Showing posts with label Welsh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Welsh. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Dragon Classic minigolf tournament at Fontygary Leisure Park

Details of the Welsh Minigolf Club's Dragon Classic competition at Fontygary Leisure Park in Barry.


Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales
The Dragon can be found on holes 2 and 18 of the Fontygary Leisure Park course

The first mid-pandemic socially distanced minigolf tournament in the UK is taking place on Sunday 26th July.

Organised by the Welsh Minigolf Club the 2020 Dragon Classic will be held on the Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry.

Entry is limited to 18 players and more information can be found on the Welsh Minigolf Club's website and Facebook page.

Good luck to all of the players in the event.

Playing the course

I played the 18-hole Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park during my trip to compete in the Welsh Double's Championship in May last year.

Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales
There are some superb views from Fontygary Leisure Park and it's well worth a visit

Other tournaments

The last minigolf tournament held in the UK before lockdown was the 19th edition of the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Open held on the 1st March. The Thanet Open had been held in Margate, Kent on 9th February.

Details of minigolf tournaments in the UK can be found on the British Minigolf Association website.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Crazy Golf in Wales

A look at names for the game of minigolf in Wales.


We love visiting Wales and have visited most of the minigolf courses in the country. We were supposed to have a holiday there back in March and one of the towns we planned to visit was Porthmadog.

On our minigolf road-trip around Wales in 2009 we arrived in Porthmadog just as the three miniature golf courses there were closing so were looking forward to finally playing them this year.

Golff Giamocs


Last week I posted this question on our Facebook Page - where did we see this sign and what does Golff Giamocs mean?

Crazy Golf course in Porthmadog, Wales
Giamocs means a number of things, but doesn't necessarily translate directly as 'crazy'

Some of the responses were very interesting as they gave us even more meanings when translated into English as 'Giamocs' can mean tricks, gimmick, prank, stunt and a joke.

All quite apt ways to describe Crazy Golf.

Ways to say minigolf in Welsh


We've seen a number of names for the game on signs and scorecards at courses.

Adventure Golf = Golff Anturus

Crazy Golf = Golff Gwyllt
Crazy Golf = Golff Giamocs
Crazy Golf = Golff Gwallgof
Crazy Golf = Golff Gwirion

Minigolf = Minigolff

Mini Golf = Golff Bach
Mini Golf = Golff Mini

Miniature Golf = Maes Golff
Miniature Golf Course = Cwrs Golff Bach

Pitch and Putt = Golff Byr

Putting Green = Llain Bytio

Golf = Golff
Course = Cwrs

Bach = Small
Maes = Field

Giamocs = Tricks / Gimmick / Prank / Stunt / a joke

Gwallgof = Crazy
Gwirion = Stupid
Gwyllt = Wild

Types of minigolf courses


Since our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour began in September 2006 we have visited and played minigolf in a number of forms, names and guises.

Definitions of minigolf


There are a number of different names for the game of minigolf. While there are some design standards for courses, most would be regarded as 'fantasy' courses where the end result is limited only by imagination, budgets and building regulations.

You can see the common names for the game of putting in this Definitions of minigolf blog post.

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Saturday, July 06, 2019

Putting Green at the North Wales Crown Green Bowls Centre in Rhyl

A revisit to the Putting Green at the North Wales Crown Green Bowls Centre in Rhyl.

The Putting Green in Rhyl
Llain bytio o 9 twll

Last week I swung by the Putting Green at the North Wales Crown Green Bowls Centre in Rhyl.

North Wales Crown Green Bowls Centre in Rhyl
The bowls green next to the RNLI centre was the Putting Green when we first visited

Back in September 2014 the course became the 349th played and 583rd visited overall on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Putting Green in Rhyl
How the course looked in 2014

We've now been to 911 courses.

The sign at the course said 9 Hole Putting Green / Llain bytio o 9 twll. There are a number of ways to say Miniature Golf in Welsh.

