Howard the Celeriac and the Special Steak

The excellent "Coeliac Cartoonist"(!) Howard the Celeriac has depicted a kind of amusing experience I had while dining out with friends following a Minigolf tournament!

You can check out the cartoon 'Special Steak' over on the Howard the Celeriac website.

Many thanks to my mate Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd - he's the Brussels Sprout - for creating the scene for me last year in Bristol. The git.

 

Links:

- Howard the Celeriac

- Howard the Celeriac on Twitter

- Coeliac UK

Related Blog Posts:

- Howard the Celeriac

- "Coeliac" Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

- "Gluten Free" Blog Posts on The Ham & Egger Files

Minigolf Report from the 2012 Midlands Open & BMGA British Doubles Championships

10th September 2012

Press Information

For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report – Midlands Open & BMGA British Doubles Championships

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried was in action over the weekend as he competed in two tournaments at the 12-hole Minigolf Course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge, Solihull.

Midlands Open

First up was the Midlands Open competition held on Saturday 8th September.

The competitors at the 2012 Midlands Open in Dorridge

Richard finished in tied tenth place in the 34-player field with a score of 94(-2) following rounds of 22, 23, 26 and 23. The four-round competition was won by the reigning World Crazy Golf Champion, Oxford’s Michael Smith with a score of 78(-18).



Richard Gottfried playing at the 2012 Midlands Open minigolf tournament as Oliver 'The Machine' Florence and Alastair Shaw look on

BMGA British Doubles Championships

The 2012 BMGA British Doubles Championships were held on Sunday 9th September. Richard teamed with Margate’s Scott Lancley for the second year in a row. The team finished in seventh place overall in the 16-team competition.

Commenting on the weekend’s events Richard said “The Minigolf course at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge is one of my favourite courses and always presents a great challenge. I’m pleased with achieving another pair of top ten finishes on the BMGA Tour in two very competitive fields. It was a pleasure to once again team with Scott Lancley in our attempt to win the British Doubles, unfortunately we lost our quarter final match against the eventual champions, but we’ll have another crack at the titles next year.”

In the BMGA British Doubles Championships each of the competing 16 teams played in a round robin group qualifying stage, before moving on to a knockout stage to determine the final rankings.

Team Sqonky at the 2012 BMGA British Doubles Championships in Dorridge - l-r 'Squire' Richard Gottfried and Scott 'Donkey Gringo' Lancley

Richard and Scott were second in their group with two wins and a draw, after defeating Marina Breeden and Adam Breeden, Alex Pragnell and Alastair Shaw and tying with Michael Smith and James Rutherford. This meant they qualified for the play-off matches for positions 1-8.

In the quarter final match against Ted McIver and Nick Chitty they were handed their first loss and entered the pool for positions 5-8. McIver and Chitty were the eventual champions, defeating the duo of Seth Thomas and Chris Smith in the final. Gottfried and Lancley lost their next classification match against Marion Homer and Sean Homer, but were victorious in their match against Oliver Florence and Richard Skeggs in the play-off for 7th/8th place.

The immaculately turned out players of Team Sqonkey at the 2012 BMGA British Doubles Championships

The Gottfried & Lancley team finished the BMGA British Doubles Championships with a win/loss record of three wins, one draw and two defeats. The team’s career record stands at seven wins, one draw and five losses in thirteen matches on the British Minigolf Association Tour.

Ends

Playing Crazee Golf at the Tintype Art Gallery in London

Visiting the Tintype Contemporary Art Gallery and playing a very crazy Minigolf hole at the Crazee Golf Art Exhibition.

On Thursday 6th September the latest stop on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour saw us head to the Tintype Art Gallery in Hatton Garden in London for the Private Viewing Opening Night of the new ‘Crazee Golf’ exhibition.

The idea of the exhibition was to get 18 artists to design and create their own Crazy Golf ‘holes’. The result is a wide-range of wacky, odd, strange and intriguing pieces of art. The exhibition is not a Crazy Golf course as such, but it was certainly interesting to see some other points of view of Crazy Golf!

