The Mini Masters miniature golf tournament in Manchester

Looking back at the 'Mini Masters' miniature golf tournament in Manchester.

I won the Mini Masters miniature golf tournament in Manchester back on the 11th April 2009. Time certainly flies!

Mini Master

The Mini Masters was the first of two tournaments I won on the 9-hole Championship Miniature Golf course at what was then Playgolf Manchester. The second event being the Miniature Open in July 2009.

Lining up a big minigolf win

I won the Mini Masters with a three round total of 81 (-24) after scoring 26, 27, and 28.

A long tee-shot over and past several obstacles!

The course was the 84th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Back then the course wasn't one of our local layouts as we still lived in Luton, Bedfordshire and travelled up for the events.

Emily putting on the big miniature golf course

The Championship Miniature Golf course is no longer at the centre, but you can find an expanded Championship Miniature Golf layout with two 18-hole courses in New Brighton. We've played both layouts there.

The location is no longer a Playgolf venue either. It's now known as the Trafford Golf Centre and is home to two 18-hole dinosaur adventure golf courses. I won the Dino Falls Masters Adventure Golf competition there in 2018 too!

Visit the Trafford Golf Centre website for more information.

Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry

A look back at our visit to Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry.

We visited and played a round at Teezers Retro Golf in Coventry on Easter Sunday back in 2019. Those last five years since then have been crazy!

The 18-hole indoor Crazy Golf course at Teezers Retro Golf opened in 2018 and was the 507th course played, and 865th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour at that time.

We were still friends after our minigolf match-up

In our match-up on the intriguing layout I defeated Emily with a score of 48 to 56.

I didn't hit the bulllseye on this hole, scoring a 3 

Playing the 16th hole

Check out the Teezers Retro Golf & Cocktails website for more information, opening times and prices.

The Minigolf-Atlas

Check out the Minigolf-Atlas - a map listing miniature golf courses in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.

I recently found out about the Minigolf-Atlas, a project to map all of the minigolf courses in Germany and surrounding countries!

The project is run by the team at Miniatur-Golf-Club Wetzlar eV. They are based in central Germany and created the project to record all the minigolf facilities throughout Germany. This includes locations where clubs are based and tournaments take place, as well as the many course locations where no competitions are held.

It's brilliant to see the efforts put into the project, and it'll be an excellent resource for people to get out and play for leisure, fun, and for competition and club play.

The Minigolf-Atlas team are putting together lists of courses in other countries, and it'll be interesting to see the website develop over time.

Take a look at the Minigolf-Atlas website for more information.

It'll be a handy resource if we can find the time to visit Germany again in the future! There are still some minigolf systems, including Cobi Golf and Star Golf that we haven't yet played, and these are localised in Germany (Cobi Golf) and Germany & Austria (Star Golf).

I've played Felt Golf in Vienna, Austria at the Askoe Wien Wasserpark. That was an incredibly tough course, and the longest Swedish Felt course in Europe!

The Askoe Wien Swedish Felt Minigolf course in Vienna, Austria

I didn't get a chance to play the 'Eternit' aka Miniature Golf course there as it was out of season.

The Askoe Wien Eternit Miniature Golf course in Vienna, Austria

It was also the first place I saw the minigolf/snooker hybrid game of Pit-Pat.

Pit-Pat in Vienna, Austria

My brother Christopher, a charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and his family have visited a few courses in Germany and one in Luxembourg on their branch of the tour:

• Nittel, Germany - Minigolf
• Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany - Beton Minigolf

Minigolf in Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried

• Traben-Trarbach, Germany - Eternit Miniature Golf
• Kobern-Gondorf, Germany - Abenteuergolf
• Kobern-Gondorf, Germany - Eternit Miniature Golf

Miniature Golf in Kobern-Gondorf, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried

• Bernkastel-Kues, Germany - Minigolf

Minigolf in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried

• Gutach, Germany (Adventuregolf Gutach) - Adventure Golf
• Sasbachwalden, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany (Höfner Stübl Minigolf) - Eternit Miniature Golf

Höfner Stübl Miniature Golf in Sasbachwalden, Germany. Photo by Christopher Gottfried

• Remich, Luxembourg - Eternit Miniature Golf

Miniature Golf in Remich, Luxembourg. Photo by Christopher Gottfried 

To date, we've visited 1,044 miniature golf courses. 997 of those have been in the British Isles, while 47 have been in overseas countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (& Lanzarote, Canary Islands), Sweden and the USA. When we began our travels there were around 600 courses in the UK. There are now more than 1,000, with new courses opening all the time.

