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Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club
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The best Crazy Golf Club in the UK, if not the World!
(A tribute to Stephen Potter - 'Gamesmanship' is alive and well)
Latest news: Ace Man wins British Championship
Ace Man wins English Open
Big Top wins English Open!
Ace Man wins Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Open with Plate Thrower 4th
Planet Hastings welcome Steve 'F1' Gow as their newest signing
Ace Man wins
Prokopova
Olivia Prokopova wins US Masters Womens and Junior divisions
Ace Man wins Fake Crazies
Ace Man wins TWIT
Planet Hastings retain BMGA Club Championship
'Harry Putter' wins Midland Open 2nd Ace Man 3rd Big Top 4th The Conqueror - another clean sweep!
The Exalls leave Planet Hastings to form the Tunbridge Wells club
'Ace Man' third in British Open, Olivia takes the womens title
'Ace Man' wins BMGA Players Championship with 'The Conqueror' 4th
'The Conqueror' 4th in the English Open
'Ace Man' 4th, Olivia 7th and 'Harry Putter' 8th in Irish Open
BMGA British Masters 1. Trevor Exall 2. John McIver 3. Andy Exall - A Planet Hastings 1,2,3
'Ace Man' & 'Big Top' second in BMGA Doubles Championship
'Ace Man' wins Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open with 'Big Top' third, Bill Bullin fourth and Ruth Bullin fifth.
New Club ball is out, the Pirate
(37,3 mm - 32 cm - 36 g - 73 shore)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins Hastings Invitational Tournament
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club win British Club Championships
Ruth Bullin wins British Womens Championship
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins British Seniors Championship
Rocky Bullin wins British Juniors Championship
'Big Top' wins BMGA Players Championship with Ace Man second
Peter Parr second in London Open
'Big Top' wins British Masters with 'Ace Man' second
'Ace Man' wins Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open with 'Big Top' second and Ruth Bullin third. A clean sweep!!
'Ace Man' wins Albert Steptoe Memorial Trophy with 'Big Top' third (results)
'Ace Man' wins with 'Big Top' second (results)
Ruth Bullin is womens
'Ace Man' 2nd and 'Big Top' 3rd in British Open
'Big Top' last in Europe and in the English Open
British Junior Championships 1. Robert Smith 2. Rocky Bullin 3. Tom Tribe
Bill Bullin 2nd and Ruth Bullin 3rd in British Seniors Championship 2004
Bill Bullin equal 2nd in London Open 2004
Planet Hastings Ball is available (piccie at end of page)
'Big Top' wins Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open
'Ace Man' 3rd and 'Big Top' 4th in British Championship
Jo Peedell wins British Womens Championship
'Ace Man' wins Hastings Invitational 2004
'Big Top' Ted McIver wins British Masters (details)
New Adventure course open (details)
Founder members Ted 'Big Top' McIver, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies and Mark 'Ice Man' Spry.
Other regular members Vicky 'Sex Bomb' Sweeting and Timmy 'Unbeaten' Sweeting-Davies.
Occasional players include Andy 'Too tired' Conway, Jason 'No name' Garwood, Jack 'Mini Ice man' Lowes, Jez 'Forrest' Kynoch, Shaun 'The Skier' Bradley and Mark 'Location' Sumner.
- There are many others -
We play regularly in Hastings.
Send me an email if you want to join us.
Ted cracks (this does take some time to load (3 mins@5KB/s), (AVI) please be patient). Here we can see the endless barrage of badinage takes it toll (care of Mark and myself). Note the clever use of 'shadow play'. Note also that Ted received a stiff rebuke for failing to acknowledge our part in this particular incident. Ted earlier (5mins@5KB/s) in the round had shown signs of the impending ignominy.
Ted ably demonstrates the 'double drop' (AVI). Note the putter falls within Mark's peripheral vision and the ball follows shortly afterwards. Note also that the backswing is not impeded (Rule 7.2) and thus is perfectly allowable.