One of the designs has three copies of the erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey laid (splayed!) out as a Minigolf Putting course, another is a short film, others are a series of sketches and one is a series of photos of a derelict Crazy Golf course in Bournemouth. It’s one we’ve visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and I recognised it straight away!

Artist Joby Williamson created a Crazee Golf challenge hole called ‘dancefloor yips’ and offers visitors the chance to hit a ball through the air, towards a hole in the top right hand corner of a window and onto a makeshift green on the roof below! Me and my Minigolf Doubles teammate Kevin ‘Max’ Moseley both had a go, but neither of us managed to Ace it. I don’t think anyone managed a hole-in-one – it’s very tricky indeed!

Up on the roof - The 'green' of the playable Crazee Golf hole at the Tintype Gallery

The exhibition is curated by Oona Grimes & Teresa Grimes and is open to the public from the 7th September until the 27th October 2012. I’ll be heading back to give the ‘dancefloor yips’ challenge hole another play.

You can view the Crazee Golf exhibition and photos of the designs on the Tintype Gallery website too.

Links:
- Tintype Contemporary Art Gallery
- Crazee Golf exhibition at the Tintype Contemporary Art Gallery

Related Blog Posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Crazee Golf Art Exhibition to Open at the Tintype Gallery in London!
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London
- Arts & Crafts Blog Posts

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

Crazee Golf Art Exhibition to Open at the Tintype Gallery in London!

The Tintype Contemporary Art Gallery in London has a new upcoming exhibition entitled “CRAZEE GOLF"!

The Crazee Golf exhibition is the result of 18 artists work to create their own Crazy Golf designs. You can visit the exhibition, curated Oona Grimes & Teresa Grimes, from the 7th September until the 27th October 2012.

As an avid Miniature Golfer and Crazy Golf Champion I’m really looking forward to visiting the exhibition (and playing on the displays...)!

You can find out more about the Crazee Golf exhibition on the Tintype website.

Results of the Scrap Iron Cup Minigolf Tournament in Newport, Wales

Luton’s Richard Gottfried defeats Cwmbran’s Cindy Kukielka to win fifth Scrap Iron Cup title at competition played at Newport’s Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course.



A nice sign to see - the Crazy Golf course at Newport's Tredegar Park has re-opened for 2012



On Saturday 26th August the Scrap Iron Cup Minigolf Trophy and Title was contested between members of the Midlands Minigolf Club and a lone guest member from the Splash Point Mini Golf Club at the newly re-opened 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Tredegar Park in Newport, Wales.



'Squire' Richard Gottfried plays the first hole of the Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course in Newport, Wales



Seven players lined-up in the contest that for 2012 replaced the annual Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament). Reigning and defending two-time Scrap Iron Cup champion Owen ‘Jackpot’ Johnson decided that the competition would be played in a one-round shootout format to decide the winner.



Jas Kukielka takes on the refurbished 3rd hole at the Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course



The three players who had held the Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg title teed-off in group one, with Cindy and Emily, and Owen and Paul in the other groups. Jas took an early lead, but was pegged back by Owen and all was looking good for a decisive winner of the contest. That was until hole 9!



The agonising wait to see if the ball will drop in the hole on the 9th at Tredegar Park



At the end of the round there was a six-way tie for the lead after the majority of the field scored a round of 23(+5). The 9th hole at Tredegar Park is a killer hole and it certainly proved a round and contest killer for Leo ‘Leonard’ Kukielka who was unable to hole out and therefore was unable to qualify for the play-off.



The players putt away on the 9-hole Tredegar Park Crazy Golf course in Newport, Wales



The sudden-death play-off commenced and saw the players play holes chosen by the course manager, with hole 1, hole 6, hole 7 and finally hole 3 played to decide the winner. At the final hole Welsh Ladies Number One Cindy Kukielka scored a three and Richard Gottfried scored a hole-in-one to take the win in a rematch of the final of the fourth Scrap Iron Cup.

