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

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

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

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

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

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.

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, 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. The WMF is a member of SportAccord and an organisation called AIMS (the Alliance of Independent Members of SportAccord) - who's goal it is to achieve International Olympic Committee recognition for its members.

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.

As the umbrella organisation of minigolf sports association's worldwide and continental associations in Asia, Europe and America the WMF has 55 members. The sport is played on an organised level in Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Chinese Taipai, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Kenya, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, USA and Vietnam.

There are more than 38,000 competitive minigolf players registered with the WMF via the 55 member nations, with 900-plus clubs between them. Over 1,000 courses are approved for official competitions and around 1,500 minigolf tournaments are held each year.

Aside from the March 2011 list Emily and I have been in the sport's international rankings since November 2008 following our debut for the Great Britain team at that year's Nations Cup championships in Tampere, Finland.

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.

Related blog posts:
- The Oswestry Games
- Miniature Golf and the Olympic Games

Links:
- Oswestry Sports Forum
- The Oswestry Games 2012
- World Minigolf Sport Federation
- Minigolf Report from the 2012 Oswestry Games Multi-Sport Event

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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Minigolf Report - Gottfrieds win at the Oswestry Games in Shropshire

17th July 2012

Press Information

For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report from the Oswestry Games ‘Oslympics’ in Shropshire

Luton Minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in two Minigolf tournaments as part of the Oswestry Games multi-sport event on the 14th and 15th July. Richard won the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship on Sunday, while Emily collected a silver medal in the BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic team event on Saturday.

The Podium at the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship - Richard Gottfried (Gold), John Moore (Silver), Marc Chapman (Bronze)

The Saturday BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic team competition was contested at the 18-hole Eternit-style Miniature Golf course in Oswestry’s Cae Glas Park and saw Emily and her team mates Ruth Burke and Christian Urbano end as runners-up to the team of Marc Chapman, Steve Sturdy and Chris Powell. Richard teamed up with John Moore and Ed Odametey and finished in third place.

The field of players at the BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic at Cae Glas Park

BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic Silver Medallist - Emily Gottfried

Richard Gottfried practicing the 'Middle Hill' obstacle at Cae Glas Park's Minigolf Course

In the elite player competition on Sunday seven players competed over 36-holes on a Putterfingers 9-hole portable Crazy Golf course at Oswestry Leisure Centre. Richard won the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship with a total of 73(+1) after rounds of 40(+4) and a course record 33(-3). Newcastle’s John Moore was runner-up with a total of 77(+5) and Canterbury’s Marc Chapman was third with 78(+6). Emily finished in 6th place with a score of 89(+17).

Richard Gottfried playing hole 1 of the Putterfingers Mini Golf course

Richard said “We had a wonderful three days in Oswestry and two great days of coaching events and competitions. I’m incredibly happy to have won an Oslympics gold medal in the BMGA and Putterfingers elite player contest. John Moore and Marc Chapman had a good lead over me heading into the second round but I was able to score nice and consistently on the tricky layout to set the course record and pick up a BMGA Tour victory. I’d like to thank the Oswestry Games organisers for including Minigolf in the programme of events at the Oslympics."

Richard Gottfried playing hole 2 of the Putterfingers Mini Golf course

Emily said “The Oswestry Games was a fantastic event and I’m really happy that I was able to take part, as well as to come away with a couple of medals! The games, the park, the courses and the people in Oswestry were all very nice and welcoming and I enjoyed the whole weekend. The Minigolf tournaments were well organised and great fun, and it was nice to meet, advise and play Minigolf with local players and novices.”

Richard Gottfried playing hole 4 of the Putterfingers Mini Golf course

The Minigolf competitions were part of a ten-day festival of sports and culture which saw over fifty events in 33 sports take place at the Oswestry Games. Richard and Emily were part of the coaching team delivering Minigolf training sessions with the British Minigolf Association. On Friday 13th July the BMGA team also took part in the Oslympics Open Quiz and won the bronze medal in a 14-team contest.

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Minigolf Report - Gottfried & Collins Runners-Up in the Lost World Adventure Golf Pro-Am Classic 2011 in Hemsby

6th June 2011
Press Information
For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report - Lost World Adventure Golf Pro-Am Classic

Luton Minigolfers Richard & Emily Gottfried competed in the second-annual Lost World Pro-Am Classic doubles tournament, hosted by the Lost World Adventure Golf course in Hemsby on Saturday 4th June.

The competition format saw BMGA Tour ‘Pro’ Players paired with local ‘Amateur’ players via a random draw. In the 12-team field Richard and his partner, Hemsby’s William Collins, were runners-up having scored 88 as a pair in the 18-hole, two-round competition. The winners of the event had to be decided by a sudden-death play-off as Richard & William had tied with Nick Chitty and his partner Richard Hathaway at the end of regulation play. Unfortunately, William hit a three on the first hole of the play-off to allow the opposition to pick up the win with a two.

Photo: From l-r William Collins, James Gray, Richard Gottfried

Emily and her doubles partner Owen Johnson finished out of the prizes.

Richard said “As with last year James and the team at Hemsby put on a great event. The Lost World is one of my favourite courses to play. Last year Emily and her partner picked up third place here so I’m pleased to have gone one better. Although we lost the play-off, William and I played well as a team and he put in two great rounds. Thanks also to our playing partners Seth and George for a great game too.”

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