In a complex scenario, Mark demonstrates the 'shuffle', 'shadow play', the 'wind play' using his Spurs anorak and more importantly enters into a prolonged conversation to ensure the ball has time to move. Not to be attempted by the uninitiated.
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For the technically minded the above streaming videos use Intel indeo video compression 4.4 and they work on Windows® Media Player 7.00.00.1958 and AOL 6.0. No sound is included - to save space and embarrassment. If it doesn't work you'll need to get the right codec. Note Windows Media Player 7 should NOT be installed on computers running Windows® 95 or Windows NT® 4! However, click on this button and you will probably find a more recent version for your OS. |
Here are some pictures of the courses we play:
Hastings Seafront Crazy Golf Home of The World Crazy Golf Championships and the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open. This years Open will be held on all four Hastings courses, one round on each. Current BMGA record 32, Big Top Ted McIver, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies, Brad Shepherd (17/10/2004) & Ruth Bullin (22/1/2006). Current Planet Hastings CGC record is 30, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (29/1/2006). Worst score 50, Peter 'El Presidente' Parr 16/3/2003. Most aces in a round, 7, Bill Bullin 13/11/2005. <review> <pics>
Hastings Seafront Minigolf Current Planet Hastings CGC record 33, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (16/10/2004). BMGA record Andy Exall (13/2/2008). Worst score 57, Big Top Ted McIver 20/1/2002. Greatest winning margin 15 shots, Ace Man beat Big Top 20/1/2002. Most aces in a round, 7, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies 9/9/2006<review> <pics>
Hastings Seafront Adventure Golf Current Planet Hastings CGC record Tim 'Ace Man' Davies 34 (24/3/2006). Current BMGA record Tim 'Ace Man' Davies 35 (4/2/2006). Worst score 52, Big Top Ted McIver (25/9/2003). <review> <pics>
Clambers Home of the BMGA British Open and home to Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club. Official Club night record - 33 - Big Top Ted McIver (11&18/6/2001) and Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (25/6/2001 & 2/7/2001(twice)). Worst score - 60 - Rocky 'Harry Putter' Bullin. Current Official Tournament, BMGA, PHCGC & course record 28, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (14/9/2003), Torgny Kjellstrom (10/9/2006). Most aces in a round, 9 (13/9/2003) Ace Man <review> <pics>
Other PHCGC records and comments. Consecutive holes in one - 5 - Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (Clambers 3/5/2003). 3 consecutive round total 92 - Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (32,32,28 14/9/2003). 4 consecutive round total 125 - Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (32,32,28,33 14/9/2003). 5 consecutive round total 164 - Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (32,32,28,33,39 14/9/2003). Most holes in one in a round at Clambers - 9 - Tim 'Ace Man' Davies & Big Top Ted McIver (14/9/2003). Best game, Heinz Weber v Tim 'Ace Man' Davies 28-31 (30/8/2002), how can you get 31 and lose by 3 shots! Most sartorially elegant - Big Top Ted McIver. Most sartorially inelegant - Big Top Ted McIver. Cleanest plimsolls and least enthusiasm - Mark 'Ice Man' Spry. Longest unbeaten record - Timmy Sweeting-Davies - over six years. Newest member Huw Sweeting-Davies.
Player Profiles
2005 season
Ace Man wins
Ace Man wins Hastings Invitational
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club win British Club Championships
Ruth Bullin wins British Womens Championship
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins British Seniors Championship
Rocky Bullin wins British Juniors Championship
'Big Top' wins BMGA Players Championship with Ace Man second
Peter Parr second in London Open
'Big Top' wins British Masters with 'Ace Man' second.
'Ace Man' wins the PHCGC Open with 'Big Top' second and Ruth Bullin third. A clean sweep!!
