Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Minigolfing gluten free in Margate

I’m an avid blogger and tweeter on all things Minigolf and Gluten Free so with May being Celiac Awareness Month in the USA and Canada and Coeliac UK running its annual Awareness Week from the 12th to the 18th May what better time for me to be exploring the gluten free options available while on a roadtrip to the British Minigolf Association’s National Championships in Margate, Kent.

Minigolfer, and Coeliac, 'Squire' Richard Gottfried at Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate

Arriving in Margate in the early afternoon on practice-day-Friday Emily and I headed straight for Strokes Adventure Golf course on Westbrook Promenade. We’d spent the previous day in nearby Whitstable – via Gillingham and the Isle of Sheppey – and had a great meal at the Pearson’s Arms on the seafront there.

Richard Gottfried playing the 14th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf course

After the first practice round – Emily winning by 39(+3) to my 41(+5) – we had a bit of a sit-down with team-mate/rival John ‘Thighs’ Moore. While we were relaxing a bit of post arrived for me at the course, in the form of a Coeliac UK t-shirt!

Special delivery

A second practice round followed, with me, Emily and John having a round with BMGA Tour rookie Derek ‘Needs a nickname’ Bentall. The scores in this round saw me hit a 38(+2), with John shooting a 39(+3), Emily a 44(+8) and Derek a 46(+10).

Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent
Playing the 16th hole - Shark's Teeth - at Strokes Adventure Golf course

After some more practice on the course’s more testing holes Emily and I headed off to check in to our hotel and explore Margate. We hadn’t been to the town since the BMGA British Open tournament in 2012 so we wanted to see what had changed. The Old Town in Margate is always worth a look and we popped into a few of the new vintage shops searching out old postcards.

Unfortunately one of the things that had changed for the worse in the town is the closure of the classic Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cliftonville. We played there in 2007 and 2011.

On the plus-side The Ambrette restaurant is still going strong in Margate and after our last visit – a recommendation by Matt Wood at Strokes Adventure Golf – we were really looking forward to our meal.


What a gluten free feast

I can’t recommend The Ambrette enough, it really is great. The staff are very knowledgeable about the gluten free needs of Coeliac diners and when you eat there you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. For example, with the main course you are served a dosa pancake, rather than a naan bread – whereas in many other places you’d just have to ‘go without’. My dessert of Chocolate Silk was amazing. 

Time for pudding at The Ambrette

The first day’s play of the 2014 BMGA British Minigolf Championships teed-off on National Miniature Golf Day and the minigolfing gods were somewhat on our side as the rain which had been forecast never arrived. However, the field of 30-players had to contend with some very windy weather indeed, making the difficult Strokes course even harder in places. With nine-rounds(!) in total a lot of minigolf was to be played over the weekend.

A view of the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent
A rather overcast day in Margate

During the rules briefing and announcement of the groups and playing order I tweeted "This year's @bmga_minigolf championships @strokesgolf features a Portuguese and a Canadian. And a bunch of Brits. #minigolf #Margate" to which @Strokesgolf replied "and a coeliac." Brilliant :-)

Despite the wind cutting through the players there were still some opportunities to play some great shots and Emily and I hit ten and eight holes-in-one during the day respectively.

Prior to visiting places on the BMGA Tour and during our roadtrips I will put out a tweet or two to see if anyone can recommend anywhere to safely eat gluten free.

A great reply came from Annie’s Supperclub and Larder who let me know she was able to arrange delivery of a variety of picnic and lunch orders to any of the beaches, or stations (and Minigolf courses!) in Thanet. This sounded great, as I always struggle to eat anything substantial during the day while playing in a competition. 

While I did keep myself going on the Pom Bears Strokes Adventure Golf course sells, it was great to know I’d be having a proper lunch too.

The lunch of a Chicken & Bacon Sub (freshly baked bread), a bag of Prawn Cocktail crisps and a Chocolate Cupcake was great and I’d certainly use the service again and recommend it to others. It made such a big difference in being able to eat some well made, fresh and tasty food – all in the knowledge it was 100% gluten free and made by someone with extensive knowledge of coeliac disease and gluten free food.

Lunchtime - a proper meal after a busy morning of tournament minigolf

Having had two large and delicious meals out on Thursday and Friday, plus a filling lunch, I opted for a ‘hotel room picnic’, while Emily had a meal at the hotel restaurant while we watched the Eurovision Song Contest with some of our fellow minigolfers – living the high-life!

Having visited the local Morrisons it was an opportunity to complete one of the Coeliac UK Awareness Week postcards detailing what was available in the store’s free from section. I duly noted what was there, and what was missing, and sent this off. I’d encourage all my fellow coeliacs to have a look in their local (or not so local) supermarkets to help inform the work of Coeliac UK.

