Arnold Palmer Putting Courses

[Ace Man]

Some of you are aware that I'm researching AP courses.
Anyone who has any information, ephemera, old pictures, postcards anything at all really. Please let me know.

Here is some of the information I've collected so far....
http://www.miniaturegolfer.com/arnold_p ... _golf.html

And if there are any AP course operators reading this that haven't received my questionnaire, again please let me know. Thanks.

And I need help!
Squire is heavily involved, so that's the royal I again

I need up to date piccies of what's left.
If Peter Jones is out there, does Rhyll incorporate any of the original AP features?

[Ace Man]

I've blogged
http://www.miniaturegolfer.com/ace%20ma ... 0blog.html

[Peter Jones]

Unfortunately, Denbighshire County Council's 2006 redevelopment of that part of the Western Promenade meant that the Arnold Palmer course was demolished, as it was all turned into a concrete-surrounded garden design, with a new, very poor, course and a new paddling pool replacing the original one. Other than that, the other new 'attractions' are municipal leisure facilities - bike park and children's play area - along with a 'Moments in Time' concrete display showing photos of Rhyl promenade through the years. It doesn't include any of the course.

I do have a couple of postcards that feature the course, and a free game pass from the time that it wasn't properly maintained, with no surface. I have another postcard of the Exmouth coarse, that was specifically an Arnold Palmer card.

I've looked for postcards of the two Arnold Palmer coarses in Presatyn, but I don't think there are any of the Central Beach one. There may be one of the long-lost Ffrith Beach version, but there don't seem to be many postcards of the Ffrith from the 70s or 80s. I have some photos from day-trips but none with the course in.

I do have all the history of the obstacles on the Central Beach course. A previous owner added a crocodile and an obstacle with three pipes, which have both since been discarded. One of the original obstacles was also thrown away, as it had rotted. It was the one where the ball comes out at through little holes at the sides. The people who run the course have a great big book with all the information about Arnold Palmer courses in general, given to course managers, including diagrams of all the different obstacles.

There's a postcard of one of the American courses that is on eBay sometimes, but I've only ever seen the same one.

I knew that the Blackpool Starr Gate course was doomed when I heard of the new tram station there. Blackpool Council is run by idiots. When I hear them being interviewed on the North West news, I wonder how such thick people ever get into those positions. They're obseessed with moving Blackpool upmarket, into a middle-class resort with higher-spending visitors.

[Ace Man]

Many Thanks Peter!
I need to talk to you, can you pm me your phone number or email.

[Peter Jones]

I had a trip to Blackpool yesterday, hoping to find out about developments at Starr Gate. Walking down the South Shore, my heart sunk, as there was the skeleton of the big new tram depot looming in the distance, where the arnold Palmer course and the go-cart track have always been. Having feared the worst, I was relieved that only the go-cart track has gone, with the course unharmed.

I took some photos first, from behind the perimeter railings, until I noticed the boards with the plans for the site. I climbed over the barrier by the side of the road so I could read them, and after trawling through all the commercial gobbledegook - although it didn't look good from the diagrams of the completed project - I noticed, in small print on the map, an arrow with the words 'Existing crazy golf course to remain'.

This is a bit baffling, a I'd have thought these would have been up from the start of the works, so I'll have to find confirmation of whether this is the case, but I'd also have thought if the course was to be demolished, it would have been done by now, as it seems to have been deliberately left intact. Good news, hopefully.

[squirerichard]

I had a trip to Blackpool yesterday, hoping to find out about developments at Starr Gate. Walking down the South Shore, my heart sunk, as there was the skeleton of the big new tram depot looming in the distance, where the arnold Palmer course and the go-cart track have always been. Having feared the worst, I was relieved that only the go-cart track has gone, with the course unharmed.

I took some photos first, from behind the perimeter railings, until I noticed the boards with the plans for the site. I climbed over the barrier by the side of the road so I could read them, and after trawling through all the commercial gobbledegook - although it didn't look good from the diagrams of the completed project - I noticed, in small print on the map, an arrow with the words 'Existing crazy golf course to remain'.