2004 season
'Ace Man' wins with 'Big Top' second. Ruth Bullin is womens 'Big Top' and 'Ace Man' equal BMGA record for seafront crazy golf of 32. 'Ace Man' sets new BMGA record for seafront mini golf of 33 (results)
'Ace Man' 2nd and 'Big Top' 3rd in British Open
'Big Top' last in Europe and in the English Open
British Junior Championships 1. Robert Smith 2. Rocky Bullin 3. Tom Tribe
Bill Bullin 2nd and Ruth Bullin 3rd in British Seniors Championship
Bill Bullin equal 2nd in London Open 2004
We now have a club ball thanks to Pro-Golf (piccie at end of page).
'Big Top' wins Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open
'Ace Man' 3rd and 'Big Top' 4th in British Championship
Jo Peedell wins British Womens Championship
'Ace Man' wins Hastings Invitational 2004
'Big Top' Ted McIver wins British Masters (details) and sets new BMGA record for Southend Adventure Golf of 35.
2003 seasonThe club still has the top two players in the UK rankings as well as the British Champion, Womens British Champion, British Senior Champion, . Even more successful than last year which is pretty incredible, I'm running out of superlatives.
'Ace Man' wins with 'Big Top' second. 'Big Top' sets new BMGA record for seafront mini golf of 34 (results)
'Ace Man' wins the PHCGC Open with 'Big Top' third (details)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies comes second in the British Open breaking the course record for Clambers with an awesome 28, Big Top Ted McIver was third. (details)
Ruth Bullin wins British Womens Championship with Vicky Sweeting second
Bill Bullin wins BMGA British Senior Championship with Joan Davies fourth (results)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins the Hastings Invitational Tournament breaking the BMGA course record for Clambers with an awesome 30, Big Top Ted McIver was second. (details)
Big Top Ted McIver wins the British Championship with Tim 'Ace Man' Davies second. Ace Man sets a new BMGA course record of 32 along with Will Eagar. (details)
Tom Tribe wins, Rob Smith 12-16 winner, Phoebe Tribe 9-11 winner, Rocky Bullin under 9 winner at the British Junior Championships (details)
Peter 'El Presidente' Parr wins the London Open with Ace Man second, Ace Man equals the BMGA course record twice. (details)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins the BMGA Players Championship and now jointly holds the BMGA course record for Hastings Seafront Adventure Golf along with Ian Parker & Michael Webb, with a superlative 37. (details)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies wins the BMGA British Masters and now jointly holds the BMGA course record for Adventure Island, Southend. (details)
2002 season
The club still has three of the top four players in the UK rankings as well as the British Champion and womens British Champion. Even more successful than last year which is pretty amazing.
PHCGC beat LMC by 9 shots in the British Club Championship (details). Peter 'El Presidente' Parr sets new BMGA course record for Broomfield Park with an excellent 38.
Big Top Ted McIver won the PHCGC Open with Tim 'Ace Man' Davies second. (details)
Big Top Ted McIver retains his British Championship title with Tim 'Ace Man' Davies second. Vicky 'Sex Bomb' Sweeting wins the British Womens Championship title for the third straight year. Vicky got knocked out in the quarters of the British Open and Ted & Tim succumbed in the semis. (details)
Peter 'El Presidente' Parr was second and Tim 'Ace Man' Davies third in the English Open. (details)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies now holds the BMGA Eternit course record with a stunning 24.
Peter 'El Presidente' Parr now jointly holds the BMGA Beton course record with an excellent 34.
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies won the Hastings Invitational Tournament, Big Top Ted McIver was second and new member Peter 'El Presidente' Parr third. (details)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies took second in the BMGA Players Championship at Broomfield Park [<review>], he lost the chance to retain the trophy having won it twice in succession due to a sterling performance from Lionel Bender. (details)
Big Top Ted McIver took second in the National Open held at Stratford-upon-Avon mini golf [<review>] after a thrilling sudden-death, which turned out to be a lingering death for Tim 'Ace Man' Davies who lost on the fifteenth extra hole. McIver elected to putt first having won the toss. Davies consistently out-putted McIver on the first shot until the treacherous 13th, then McIver took charge and finally the mentally exhausted Davies succumbed when McIver aced the 15th. (details)
Tim 'Ace Man' Davies now jointly holds the BMGA course record for Stratford, along with Lionel Bender, with an excellent 35.