Final Rankings:

1st Richard Gottfried

2nd Cindy Kukielka

3rd Johnson Paul Johnson Paul Johnson

4th Owen Johnson

4th Jas Kukielka

4th Emily Gottfried

7th Leo Kukielka

Scrap Iron Cup - Hall of Fame

2012 - #11 - Richard Gottfried beat Cindy Kukielka - Newport

2011 - #10 - Owen Johnson beat Seth Thomas - Wroxham Barns

2011 - #9 - Paul Johnson beat Seth Thomas - Margate

2011 - #8 - Richard Gottfried beat Peter Jones - Liverpool

2011 - #7 - Seth Thomas beat Paul Johnson - Liverpool

2011 - #6 - Seth Thomas beat Owen Johnson - Hither Green

2011 - #5 - Seth Thomas beat Richard Gottfried - Bristol

2011 - #4 - Richard Gottfried beat Cindy Kukielka - Birmingham

2010 - #3 - Owen Johnson beat Richard Gottfried - Birmingham

2010 - #2 - Richard Gottfried beat Paul Johnson - Weymouth

2010 - #1 - Richard Gottfried beat Paul Johnson - Sandbanks

Rules of the Scrap Iron Cup (Subject to change)

• Played between members of the Midlands Minigolf Club

• Played in either groups of two, or one group, in round one

• Groups are drawn at random (often using the 'balls in a hat' technique)

• Round one is a strokeplay match played over 7, 9, 11, 12 or 18 holes

• The two players with the top scores after round one qualify for the second round/final

• Round two is a matchplay match played over 7, 9, 12 or 18 holes

• The winner of the matchplay match becomes the Scrap Iron Cup* Champion**

* The Johnson's Scrap Iron Cup (aka the 'NABBA ENGLAND 95 CLASS TWO WINNER' Trophy) remains the property of Owen and Paul Johnson

** The Reigning Scrap Iron Champion retains the cup until the next defence whereupon it is given up until the next Scrap Iron Cup tournament has been completed

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played

- Wales

- Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations

Minigolf Report – Richard Gottfried wins the Crazy Golf with Bompas & Parr Championship Final

Second Crazy Golf competition victory for Gottfried on the rooftop of Selfridges in London.

On Wednesday 29th August Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried won the ‘Crazy Golf with Bompas & Parr Championship Final’ on the 9-hole rooftop Crazy Golf course at Selfridges Department Store in London.

Richard Gottfried with the BIG Minigolf trophy he received for winning the Crazy Golf with Bompas & Parr Championship Final

Having previously won the Crazy Golf with Bompas & Parr June Championship play-off title he was invited to compete in the final against the other monthly winner, the course record holder and wildcard players.

The grand final consisted of a two-round, 18-hole contest with nine other competitors on the Par-19 course. Scoring rounds of 14 and 17 for a total of 31(-7) Richard was eight shots ahead of the runner-up Mark Harris.

Richard Gottfried playing hole 7 of the Bompas & Parr Crazy Golf course at Selfridges London

Richard said “It’s absolutely brilliant to win the Crazy Golf with Bompas & Parr Championship Final and the massive minigolf trophy to go with my June play-off victory. The British summer wasn’t too kind to us on the day and the rainy weather before we teed-off made it feel more like an autumnal competition, but that didn’t dampen the mood and it was a fun contest. Well done to Bompas & Parr for creating a great Crazy Golf course that has been a lot of fun to play over the summer.”

Emily Gottfried competed in the championship as a wildcard entrant, scoring rounds of 21 and 19 to tie for third-place with Mitcham’s Alan Norman after both players scored a total of 40(+2).

Emily Gottfried, Richard Gottfried and Alan 'Stormin' Norman at Bompas & Parr's Crazy Golf course

Back in the 1930’s Selfridges’ roof was home to one of the UK’s first Minigolf courses and the Bompas & Parr Crazy Golf course opened at the end of May for The Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party. The course has been installed on the roof of Selfridges as part of the Big British Bang celebration taking place during the summer of 2012.

Ends

Finger Jousting in Llanyrafon, Cwmbran, Wales

Results of the Finger Jousting match between Squire Richard of Surleigh and Jas 'The Polish Hammer' Kukiela.