A minigolf move in Basingstoke

There are plans for a new Great Wolf resort in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

The proposed Great Wolf resort in Basingstoke would be created on the site of Basingstoke Golf Centre.

The new Great Wolf resort is an indoor water park - that would also feature a mini golf course as one of the activities.

Basingstoke Golf Centre is home to a Knights Realm Adventure Golf course. We haven't played the Knights Realm course yet, but did play the course it replaced several times, including some tournaments.

Visit the Basingstoke Golf Centre and Great Wolf Lodge resort websites for more information.

Hopefully we get back to Basingstoke to play the Knights Realm Adventure Golf course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour before it is removed. And we'll have to return again to have a game on the new Great Wolf mini golf course when that opens in the future.

Work is underway on the first Great Wolf Lodge in the UK that is set to open in Chesterton, Bicester, Oxfordshire. Like the US locations, that site looks set to be home to a miniature golf course too.

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa

A look at the Kleine Hazen Putting Park miniature golf course at Hazendal in South Africa.

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

A big thank you to my friend PJ Goedhals for sending me these photos of the 27-hole Kleine Hazen adventure putting park at the Hazendal wine estate.

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Hazendal is a wine estate located in the Stellenbosch winelands, 30 minutes from Cape Town.

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Visit the Hazendal website for more information.

Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

It was also very kind of PJ to post me a copy of the scorecard and golf ball for inclusion in the Crazy Golf Museum.

A scorecard from the Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

A scorecard from the Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

A golf ball from the Kleine Hazen Putting Park at Hazendal in South Africa. Photo by PJ Goedhals, 2023

Garden Centre Minigolf

You can find minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses at several garden centres in the UK.

Minigolf has become very popular in recent years and has developed from being a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors or out.

Charity Crazy Golf at Woburn Sands Emporium in Woburn Sands near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Much like at shopping malls, outlet centres and on the high street, customers are looking to be entertained while they shop, and garden centres are a perfect spot for a game of minigolf.

Aces Minigolf Gloucester at Dobbies Garden Centre

Check out these blog posts to find out more about the miniature golf courses that we've found out about, visited, and played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf at Fletchers Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Stafford

New crazy golf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK.

For information about new minigolf, crazy golf, and adventure golf courses opening in the UK take a look at the posts with the New course tag here on the Ham & Egger Files minigolf blog.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Visiting the Crazy Golf course at the end of the Pier in Southend-on-Sea

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 courses. Many locations have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed many many times!

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Only two of those original courses were indoor venues. Now the indoor game is booming and you can find minigolf courses indoors at shopping centres, retail parks, and in town and city centres around the country.

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,090 courses.

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Check out the full list of courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Trowbridge Park Mini Golf

A look at the Trowbridge Park Mini Golf course.

My friend and minigolf rival (and sometimes team-mate) Seth Thomas recently swung by the Trowbridge Park Mini Golf in Trowbridge, Wiltshire and sent me these snaps.

It looks to be a type of Eternit-style miniature golf layout.

Check out the Trowbridge Park Mini Golf Facebook Page for more information.

It's another new old course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New miniature golf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses opening in the UK.

If you're looking for information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK, please do check out this blog post and the New course tag.

If you know of a new course opening, do let me know too.

Obstacle Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria, June 2023

We revisited the Obstacle Golf course at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria during our short break in the Lake District last summer.

Obstacle Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria

There's also a grass Putting layout and a Pitch & Putt at Hope Park (and Boules) and there are some wonderful views of the Skiddaw mountain from the courses.

We first visited the park back in April 2012 and played the Putting course on that occasion.

Check out this blog post to see more of the course.

Mini Golf at Game On! in Carlisle

There's a new minigolf venue in Carlisle, Cumbria.

A new minigolf course has opened at Game On! in Carlisle.

The venue is also home to tenpin bowling.

Check out the Game On! website for more information.

It's another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New minigolf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK.

There are lots of new minigolf courses being built, in development or planned to open in the UK.

Minigolf is an incredibly popular activity for all ages and there are new courses opening up all the time in a wide-range of outdoor and indoor locations.

Whereas the game has traditionally been a seaside pastime, it has grown to be a game enjoyed by people in more and more towns and cities - with many catering to a late night audience.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Moby Golf in Romford, Essex

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 courses. Many locations have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed many many times!

