Oxford’s Michael Smith wins the Third Annual Weymouth Open at Lodmoor Country Park.

The third annual Weymouth Open minigolf competition was won by Oxford’s Michael Smith, with a ten shot margin over Kent Minigolf Club team mate Sean Homer. Smith scored rounds of 38 and 37 to record two new course records, breaking the old record of 41, to lift the title with a 36-hole total of 75(+3). Michael’s win was his first BMGA Tour victory, having debuted in January 2010.

The 2009 Weymouth Open Champion Kevin Moseley finished in tied third-place, with Top Junior Player Matthew Harding, after both scored 44 and 43 for a total of 87. Chris Smith and Chris Harding were in tied fifth-place, also scoring 87, but with a slightly worse round difference than Moseley or Harding Jnr. 

The competition took place at the 18-hole Pirate Adventure Golf course at the Sea Life Centre in Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth, Dorset on Sunday 10th October, and saw 18-players competing in three prize categories (overall winner, best local and best junior).

Weymouth Sea Life Centre Staff, fans and players alike were happy to see that a play-off was required again to decide the winner of one category – the 2009 title was also decided by play-off. This time a play-off was needed to see who would become the 2010 Top Local Player after Gary Wall and Allun Wakefield had both scored 99. Gary Wall eventually won on the third extra hole, after Allun had hit one of the shots of the tournament to keep the match alive on the first hole.

The tournament was organised by Pirate Adventure Golf Course Manager Ian Clayton and the staff at the Weymouth Sea Life Centre, and supported by the British Minigolf Association.

In an interesting minigolf fact, only four holes-in-one were scored at the tournament, with Michael Smith bagging two, and Richard Gottfried and Owen Johnson achieving the others.

Words: Richard Gottfried

Pic: The Homer Collective