Crazy golf fan en route to playing every course in the UK!

He's just got 100 more to go...

Andy Roberts's picture
Fri, 22 Sep 2017

A crazy golf fan has revealed how he has played nearly 800 courses in his quest to play every single one in the United Kingdom.

In an interview with Manchester Evening News, Richard Gottfried explained how he discovered his passion for crazy golf as a youngster and has since played a total of 779 with around 100 more left. 

Richard - who visits each crazy golf venue with his wife Emily - can also play a bit too as he reached the final of a national pairs competition earlier this month.

The 36-year-old came through the qualifiers of the Adventure Golf National Pairs Championship with fellow crazy golfer Peter Jones, and then played on a special course at The Belfry against nine other pairs.

The duo made the final before narrowly losing in the last round of the competition sponsored by retailer American Golf.

"I like the fact crazy golf is open to anyone, unlike actual golf you just turn up, you don’t need to book a tee off time and you don’t need particular clothing," Richard told Manchester Evening News.

"I play a bit of pitch and putt too but I can’t hit distance shots, crazy golf is all about accuracy. You have nowhere to hide and there is no margin for error.

"It can be nerve-wracking if you are playing to win as there will often only be one or two shots in it. But you have to put that to the back of your mind and play each hole as it comes.

"It is all about practice, if you can walk the hole before you have your shot and have a good look where you are hitting the ball as there are always unexpected lumps and hazards and maybe a sneaky hidden way to the hole.”

Richard says his favourite crazy golf courses are in Skegness, Lincolnshire, where there are 10 of them on the seafront. 

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