Following our few days spent at the World Alternative Games 2012 in Llanwrtyd Wells where Jas Kukielka and I become the World Egg Throwing Champions and we ran the International Finger Jousting Tournament we headed to Llanyrafon in Cwmbran for the weekend and spent some time at the town’s Boating Lake.

Jas, aka The Polish Hammer, had been too injured to compete in last Friday’s Finger Jousting event, however once I spotted the ideal arena for a Finger Jousting Championships he made a miraculous recovery and so we had a Quick Play Rules match in the Llanyrafon Amphitheatre!

Squire Richard of Surleigh faces off against Jas 'The Polish Hammer' Kukielka at the Llanyrafon Finger Jousting Arena in Cwmbran, Wales

The match was played to one-point, with the first combatant to strike a prod or poke on his opponent declared the winner. Jas, well known for his Finger Jousting prowess on the international circuit (especially by the Dutch), started strongly, but fatigue and his minor middle finger injury that had hindered his attempt to win the World Alternative Games Finger Jousting title meant that I managed to pick up the win after a hard fought bout!

Squire Richard of Surleigh tries to get the upper hand on Jas 'The Polish Hammer' Kukielka at the Llanyrafon Finger Jousting Arena in Cwmbran, Wales

The victory meant that my Finger Jousting Winning Streak has now been extended to 87 matches!

The Finger Jousting battle between Squire Richard of Surleigh and Jas 'The Polish Hammer' Kukielka used the full space of the Llanyrafon Finger Jousting Arena in Cwmbran, Wales

My career Win-Loss record now stands at 118 wins from 130 contests, with 109 wins from 116 matches since I became an official member of the World Finger Jousting Federation in 2006.

Links:

- World Finger Jousting Federation

- World Alternative Games 2012

Related Blog Posts:

- Finger Jousting

Becoming a World Champion in Egg Throwing!

Jas Kukielka and I won the World Egg Throwing Championships at the World Alternative Games 2012!

On Friday 24th August I competed in the World Alternative Games 2012. The festival of sport is taking place in Britain’s Smallest Town – Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales – and there are over 50 different weird and wacky, odd and obscure sports taking place during the two weeks between the 17th August and the 2nd September. I was in town to run the first-ever Finger Jousting Championship on UK soil and ended up winning the World Egg Throwing Championships alongside my teammate Jas Kukielka!

Throwing an egg to Jas Kukielka

On the Friday morning we were at the Ysgol Dolafon in the town watching the action from the World Alternative Games Egg Throwing Championships and decided to give it a go. The best ‘throw and catch’ of an egg had been measured at 20 metres and that had been by the first pair! None of the other groups had got close to the mark.

Egg Throwing can be a messy sport!

The sport involves one player as the Egg Thrower and one as the Egg Catcher. Each pair chose two raw eggs and throw/toss/lob the egg to their partner. The Thrower always remains at one end, with the Catcher moving further back after each successful catch.

The World Alternative Games Egg Throwing tournament was a truly international affair with 19 teams taking part with players from Wales, England, France, the Republic of Ireland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands competing!

First of all Jas teamed with his son Seve Kukielka for their attempts. The pair were certainly strong contenders and until the first egg smashed onto Seve’s head after he took a tumble over a traffic cone that marked out the perimeter of the playing area. The next egg throws took the team to the 20 metre mark, but they were unable to break the record and just ended with a broken egg to see them tie for the lead.

The World Championship winning egg!

Next up Jas and I teamed up, this time Jas was the Catcher, with me as the Thrower. Fuelled by a great Gluten Free breakfast from the Bryncelyn Guesthouse and the Nakd bars provided by one of the World Alternative Games sponsors I stepped up to make my first throw. It was successful and Jas and I were underway! Drawing on my years of Dodgeball throwing experience, along with my ‘skills’ in Bun Throwing & Christmas Tree Throwing (!) we managed to reach the 15 metre mark with no trouble before our first breakage. With the crowd egging us on, we too reached the 20 metre mark before our second egg cracked.

Seve Kukielka takes a tumble and ends up with egg on his head

We had to wait until the other teams in the competition had finished their throws to see if there would be a play-off, and as no other pair managed to break the 20 metre barrier there would indeed be a three-way one-egg-a-pair chuck-off! To decide who played first the referee administered a coin toss, which Jas and Seve’s team won. Me and Jas’ team were second so the other pair of players were ‘put in to bat first’.