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Only two of those original courses were indoor venues. Now the indoor game is booming and you can find minigolf courses indoors at shopping centres, retail parks, and in town and city centres around the country.

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,089 courses.

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Check out the full list of courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New minigolf courses

For information about new minigolf, crazy golf, and adventure golf courses opening in the UK take a look at the posts with the New course tag here on the Ham & Egger Files minigolf blog.

Minigolf did you knows...?

Did you know these things about minigolf?

• The world's first miniature golf course was set-up at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867.
• James Barber opened the first minigolf course in the USA in 1916. The 'Lilliputian' miniature golf course was called 'Thistle Dhu' and located in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
• A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games in the USA.
• Crazy Golf is 98 years old in 2024. The first course opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England in 1926.
• 1926 also saw the first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA. Garnet Carter opened the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930.
• The first Putt-Putt brand miniature golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA in 1954.
• There are several Guinness World Records for achievements in Minigolf, Miniature Golf, Crazy Golf, Adventure Golf, and Putt-Putt. The 2024 edition of the Guinness World Records features a whole page about minigolf.

Miniature Golf 'Days' in 2024

There are two 'miniature golf days' each year.

• National Miniature Golf Day is always on the second Saturday in May. In 2024 that will be Saturday 11th May.
• The other minigolf day, Miniature Golf Day, is always on the 21st September. In 2024 that will fall on a Saturday.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour continues...

Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Moby Golf

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 of them. Many have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed dozens of times!

Southend Pier Crazy Golf

Last year we played courses together in England, while Emily also had rounds in Majorca and Orlando!

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press last year). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,089 courses.

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Minigolf is an incredibly popular activity for all ages and there are new courses opening up all the time in a wide-range of outdoor and indoor locations.

It'll be interesting to see what takes place in the world of minigolf in 2024.

Check out the full list of courses we've visited.

Merry Christmas 2023!

Happy Christmas!

We wish you a very merry Christmas.

Christmas Crazy Golf courses from our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

54 Problems minigolf podcast - miniature golf and Guinness World Records

Have a listen to the latest 54 Problems minigolf podcast about miniature golf and Guinness World Records.

I was a guest on the latest episode of the 54 Problems minigolf podcast.

You can listen to episode 37 of the show on the 54 Problems website.

Miniature Golf Days in 2024

Details of National Miniature Golf Day and Miniature Golf Day 2024.

Each year there are two Miniature Golf Days - National Miniature Golf Day on the second Saturday in May and Miniature Golf Day on the 21st September.

In 2024 National Miniature Golf Day will be on Saturday 11th May.

In 2024 Miniature Golf Day will be on Saturday 21st September.

2024 British Minigolf Association Tournament Calendar

Details of the 2024 British Minigolf Association Tournament Events Calendar.

The British Minigolf Association has published the tournament calendar for the 2024 season.

Visit the British Minigolf Association website to find out more, and details of how you can join the BMGA and take part in events.

Please note: events are subject to change. Further events may be added to the BMGA Tour schedule.

Charity Crazy Golf at Woburn Sands Emporium

A look at the Charity Crazy Golf course at Woburn Sands Emporium in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Charity Crazy Golf at Woburn Sands Emporium

We recently found that the Woburn Sands Emporium garden centre was home to a Charity Crazy Golf course, so we had to head along for a game.

A view of the course from hole 1

The hut

The scarecrow proprietor

It's always fun finding a minigolf course we didn't previously know about. And superb when it's a unique layout.

Emily tees-off

The Crazy Golf course at Woburn Sands Emporium certainly was different, and it was brilliant to play the 7-hole course!

Emily on hole 5

Emily playing the windmill hole 3

The Charity Crazy Golf at Woburn Sands Emporium was the 1,037th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

A combined 1,037 miniature golf courses visited

A view of the course from hole 7 (the flag is from when the course had 9 holes)

In our minigolf match I took the win with a score of 17 to Emily's 18. It had been close for the first six holes, with Emily ahead by one shot. But the final hole was a round wrecker and game killer. Emily played first and shot a 6, while I was able to hit a 4 and take the win.

Playing hole 6

Photos of the 7-hole Crazy Golf course at Woburn Sands Emporium (October 2023)

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Visit the Woburn Sands Emporium website for more information about the course and the garden centre's charity partners. It's an excellent garden centre with plenty to see and do there.