THE GRIZZLY BEAR
Issue 1
March 2010
Editor: Michael ‘Hole in One Kenobi’ Smith
NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED
Welcome to the first issue of The Grizzly Bear, the new monthly newsletter that goes behind the scenes of the BMGA tour.
Each issue will round-up the latest tournament results and rankings as well as a feature and interview with a BMGA tour player. We will also feature minigolf courses and debate the latest issues in the sport. In our first issue we have an interview with the BMGA Chairman, Sean Homer, and a preview of the British Masters at Jurassic Encounter, New Malden.
We would like as many people as possible to contribute to the newsletter. If you would like to be interviewed for a future issue or have any ideas for content, please email . All feedback is welcome. Between us, we can make a newsletter that the BMGA tour can be proud of.
HAT-TRICK FOR HARDING
Chris Harding has scored a dream hat-trick in the past month. His dominant nine stroke victory at the English Open ensured that he rose to the top spot in both the BMGA Official Rankings and the BMGA Season Only Rankings.
The top 15 results and rankings can be found below. Full English Open results and rankings can be found at the official BMGA website: www.minigolf.org.uk
RESULTS AND RANKINGS
Rankings Top 15 / 2010 Season Rankings Top 15
1. Chris Harding / 88 / 1. Chris Harding / 3005 / 1. Chris Harding / 1800
2. Michael Smith / 97 / 2. Nick Chitty / 2381 / 2. Kevin Moseley / 1455
3. John Moore / 97 / 3. Kevin Moseley / 2065 / 3. John Moore / 1440
4. Sean Homer / 97 / 4. Sean Homer / 2041 / 4. Sean Homer / 1420
5. Kevin Moseley / 97 / 5. Tim Davies / 2020 / 5. Michael Smith / 1260
6. Nick Chitty / 99 / 6. Peter Emmerson / 2011 / 6. Nick Chitty / 1230
7. Richard Skeggs / 101 / 7. Keith Kellard / 2000 / 7. Marc Chapman / 1225
8. Seve Kukielka / 101 / 8. Brad Shepherd / 1981 / 8. Tony Kelly / 1180
9. Adam Kelly / 102 / 9. Jo Williamson / 1920 / 9. Adam Kelly / 1170
10. Marc Chapman / 103 / 10. Marc Chapman / 1905 / 10. Brad Shepherd / 1160
11. Brad Shepherd / 104 / 11. John Moore / 1845 / 11. Leo Kukielka / 1115
12. David Wright / 104 / 12. Andy Exall / 1720 / 12. Richard Gottfried / 1095
13. Leo Kukielka / 104 / 13. Alan Norman / 1692 / 13. Matt Caple / 1045
14. Chris Jones / 104 / 14. Ted McIver / 1570 / 14. Seve Kukielka / 1025
15. Daryl Parsons / 104 / 15. Ruth Bullin / 1560 / 15. Chris Jones / 950
The Big Interview: Sean ‘Freebird’ Homer
Sean Homer made his minigolf debut at the British Championships and World Crazy Golf Championships in 2005. He joined the BMGA in2006.
Sean has won four tournaments including the 2007 Kent Open and the 2009 KMGC Easter Extravaganza. His most recent victory came earlier this year at the KMGC Swedish Felt Championships. In a superb start the year, Sean finished 5th at the National Open and 4th at the English Open. He is up to a career best No 4 in the BMGA official rankings.
We all know he is a great player, a fantastic captain of KMGC and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Now, in an exclusive interview, we reveal more about the BMGA Chairman. In his own words, please welcome Sean Homer.
1. When did you start playing minigolf?
I made my debut in 2005 having come across the BMGA website on the back of playing an online minigolf game with some friends at work. We all thoughtit would be a laugh to play in a World Championship - the World Crazy Golf Championship to be precise - and entered the event. Little did I knowat the time quite howthings would develop. I joined the BMGA in 2006 and after playing several competitions in 2006 and meeting the other players on the tour I actually realised I was not only enjoying thisbut also felt it was somethingI could actually be quite good at and get a great deal of satisfaction from. This is now my 5th year in the BMGA, my third as Chairman. How time flies!