"Spot the Egg" - throwing to Jas in the play-off for the Gold Medal!



They stepped-up and ended up with egg on their face as the egg they had picked broke on impact with the catcher. Jas and I were successful in our attempt, as was the Jas and Seve team, so we were sure of a Gold or Silver medal (with Jas guaranteed one of each!). The team of Jas and Seve were unlucky in their next attempt as the egg broke, which meant that all Jas needed to do was catch the egg I threw and we were the Gold Medallists and World Champions. We were successful and the crowd went wild!!!

Seve attempts a catch from Jas

After we’d been presented our medals (Jas being laden with his Gold, Silver and two Corinthian Medals!) we were congratulated by the other players and got straight to texting our friends and families about the news. We received loads of congratulations messages and some cracking eggy puns in the replies. Our Midlands Minigolf Club teammate Jam Trubridge asked if Royal Mail would be painting a Postbox Gold in honour of our World Championship victory? 

The Gold Medal winning team and the Silver Medallists - from l-r Jas 'Jasain Bolt' Kukielka, Richard Gottfried (with Egg), Seve Kukielka

Back in 2006 when I started blogging about different sports and games I never realised that six years later I’d be a World Champ! With the title of my blog ‘The Ham & Egger Files’ the suggestion was made that a ‘Ham Throwing’ World Championship needs to be created too! Would it be packet, or sliced ham that would be used though? Or on the bone!

Llanwrtyd Wells is renowned for its long history of crazy and alternative games!

The Egg Throwing and our two days in Llanwrtyd were great fun. The town really is the world’s capital city for alternative sports and games. I’m really looking forward to the 2014 World Alternative Games and the defence of our World Egg Throwing Title!

Llanwrtyd Wells was a great place to visit, with some great pubs, including the Stonecroft Inn, and a very nice restaurant at the Lasswade Country House. We also spent some time in the bar at the Neuadd Arms Hotel and found out it was the headquarters of the Monster Raving Loony Party!

Photos from the visit to the World Alternative Games 2012.

The World Alternative Games shop!

Llanwrtyd is pronounced "Lanurted" - I still struggled to say it

Me and Jas at the Neuadd Arms Hotel - Headquarters of the Monster Raving Loony Party!

The World Alternative Games has a Sosban of spring water running through the town and the fountain on the square will flow with water for the duration of the two weeks whilst the Games are being held

The sign above the bar at the Neuadd Arms Hotel

The World Alternative Games will take place during from 17th August to 2nd September 2012. At a time when the world’s eyes are on Britain and the sporting world, the World Alternative Games will capture the public’s imagination and the media spotlight to promote unrecognized sports and their participants. These unsung ambassadors of sport will have a world stage on which to showcase their talents and an opportunity to prove their dedication to these truly alternative sports. This World Alternative Games will promote a ‘Corinthian Spirit’ where taking part is more important than winning and where self achievement is recognised and applauded. For further information about the World Alternative Games 2012 please visit the event website.

Links:

- World Alternative Games 2012

Related Blog Posts:

- Finger Jousting to feature as a sport at the 2012 World Alternative Games!

- Competing in the first-ever World Bun Throwing Championships in Abingdon-on-Thames

- A day out of Bun Throwing, Crazy Golf and Bar Billiards in Abingdon-on-Thames

- Fun and Games at the Yattendon & Frilsham Village Fete

Today I was a ‘Paralympic Flame Assistant’ in Luton!

What a brilliant Bank Holiday Monday it’s been as I spent today at the brand new Inspire Sports Centre in Luton as a ‘Paralympic Flame Assistant’!

Our team of four Team Beds & Luton 'Sport Makers' were responsible for looking after the Flame once it arrived from its overnight stay with Bedfordshire’s Fire and Rescure Service following the Flame Celebration events in Dunstable and Bedford yesterday.



The Paralympic Flame burning brightly in Luton!



