The Big Mini Golf Tour tees-off in Greater Yarmouth this month

The Big Mini Golf Tour 2022 tees-off on National Miniature Golf Day - Saturday 14th May.

Miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth Tourism & Business Improvement Area are coming together to promote the game.

We've played in and organised lots of miniature golf competitions, tournaments, challenges and events over the years and this year we are excited to be a part of the Big Mini Golf Tour in the seaside resort of Great Yarmouth.

The four-month event highlighting miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth area tees-off on National Miniature Golf Day, Saturday 14th May 2022 and runs until Miniature Golf Day on Wednesday 21st September 2022.

Mini Golf course map

You can plan your visit to the nine miniature golf courses in Hemsby, Clippesby, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea by checking out the Big Mini Golf Tour map.

Follow the Big Mini Golf Tour

Check out the Big Mini Golf Tour web links, further info and social media.

Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA

Funding from Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA has helped to bring you the ‘Big Mini Golf Tour’. Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA uses money raised from a business improvement district levy which is designed to raise the profile of the area, increase the number of people visiting and staying, improve the visitor experience and increase repeat visits, encourage people to stay longer and to visit more attractions and to provide incentives and opportunities to spend more in local businesses.

The Big Mini Golf Tour - teeing-off in Greater Yarmouth next month

The Big Mini Golf Tour 2022 tees-off on National Miniature Golf Day - Saturday 14th May.

Miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth Tourism & Business Improvement Area are coming together to promote the game.

The Big Mini Golf Tour - teeing-off in Greater Yarmouth in May 2022

Miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth Tourism & Business Improvement Area have come together to promote the game.

The four-month event highlighting miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth area tees-off on National Miniature Golf Day, Saturday 14th May 2022 and runs until Miniature Golf Day on Wednesday 21st September 2022.

Mini Golf course map

You can plan your visit to the nine miniature golf courses in Hemsby, Clippesby, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea by checking out the Big Mini Golf Tour map.

Follow the Big Mini Golf Tour

Check out the Big Mini Golf Tour on social media.

Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA

Funding from Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA has helped to bring you the ‘Big Mini Golf Tour’. Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA uses money raised from a business improvement district levy which is designed to raise the profile of the area, increase the number of people visiting and staying, improve the visitor experience and increase repeat visits, encourage people to stay longer and to visit more attractions and to provide incentives and opportunities to spend more in local businesses.

Adventure Golf at the Greensward Cafe in Clacton-on-Sea

A visit to the Adventure Golf course at the Greensward Cafe in Clacton-on-Sea.

We swung by the Adventure Golf course at the Greensward Cafe in Clacton-on-Sea during our East Anglian Road-Trip.

The course opened in May 2016 and replaced the Carpeted Miniature Golf course that had been on the same spot for many many years. We played that layout in May 2009 when it became the 93rd we visited on our travels and revisited in May 2011 and June 2015.

The Adventure Golf course at the Greensward Cafe in Clacton-on-Sea became the 973rd visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We're looking forward to a return visit to Clacton and a game there in the future.

Check out the Greensward Cafe and Adventure Golf website for more information.

Rules and regulations at the course

A bench on Blackpool promenade

A seat with a view in Blackpool.

Porthcawl

Ah to be at the seaside on a day like today.

Looking through my photos from last year I spotted this lovely view of the beach in Porthcawl, Wales.

I can't wait to be able to head back out on our travels and visit the coast.

It was slightly outside of the season so I couldn't have a game on the Putting Green in Griffin Park

Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines at Coney Beach

What are the 7 Dimensions?

Mini Golf in Goodrington Sands

On this day in 2015 - we visited our 600th miniature golf course in the UK.

We played the Mini Golf course in Goodrington Sands on the 4th June 2015 during our mammoth road trip around the South West coast of England.

In two weeks we visited 62 minigolf courses.

The Beton-style Concrete 18-hole Goodrington Park Mini Golf course in Goodrington Sands, Paignton was the 600th course visited in the UK and the 621st overall.

 

When our travels began in September 2006 we had a target to visit all 600 courses in the UK. Between then and now hundreds more course have opened, while others have closed, been demolished, abandoned or refurbished.

We've now been to 948 courses, including 39 overseas.

Hopefully we'll get to return to Devon and the South West again in the future as we had a marvellous time in 2015.

The Jurassic Golf course at Santa-Fe Adventure Park in Swanage, Dorset was the 600th course visited overall on our tour on Sunday 31st May 2015.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Mini Golf at Lister Gardens in Lyme Regis, Dorset

A look at the Mini Golf course at Lister Gardens in Lyme Regis, Dorset.

We visited our 601st minigolf course five years ago today.

The minigolf course at Lister Gardens is a unique and interesting layout, it's one of Emily's all-time favourite courses

It was one of 62 courses we visited on our two week holiday in the South West of England.

We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

When we began there were 600 courses in the UK.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Jurassic Adventure Golf in Swanage, Dorset

A look at the Jurassic Adventure Golf course in Swanage, Dorset.

We visited our 600th minigolf course five years ago today when we played Jurassic Adventure Golf in Swanage, Dorset.

It was the first of 62 courses we visited on our two week holiday in the South West of England.

We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

When we began there were 600 courses in the UK!

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

Minigolf in Cleethorpes

We were in Cleethorpes two years ago.

Time has flown by!

What a seaside.

There are five miniature golf courses there.

Clockwise from top left Terry's Traditional Crazy Golf (also home to a Putting Green), Oddball's Crazy Golf, Pirate Adventure Golf at the Fairworld Amusements and the Arnold Palmer Putting course 

We hope to return one day.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions.

Guess the Crazy Golf course location?

Guess the minigolf course location...

(If you were allowed out) where would you find this Crazy Golf course?