Big Top Ted McIver won the British Masters with Tim 'Ace Man' Davies third. (details)
Southend: Davies and McIver found a quiet cul-de-sac to avoid the groupies.
Buddy Holly Anniversary Test Match Sunday Feb 3rd 2pm on both seafront courses was abandoned due to the fact that I was the only one to turn up!
In the Resolution Test match the ex-British Champion beat the Womens British Champion - just !
In the November brace of test matches 'Ice Man' and 'Ace Man' post new BMGA records for Hastings Seafront minigolf and 'Big Top' equals his own BMGA record on Hastings Seafront crazy golf.
2001 season
Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club members won the BMGA players championship (Tim 'Ace Man' Davies) and the most coveted title of all, the British Championship (Big Top Ted McIver) with Tim 'Ace Man' Davies third. Vicky 'Sex Bomb' Sweeting retained her womens British title and her number one place in the womens rankings and subsequently was named the British Minigolf Team coach. Big Top Ted McIver and Tim 'Ace Man' Davies also managed second and third respectively in the British Masters. In the final tournament of the year, the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open, Mark 'Ice Man' Spry finally broke his duck, with Big Top Ted McIver a close second and Tim 'Ace Man' Davies third. All this means the club now has three of the top four players in the UK rankings. Club members hold all the BMGA course records for the Hastings courses. The most successful season in the clubs history!
I represented Planet Hastings at a tournament in Vergiate, Italy. Read the report here, the gulf between our respective nations is very apparent, however I had a wonderful time and hearty thanks to Max. Ted and Mark said they were going to come along but somehow Ted ended up in Bulgaria and Mark ended up on his sofa. No surprises there!
The first club night
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| The two Tims open up the clubhouse | Ted blocks the opening shot | Ten minutes later..... | Jason shows how to play the sixth |
Photos : Vicky Sweeting
General Tips and Techniques (Only to be used in 'Friendlies')
1. Buy all the Stephen Potter
books you can get hold of and inwardly digest.
2. Always offer advice to the opponent(s) even or rather especially when you're
5 shots down.
3. Don't get too personal, these things have a habit of spiralling out of
control.
4. Concentrate on the interests of your opponent(s), deliberately misnaming,
mispronouncing and misquoting.
5. Analyze their putting stroke from different positions and make it clear what
you are doing.
6. Dietary considerations - a) anything that creates copious amounts of wind. b)
anything with garlic in.
7. Personal hygiene - just be really smelly and make sure they are aware of
it. A good pong is worth at least 2 or 3 shots.
8. Be the first to congratulate and the first to commiserate and then explain
exactly why it worked or didn't.
There are a booksworth more. Please advise me if you know of any truly effective ploys.
Rules and Etiquette (revised
18/2/2004)
1. These rules shall be deemed the local rules for play on any of the four courses
in the Planet Hastings.
2. These rules are recognised by no official body except ourselves and as such are 'our rules', that is rules we use - sometimes.
3. The rules of play must be specified before the commencement of the 'game'.
3.1 Where no rules have been specified then these rules apply by default, the
ONLY exception being BMGA tournament play.
3.2 The 'game' has commenced when the 'designated' 'starter' hits the 'first shot' on the 'first hole' and not before.
4. Any bets, other than the 'usual' should be specified before the commencement of the 'game'.
4.1 The 'usual' is only disclosed to official club members. As is the definition of the 'game', as is any other term not fully explained herein.
4.2 'Special bets' may be acceptable during the course of 'play'.
