting Courses on North Parade to complete the two-day Skegness Minigolf Championship. The one-round played on the 18-hole Grass Putting course was also a chance to play the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition with local competitors Eric Huckle and Steven Huckle.

Mini Golf players at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness, Lincolnshire
The Mini Golf players in Skegness, from l-r Steven Huckle, Richard Gottfried, Emily Gottfried, Eric Huckle, Alan Norman, Brad Shepherd, Seth Thomas, Chris Jones

Mini Golf at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness, Lincolnshire
Brad lining up a shot as Steve plays the previous hole

In September last year we competed in 'The Butler Cup' On The Buses Fan Club Crazy Golf Tournament on the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Minigolf course in Prestatyn, Wales, and we'd planned to meet-up with our friends from the fan club when next in Skegness. In the Prestatyn event Emily had won the 'Pro' category, with Eric winning the 'Am' title.

Mini Golf at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Skegness, Lincolnshire
Emily teeing-off at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course

The results of the Holiday on the Buses Reunion Mini Golf Competition 2015 were:
1. Richard Gottfried = 42(+6)
2. Alan Norman = 45(+9)
2. Brad Shepherd = 45(+9)
4. Chris Jones = 46(+10)
4. Seth Thomas = 46(+10)
6. Emily Gottfried = 49(+13)
7. Eric Huckle = 58(+22)
8. Steven Huckle = 74(+38)

Alan playing hole 14

It was a great fun event on a marvellous minigolf Putting course. We're looking forward to visiting Skegness again in the future.

Related blog posts:
Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Adventure Golf Courses on the Lincolnshire Coast

Link:

Saturday, October 04, 2014

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Playing Crazy Golf on the course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park during the Holiday on the Buses Weekender 2014.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
On the first evening of our stay at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands we went to have a look at the Crazy Golf course

After spending the morning of the 28 September playing for The Butler Cup at the Crazy Golf course just off the seafront in Prestatyn we headed back into the Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park to make good use of the facilities on our Holiday on the Buses weekender.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
Seth, Brad and Emily outside the Castle Battlements of the Crazy Golf course

As well as going swimming (in the very same pool they filmed scenes for Holiday on the Buses) and recreating some of the action from the film by riding around the camp on the big bikes, we had ANOTHER game of Crazy Golf.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

The 9-hole course on the park is free to play with a £5 deposit required.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

The course was the 582nd visited and 348th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

The layout is felt with wooden borders and some tricky obstacles and some incredibly tough second (and third) putts!

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Set-out in a castle the course is well made and fits the space nicely.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

In our five-player semi-pro contest on the course Brad Shepherd stormed to victory with a cracking round of 18(par)!

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
The Crazy Golf players at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands from l-r Peter Jones, Seth Thomas, Brad Shepherd, Richard Gottfried, Emily Gottfried

Seth Thomas was runner-up on 21(+3), with me third on 23(+5). Peter Jones and Emily tied in fourth-place on 27(+9).

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Seth playing hole 1 of the Crazy Golf course at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park


Check out the Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park website for more information.

The course sits next to what was once the boating lake that can also be seen in the film. That's now been turned into a Kart Track.

Crazy Golf at Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park
The view of the old boating lake from the Crazy Golf course

Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Holiday on the Buses Weekender at Pontin's 2014
'The Butler Cup' On the Buses Crazy Golf Tournament
Wales
Prestatyn
- On The Buses

Link:
- Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park