Related blog posts:
- Rhyl
- Wales
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Mini Golf Putting Green in Rhyl
Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations

Monday, February 25, 2019

Crazy Golf in Porthmadog

A look at the Minigolf, Crazy Golf and Putting courses in Porthmadog, Wales.


Crazy Golf in Porthmadog. Photo by Celine MacDonald-Matti, February 2019

Many thanks to our friend Celine for sending over some snaps from her visit to the miniature golf courses in Porthmadog, Wales.

Crazy Golf in Porthmadog. Photo by Celine MacDonald-Matti, February 2019
The site has a grass Putting course, a fibreglass Crazy Golf course and a Swedish Felt Mini Golf course 

Crazy Golf in Porthmadog. Photo by Celine MacDonald-Matti, February 2019
Golff Giamocs is one way of spelling Crazy Golf in Welsh

Crazy Golf in Porthmadog. Photo by Celine MacDonald-Matti, February 2019
A view of the fibreglass Crazy Golf course

Crazy Golf in Porthmadog. Photo by Celine MacDonald-Matti, February 2019
The other Crazy Golf course in Porthmadog is a Swedish Felt B-Run style of course 

Crazy Golf in Porthmadog. Photo by Celine MacDonald-Matti, February 2019
A view of the Mini Golf layout

We visited the three minigolf courses in Porthmadog
during our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour road trip around the Welsh coast in 2009. Unfortunately we didn't get to play them though.

Fingers crossed we'll get to have a round on the layouts this year.

Related blog posts:
- Not playing Minigolf, Crazy Golf or Putting in Porthmadog
Minigolf - English to Welsh translations
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Friday, August 14, 2015

Mini Golf courses in Wales

A look back at our big minigolf roadtrip to Wales.

Crazy Golfing on the classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Prestatyn
Crazy Golfing on the classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Prestatyn

Back in 2009 we headed off on a tour of Wales and ended up visiting 93% of all the public minigolf courses in the country!

The Minigolf course at Gowerton Golf Range
The Minigolf course at Gowerton Golf Range

Between the 9th and 21st August we drove 983 miles, played 28 courses and visited 15 more that were unplayable. Unbelievable that it was six years ago already!

Crazy Golfing at Tywyn Leisure Park
Crazy Golfing at Tywyn Leisure Park

Crazy Golf at Knightly's Amusements and Fun Park in Towyn
Crazy Golf at Knightly's Amusements and Fun Park in Towyn

Crazy Golfing in Aberystwyth
Crazy Golfing in Aberystwyth

Playing the Crazy Golf course in Swansea during round two of the 2009 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament)

Playing the highest minigolf course in the UK - the Rocky Pines Adventure Golf course atop The Great Orme in Llandudno

Here's the list of courses we were able to play on the trip:
129 Pendine Bay - Crazy Golf
130 Saundersfoot - Crazy Golf
131 Heatherton Park, near Tenby - Adventure Golf
137 Aberdovey/Aberdyfi - Putting
138 Tywyn (Leisure Park) - Crazy Golf
143 Llandudno (Great Orme/Y Gogarth) - Rocky Pines Adventure Golf - The highest minigolf course in the British Isles
147 Prestatyn (Bastion Road, Central Beach) - Arnold Palmer Putting Course/Crazy Golf. Revisited in September 2014. Host venue for The Butler Cup and Holiday on the Buses Pro Tournament won by Emily. RICHARD WINS A FREE GAME ON THE TOP HOLE
148 Llangollen (Riverside Park) - Minigolf

Visiting the last remnants of the abandoned Crazy Golf course in Llanfairfechan

The courses we were unable to play were:
21 Barry Island/Ynys y Barri - Crazy Golf - Played in the late 1980's/early 1990's - Demolished for new Smuggler's Cove Adventure Golf
34 Abergwyngregyn (Aber Falls Tavern) - course unplayable, Tavern under redevelopment
35 Llanfairfechan - Crazy Golf - only holes 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17 remain - no kiosk

We're looking forward to more trips to Wales in the future. We're regularly visitors and next time we'll hoping to give the new Treetop Adventure Golf course in Cardiff.