5. A 'scorer' is elected before the commencement of the 'game'.
6. Once the 'game' has commenced (see rule 3.1) no one may leave the field of play without a) a doctor's note or b) a nagging partner bickering constantly or both a) and b). The standard levy is due on exiting the 'game area', should the 'usual' have been specified (see rule 4). The levy will not be applied if the game is deemed to be 'unusual'.
However, should a player come up with a c) this may be acceptable, as long as, it is not accompanied by a) and b).
7. Any 'touching' of the 'player' whilst addressing the ball is strictly forbidden unless the 'player' actively encourages this and you wish to comply. This includes blowing and any form of bodily fluid
ie drooling. If you wish to 'touch' any 'player' then this must be done before the 'player' has commenced a hole and after that hole has been finished.
7.1 The 'player's' ball may not be touched by any other person whilst they are playing a hole.
7.2 The 'player's' backswing or follow through may not be impeded.
7.3 The 'player' has full control of the flag. Though, it is only fair to ask
whether they would prefer it in or out - constantly.
8. A 'player's' 'line of sight' may not be impeded. However, the 'line of play' may be impeded if all players are playing the hole at the same time, that is a player is not 'finishing off' before the next player commences on that hole.
8.1 A 'player' may 'finish off' if the ball is within one foot (the 'player's' foot).
9. If all 'players' are playing the hole at the same time and not 'finishing off' then a 'player' may choose to
'mark' the position of his/her ball. If this is not done at the end of their turn (ie before the next 'player' 'plays') then the ball is termed
'in-play' and as such can be 'putted at'. However, if the 'player' shouts
'mark' on the completion of a shot, the 'player' must be given time to 'mark'
their ball.
9.1 If a 'player's' line is impeded by another ball, then the 'player' may ask the 'other player' to mark the position of the ball with a 'marker'. The 'other player' need not comply.
9.2 A 'marker' may not impede the 'player's line'.
9.3 If a ball is 'marked', then the ball cannot be replaced until it is that
'players' turn to 'play'.
10. If the ball leaves the putting area (fairly), it must be replaced on the tee. No other penalty is applicable.
10.1 No interference of any kind is tolerated on the nineteenth. Mobile
phones should be turned off.
11. In a 'wind-affected game' a 'player' may shield his or her ball, other
'players' may attempt to dislodge this shielding.
11.1 In a ' wind-affected game' other 'players' may utilise this force of nature by
creating gusts and eddies through deft movement.
11.2 All 'games' are considered 'wind-affected games'.
12. If a 'player' is about to 'play' out of turn then it is up to the other
'players' to point this out prior to the 'play'.
12.1 Trying to make the other 'player' 'play' again is considered bad
sportsmanship to the nth degree and will not be tolerated and could lead to
forcible deportation to the USA where that sort of thing is positively encouraged.
12.2 Deliberate delaying tactics (see rule 12.2)
12.3
(Deliberately left blank)
13. If a bird or animal removes the ball from the playing surface (this has
happened), it should be replaced at the point of departure. It should not
be played where it lies after the incident, please note Mark and Ted.
13.1 Should a bird or animal (excluding humans and trained
pets) move the ball to anywhere else on the playing surface, then the ball
should be played from where it ends up. If the ball ends up in the hole then so
be it.
14. 'Brushing' is not allowed when the ball is moving towards the hole
except by the shot 'player'. Once the ball has passed the hole any 'player' may
brush to their hearts content.
14.1 The 'brusher' must not touch the ball with either the implement or any
flying debris.
15. Deliberate damage to the 'course' will lead to immediate exclusion, loss of
deposit and a severe brow beating.
16. Water should not be redirected on the course, in any way.
16.1 However, should a player wish to play from a water hazard then that player
may deposit as much water as humanly possible on the course whilst attempting to
do so.
17. Once the 'game' has commenced (see rule 3.1), the following points of etiquette should be followed:
Planet
Hastings Crazy Golf Club Ball The "Dodo"
zero rebound weight 40 g hardness 62 shore size 37.5mm smooth