Day two began much like day one, with windy weather, but a little less sun – that’s not to say we didn’t catch the sun after three days exposure – getting a nice tan on my face and hands!

During the break between rounds the Hole-In-One Charity Challenge took place, with 28-players stepping up to tackle the 17th hole – the Ski Jump – with a standard low-bounce course ball, rather than with a Minigolf sport ball that we’d used during the main-event.

Playing the 17th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf during the BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge contest

I was third to play the hole, with neither of the first two players managing to score an Ace I lined-up the shot, hit it for a jump over the ramp, a rebound off the bricks at the back of the green and in it went! I greeted the shot with my Ace-shout of “Yee-ha” and a round of applause from my fellow competitors. It was a nervy ten or so minutes of waiting for the rest of the field to give it a shot. Luckily for me no-one else managed to score a hole-in-one, though some came very very close, so I won the shootout – my first win in a BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge!

Just as I was being declared the winner of the challenge contest I noticed my lunch from Annie’s Larder was arriving – a great victory meal of Falafel Sub with a salad, Prawn Cocktail crisps and a Lemon Polenta Cake.


Playing the 11th - Heartbreak Ridge - a real killer hole in Minigolf

It was a brilliant weekend of minigolf, food & drink, good company and nice seasides.

Thank you to Matt, Brian and Frankie at Strokes Adventure Golf for allowing me to use the course as my weekend’s residence and 'mail-drop' and to the team at Coeliac UK for putting the t-shirt and Awareness Week information in the post to me.

Strokes Adventure Golf course - an 18-hole Minigolf course on Westbrook Promenade in Margate Kent
Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate - well worth a visit 

For more information about Coeliac UK, Coeliac Disease and the Gluten-free Guarantee Awareness Week check out the Coeliac UK website.

As a Coeliac I’m always keen to highlight the condition and spread the word in order to get more places offering uncontaminated gluten-free choices. I’m also a Gfree Athlete with the Glutenlibre team based in the USA. Check out my interview with them here.

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten and while there is no cure (yet!) the only treatment is to adhere (endure) a strict lifelong gluten free diet – which can be harder than you think when you factor in the risks and hazards of cross-contamination!

Links:

Food and restaurant links:

Related blog posts:

Funny things about being a Coeliac #6

Its Coeliac Disease (pronounced see-lee-ack). So I am not:

a celeriac - that's Howard ;-)

a celery - even though my brother thinks I am!

a solero - that's an ice cream!?

Links:
Funny things about being a Coeliac #1
Funny things about being a Coeliac #4
Funny things about being a Coeliac #5
Coeliac-related blog posts
Gluten Free-related blog posts

Monday, May 12, 2014

British Minigolf Association Ranking updates following the BMGA British Championships

National Miniature Golf ranking update from the British Minigolf Association following the BMGA British Championships Margate.


In the latest update of the official BMGA Order of Merit for 2013/14 I am ranked in 10th place of 85 places (138 players).

Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate
Richard Gottfried on hole 14 of the Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate

Richard Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit in the 2013/14 season:
Following the BMGA Star City Open - 12th of 74 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 11th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 7th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 10th of 85 places (138 players)

Emily has moved up in the BMGA Order of Merit rankings to be listed at number 21.

Emily playing hole 17 in the BMGA Hole-in-One Challenge shootout at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate during the BMGA British Championships weekend

Emily Gottfried's rankings in the Strokeplay Order of Merit in the 2013/14 season:
- Following the BMGA Star City Open - 42nd of 74 places (135 players)
Following the BMGA Star City Open & AGM changes - 34th of 79 places (135 players)
- Following the BMGA British Masters - 26th of 84 places (137 players)
- Following the BMGA British Championships - 21st of 85 places (138 players)

Further details can be found on the British Minigolf Association website.

Link:

Related blog posts:

Minigolf Report – BMGA British Championships in Margate

Richard Gottfried 13th and Emily Gottfried 24th in national Miniature Golf tournament. 

Luton Minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in the BMGA British Minigolf Championships tournament that took place at the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course on Westbrook Promenade in Margate, Kent on the 10th and 11th May.

In the nine-round, 162-hole tournament Richard finished in 13th place overall in the 30-player field, and was 6th of 14 players in the men's general class. Emily finished in 24th place and was third in the BMGA British Women’s Minigolf Championships contested by five players.


Minigolf at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent
Richard Gottfried playing the 17th hole at Strokes Adventure Golf during the BMGA Hole-In-One Charity Challenge shootout

In the tournament's Hole-In-One Charity Challenge Richard was the only player of 28 that managed to score an Ace on the 17th hole to win the shootout.


