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Excellent Customer Service drives me quackers!

On Sunday morning we awoke to find some new visitors to our garden – what a lovely sight!

Of course the children were delighted to think that the ducks could become our new pets and quickly ran to the bread bin to throw out some stale bread!

We aptly named them George and Mildred, even though the children had no idea of the 70’s sitcom!

Well to our surprise the ducks returned again at lunch – perfectly timed at midday as I was preparing the Sunday Roast, yet again the bread was thrown on the garden by the children for the ducks to devour!

This happened again on Monday, Tuesday and a pattern was emerging that our family of 4 mouths was extending to 6!

Today I was greeted by a third duck – another drake. The two males protectively sat back and watched Mildred munch her way through yet another round of bread! Obviously, the ducks had spread the word about the excellent service our family offer!

So why is this relevant – well it has reminded me of the basic principles of customer service, to whichever target market you are aiming for.

So here are my top 3 tips for ensuring excellent customer service:

1. Treat every potential customer the same

2. Deliver and exceed customer expectations

3. Listen to your customer and offer a product that suits the needs of the customers

In summary, excellent service brings along repeat business and referrals in this instance, our growing number of visiting ducks!

Not that we have ever had ducks for customers, but like people, George, Mildred and Co expect a friendly welcome, a reliable service, timely delivery of their goods and a product that meets their needs – everything we aim to offer here at Putterfingers!

Now I am going to sign off before you think I have gone quackers!

Round or Oval – what do you prefer?

Happy Easter to you all – friends, family, customers old and new!

Well our family is much divided for this morning.

My son and husband are gearing up for a football match, and my daughter and I are busy preparing for visitors as today is Easter Sunday. The lamb is seasoned, the vegetables are prepared and we have a gorgeous chocolate mousse, decorated with chocolate mini eggs for dessert.

One thing we will be enjoying together later today is the Easter egg hunt I have prepared for the garden (if this glorious heat doesn’t melt the chocolate!).

All these Bank Holidays have been lovely for me personally and not too bad for our business. It has been a good time for our event customers, who have been busy booking crazy golf courses for parties, fetes and fundraisers in the coming weeks.

If you have a party coming up, or are on the events committee and need a unique attraction for your corporate or fundraising event, then do drop us a line at [email protected]

But back to my question, round or oval – what do you prefer?

The boys in our house definitely prefer round – football certainly comes before anything else in our family, golf naturally a close second. Whether it is a bit of putting practise or chipping in the garden for my son or a full 18 holes on the greens for my husband.

The girls in our house certainly aren’t into rugby so the only way oval applies to us, is those yummy Easter eggs that the bunny must have delivered while we were sleeping. Or of course diamonds, but at 6, she is still a bit young for that!

So in summary, definitely oval all the way!

So how will you be spending Easter Sunday?

If home putting practice can help Lee Westward's preparation for the forthcoming Masters, then why not invest in our range of golf training aids:

- putting greens

- putting mats

- chipping nets

- putt returners

See our range at http://www.putterfingers.co.uk/putterfingers-golf-training-aids.htm

You too could be heading for victory this golf season!

BMGA announces Great Britain Minigolf Squad 2011

Here is the latest press release from the BMGA, who have today announced the Great Britain Minigolf Squad for World Minigolf Sport Federation International events in 2011. All teams have been announced for the World Adventure Golf Masters host in the UK this May, the Nations Cup in Stockholm this June, and the World Minigolf Championships also in Stockholm in August. The BMGA Great Britain Minigolf Squad for 2011 is as follows: • Michael Smith • Marc Chapman • Sean Homer • Chris Harding • John ‘Ted’ McIver • Brad Shepherd • Tony Kelly • Richard Gottfried • Scott Lancley • Marion Homer • Emily Gottfried • Freddie Blackburn-Shaw • Seth Thomas This year's squad of International players is led by National Team Manager Marc Chapman; he said "I'm thrilled to be able to announce the squad and teams for 2011. This is the strongest line-up the Great Britain National Minigolf Team has had for many years, with not only the top four ranked players in the country involved, but also a really good depth of emerging talent that we'll be looking to develop over the next few years. I’m really pleased that Great Britain will have a full showing of Men and Mixed Teams at all of the World Minigolf Federation's International events this year.”

