World Crazy Golf Championships

Crazy Golf, sea front, Hastings
Highest governing body	the British Minigolf Association (BMGA)
First played	2003
Characteristics
Contact	No
Type	Golf, Precision sport
Equipment	Golf club, Golf ball, Crazy golf course

The World Crazy Golf Championships (WCGC) have been staged since 2003 at the Adventure Golf Complex on Crazy Golf Course on the seafront of Hastings, East Sussex.^[1] The 2023 World Crazy Golf Championships took place on 9th, 10th & 11th June 2023.

Individual players from all over the world contest for the prestigious trophy.^[2] including England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Czech Republic, Portugal and the United States.^[3][4] During the tournament's 21-year history (to 2023), 7 different players have managed to lift the coveted trophy.

Rules and history of the WCGC

The World Crazy Golf Championships is open to everyone with no age restriction.^[5] There are also categories for women, juniors and novices each having their own dedicated trophies. The World Championship Crazy Golf courses at Hastings Adventure Golf on the town's seafront contain many hazards and obstacles over the 18 holes, including a water wheel, a windmill, an obelisk, lighthouse, ramps, bends, twists and bunkers.^[4] The World Crazy Golf Championships is a miniature golf tournament which has its own unique playing rules, such as every player using the same type of ball,^[1] thus able to have a world championship competition of its own.^[6] Up to 110 competitors (in 2019) play six qualifying rounds, four on the Saturday and two on Sunday, with just the lowest scoring 18 players making the cut to participate in the final round. Since 2010, the championship has been played on one course, the crazy golf, an Arnold Palmer type course with obstacles. Prior to this, it was played on two different 18 hole courses, the crazy golf and the former mini golf course. The winner also receives £1000 in prize money, and a further £2000 is distributed to the placed players.^[2] In 2013 Czech teenager Olivia Prokopová became the first female winner and also the youngest ever champion at the age of 18.^[7]

The World Crazy Golf Championships part of the tour of the British Minigolf Association (BMGA) which is the governing body for minigolf sport, including crazy golf.^[4] The event is normally held in October,^[8] with the final played on Sunday afternoon, in front of enthusiastic spectators, in 2007 the mayor of Hastings watched the final and then presented the prizes and trophies to the winning players.^[4] The 2023 World Crazy Golf Championships are scheduled to take place on 9th,10th & 11th June 2023.^[9]

WCGC results 2003 to present

Event	Year	Entrants	Winner	Score	2nd	Score	3rd	Score	4th	Score	5th	Score	Ref
20th	2023	87	Adam Kelly	217	Frank Bisesi	222	Ed Pope	224	Rocky Bullin	226	Callan McHugh	226	[10]
19th	2022	81	Adam Kelly	217	Marc Chapman	219	Ed Pope	222	Michael Smith	223	Frank Bisesi	223	[11]
18th	2021	74	Marc Chapman	224	Ed Pope	228	Adam Kelly	231	Michael Smith	234	Seve Kukielka	238	[12]
2020 Event cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)
17th	2019	110	Marc Chapman	235	Adam Kelly	237	Michael Smith	243	Martin Greenhead	248	Steve Lovell	251	[13][14]
16th	2018	96	Marc Chapman	226	Adam Kelly	227	Michael Smith	228	Nuno Cunha	229	Ed Pope	230	[15]
15th	2017	58	Olivia Prokopová	235	Steve Lovell	240	Will Donnelly	241	Chris Harding	241	Adam Kelly	242	[16][17]
14th	2016	71	Michael Smith	233	Sean Homer	237	Mark Wood	238	Thomas Giebenhein	238	Derek Bentall	239	[18]
13th	2015	75	Michael Smith	221	Pasi Aho	234	Chris Harding	235	Olivia Prokopová	236	Marc Chapman	237	[19]
12th	2014	62	Chris Harding	229	Nuno Cunha	236	Adam Kelly	238	Marc Chapman	238	Pasi Aho	238	[20]
11th	2013	78	Olivia Prokopová	250	Sean Homer	271	Pasi Aho	273	Marc Chapman	275	Michael Smith	275	[21]
10th	2012	53	Michael Smith	245	James Rutherford	251	Olivia Prokopová	253	Adam Kelly	255	Sean Homer	256	[22]
9th	2011	74	Michael Smith	230	Andy Exall	230	James Rutherford	230	Adam Kelly (jr)	231	Tony Kelly	231	[23]
8th	2010	54	Chris Harding	222	Peter Emmerson	223	Michael Smith	226	Marc Chapman	231	Pasi Aho	233	[24]
7th	2009	83	Keith Kellard	247	Peter Emmerson	252	John Mittler	253	Tim Davies	254	Sean Homer	254	[25]
6th	2008	68	Tim Davies	250	Chris Harding	252	Andy Exall	254	Pasi Aho	255	Jo Williamson	256	[26]
5th	2007	77	Chris Harding	248	Andy Exall	257	Brad Shepherd	258	Bill Bullin	261	Ruth Bullin	262	[27]
4th	2006	87	Tim Davies	253	Andy Exall	256	Brad Shepherd	260	John Moore	261	Pasi Aho	261	[28]
3rd	2005	102	Tim Davies	258	Olivia Prokopová	260	Pasi Aho	261	Philip Exall	262	Jon Angel	262	[28]
2nd	2004	49	Tim Davies	238	John McIver	251	Peter Emmerson	270	Peter Emmerson	270	Brad Shepherd	278	[28]
1st	2003	25	Tim Davies	272	John McIver	278	Olivia Prokopová	279	Michael Webb	283	Katerina Kulhankova	286	[28]

WCGC Roll of Honour - Champions 2003 - present

Wins	Winner	Years won
5	Tim Davies	2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2008
4	Michael Smith	2011 · 2012 · 2015 · 2016
3	Chris Harding	2007 · 2010 · 2014
3	Marc Chapman	2018 · 2019 · 2021
2	Olivia Prokopová	2013 · 2017
2	Adam Kelly	2022 · 2023
1	Keith Kellard	2009

Top 10 WCGC best scores of all time

Order	Player	Score	year	Finishing position
1	Adam Kelly	217	2022	Won [11]
2	Adam Kelly	217	2023	Won [10]
3	Marc Chapman	219	2022	2nd [11]
4	Michael Smith	221	2015	Won [19]
5	Ed Pope	222	2022	3rd [11]
6	Frank Bisesi	222	2023	2nd [10]
7	Chris Harding	222	2010	Won [24]
8	Michael Smith	223	2022	4th [11]
9	Frank Bisesi	223	2022	5th [11]
10	Chris Wood	223	2022	6th [11]
Last updated: 05.07.2023

WCGC Video History

References

50°51′18″N 0°35′13″E / 50.855°N 0.587°E / 50.855; 0.587