Check out our blog post of English to Welsh translations for Minigolf!

Crazy Golf in Wales
There are a fair few ways to say 'minigolf' in Welsh!

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Tour of Wales - Stats & Facts
- Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations
- Wales
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Lost in translation

We love travelling around the UK and in the last month we've travelled to Scotland and Wales and noticed a lot of dual language signs.

I always really enjoy driving in Wales as you know you're in a foreign country when you see the first ARAF on the road.

ARAF
ARAF

On the doors of the toilets in the games-room of our hotel in Cwmbran there was a confusing situation!

Toileting abroad
Toileting abroad

It didn't help that neither of us could remember which symbol (depicted on the dragon tails) was the right one for male/female!? I suppose blue is quite obviously the men's lavvy.

Rather unhelpfully when I contacted my personal Welsh to English translation service by text I received a reply of "Men and Women". It took a second text to clarify the correct way round! Thank goodness neither of us had to go at the time.

After Araf (for 'Slow') and Allan (pronounced "Achlan", the Welsh word for 'Out' as in an exit) I like seeing signs for Canol y dref.

A brown sign pointing to Crickhowell's Canol y dref
A brown sign pointing to Crickhowell's Canol y dref

We enjoyed our visits to Abergavenny (Y Fenni) and Crickhowell (Crug Hywel) and while in Builth Wells (Llanfair ym Muallt) we took a snap of Emily's new favourite Welsh words.

A Welsh Bus Stop in Builth Wells
A Welsh Bus Stop in Builth Wells

Back in 2009 we went on a brilliant roadtrip around the Welsh coast and visited some great places - including Tenby, which in Welsh has a great name - Dinbych-y-pysgod - which means little town of the fishes / little fortress of the fish.

Check out our blog post about English to Welsh translations for Mini and Crazy Golf that we spotted on the trip.

This time we were in Wales for the World Alternative Games (Gemau Byd Arallddewisol) in Llanwrtyd Wells (Llanwrtyd). At the Games we ran the Finger Jousting (Ymwan Bys) Championships, played Portaputt (Portaputt) and competed in the World of Grip (Byd Gafael).

We're looking forward to many more roadtrips around the UK.

Related blog posts:
Wales
Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played

Monday, August 23, 2010

Penarth Golff Mini (it's a Golf Byr!) - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

While in Wales last weekend we decided to stop off at the seaside resort of Penarth, as it was one of the seasides we did not visit on our 2009 Tour of Wales.

We were just planning to visit the town to see what was there and unexpectedly found that there was a Mini Golf (Golff Mini) course there! It's at Cioni's Bistro on the Cliff Top.

Mini Golf / Golff Mini in Penarth, Wales
Miniature Golf in Penarth, Wales
Miniature Golf in Penarth, Wales
Mini Golf / Golff Mini in Penarth, Wales
The Mini Golf (Golff Mini) course was actually a Pitch and Putt (Golf Byr) as opposed to a Crazy Golf (Golf Gwyllt) type of Minigolf (Minigolff).

Brown Tourist Sign in Penarth - include direction to a Golf ByrUnfortunately we didn't have time to have a game, the course did look good though.

Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations
Wales

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations

While on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour holiday in Wales in 2009 we noticed a few different spellings of Minigolf, Miniature Golf and Crazy Golf!

Golff Giamocs / Crazy Golf in Porthmadog
Below are the translations from English to Welsh:

Crazy Golf (1) = Golff Gwyllt

Crazy Golf (2) = Golff Giamocs

Minigolf = Minigolff

Mini Golf = Golff Bach

Miniature Golf = Maes Golff

Putting Green = Llain Bytio

Golf = Golff

Course = Cwrs

Crazy Golf / Golff Gwyllt in Swansea
Maes Golff / Miniature Golf in Criccieth
Golff Gwyllt / Crazy Golf in Anglesey
Golff Bach / Mini Golf in Rhyl
Related blog posts:
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played
Wales
- Lost in Translation