2. What is your favourite minigolf course and why?
Strokes in Margate- the home of the KMGC. I think this is one of the finest courses we have in the country, and has always produced top class events. It's also where I won my first tour victory.
3. What is your favourite minigolf hole and why?
Heartbreak Ridge (hole 11) at Strokes. A truly epic hole. You have to be brave and attack the hole - there's no safe 2 - death or glory. So many rounds have blown up at that particular hole and although I have avoided that fate to date, better players than me have seen good rounds destroyed by one of the toughest holes on the tour. How can you not like that kind of challenge!?
4. If you could invite any 3 people to join you in a minigolf fourball, who would you chose?
Obviously apart from any of the KMGC (who are top company at all times!)it would probably be Frank Skinner, Valentino Rossi and Wooderson (from Dazed and Confused - "keep on keeping on").
5. What is the best piece of minigolf advice you have received?
I've tended not to listen to most of it and prefer to make my own way in terms of what I do.Two pieces of advice I would giveare - play the course not the player (unless of course it's matchplay!!) andabove all to enjoy it!
6. Describe yourself in 5 words.
Relaxed, optimistic, creative, determined, positive.
7. What is your favourite film?
Star Wars (the original version), one of the most memorable films I have ever seen. I was 10 years old and saw it on FA Cup Final day in Stourbridge ABC. We watched the final on TV then made our way to the cinema for the 5.45pm showing - my dad reckoned it would be fairly quiet due to the final and he was right. I remember sitting in my seat as the opening crawl went up the screen and then being blown away when the Imperial Cruiser came into view and just kept on growing - pure cinema magic at its finest!!
8. And book?
The Stand (uncut) - Stephen King
9. And CD?
That's a tough one. I've always been passionate about music and would struggle to limit it to one CD. If it had to be only one, then I thinkit would be a toss up between the Black Album by Metallica or Nevermind by Nirvana.With Enter Sandman and Smells Like Teen Spirit you haveprobably the two greatest opening tracksof all time - but if it's only one then I think the Black Album edges it!
10. And favourite food?
Chinese
11. Name 5 items you couldn't live without.
I can live without most things if push came to shove.What really means the most tome are my wife Marionandour cats.
12. What would be your specialist subject on mastermind, aside from minigolf?
Either the films of Quentin Tarantino or the works of Stephen King
13. Which actor would you want to play you in a film?
Garry Shandling
14. When was the last time you cried?
I have to say I shed a tear or two at Molineux last season when we beat QPR 1-0 to clinch promotion to the Premier League!
15. Minigolf apart, what do you like doing in your free time?
I am a big film fan, also a major motorbike junkie (riding, tinkering, race meetings or just watching on TV) and a life long supporter of Wolves which gives enough turmoil and pain at times to last a lifetime!
16. What is your worst memory from playing minigolf?
One in particular springs to mind.Day two of the World Crazy Golf Championship 2007. I had a great first day, and went into day two tied in 2ndplace (with fellow Kent Minigolf Club (KMGC)player Andy Exall) and then managed to put in 3 of the worst rounds imaginable and finish a disappointing 12th. Learnt a lot from that experience - notably how to control the nerves, how to deal with poor weather conditions and also the importance of not getting distracted by others having tantrums on the course. A week later I won the Kent Open in an epic 4 way playoff. Don't think I could have done that without the painful lessons learnt at the Hastings seafront the week before.
