Crazy Golf at the De La Warr Pavilion 26-27 November 2005

I popped along to the De La Warr, Bexhill for a go at the anarcho-surrealistic crazy golf. And there was an element of anarchy, I took Major Mayhem with me!  We should have putted all the way around, on another occasion perhaps we will. A metal-headed putter and MM don't go together. 

The Bexhill seafront crazy golf course, sadly hopelessly neglected, is to be replaced by a hotel. Sound familiar? Well only with regard the hotel, another unimaginative regeneration scheme perhaps.
How do you regenerate an area? - you build a hotel and a conference centre - next regeneration scheme please and we are absolutely certain that we've ignored what the locals think. Instead of an uninterrupted panorama of white horses they'll have a view of some middle class perv shagging a trouser press. The course in its heyday would have been great fun, the previous time I'd played it, some five years ago, it had a relatively fresh coat of paint - no repairs were ever done, the holes got bigger the concrete divots became craters. It is crap, it was crap but at one time it was somebody's dream come true and it has to be better than a hotel which'll soon sink under the waves of untreated sewage, that or a melting ice cap.

Some bloke wondered around with a suitcase looking pensive, staring blankly seaward as a displaced refugee might have done, well, through an artists eye. Then he returned to his set of suitcases. Homeward bound.

Some showgirls walked about looking sultry. A man had to put around one, he should have asked to play through, just move your legs a little wider apart dear.

The holes were dispersed around the building and then you had to trek over to the old crazy golf course for a full round with detours around skateboarders and trick cyclists on the way. Unfortunately the lawn surrounding it had been freshly mown, little irregular shapes of dogs do-dos were splattered everywhere.  A sure sign of urban decay.

What did I think of it? I liked the idea, I liked the artist, Richard Dedomenici, I liked the setting.
Did it work? On what level? Yes, it highlighted the inevitability of 'progress' through a regenerators eyes. Marketeers, how stale and thoughtless, how little consideration for anything but their own continued existence. Playability, great for the kid with his flashing ball. 
Daddy lost in thought. Lost in thought in Bexhill, how could that happen...

And what an innovation, Hole 0, a praccy hole in crazy golf - I love it.

I would like to play the hole (sic) of the De la Warr Pavilion to be truly anarchic, putting through the art exhibition, through the cafe and into the lift would be fun. Can't really do that with Major Mayhem as he'd probably knock someone unconscious with the putter provided. This is an adult endeavour as we might be turfed out, so I need a volunteer for the next goodbye to a crazy golf course!!

Hole 2

Recycling at it's best - a milk container

Hole 3

Flashing eyeball

Richard Dedomenici doing some running repairs

Finish of hole 3

Sadly the balcony was closed - 'the links hole' to the outside world

Richard Dedomenici on youtube.com