It was a great event with hundreds of people attending and getting a chance to see the Paralympic Flame and hold the Paralympic Lamp before it made its way to Stoke Mandeville for tomorrow’s Paralympic Torch Relay event at the home of the Paralympic Games.

Taking good care of the Paralympic Flame while it was in Luton - luckily it didn't go out on my watch!

The Paralympic Flame arrived with Bedfordshire’s Fire and Rescue Service and was handed to Mick Dillon, the Paralympic Ambassador for Beds and Luton and Chief Executive of the Disability Resource Centre. My Sport Maker colleague Lewis and I were asked to accompany the procession in front of our fellow Lutonians. You can see the Paralympic Flame make its entrance on BBC Look East!

The Paralympic Flame arrives in Luton!

There were a number of activities, tours and displays going on at the Inspire Centre, including a Diving display from members of both the Luton and Leeds Diving Clubs. Jamaica’s first male Diver Yona Knight-Wisdom, a Rio 2016 Olympic hopeful, was also in attendance and performed a series of amazing dives.

Two of the Diving Team members perform a synchronized dive!

Jamaica's Number One Diver performs a Dive at the brand new Inspire Sports Centre in Luton

The Paralympic Flame had been collected from London by Mick Dillon on Friday 24th August and brought back to the Disability Resource Centre in Dunstable for a number of events, including the Paralympic Flame Festival at the centre on Sunday 26th. Once the four Paralympic Flames have been united at the Stoke Mandeville event a 24-hour Paralympic Torch Relay will take the Flame to London for the opening of the 2012 Paralympic Games on Wednesday 29th August!

It was a great honour to be a part of the Paralympic Flame Celebration event in Luton and I can’t wait to watch the Paralympic Games on TV and in person.

Good luck to the ParalympicsGB team and all the athletes competing.

Sport Makers is an Olympic Legacy programme aimed at making sport happen all over the UK. As a volunteer Sport Maker I have been involved in organising and promoting sports around the country. The Sport Makers programme is well worth signing up to and the Sport Makers workshop is very inspirational.

Crazy Golf and Mini Golf Putting in Llandrindod Wells, Wales

Two more unplayed Miniature Golf courses on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

On our way to the 2012 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales Emily and I stopped off in Llandrindod Wells on the 23rd August 2012. We’d seen online that there was a Crazy Golf course and an 18-hole Putting Course at Princes Avenue near Llandrindod Lake.

Unfortunately when we arrived at around 5pm they were closed.

The 9-hole Crazy Golf course looked interesting and in good condition.

The Putting course didn’t look like it had been marked out and cut in for the 2012 season.

Llandrindod Lake is close to the course and has a very large sculpture of a Welsh Dragon in the middle of it!

Back in August 2009 Emily and I visited 28 Minigolf courses in Wales, which accounted for approximately 80% of all the Minigolf courses in Wales (according to Miniaturegolfer.com) and 93% of the public courses in the country!

Links:

- Llandrindod Wells Leisure

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour list of courses visited and played

- Wales

- Minigolf etc. - English to Welsh translations

‘Mini golf’ at the Paralympic Flame Festival hosted by The Disability Resource Centre in Dunstable

This weekend has seen the Paralympic Flame travel around Bedfordshire before it is joined with others at Stoke Mandeville to create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame. On Sunday 27th August 2012 a Paralympic Flame Festival was held at The Disability Resource Centre in Dunstable.

Emily and I went along to have a look at the Flame and see what else was going on at the event. There were stalls and games at the Flame Festival and I’d heard that there would be a chance to have a look around the centre and find out about Paralympic Sports. Emily and I had a go at Boccia (a game like Boules/Petanque) which I won :-) We’ve managed to get tickets to see Boccia at the Paralympics and are really looking forward to it.

While queuing to see the Paralympic Flame we spotted on the venue map produced for the event that the Dunstable & District Disabled Sports group would have a ‘Mini golf’ activity!

Me and Emily with the Paralympic Flame and a London 2012 Olympic Torch at The Disability Resource Centre in Dunstable

It was a Pitching/Chipping game, using a good little teeing-up machine. I managed to hit a ‘hole-in-one’ on my fifth and final go!