Clue: It's not in Brazil

The Big Apple Kiosk at the Mumbles in Swansea

A look at the The Big Apple Kiosk in Swansea.

During our road-trip around the Welsh coast in August 2009 we spent a day playing petanque and crazy golf at the Mumbles in Swansea.

While we were there the strange Big Apple building near the pier caught our eye.

From our seaside travels archive

Looking through our photo archives I found this snap of it in a bit of a state. Apparently it had been hit by a vehicle just days prior to our visit!

Looking online it appears that the kiosk was granted listed building status last year.

The Big Apple kiosk was created in the 1930s as part of a promotional campaign for the Cidertone cider brand and at one time others could be found at seaside locations around the UK.

Unfortunately the Big Apple at the Mumbles is the last one standing.

A return is planned

We haven't been to Swansea since, but it is on our revisit list as there's a new crazy golf venue in the town.

We love visiting Wales and the Welsh coast and can't wait until the coronavirus pandemic is over so we can return.

A day out in Rhyl

I had a lovely day out in Rhyl, North Wales yesterday. Once the torrential rain had cleared it was a pleasant afternoon for a wander.

Rhyl beach

I met up with my friend and minigolf partner Peter 'The Crazy Aced Assassin' Jones. While we didn't get to play any minigolf we did have a couple of games of Air Hockey. Peter is renowned in the minigolf world for his skills on the Air Hockey table and he comprehensively defeated me two-nil in games, with wins of 7-3 and 21-3!

Air Hockey in Rhyl

I've never known a game go beyond nine-points, so how we got to play a match for 24-points I'll never know. I was 18-nil down before I got a point on the board. Still, at least I drew the last six-points of the game.

The Air Hockey I lost 21-3 on had the paddles secured to the table!

We had a walk around the town and seafront and took a look at the miniature golf courses there.

Drift Park Crazy Golf course

Indoor Mini Golf at The Palace Amusements

The Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf course

Rhylated blog posts:
- Mini Golf courses in Rhyl, Wales
- Rhyl

North Bay Miniature Railway in Scarborough

A look at the North Bay Railway in Scarborough.

On our holiday to Scarborough earlier this year we stopped by for a look at the North Bay Railway.

Scalby Mills station

Unfortunately it was far too wet and late to have a ride when we arrived. And then on the Sunday we left it was far too nice a day to spend sitting on a train. Typical.

A set of carriages at Peasholm Station

The North Bay Railway runs from Peasholm Park to Scalby Mills - and there are miniature golf courses at both ends of the line!

Peasholm Station

A brown tourist sign at the bottom of the hill to Scalby Mills Station

 

A view of the North Bay from Scalby Mills Station

The carriages awaiting an engine at Peasholm Station

We do enjoy visiting miniature railways and have been to a fair few on our travels over the years.

Related blog posts:
- Miniature Railways
- Scarborough

Link:
- North Bay Railway

Are Clacton-on-Sea and Bognor Regis the worst seasides in the country?

Clacton-on-Sea and Bognor Regis have been voted as the worst seaside resorts in the UK. 

Bognor Regis seafront from the pier

We're big fans of the seaside and have visited many coastal towns and resorts, including Clacton-on-Sea and Bognor Regis, on our minigolf travels over the last 13 years.

Clacton-on-Sea pier from the seafront

Seaside resorts were rated in ten categories in the Which? survey. Clacton-on-Sea and Bognor Regis were both rated poorly for their attractions, peace and quiet, scenery and value for money.

Bognor Regis pier from the seafront

Bamburgh, Northumberland was rated as top of the 100 seasides. We haven't been there, but did drive past it on our way to nearby Seahouses as that was more our cup of tea.

In 2011 Clacton Pier was home to a pop-up Adventure Golf course

As with most things, it really does depend what you want from a trip to a seaside. If you want a sedate place then Clacton and Bognor are probably not for you, but even saying that I have some nice memories of picnicking in the gardens near the seafront in Clacton and there are some very good spots for a more tranquil wander in Bognor Regis.

The Crazy Golf course on Waterloo Place in Bognor Regis in 2011

We've been to some seasides that other people rave about and haven't been impressed at all. That could be down to us being us, or it could be because of the time of year we visited, the weather on the day, or a number of other factors.

I've been to seven of the seasides ranked in the top ten. Only one of those, Southwold, would possibly rank in my top ten.

Top ten:

• Bamburgh
• Portmeirion
• Dartmouth
• North Berwick
• St Mawes
• Beer
• St Andrews
• Aldeburgh
• Southwold
• Tenby

Looking at the bottom ten seaside resorts I've been to all of them, many multiple times. I'd select some of them for my top ten.

Bottom ten:

• Bognor Regis
• Clacton-on-Sea
• Burnham-on-Sea
• Skegness
• Fleetwood
• Weston-Super-Mare
• Great Yarmouth
• Margate
• Morecambe
• Minehead

A few years ago another poll rated the Lincolnshire seaside resort of Skegness as one of the world's worst holiday destinations, on a par with Pyongyang, North Korea. I disagree with that result. Pyongyang only has one minigolf course, whereas Skegness has ten courses on the seafront so it is head and shoulders above the North Korean city.

A view of Bognor Regis Pier from the Crazy Golf course

Emily playing Crazy Golf in Bognor Regis

  

Playing Adventure Golf on Clacton Pier in 2011

We're looking forward to return visits to both Bognor Regis and Clacton-on-Sea. The towns have new minigolf courses we've yet to play too, an even better reason to go again.

Do you agree with the results of the survey?

Have you been to Clacton-on-Sea or Bognor Regis? What did you think?

What's your favourite / least favourite seaside?

Related blog posts:
- Bognor Regis
- Clacton-on-Sea