Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Minigolf in Helsinki, Finland

My friend, minigolf rival, sometimes team-mate and international sporting superstar John 'Big Al' Moore was recently in Vantaa, Finland where he was competing in the 2016 European Transplant Sport Championships. In a break in his running competitions - where he won gold medals to add to his World and British titles - he managed to fit in a round of minigolf on a Swedish Felt miniature golf course near the Oulunkylä train station in Helsinki. Check out the photos of the course below. John tells me he scored a rather nifty round of 45(+9) on the layout.






We've played a Swedish Felt course in Finland too. At the 2008 EMF Nations Cup in Tampere we had a round on the course next to the two tournament layouts.

We've also played minigolf in Sweden. But neither of those courses was of the Swedish Felt variety.

You can read a European Transplant Sport Championships interview with John on the Vantaa 2016 Games website.

John is back in action this weekend at the British Transplant Games 2016 in Liverpool. He don't half get around!

Friday, July 22, 2016

Putting at North Lodge Park in Cromer

The 691st course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was at North Lodge Park in Cromer, Norfolk.

There's a sign for the Putting outside North Lodge Park

Unfortunately the course wasn't open on our visit. Or indeed easily identifiable as a Putting course!

But there's no sign of a Putting course inside

It'd be a lovely spot for a game of minigolf though

Related blog posts:
Cromer
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

On Friday 15th July we were in Great Yarmouth for the first time in a few years and got to have a look at the new Castaway Island Mini Golf course that replaced the 9-hole and 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting courses on the promenade.

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

The two courses that used to be on the site were the 22nd and 23rd courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in June 2007.

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth
The old anchor is still part of the new course

The new Castaway Island Mini Golf course became the 693rd visited on our travels since September 2006.

Related blog posts:
- Great Yarmouth
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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Sunday, July 17, 2016

Adventure Island Golf in Mundesley, Norfolk

Back in May 2014 Charter Member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Christopher Gottfried let us know about the Adventure Golf course in Mundesley, Norfolk.

Adventure Island Golf in Mundesley

Last week we finally got to visit and play the course.

Playing another brilliant course on our travels

The layout became the 406th played and 692nd visited overall on our tour.

It's a lovely setting for a game

Adventure Island Golf is a great 12-hole course, with plenty of tricky obstacles and some very nice theming. And for a 12-hole course there were certainly a lot of themes going on! With Pirates, Cannibals, Dinosaurs, Jungles and more.

Beyond the Dolmen...

...sat a miniature frog (or toad)

The 11th and 12th were tricky indeed
 
The island that gave the Adventure Golf course its name

A crocodile (or alligator) lurking

Some Easter Island heads

An alligator (or crocodile) lurks in the tar pit

Stuck in the ditch

Goading an obstacle

A lovely bit of derelict theming
  
I got to meet tiger too

It reminded us of the courses at Hemsby and Felixstowe - two of our favourites - and even though reading the greens at Mundesley could be tough, it was good fun.

Emily playing another great tee shot

In our match-up Emily won with a 34 to my 37 - getting off to a flying start with a great hole-in-one on the first.

Putting past some dino eggs

A round of minigolf at the course costs £3.50 for adults and it's worth a play.

On the last hole

Related blog posts:
- Mundesley Adventure Golf in Norfolk
- Norfolk
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

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Cromer Putting

The 405th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was at Cromer Putting.


Emily had visited the course on the 13th July to make it number 689 on our tour, but had waited until my arrival on the 14th to give it a play.

Emily, Jo and me ready to tee-off at Cromer Putting

It's brilliant fun, with fantastic views. It's also one of the longest Putting courses we've ever played and is certainly a unique layout.








The people at the 18-hole course were very friendly and the lady showed me an old postcard showing the course in the 1930's - it was instantly recognisable. A round on the course costs £2.50 for adults and is a must play course if you're in the area.



In our match-up Emily and I drew on 50 apiece. Jo was third.



Cromer Putting has a sister Pitch & Putt course at The Meadow in the town centre. That looks like a very BIG miniature golf course!

Pitch & Putt at The Meadow in Cromer

Link:
Cromer Putting

Videos:
- Cromer Putting 1 of 2
- Cromer Putting 2 of 2

Related blog posts:
Cromer
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Miniature Golfing in Cromer, Norfolk - Pitch & Putt and Putting
Crazy Golf on Grass in Cromer, Norfolk

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Saturday, July 16, 2016

Monorail, Monorail, Monorail

Riding the rail at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach.

The home straight of the monorail at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach

On our recent trip to Great Yarmouth I had a very pleasure surprise and a real treat as I got to ride a monorail!



I'm a big fan of monorails and the one at the Pleasure Beach in Great Yarmouth is one of the few examples still operating in the UK.

At the Mono thingy

The pair of us on the monorail

The Pleasure Beach monorail crosses over the roller coaster track

And actually cuts through the middle of it

Into some sort of monorail wash!
 
The Pleasure Beach Monorail gets the thumbs up from me

I've got great memories of riding the monorail at Butlin's Minehead back in the 1980's and 90's. We also played the Pirate Flyer Laser Shooting Monorail ride at Coral Island in Blackpool a few years ago.

Links:
- Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach website

Video:
- Monorail in Great Yarmouth

Related blog posts:
- Monorail
- The Pirate Flyer - Laser game monorail at Coral Island in Blackpool
- Great Yarmouth

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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Miniature Golfing in Cromer, Norfolk - Pitch & Putt and Putting

Emily has visited the 689th and 690th courses on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - the Putting Green on the cliffs and Pitch & Putt at The Meadow in Cromer, Norfolk!

BIG Golf minigolf is open every day. Just not in the evening

A look at the courses in Cromer
  
The rules

We do like a BIG sign for minigolf of any type

Unfortunately the Pitch & Putt course wasn't open at the time of her evening visit.

The course is open during the week too (see the blackboard on the first photo) but opens at 11am at weekends

The Putting Green however was open on Emily's visit. But she saved her game for when she could face me - or so she says. I'll wager she mapped out some sneaky ace lines on her first viewing of the links putting course.

A lovely day in Cromer

A nice selection of putters

Always nice to see a Putting Green sign - especially when it says 'OPEN' too!

A lovely bit of signage

Another view of the course
  
Emily tells me she had a nice welcome from the man at the course

Link:
- Cromer Putting

Related blog posts:
- Cromer
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Crazy Golf on Grass in Cromer, Norfolk

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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