The team at Putterfingers.co.uk would like to wish the BMGA Great Britain Mini Golf Squad the best of luck for all Mini Golf events in 2011!

For further details about the BMGA and UK Minigolf and Crazy Golf please email [email protected], or visit http://www.minigolf.org.uk.

New Fun Golf Clubs Website

Here at Putterfingers.co.uk - we are always interested in the fun side of golf - what else is Crazy Golf but fun??!!

So we were pleased to recently find this amusing website related press release.

Fun Golf Clubs, a resourceful website for Golf lovers has debuted on the internet. Fun Golf Clubs can be of great help to people who are looking for golf courses to spend their golf vacation around Europe, South America and Asia.

The leisurely and exhilarating game of golf has a history that dates back to the twelfth century. Golf vacations are very popular especially among the Europeans and golf fanatics love to scour around the globe looking for golf courses that can make their golf vacation worth remembering. Business enterprises have set up golf courses in places where playing is not just about game but also about enjoying the picturesque beauty of the place for having a exotic time on the whole.

Golfers may be eager to spend money on golf vacations but they aren’t quite sure where to go. So to help golfers choose a proper golf resort with details on its feasibility and facilities, Fun Golf Clubs comes into play. The website provides detailed information on golf resorts scattered across several continents and also explains why they are popular. For example, the golf courses in Scotland are all set in the high mountains where playing amidst highlands greenery is pure bliss. On the other hand, golf courses in South Africa have their own way of captivating golfers where they can spend time gazing at the beautiful wildlife comprising of zebra, giraffe, African elephant etc. All such information is at the disposal of golfers at Fun Golf Clubs.

Visitors can also interact with other golf vacationers through discussions and comments; inquire about details on a golf course and more. Users can also share their most memorable pictures from the days of their golf vacations.

The articles on Fun Golf Clubs also guide visitors on how they can spend their time sightseeing around the place. For example, the articles suggest how people flying over to Dublin for a golf vacation can enjoy the magnificent view of the mountains and spend the evenings at the pubs of Dublin with Irish Coffee and Guinness.

Fun Golf Clubs can be the ultimate rendezvous for golf vacationers to locate the most appropriate golf resort for their next golf vacation.

For more information, http://www.fungolfclubs.com

Top 10 Reasons for choosing Putterfingers Portable Modular Mini Golf

1. Easy Assembly

Do you like jigsaw puzzles? If yes then you will love our course! Transform your garden or party venue into a full 9 hole golf course in under 30 minutes!

2. Crazy Obstacles

Whether you dare to tackle the curves of ‘volcano’, or prefer the twists and turns of ‘acapulco’, there is plenty to challenge any age or level of golfer.

3. Professional Putting Surface

Using interlocking astro grass tiles, the surface is very playable and sure to challenge all ages and abilities of golfer. Make your desired length in metres and watch the golf ball roll cleanly and into the hole!

4. Hire a Course by Post

You don’t have to be beside the seaside to enjoy our mini golf! Our courses transport easily to your chosen venue so that you can enjoy for as long as you like.......a one day event, a weekend hire or long term if you require.

5. Putting the ‘FUN’ into Fundraising

With a Crazy Golfathon at your school or a busy community event, you could raise in excess of £1K for your chosen charity or fund. Imagine...........9 holes, 10p per hole, 5 sponsors per child, 250 children = ££££’s

6. Perfect for Weddings

Getting married?? What a unique way for your guests to enjoy the grounds of your venue....or even a great way to distract the children during the photographs!

7. Any Weather (even all round British weather!)

Not just for outside, the course is rubber backed and won’t mark floors indoors. Have you an unused space – unutilised sports court, school assembly hall, hotel atrium, roof top terrace, empty office?

8. Ice Breaker

Need to break the ice at a company conference, exhibition, speed dating event or networking event? You can hire a single hole and run your own Challenge Putt; soon everyone will be mingling together.

9. Modular Flexibility

Need to create a zone to keep the children entertained? Whether it is at a Soft Play or Leisure Centre, interlock the 1 metre square mats to form a square or rectangle to suit the shape or size floor area (anything is possible!), outline with foam edging and create your own Mini Golf Zone!