Pitching with a Putter on the Mini golf game at the Paralympic Flame Festival in Dunstable

It was a great event and a nice warm-up for the London 2012 Paralympic Games!

Links:

• The Disability Resource Centre
• Dunstable and District Disabled Sports (D.A.D.D.S.) Group
• London 2012 Paralympic Games
• Team Beds & Luton

Related Blog Links:

• Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Golf Apocalypse - a Crazy Golf course at the end of the world?

The 304th Miniature Golf course gets played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

This year has seen some new Minigolf courses opening up in London and on Saturday 11th August we headed to the latest addition to the capital’s Crazy Golf scene - the 'Golf Apocalypse' Mini Golf course at London's Pleasure Gardens, near Pontoon Dock DLR station.

The crazy Minigolfers at the 'Golf Apocalypse' Mini Golf course. From l-r: Gareth Holmes, Richard Gottfried, Emily Gottfried, Dave Lovatt, Alan Norman. The course, much like the sign above, is like something out of Mad Max! Unlike Barter Town the course accepts cash payments to play.

Fellow BMGA Tour Pro Gareth Holmes had texted me with some snaps of the course after he had spotted it when leaving the Excel centre on Friday and with some free time on Saturday we decided to head along and give it a go.

All aboard GA airlines

The course’s designer and owner, Dave Lovatt, was also responsible for the 9-hole Crazy Golf course that staged the Welsh Open Crazy Golf Championships as part of the Newport Big Splash Festival in 2010. Unfortunately we happened to be in Newport a week too early to play that course!

None of us could beat the 'Golf Apocalypse' course record!

We’ve been looking forward to playing his latest layout and it certainly is crazy!

The 9-hole course has all manner of strange Minigolf obstacles and you find yourself playing through the fuselage of a crashed aeroplane, in a pinball machine, on a snooker table and into a volcano!

Emily plays the 3rd hole - a Loop-di-Loop made of a series of tyres!?

Hole 4 is a Pinball machine hole where you have to use the flippers to get the ball in the hole once you've teed-off!

Playing a tee-shot on hole 4 - a hole-in-one is still possible even if the ball misses the hole on the first pass! See video below...

When we arrived at the course Dave showed us a few lines (but not all of them, the cagey player that he is) and we saw he had certainly mastered the course. He told us that the very best score he had shot was an 18. Very impressive considering the bizarre nature and layout of many of the holes. The course Par is listed as 32 with many of the holes par-4 and the last being par-5.

Dave Lovatt shows the Pro players how to play hole 5

In our 9-hole shootout Emily picked up the win with a score of 25. I was second with 26, Gareth was third with 27 and Alan was one shot further back on 28 in our very closely fought match.

Richard tries out his potting skills on the 7th hole of the Golf Apocalypse!

After a short break we headed out for our challenge match against Dave who was itching to play against the Pro players. The ‘Golf Apocalypse’ course rules state that if the ball leaves the course at any time it must be replaced at the point it was hit from (rather than the BMGA rule of replacing it at the point of exit). This rule would prove to be a bit of a game changer when faced with the long 9th hole!

Richard putts through the fuselage of a crashed plane!

With the exception of Emily who scored a 29, we all had better second rounds. I scored a 24 while Gareth scored 25. Dave and Alan tied with a score of 22 and so a sudden-death play-off was required!

Brewery Minigolf Champion Alan 'Stormin' Norman gives Richard's second shot the thumbs-up!

The hole to play the decider on was the 9th and Alan played first, scoring a 6. Dave stepped up and despite hitting the ball out of bounds with his first two shots managed to shoot a ‘par’ score of 5 to win the match.

Dave Lovatt tees-off on the very tough 9th hole

The course is unique and very very crazy. It's well worth a play.

After visiting over 500 Miniature Golf courses you might think that we'd seen pretty much everything there is to see on a Crazy Golf course. But the Golf Apocalypse has certainly shown us that there is still much more to be written in the long history of Minigolf!

The players take up their window seats on GA airlines

Link:

- Golf Apocalypse

Related Blog Posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London

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