Minigolf at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent
Emily Gottfried playing hole 1 at Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate during the BMGA British Minigolf Championships

Richard said “My two rounds of 34 were really good, but I’m pretty disappointed with the other rounds. Strokes Adventure Golf has some real killer holes and I tripped up on a few of them this year. On the bright side I’m really pleased to be the first winner of a BMGA Hole-In-One Challenge shootout this season.”

Emily said “I am really pleased to have won the Bronze Medal at the British Championships during a really windy weekend on the seafront at Margate. The weather did make a few of the holes more challenging than usual so I didn’t score as well as I’d hoped, but I am happy with third place. I’m also pleased that I scored one sub-40 round at the Strokes course, which is renowned for a few really tricky holes and difficult greens.” 

The winner of the 2014 BMGA British Championship was Adam Kelly from Linton, Cambridgeshire.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Happy National Miniature Golf Day 2014!

Today is National Miniature Golf Day!

Where will you be playing Minigolf today? And on what type of course?

Strokes Adventure Golf in Margate, Kent
Playing 'Heartbreak Ridge' at Strokes Adventure Golf in 2012

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour page here on the Ham & Egger Files, the course lists pages on MiniatureGolfer.com and the Minigolf review sites The Putting Penguin and A Couple of Putts for some inspiration on where to play.

A view of the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent
A view of the 18-hole Strokes Adventure Golf course in Margate, Kent


If you don't get a chance to play any Minigolf today then don't worry, as Miniature Golf Day is on Sunday 21st of September.

Happy Putting!

Links:

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

The British Jigsaw Puzzle Championship 2014

Second annual British Jigsaw Championship to take place in Newmarket, Suffolk.

While reading the latest issue of the Official UK Puzzle Club's newsletter my eye was taken by the news of the British Jigsaw Championship!

The tournament is taking place as part of the St Mary's Church Newmarket Jigsaw Festival on Sunday 13th of July.

Last year saw the first edition of the British Jigsaw Championship held at the festival and the winner was Emma Jenkinson of Gloucestershire.

This year will see the return of the individual tournament (with contestants tasked with completing a 1,000 piece puzzle against the clock), plus a new Pairs competition (with the duos taking on a 1,500 piece jigsaw puzzle against the clock)!

Competition puzzles are provided by British Jigsaw Championship sponsors Coiledspring Games.


The festival itself runs from Saturday 12th until Thursday 17th July and is open from 10am to 4pm daily, with entry priced at £2 for adults (children free), including a tea/coffee. Other light refreshments will be available.


Finding the Crazy Golf jigsaw puzzle in Derby
Finding the Crazy Golf jigsaw puzzle in Derby


Emily perusing a puzzle at JigFest 2012
Emily perusing a puzzle at JigFest 2012

Links:

Coeliac UK Awareness Week 2014 and the Gluten-free guarantee

Coeliac UK's annual Awareness Week is taking place from the 12th to the 18th of May and this year the focus is on the Gluten-free guarantee.

The Awareness Week 'Gluten-free guarantee' is aiming to ensure that key items are available in stores around the UK, so that Coeliacs are able to easily shop for food and drink items that are an essential part of a safe and healthy diet.

The core items of the gluten-free guarantee shopping basket are:
- fresh white bread
- fresh brown bread
- bread rolls
- breakfast cereals
- pasta
- flour
- crackers
- cereal bars

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten and while there is no cure (yet!) the only treatment is to adhere (endure) a strict lifelong gluten free diet - which can be harder than you think when you factor in the risks and hazards of cross-contamination!

Check out the Coeliac UK website for more information and you can order an Awareness Week 2014 Toolkit here.

May is also Celiac Awareness Month in the US and Canada.

Links:

Funny things about being a Coeliac #5

Restaurants that attempt to offer gluten free options. But fail. Massively.

 

Links:
Funny things about being a Coeliac #1
Funny things about being a Coeliac #4
Coeliac-related blog posts
Gluten Free-related blog posts
A bizarre 'Gluten Free' Restaurant Menu spotted in Birmingham

Monday, May 05, 2014

Indoor Adventure Golf at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe

My friend, sometime Minigolfer, and fan of ludicrous photos Paul 'Flip Flops' O'Conner recently sent me some photos with the message "Spotted this mysterious crazy golf course at the back of an odd amusement arcade in Felixstowe."

The course is the Magical Golf at Mannings Amusements in the seaside town.

Hole 1 of the Magical Golf indoor Adventure Golf course at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe, Suffolk (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)
Hole 1 of the Magical Golf indoor Adventure Golf course at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe, Suffolk (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)

A view of the Magical Golf indoor Adventure Golf course at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe, Suffolk (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)
A view of a tricky uphill hole the indoor course at Mannings Amusements (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)

The lucky last hole and the course behind it at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)
The lucky last hole and the course behind it at Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe (photo by Paul O'Conner, 2014)

Thanks to Paul for sending the pics through. The indoor minigolf course is worth a visit if you're in Felixstowe.

