2022 - A Quiet Beginning...

I'm not really a 'killjoy' but I've never been into celebrating the New Year coming in/Old Year's Night, and, taking notice of the pandemic's persistence, I didn't really want to enter anywhere that had too many others crammed into it, so I had a quiet time on the 31st of December and on the 1st of January. Being in the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club, I did take part in our 'friendly' New Year Knockabout, and yes it was a wee bit competitive... 😉 2 of the members in the image above (it was a bit chilly) finished in the top 3, David H coming first; this after us all playing on each of the 3 courses at Hastings Adventure Golf (website), and well done to all, particularly Mr H!*

Talking about COVID-19 and the incidence in Hastings, as in all over Europe, has been increasing significantly, particularly among younger people, although we're still significantly below the national (huge) average with over a thousand infected individuals in Hastings, which works out as 1,160 per 100,000 in the week ending the 1st of January, compared to the 1,676 per 100,000 average in England (BBC).

So, remember to stay safe folks!

* I came 12th... 😀 out of 12 😏 as I'm not much cop... Happy New Year!

Another Planet Hastings Charity Donation

Marion and David H and Dave G of Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club yesterday donated £85, via their collection box in the Dolphin Inn, to Armed Forces Bikers (website). Armed Forces Bikers is a registered charity (no: 1147967) that assists former members of the UK armed forces in need as a result of physical or psychological harm suffered whilst in service, to help them resettle and/or rehabilitate into civilian life following service, and to relieve the needs of former members and their families.

Grants are provided for many reasons, eg to help move into rented accommodation by paying bonds, acquiring domestic equipment, to provide short-term hardship funds, to pay for training courses that help to gain employment, travel expenses to unemployed veterans for courses, meetings and interviews, and equipment, such as laptops, that help unemployed veterans find employment and write CVs.

The photograph above is of the same 3 donors when they presented Mark, landlord of the Dolphin Inn, a few years ago, with a contribution to go towards his efforts to raise money to support the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation (blog). 

Generous friends indeed, many thanks again!

World Crazy Golf Results.

Well, I've been otherwise occupied, not doing very well, at the World Crazy Golf Championships 2021 (previous blog) which were held over the weekend. But, many competitors did very well indeed!

So my congratulations go to David Jermey, who won the Novice competition, Marc Chapman, who again won the Pro competition, and although the results page doesn't mention all the events, one I do know, and my congratulations also go to the 2 Davids and Marion who made up the Planet Pensioners winners in the Team competition! 

To see the full results of the Novice and Pro competitions go to this website.

Crazy Crazy Golf!

 

Yesterday saw the inaugural Ted's Planet Hastings Seasonal Sprouting competition at the Adventure Golf Course, and I was coaxed into taking part, indeed, I feel like I am being 'groomed' into joining Planet Hastings! It was a beautiful morning, just a tad cool, and the competition involved 2 rounds, one over the Pirate course, and a 'crazy crazy' round over the conventional Crazy Golf course.

Dave G won overall, and a good time was had, and with a few bevvies afterwards. I came in the bottom half as expected; see the Planet Hastings facebook page for full results. And well organised Ted, many thanks!

The Crazy World Crazy Golf Weekend!

So why hadn't I blogged over the weekend? 1) IT problem; 2) Consequently I'd been using the library IT facilities; 3) I couldn't use the library's facilities Friday (practice) and Saturday ('not' competing, but taking part!) in the World Crazy Golf Championships 2018. See last week's blog, Cheers Davids and Maz!

One David 'kicks off' on Saturday!

Finishing off at the first hole, with organiser Sean to the right (light blue shirt).

Russell at the final hole (really, he's there!)

OK, I was only trying to cope in the 4 rounds of Saturday as a 'novice', first 3 rounds with Sean the organiser and Dee, who came eighth in the Novice Championship, nice one Dee! Both were a pleasure to go round with, and my third round showed a wee bit more promise. Russell Smith, who I'd gone round with for a practice round the day before, easily won the Novice event with a quality 10 under par, congratulations to him, well deserved! I've since been told he's now a member of Planet Hastings (blog); 2nd was Chris Horn, and 3rd Mark Berezicki.

Evidence I was there!

The fourth round, and us novices were playing with other novices with similar scores from the first 3 rounds, quite fun, even though I fell apart a couple of times, notably at the 16th hole (or 70th), and dropped from 26th to 32nd, oh well, it's only a game. 😉 Anyway, the 2 lads I went round with Simon (dressed as a 'classic' golfer, quality) and Dan were pleasant company too. Afterwards I discovered that Dan was one of the 4-strong Bavard Bar (website) team, of which I met 2 more later, good craic, we'd even been in touch via social media before, small world it is!

The second day of competition, Sunday, saw some novices join the pros for further crazy golf fun, here Russ, the previous day's champion is in the centre of this image, for his first competition he actually came seventh overall, 14 under, story of the weekend, nice one indeed! Overall winner was Marc Chapman, 26 shots under par; 2nd Adam Kelly, one shot behind; 3rd Michael Smith, a further one shot behind Adam.

You can guess that I refrained from taking part in crazy golf play on Sunday, thank you very much, and spent lunch and the early afternoon at the Cinque Ports Arms in All Saints Street, I think I deserved to relax, cheers!

Goodnight from Hastings Adventure Golf!

Overall, yes, I enjoyed myself, although because I took part this year I can no longer take part as a 'novice' at future championships, so don't expect me to humiliate myself again next year, though don't let that hold you back if entering as a novice, there's money to be won! But, seriously, everyone I talked to was very friendly and helpful, whether novices, pros or organisers, so many thanks to them all, cheers!

If you want to see the full results list, go to their website.

Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Donation

This is another update on how the fundraising is going for Mark Little and the 3 other volunteers in his team, who will be kayaking across the English Channel from Dungeness to Boulogne in August in support of Elsie-Rose and the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation. The two Davids and Maz today, ie the Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club, donated £142 towards the cause on behalf of Elsie-Rose, many thanks!

Elsie-Rose was diagnosed with Type I SMA in September 2014, a condition that causes severe muscle weakness, and results in problems moving, eating, breathing and swallowing. Without intervention, most children with Type I SMA die within the first 2 years of life, however, the resilient Elsie-Rose strives to carry on and enjoy life just like all other young children! 

Because many of the expenses involved in supporting children with Type I SMA are not provided by the Department of Health or NHS, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation was set up to help provide help and financial support to families with disabled, sick, and terminally ill children. After meeting Elsie-Rose and her family, Mark and his team decided to kayak across the English Channel with the aim of raising money for Elsie-Rose and the Foundation.

If you wish to know more about Elsie-Rose, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation and their campaign, you can go to their facebook page or twitter page. If you would like more details about SMA Type 1, go to the Spinal Muscular Atrophy website.

To make a contribution towards supporting this brave young girl and others with similar problems, please make a donation via Crowdfunding or visit the Dolphin Inn and make a pledge to support the team's kayaking challenge, or add to the collection box, indeed, all contributions are very gratefully received, many thanks!