Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Flag

Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open 2006

(A tribute to Stephen Potter - 'Gamesmanship' is alive and well)

Ace Man wins again

In Martin Scorcese's film Taxi Driver the excitable lead character delivers the famous line "one day a real rain is going to come, wash all the scum off the streets."  And on Saturday a real rain did come, nearly washing all the minigolfers off Clambers, down the cliff and into the English Channel. For Steve Preston it was a taster of what International bog snorkling is all about.
The organisers attempts to get everyone out and playing the Adventure course before the public arrived was fruitless as in the inclement weather the public decided to stay indoors, or go shopping in Debenhams - it was blue cross day.
There was no one more blue or cross than Martin Robertson who managed a 59 on the Adventure course-putting him a 22 shots behind the leader (Tim Davies of course) and 15 shots behind his brother with 3 rounds left to play. The next round on crazy Martin hit a personal best of 36. Not since Nicholas Parsons presented Sale of the Century from Norwich had so many wonderful prizes been on offer.
For getting an ace on a particular hole players could win anything from £40 (no one won this), £25 (no one won this) to Musical Youth's first album (both Jam and Andy Exall won this - Jam gets to have it for 25 years before passing it on to Andy.)
Sadly no one wanted the Shari Lewis and Lambchop annual, and at least 15 players are fighting it out to win the Babylon 5 weekend held at tournament sponsor John "Big Top Ted" McIver's mothers house.
Mrs McIver has bought extra tins of pilchards and plenty of Nimble bread - the lucky winner can settle down on the vinyl and watch such classic stories as the coming of the Shadows during the Narn/Mimbari war with expert commentary coming from Mr McIver. Not sure when the play off is scheduled though.
In the second round Elliott Selby crackled around the course in just 34, beating the mighty Ace Man by one shot. Trevor Exall put the know-how he got from the World Crazy Golf Championships to good use by also making 35. The Exalls though had little experience of Clambers or the Adventure course, and they finished on the same score of 158, though Trevor missed out on the Musical Youth album - with rare poster inside.
Some of the competitors had faced a fallen tree across the railway tracks on their journey down from London. Worst was to follow at Clambers as a sea mist engulfed all into its grey maw. The remake of John Carpenters The Fog could have been set at White Rock as players peered through the gloom to try and see the hole.
In such wretched conditions the scorecards turned to papier mache as did second placed Bill Bullins resolve. Bill lost his concentration in the condensation and finished in third place level with a rather damp Big Top.
Tim finished top on 3 of the 4 courses, his total dominance only thwarted by Eliott Selby on crazy golf.
Apart from Tim the only other player to score less than 40 on each course was Ruth Bullin.
Tim played an exceptional last round scoring a staggering 31. Chris Harding put broom to good use to sweep the water from the course made sure of second place with a waterproof 35.  va va broom indeed.
The Continentals would never have played in such dreadful conditions -- girlymen. The Brits played through to a saturated end.  Unsurprisingly a large crowd didn't gather at the end as they had all legged it home to dry put.  Bill, despite playing the toilet break card, was flushed away by Ted on the fifth.
The prize giving was done more by touch than sight in the dark, dank Hastings evening.
Once again Ace Man triumphed and walked away with the magnificent trophy and a second class stamp. If only he had any friends to send a letter to.....

Words: Ted McIver

 

  Adventure Crazy Mini Clambers Total Ave Aces Rank pts
1 Tim 37 35 35 31 138 34.50 15 580
2 Chris 37 36 42 35 150 37.50 6 280
3 Ted 37 38 36 40 151 37.75 9 255
4 Bill 38 37 35 41 151 37.75 7 255
5 Ruth 39 39 35 39 152 38.00 12 230
6 Doc 40 36 39 40 155 38.75 6 155
7 John Moore 43 35 37 41 156 39.00 7 130
8 Steve 38 38 40 40 156 39.00 8 130
9 Brad 40 39 40 38 157 39.25 2 105
10 Trevor 41 35 38 44 158 39.50 5 80
11 Andy 43 35 39 41 158 39.50 6 80
12 Jon 39 36 40 45 160 40.00 6 30
13 Jam 42 36 39 43 160 40.00 6 30
14 Elliott 41 34 46 40 161 40.25 5 1
15 Russ 40 38 36 47 161 40.25 8 1
16 Rocky 43 38 36 50 167 41.75 5 1
17 Duncan 45 40 46 37 168 42.00 4 1
18 Mike 43 43 38 46 170 42.50 5 1
19 Chris 42 39 43 46 170 42.50 2 1
20 Euan 40 41 46 43 170 42.50 1 1
21 Jim 48 43 43 43 177 44.25 7 1
22 Richard 48 41 42 48 179 44.75 2 1
23 Lel 42 43 49 45 179 44.75 3 1
24 Trevor R 44 40 47 50 181 45.25 2 1
25 Steve Preston 45 43 46 52 186 46.50 3 1
26 Jan 49 43 40 55 187 46.75 3 1
27 Giselle 55 41 44 48 188 47.00 3 1
28 Magda 45 47 55 42 189 47.25 5 1
29 Martin R 59 36 49 48 192 48.00 5 1
30 Tom 42 51 49 52 194 48.50 2 1
31 Dave 49 45 43 58 195 48.75 3 1
32 Phil 50 45 46 56 197 49.25 2 1
33 Simon 46 44 53 55 198 49.50 2 1
34 Tammy 53 44 54 53 204 51.00 3 1
35 Brian 51 41 45 126 263 DNF 2 0
  43.83 39.86 42.60 45.06       2361

(edited 27 May)

Chris 'Who' Harding gets a cup for second place

Bill Bullin and Big Top after the play-off

Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open,  March 25 2006

 

2001 Result: 1. Mark Spry  2. John McIver  3. Tim Davies (played on Seafront Crazy Golf & Seafront minigolf)

2002 Result: 1. John McIver  2. Tim Davies  3. Michael Webb  (played on Clambers, Seafront Crazy Golf & Seafront minigolf)

2003 Result: 1. Tim Davies  2. Michael Webb  3. John McIver (played on Clambers, Seafront Crazy Golf, minigolf & Adventure Golf)

2004 Result: 1. John McIver  2. Tim Davies   3. Steve Gow  (played on Clambers, Seafront Crazy Golf, minigolf & Adventure Golf)

2005 Result: 1. Tim Davies  2. John McIver  3. Ruth Bullin (played on Clambers, Seafront Crazy Golf, minigolf & Adventure Golf)

Hastings Seafront Crazy Golf  Home of The World Crazy Golf Championships and the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open. Current BMGA record 32, Big Top Ted McIver, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies & Brad Shepherd (17/10/2004).  Current Planet Hastings CGC record is 30, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies.  Worst score 50, Peter 'El Presidente' Parr 16/3/2003.  <review> <pics>

Hastings Seafront Minigolf  Current Planet Hastings CGC record & BMGA record is 33, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (16/10/2004).  All-comers tournament play record 32, Olivia Prokopova (Cze). Worst score 57, Big Top Ted McIver 20/1/2002.  Greatest winning margin 15 shots, Ace Man beat Big Top 20/1/2002. <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.  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 - 53 - Vicky 'Sex Bomb' Sweeting.  Current Official Tournament, BMGA, PHCGC & course record 28, Tim 'Ace Man' Davies (14/9/2003).  <review> <pics>

 

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Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Flag