Golf FX (as it was then known) was the fifth course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour way back in November 2006. Emily and I have visited and played the course on numerous occasions since.

Links:

Funny things about being a Coeliac #4

The look of sheer horror and disgust in the faces of waiting staff when you use the word 'disease'.

Why call your condition an "intolerance" or "allergy", when the word "disease" makes a much better impression and helps put you more at ease on the already terrifying experience of dining out.

For added effect, I've started to ring a bell as I enter a restaurant to signify that I have Coeliac Disease - and I say the D-word in my most stentorian voice.

Links:

Sunday, May 04, 2014

Luton Town's Victory Parade - Skrill Premier Champions for 2013/14

Congratulations to Luton Town FC on their BIG sporting win in the Skrill Premier Division and promotion back to the football league.

There was a great atmosphere in Luton town centre today as an estimated 12,000 Lutonians headed to St George's Square for the Hatters' Victory Parade.

Luton Town FC - "Worlds Football Champions" according to the man doing the announcing at the event!

The Hatters on stage with the prestigious Skrill Premier Division Championship Trophy and the Mayor of Luton, Councillor Sheila Roden

Quite the crowd in Luton's St George's Square

The Skrill Premier Division Championship Trophy 2013/14

The ticker tape after it had been fired out of the ticker tape cannon

Luton's Art Deco Town Hall (rebuilt in the 1930's following the infamous Peace Day Riot of 1919) decked out with banners for the triumphant Hatters.

In the midst of the crowd - can you spot me?


Now that Luton Town are back in the football league they'll be playing games against my other hometown team - Oxford United. Hopefully things continue to improve for both teams and its not like the 2000-01 season of the second division (the year I moved to Luton) when both teams were relegated to Division Three!

Link:

Happy Minigolf Tag 2014!

Today is Austria's National Minigolf Day!

Today's Minigolf Tag (Minigolf Day) is the fifth edition of the event organised by the Austrian Minigolf Federation (Österreichischer Bahnengolf-Verband - OBGV).

Every year around 550,000 Austrians (some 15% of the country's population) play Minigolf and today is a celebration of the great game.

Back in March 2010 I visited the Askoe Wien Wasserpark in Vienna, Austria where I played one of the toughest (and longest) Swedish Felt Minigolf courses in Europe. It was the 163rd Miniature Golf course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. It was also the first place I spotted a Pit-Pat course (a cross between Billiards and Minigolf!).

Playing the Swedish Felt Minigolf course at the Askoe Wien club


The Net hole on the Askoe Wien Miniaturegolf course


The Askoe Wien Pit-Pat Hindernis Billard course

There are two more 'Minigolf Days' coming up in 2014, with National Miniature Golf Day on Saturday 10th of May, and Miniature Golf Day on Sunday 21st of September.

And don't forget - on Twitter every Monday there's #MinigolfMonday!

Links:

Thursday, May 01, 2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Barnard Castle - Then and Now

Details of the 9-hole Mini Golf course at Scar Top in Barnard Castle, County Durham.

Last July we visited Barnard Castle in County Durham to launch the new Minigolf course in the redeveloped park at Scar Top.

Minigolf course in Barnard Castle, County Durham
The 2013 edition of Scar Top's Mini Golf course in Barnard Castle

The new Mini Golf course, designed and built by UrbanCrazy with 'A Journey Through Teesdale' theme, replaced an old Crazy Golf layout that had become tired.

Check out the photos of 'Then' and 'Now' below, with the old course photos provided by our friend in the north John 'Man of a Thousand Nicknames' Moore.

Hole 1 in May 2012 by John 'Thighs' Moore

Hole 1 in July 2013

Hole 2 in May 2012 by John 'YI' Moore

Hole 2 in July 2013

Hole 3 in May 2012 by John 'Big Al' Moore

Hole 3 in July 2013

Hole 4 in May 2012 by John 'Johnny Waffles' Moore

Hole 4 in July 2013

Hole 5 in May 2012 by John 'Wye Aye' Moore

Hole 5 in July 2013

Hole 6 in May 2012 by 'Alexander' John Moore

Hole 6 in July 2013

The Green on hole 6 in July 2013

Hole 7 in May 2012 by John 'The Legionnaire' Moore

Hole 7 in July 2013

Hole 8 in May 2012 by John 'Kepi' Moore

Hole 8 in July 2013

Hole 8 - middle and green - in July 2013

Hole 9 in May 2012 by John 'The Man of a Thousand Nicknames' Moore

The Green of hole 9 in May 2012

Hole 9 in July 2013