24 Mar 2008 at 12:24 | Published by: JJM | Views: 10437 | News search

How many players participate in the biggest minigolf competition of the year 2008?

How many euros is the biggest prize money to the winner?

How many different lanes are played in the “largest” minigolf competition of the year?

Try to guess the answers to these questions. 250 players? 3000 euros? 54 lanes? Think bigger!

The greatest minigolf competition in the world is probably the Skywalk Golf tournament in Des Moines, Iowa (USA). This annual minigolf competition attracts nearly 2000 players to try their skill or luck at 54 holes (three sets of 18 lanes), which are temporarily set up along the indoor shopping streets of Des Moines city center.

The city of Des Moines has less than 200,000 residents. The annual minigolf competition attracts nearly 1 percent of the population to join the game. Skywalk Golf is one of many annual festivals organized by Downtown Events Group, a public relations organization of the city of Des Moines.

» homepage of Skywalk Golf minigolf competition
» news article in a local newspaper
» a video from Skywalk Golf competition 2008
» map of the Skywalk indoor shopping streets (dark blue colour)
» organizer of the tournament, Downtown Events Group

The biggest prize money ever awarded to a single player in minigolf competitions is probably the 50,000 dollars prize won by Mike Baldoza at 1973 PPA World Championships of open system minigolf in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA).

A similar sum of 50,000 dollars was awarded also at 1975 PPA World Championships (won by Gary Miller) and at 2000 PPA National Championships (won by Alan Quinnelly). The value of dollar was higher in 1973 than in 1975 and 2000 — due to annual inflation.

» results of 1973 PPA World Championships
» results of 1975 PPA World Championships
» results of 2000 PPA National Championships

The biggest prize money to a single player in minigolf competitions 2008 is probably the 7000 dollars (4500 euros) first prize at Wide Open minigolf tournament, organized by the Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall in Laughlin, Nevada (USA). This big-money competition is played twice every year (May and August).

In authentic casino gambling style, no one is allowed to practice the course before competition... and the tournament lasts for one round only — 18 holes. Skill or luck? Rumours tell that the winner of October 2007 competition is a Swedish guy, who is also a medalist in WMF major tournaments...

» results of Wide Open in May 2007

» invitation to Wide Open in May and October 2008

» photos of the minigolf course used at Wide Open tournaments in 2006

The “largest” minigolf competition of year 2008, what comes to number of different lanes played, is probably Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open, played on 72 holes (four courses of 18 holes each) on 15 March 2008 in Hastings, Great Britain. One round on each course.

» results of Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club Open 2008
» round 1: Seafront adventure golf
» round 2: Seafront crazy golf
» round 3: Seafront mini golf
» round 4: Clambers adventure golf

The biggest television audience ever watching a minigolf competition may not be known with certainty. German and British television channels have recently featured minigolf in various documentaries, news flashes and talk shows. But the greatest audience of all time watching entire rounds of a minigolf competition is probably found in United States.

In 2000 the American sports television network ESPN, with 72 million potential viewers, broadcast four 30-minute programs of the cup matches, as minigolf players contested for the 50,000 dollars first prize of PPA National Championships.

Also the USPMGA minigolf association has received attention of several mainstream television networks in United States, including NBC, ABC and CBS, mostly in short news flashes.

What will be the greatest moment of minigolf on television in 2008? Sounds like a match between minigolf federations PPA, USPMGA, BMGA (Great Britain) and DMV (Germany)...

» news release before 2000 PPA National Championships
» results of 2000 PPA National Championships
» website of PPA TV, with video clips
» website of USPMGA, with links to video clips
» BBC report of World Crazy Golf Championships 2007
» minigolf featured in a talk show on German television

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