Hastings to host World Crazy Golf Championship this weekend

The main event will be run over two days and a total of 7 rounds with players competing for the title and big money prizes.

The novice event will run as a one day event on Saturday June 10 with players battling it out for the prize fund. A novice is defined as a player playing in their first, or second World Crazy Golf Championships and who has not won prize money.

There will also be a Junior event on Saturday June 10 at 6pm. This will consist of a single round playing the iconic Crazy golf course, open to all juniors aged 8-14 inclusive.

Seasoned pro and twice runner up Sean Homer said. "Hastings remains the spiritual home of all things minigolf related and the World Crazy Golf Championship has been at the forefront of the game in the UK for fifteen years. I made my debut in 2006 and got hooked on the game as a result and have played in every event since then. I think it’s fantastic that the event this year is again focussing on what has always made this event so special - a fun, exciting, inclusive and entertaining spectacle for the young, old and everyone in between. The team at Hastings Adventure Golf always give the players such a welcome over the weekend and their hospitality is second to none. An absolute must play event.

In this year's professional competition, the 'holy trinity' of crazy golfers - Adam Kelly, Marc Chapman and Michael Smith – will all be vying for the top spot. All professionals will complete six rounds, with the top 18 players taking on a final seventh round.

Marc, 'The Force' Chapman, will be looking to regain his title as the World Crazy Golf Champion after being defeated by Adam Kelly in a tense final round in the 2022 event. Current champion Adam Kelly rose to fame aged 14 after winning the 2009 London Open at Llamas Park.

Both players must contend with Ed Pope, the current chairman of the British Minigolf Association, who won the novice event at the 2016 World Crazy Golf Championship and came third in the professional event in 2022. Ed is currently the British no.16 and is looking to win his first professional championship.

This year's championship is a global affair, with Australian Josh Mars travelling from Brisbane to compete for the coveted trophy. Known by his YouTube fanbase as the 'putting wonder from down under', he'll be making his first professional appearance in England. Josh said: "I've been following the World Crazy Golf Championship for years. After winning the 2023 Oceania Championship, the biggest Mini Golf event in Australia, I needed to test myself against some of the best players in the world. I've never played in a Championship where the weather can change dramatically in a day – so that will be a challenge."

Adam Kelly, the 2022 World Crazy Golf Champion, said: "I'm very excited to defend my title at the 20th anniversary of the World Crazies and with the biggest field to date. There are plenty of players I'd expect to put me under pressure. Marc Chapman is one of the top contenders for the title, and the friendly rivalry between us has been the overarching theme of the World Crazies for the past five years. If we see a first-time winner this year, Seve Kukielka and Ed Pope are the most likely candidates."

Simon Tompkins, director of Hastings Adventure Golf, said: "With a larger field than ever, this year's competition is set to be one for the history books. We'd encourage people from the Hastings area and beyond to come down and spectate what promises to be an unforgettable tournament."

More information at www.hastingsadventuregolf.com.

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