There's a hole lot of fun to be had across Great Yarmouth for fans of crazy golf.

And to prove the experience is above par - and a fairway better than anywhere else - golf guru Richard Gottfried was in Hemsby to launch a new competition aimed at raising the profile of the game.

Mr Gottfried, a self-confessed crazy golf addict, has visited close to 1,000 courses across the country and spent an estimated £50,000 - but reckons the Lost World in Hemsby is the best.

"There's an aesthetic appeal," he said.

"It's not just tee, cup, and hit the ball.

"It is a really good challenge and every hole is different. There are various hazards and short holes but they are tricky, you have to go up ramps and under tunnels."

The 41-year-old from Stockton, in Manchester, said he loved crazy golf as a child but only got properly hooked in 2006 when he won a free game on a lucky last hole.

"In 2006 my wife and I bought a car to get to work and we were thinking about what we could do at weekends. We like the seaside, I won a free game, and after that became addicted," he said.

At the time he reckoned there were about 600 courses but the couple have visited close to 1,000 and say they still have hundreds more to play with more and more opening all the time, especially after the pandemic.

He said: "Great Yarmouth was an obvious first place for us to visit and we came in 2007. We just had so much fun. Great Yarmouth is pretty much the crazy golf capital. There are lots of courses close to each other and a lot of variety.

"We love coming back, it's all about the memories and making new ones."

Some nine courses across Hemsby, Yarmouth, Gorleston, and Clippesby have signed up to The Big Mini Golf Tour which launches on May 14, National Mini Golf Day.

Under the initiative, being spearheaded by Visit Great Yarmouth, anyone who plays a round is entered into a prize draw via a QR code they scan at each venue to win a holiday with Richardson's. The winner will be announced in September.

David Marsland of 18-hole Stonehenge Adventure Golf said he supported the tournament. "Come and have a go if you have not before, and there's always the chance of winning a prize," he said.

To find out more search The Big Mini Golf Tour on social media.

Top tips for a winning round

For Richard Gottfried completing a hole in more than two strokes is a no-no.

Here are his top tips for a perfect score:

1. Walk the hole first, don't just hit and hope - sometimes the longest route might be the best one.

2. If a ball is up against an obstacle you can move it out one putter head length to give you some back swing - it's in the proper rules.

3. Try to get within "a bin lid" (around half a metre) of the hole - it makes it much easier to tap in.

4. You can win a round by playing conservatively and not always going for hole-in-ones. Two shots might be better than one.

5. Have fun! If you lose practice, practice, practice. "Don't take it too seriously," he said. "There is always another day for a hole-in-one."

Courses on The Big Mini Golf Tour

Lost World of Adventure, Hemsby

Stonehenge Adventure, Hemsby

Clippesby Hall, Clippesby

Pirates Cove Adventure, Yarmouth seafront

Castaway Island Adventure Golf, Yarmouth seafront

Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf, Safari themed, Yarmouth seafront

Windmill Adventure Golf (indoor) - Yarmouth seafront

Pop's Meadow, Gorleston

Clifftop putting course, Marine Parade, Gorleston