This is a bit baffling, a I'd have thought these would have been up from the start of the works, so I'll have to find confirmation of whether this is the case, but I'd also have thought if the course was to be demolished, it would have been done by now, as it seems to have been deliberately left intact. Good news, hopefully.

'Existing crazy golf course to remain'

[Ace Man]

When I spoke to the owner a couple of weeks ago he was quite clear, the course will close at the end of this year.
As far as I know, that is still the case.

[Peter Jones]

They have the schedule up for the various stages of completion. The redevelopment of the tram system as whole won't be completed until Easter 2012, but the map I read was of the completed Starr gate depot. When that was put up, the intention was, obviously, to preserve the course.

[Ace Man]

Perhaps I should have another chat with the owner........

[otterpond]

The next time I go to Weston-Super-Mud I will be sure to get some photos, although I don't tend to work in Weston much these days, so don't hold your breath!

[Ace Man]

Many Thanks
And could you ask them if they have any ephemera?

[Peter Jones]

Mentioning Weston-Super-Mare, I wondered whether anyone was familiar with the course near Minehead. I suppose it won't be open yet, but I've stayed in Minehead three times in the last few years, so I'm no stranger to that part, but I only realised there was a course in Blue Anchor when I looked it up on the list There's no mention of it on the leaflets for the West Somerset Railway, although it mentions a crazy golf at Blue Anchor, on their website. It's over three miles from Minehead. It's a horrible journey by car or bus from Taunton, so the way to get there is the free bus to Bishops Lidyeard, and then then a steam or diesel train from there.

There was a Southern TV children's drama, aired in 1977-78, starring Sheila Fearn, of The Likely Lads and George & Mildred, Gwyneth Strong, who played Cassandra in Only Fools and Horses, and Blue Peter's Peter Duncan, and was filmed almost entirely on the line.

Sheila Fearn was only in the first of the two series, due to filming of the second series of George & Mildred, which had attracted audiences of over 20 million. In the first series, after the Ropers had moved to Peacock Crescent, Hampton Wick, They visited Geoffrey Fourmile's local. The Genevieve George had wanted to go the Pig & Welly as they had a drag act on but Mildred wanted him to join their new neighbour and his snobby friends at the golf club. One of them told him to try the crazy-golf at the park as they let anyone join.

The episode of Rising Damp, when gentleman thief Seymour asked Rigsby if he played, his reply was "No, but I do have a feeling for the game. I did very well one year on the front at Skegness, but I got stuck in front of one of those little wooden windmills". A reference to the Arnold Palmer course.

[Peter Jones]

I had a look at Weston-Super-Mare's Arnold Palmer course, renamed Crazy Hills Putting, and although it wasn't open, it's in good upkeep, and decorated with palm trees and a shelter with a bench and table. The whole of the promenade is undergoing alterations, including the land next to the course. I asked someone working there whether the course was about to be demolished, as it looked as though that could have been about to happen, as they were just starting work next to it, which I think was a grass putting course. Apparently though, The course is staying as it is.

[Ace Man]

The episode of Rising Damp, when gentleman thief Seymour asked Rigsby if he played, his reply was "No, but I do have a feeling for the game. I did very well one year on the front at Skegness, but I got stuck in front of one of those little wooden windmills". A reference to the Arnold Palmer course.

Excellent stuff Peter, keep em coming

[Ace Man]

I had a look at Weston-Super-Mare's Arnold Palmer course, renamed Crazy Hills Putting, and although it wasn't open, it's in good upkeep, and decorated with palm trees and a shelter with a bench and table. The whole of the promenade is undergoing alterations, including the land next to the course. I asked someone working there whether the course was about to be demolished, as it looked as though that could have been about to happen, as they were just starting work next to it, which I think was a grass putting course. Apparently though, The course is staying as it is.

And Phew!

[squirerichard]

Arnold Palmer East Course in Southend on Sea today:

http://twitpic.com/16lwev

http://twitpic.com/16lwjh

http://twitpic.com/16lwlv

Thanks to my 'spy' on the road for the snaps.

No update on the old West course. Still mud/dirt I suppose - http://hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com/20 ... -west.html