10. Nice people to deal with!!

I had to check you were still with me at this point! A great reason to hire from us, we always have availability, the team at Putterfingers are friendly and efficient, we strongly believe in our concept - so why not let us help you with something different at your event this year.......?

There are many more, but I have chosen my favourites. View the Putterfingers website and our client testimonials to see for yourself!

Exhibition Golf – ever thought of adding a putting green to your exhibition stand?

I have attended many exhibitions over the years and am usually attracted to those offering something unique, different or slightly zany.

Exhibitions are a hub of creativity, buzzing with delegates scouring the venue for new ideas, exciting new ways to develop their knowledge or business and looking for unique exhibitors that stand out from the crowd.

What better way to attract them to your exhibition stand, than with a hole of mini golf? After all everyone enjoys the fun element of golf and it is an easy way to get talking.

The benefits of offering exhibition golf are endless.........

-A way to ‘landmark’ your exhibition stand to invited guests and to create a talking point about what your stand has to offer.

-A fun addition to your exhibition invitation material ‘meet me for a hole of golf on stand A356’ or 'see you on the green on stand B101’

-A unique way to engage with potential clients and a great ice breaker.

-Opportunity to communicate your sales message while encouraging some competitive spirit.

-Running a Challenge Putt competition acts as a ‘pull’ to potential clients and to collect those all important prospect business cards.

-Encourages your potential clients to spend more time on your stand.

-Increased lead generation by 400% for one exhibitor from the previous year.

So if you fancy offering a hole of golf at your next exhibition, please get in touch. We offer everything to get you started - putters, low bounce balls, obstacles, matting and edging.

The delegates at the SAP User Conference in Manchester Central (pictured) certainly enjoyed themselves!

Crazy Golf – is it really crazy?

So what is the meaning of Crazy Golf? I found this definition – ‘A variation on golf, played on a smaller scale, where players have to putt the golf ball into a hole, past various obstructions.’

So yes maybe true, but why does it have to be termed ‘crazy’? The putter and ball are the same as used in golf, but of course the obstructions, or in our case obstacles - are great fun and certainly not crazy!

Our Mini Golf Obstacles are made from injection moulded plastic and come in a variety of exciting and challenging pieces.

My favourite has to be Towers; those four ramparts are definitely designed to improve the accuracy of your putting. You need just the right swing to get the ball through the loop on the 360 or to ride the curves of the Daytona and if you dare take on Acapulco, it could be several attempts before the right power is achieved to get up the spiral and into the hole.

The good thing with these obstacles is that every time is different and always a challenge. It really doesn’t matter if you are 6, 25 or 80 – the obstacles certainly bring fun to your putting surface.

So maybe Crazy / Mini Golf is not so crazy after all..........Chris Harding certainly isn’t, after winning the last championship of 2010 in Hastings back in October. He now holds the No.1 position in the end of year rankings by the British Mini Golf Association for 2010.

Well done Chris and good luck for 2011!

A Letter to Santa

Well after all I have been good this year!

So Santa, here’s why I deserve a visit from you:

- I have been polite and helpful to all potential and new crazy golf course clients;

- I have been nice to all the children at our mini golf events;

- I have tried to keep the office tidy;

- I have made our team copious amounts of coffee and brought in lots of cakes;

- I have remembered to promote www.putterfingers.co.uk at every opportunity!

Does that mean you will come and visit me on 25th December?

'Tis the season to be jolly!

What a nice surprise I had when I visited the office late last week!

A very kind client of ours had sent me an advent calendar in the post. Now you are never too old to open an advent calendar, especially one that has 24 doors of chocolate!

Laura Essex from Experior Group, had hired a Challenge Putt modular golf course from Putterfingers.co.uk for an important SAP User Conference at the Manchester Central exhibition venue in late November. With her company being the conference sponsors she was looking for something a little different to help network with the exhibitors and delegates.

She reported the modular putting as being a huge success with the delegates and other exhibitors and a great opportunity to communicate and engage in her sales message, while indulging in a little golf at the same time!

As for the success of the advent calendar, number 7 was delicious, the children and I are comparing our shaped chocolaty pieces at breakfast time – now which is a reason to be jolly!

Should you play golf in the winter?

