World Crazy Golf Championships 2025 gets underway in Hastings
An estimated 250 players will compete in the individual World Crazy Golf Championships on Saturday and Sunday.The annual tournament, held at Hastings Adventure Golf in East Sussex, will see entrants from at least seven countries, including the USA and New Zealand, compete.The winner receives £1,250 in prize money and a further £2,500 is distributed between players placed second to eighth.Simon Tompkins, director of Hastings Adventure Golf, said it was "a great source of local pride to host the championships".
The individual event has additional junior and novice categories. The team competition took place on Friday.Competitors play six qualifying rounds - three on Saturday and three on Sunday - before the best-scoring 18 players compete in the final.Seven different players have won the trophy in the event's 22-year history, according to organisers.
Canterbury fencing instructor Marc Chapman is attempting to defend his crown after winning his fourth title in 2024.The reigning champion said he was "hooked" after he entered the event for the first time, and returns every year.Chapman told the BBC he won his first title at his 10th attempt and "the rest, as they say, is history."
US competitor Tom Loftus said he was "absolutely thrilled" to take on the "classic" fifth hole, which requires players to avoid a windmill's spinning blades to make their putt.He added: "It was so exciting to have that moment. I just love windmills."Rainey Statum, who travelled to the tournament from Texas, USA, told the BBC he faced a long journey to make it to the tournament, flying to London via Chicago.He said: "Because I don't do trains down in Texas I kinda got lost and it took five hours for me to get here to Hastings through the train and subway system."They misplaced my luggage too, so I was here a day and a half without my luggage."
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