17. You are up to a brilliant 4th in the latest BMGA order of merit rankings. How have you become so good at minigolf?
The experience of playing in Tampere, Finlandin the Nations Cup in 2008definitely helped. It was a pretty tough and relentless experience at times butin hindsight it definitely helped improve my technique and perhaps most importantly my mental approach to the game. It's not everyone’s cup of tea but I relished the challenge (and isone of thereasons why I am keen to play in the European Championships in Italy in August). I find the key isto beable to relax and focus on each shot and in particular not getting fazed by poor shots or bad holes you've played. You can't change them, so there's no point in harping on about them or letting them affect the shot you are about to play. The other major influence has undoubtedly beenthe other members of the KMGC. Playing regularly and competitively with my fellow team mates in the right spirit (and having fun!) helps no end in honing your skills and also sharpens up the competitive side to my game. The development of the Kent Invitational Tournament (KIT) and the KIT days throughout the year make such a difference. Practice is so important but learning from other players is also a key way to develop as a player.
18. As a player, what are your ambitions for the 2010 season?
To play consistently well at all events and continue to enjoy playing is my main aim. I am fortunate that for this season I can move away from having to be too involved with the running of events on the day thanks to Marion and the other members who are getting more involved with the tournament organisation meaningI can focus moreon my game at events. I want to be challenging for the top honours at the BC's, BO & WCGC's in particular, pushing into the top 3 of the rankings (my current 4th placeis a career best) andperhaps most importantlyleading the KMGC to victory in the Club Championships.
19. You do a great job as BMGA chairman. Are you happy with how minigolf in the UK is developing?
From the feedback received at the players’ forums for the past 2 years and generally on the tour it seems that our members are happy with the way things are progressing and that to be honest is the most important aspect in terms of how we are moving forward. I think it's great that there is a definite boom in minigolf with the arrival of a wide range of new courses up and down the country. It's an ongoing frustration that unlike other nations, we do not get recognised by Sport England as a sport. This is something that myself and the EC are working on with the help of the WMF to see what we can achieve. The standard of play in the UK has improved hugely over the past few years and more players arecompetingon the tour. One area I believe we need to do better thoughis the development of the club scene. Despite the arrival of more and more top class courses, we have not seen any new clubs appear on the scene over the past 18 months. This is such a missed opportunity and I firmly believe that clubs are the perfect way to get people playing and can be a perfect 'feeder' for the BMGA. As an EC we need to do more to help the start up of clubs and offer support (and links to our existing successful minigolf clubs) to help these grow. All it really needs are a couple of like minded players, a good relationship with a course, and a lot of drive and determination to make it happen and I would encourage anyone who is interested in setting up a club to take the plunge and go for it!!!
20. Are there any minigolf rules you would like to change?
Nothing springs to mind. The use of penalty strokes (as used in the US) has some appeal but overall the game is pretty simple and straightforward and I would like to keepit that way - the moreaccessible it is, the morepeople will play.
21. And finally, what can the BMGA tour expect from New Malden later this month?
I am really looking forward to the Masters making its debut (and our full tour debut) at New Malden. The course ispretty unique in both its design and layout and featuresa lot of hole designsthat are not found anywhere else on the tour. We have another really varied line-up of players and as with the recent English Open at Bristol, this is wide open in terms of who will take the title. Chris Jones, the reigning Masters champion will be backandis keen to hold onto the titlebut there will be a number of players pushing him to earn the right to wear the Masters jacket on the 21st!The course will reward those that are prepared to go for it and really chase the aces - the current BMGA course record sits with Brad Shepherd with a 33 in the London Invitational last year and the all time course record is 30 (set by PGA professional and former World of Golf employee John McCartney albeit not in the heat of battle!). I am sure the BMGA record will fall butit will take something special to see a sub 30 on the day. Whatever happens, we are in for a treat of minigolf.
2010 British Masters Preview
Date: 21st March 2010
Location: Jurassic Encounter, New Malden
The BMGA tour travels back in time for one of the most prestigious events of the year: The British Masters. Jurassic Encounter at New Malden is the venue where Chris Jones will be hoping to defend his title and retain the famous jacket.
The dinosaurs may have been extinct for 65 million years but they return in style at a visually stunning minigolf arena. Despite a visually stunning layout, the course should not be underestimated. With only two rounds to decide the winner every mistake will be magnified.