Most of the males I know are ‘fair weather’ golfers and certainly don’t practise their putting and swing enough in the winter months. The cold temperatures shouldn’t stop you practising your skills. Winter can be an annoyance to some, as it is too cold to play an outdoor sport. The males I know wait for warmer days to get in a round of golf on the green......

A simple alternative is to play golf indoors as that winter option. This will allow for those keen golfers to improve and perfect their putting skills in the comfort of their own home or office. That would certainly tempt those who do not want to brave hours in the wind, cold or even rain!

There are many items available including talking putting aids and returners, portable putting greens, chipping nets and a variety of mats, all that can be easily set up in the home or office.

This means you could keep practising all winter long and be ready for those warm spring days! Fancy a game of indoor golf anyone.........?

PutterFingers Launch Modular Portable Putting Greens!

We're excited to launch our new modular Portable Putting Greens - just in time for Christmas!

Text below is taken from our press release at http://www.prlog.org/11076040-golf-equipment-retailer-launches-modular-portable-putting-greens.html. View product information directly at http://www.putterfingers.co.uk/putterfingers-golf-training-aids.htm, or just read on...

Bury St Edmunds based web retailer www.Putterfingers.co.uk has added a new range of Modular Portable Putting Greens to their existing range of mini golf equipment and general golf training and practice aids. These new astrograss based portable putting surfaces have been introduced at an extremely competitive price point - making these an excellent Christmas gift idea, or perfect office-based executive perk!

The putting greens consist of a number of one metre square interlocking astrograss tiles that are assembled as easily as a jigsaw puzzle! These may be assembled as a straight putting surface for a distance shot, or perhaps as a dog leg to provide a more challenging putting green. As more and more tiles are added, so more layouts become available.

Each portable putting green consists of a number of interlocking tiles, a putt returner (to save the legs!), a deluxe putting cup, and one or more putters and balls. Each green may be put together within about 5 minutes, for instant indoor or outdoor golf, and they pack up just as quickly into a single large and flat box - easy to store out of the way when not needed.

Made from very high quality astrograss, these portable putting greens meet various European Safety Standards and are perfect for the home, schools, leisure centres, offices and general public spaces. They are waterproof, UV treated against sun damage, stain resistant and may be cleaned easily with any modern vacuum cleaner!

Priced from just £199, inclusive of VAT and free mainland UK delivery – these have got to be the best value quality portable putting surfaces available!

Contacts:

Reseller and affiliate information at http://www.putterfingers.co.uk/affiliates.

Trade enquiries to Shelley Barrett, shelley [at] putterfingers.co.uk.

50 Days til Christmas!!!!

Isn’t it worrying when you are constantly reminded that Christmas is just around the corner. I looked at Ebay over the weekend to find a header with an online countdown and today it is just 50 days! Don’t get me wrong I love Christmas but this year seems to have gone rather a bit too fast for me – or maybe that is the sign I am getting older!

I even heard Christmas music tinkling away whilst shopping at the weekend and it feels like we have only just got over the retail merchandising plug for Halloween, before we get to another.

It only reminds me of how much I have to do, how much I have to buy and the age old question, what do you buy for a man who has everything?

Well my Father and Husband fall into this category and I don’t quite know how many more socks, mugs, photographic gifts or golf accessories I could buy for them. The interesting thing is that my young son is now starting to indulge in sports, showing interest in football and golf and is using terminology like putting, swing and off-side and he is only 6. Maybe this is largely due to the fact he plays the Mini Golf game and FIFA 10 on the Wii console at every opportunity!

Maybe I could have a Lee Westward on my hands, after all he has finally reached the No.1 Rank in the World, ending Tiger Woods 5 year reign, all that without even picking up a club due to his calf strain! Failing that I would be happy with the next Theo Walcott or Andy Murray – they all certainly know how to strike a ball!

I had better get scouring the internet for some Christmas gift ideas for my husband, father and son, they say you can never get them started in golf too young!

Charity Golf Event

Shopping is now the largest leisure activity by numbers of people who engage in it. This is not counting the supermarket dash we may all have to do weekly, rather the gentle meander around a High Street shopping complex, mall, hypermarket, or Olde Towne market place that most of us participate in regularly. Kind of fitting then that a Mini Golf course should have been established in Bury St Edmund's brand spanking new shopping centre - the Arc last weekend then! In fact, this was all part of a fund raising event on behalf of the charity St Nicholas Hospice. Over £500 was raised using the golf course, and for that - we're very grateful to all participants! Here are some pictures of our 9 hole portable crazy golf course in use for this worthwhile charity fundraising event. Notice the families, children, dads and mums all busy putting!

Crazy Golf in Shopping Centres and Malls!

What have Morrisons, the new Arc complex in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich's Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre all got in common? Crazy Golf - that's what! Morrisons have just completed a portable mini golf hire in conjunction with Nestle on their nationwide "Get Set, Go Free" campaign. Putterfingers supplied the golf course as well as specially branded edge bumpers. In fact, we offer edge bumper branding as well as tee-off mat branding - perfect for corporate marketing events! Tower Ramparts is a well known shopping centre in Ipswich. They recently had a complete 9 hole golf course scattered around throughout the centre! Because our golf holes are modular, we were able to build the course around pillars, corners and other restricted areas. And Bury's new Arc Centre? Well, in September, a portable Crazy Golf course will be used in this prestigious new shopping centre as part of a superb St Nicholas Hospice Fund Raising Event. We have many ideas for raising funds through playing minigolf - why not give us a call to find out about our Crazy Golfathon sponsored golf events?!

#golf #portable golf #minigolf #crazy golf

Check out the Crazy Golf Museum!

We know Tim 'Ace Man' Davies well - we entered a Putterfingers team once in the British Minigolf Open, where he soundly thrashed all off us... Tim is a very well known figure on the UK's Mini Golf / Crazy Golf scene. Some of his YouTube videos are great! So, it's interesting to note that he and a similarly well known UK mini golfer (Richard 'Squire' Gottfried) have joined foreces to launch the 'Crazy Golf Museum'. Here's the blurb from their new wesbite: Two of the premier miniature golfers in the UK have joined forces to create The Crazy Golf Museum. Tim 'Ace Man' Davies and Richard 'Squire' Gottfried run the most visited websites and blogs on the subject. We thought it only natural to bring together all the information we have gathered over the years to create the World's First Virtual Crazy Golf Museum. A Worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera. Anyone with even a passing interest in mini golf or crazy golf should be sure to check out some of their links: http://www.crazygolfmuseum.info/ (the Crazy Golf Museum itself) http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=102800783109171 (their FaceBook page) Enjoy!

The greatest putt of all time!

There is no real way to qualify the greatest putt of all time. You could go for the longest putt ever noted or the one achieved under the most difficult circumstances. The longest ever televised putt is generally credited to someone who is not even a golf professional! During a televised pro-am tournament in 1980, Terry Wogan (he of Children in Need fame), holed a putt at Gleneagles which was 33 yards (30.2m). Other great putts can be those made when under the most pressure. Anyone trying to putt for a major title could comment on what this feels like. Tiger Woods has made many of these putts, so has Seve, Nick Faldo, Lee Trevino and so on. I guess it depends on what your favourite Major is as to what you might think is the greatest putt ever. Who can forget Darren Clarke at the Ryder Cup or Nick Faldo at the US Masters, or Tiger Woods at the US Open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx2BS1u4fiw Other putts can be great because the golfer was fighting against the elements. You only have to watch the golf crazy film Caddyshack to see Bishop Pickering (Henry Wilcoxon) playing in atrocious weather but still managing to hole putts left, right and centre! Some great putts are not really putts at all. Am I the only one who remembers an interview that Steve Rider did with the all time great Severiano Ballesteros? Steve Rider was talking about putting and Seve, on his home course, put his putter in front of the ball, raised the putter backwards, so lifting the ball on the back of it, raised it right round over his head before letting the ball go towards the hole - where it promptly fell in the cup! If you are an “arm chair golfer” any of the above may rank in your list of the greatest putts ever. If, on the other hand, you are one of those brave souls that walk out on a golf course with any regularity then surely the greatest putt you have ever seen is one of your own! We all have fond memories of those putts we have made that we never thought possible. The ones that our playing partners reacted to with either incredulity, shock or slaps on our backs - a resounding “well done”. The greatest putt ever…….awaits us on our next round of golf.

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