E-mail
Password
Lost password »
Register »
      

LATEST FORUM POST

Argentina  INESfun

22 Feb 2020 at 13:37

There are about 300 recesses on one golf ball, and thanks to them, the ball flies three times farther than a smooth one. ... Balls of the same size...

Go to latest post »


LATEST COMMENT  More »

United States of America  Smitty

07 Jun 2023 at 04:45

Jason and team make this place beautiful and the tournament is fun and well run.

Go to latest comment »




LATEST BLOG POSTS

Hungary  Magician | 4118 views | 0 comments

31 Dec 2023 at 17:32

End of 2023


United States of America  PatPenguin | 9373 views | 0 comments

17 Nov 2023 at 13:07

A 2023 Masterful Experience


United States of America  PatPenguin | 7273 views | 0 comments

22 May 2023 at 13:19

We’re All Loony Here....


All blogs »



POLL

From which country will the World Adventure Golf Tour Final (April 27-28, 2024) come from?


- Czech Republic

- Sweden

- Germany

- United States

- New Zealand

- Austria

- Wales

- Finland

- Slovakia


To vote, you need to log in.


You have to vote to see the results.


Total 0 votes, since 27 Mar 2024.

Recent polls »

AMF secretary general: interview with Bruno Gerstner


China 13 May 2014 at 13:26 | Published by: Hans | Views: 23984 | News search

AMF secretary general: interview with Bruno Gerstner
Bruno Gerstner and his courses in Hechuan, China  (Photo by Peyman Seifi 2014)

This interview was made by the AMF Media and marketing committee member: Peyman Seifi

Peyman: First of all, thank you for your time to the interview with AMF newsletter. We noticed a new Minigolf course built in China. Please give us more information.

Bruno: It is not one course but it is a plant. On that plant are 3 courses: one Miniaturegolf, one Feltgolf and a MOS-course. The area is located within the University of Hechuan which is a district of the city of Chongqing. There is the university for foreign Trade in which the plant is located. But there is free access also for everyone and not only for students of this university.

There are nine universities in that city.

Peyman: what were reasons for building this course?

Bruno: First we needed urgently a sample of Miniaturegolf and Feltgolf to introduce this kind of sports and leisure-time activity to the Chinese people. If you want to introduce Minigolf you can talk and explain much, but everybody will ask you: "Where can I see it? Where can I play it?" So after several years of trying we finally found in Mr. William He a person, which takes the project serious and developed this area. This first plant is a private investment even there is also support from that university which gave the land to him. We need to show to the government (which is holding all the land in China) a sample and that Chinese people are interested in this sports and activity. Then we can get more easy other places to build more courses and spread Minigolf within China.

The second reason is, that we have to start with the first step to move forward with the development of our sports in China. We found a honest and ambitioned partner with the person of William He. William has developed also ideas for the operation, the marketing and promotion of Minigolf within China. He uses modern technics to spread the idea and the knowledge. Mainly mobile-phones. For example can every player can check by his mobile-phone his own and other members results of any rounds which a member ever played. Facebook or other similar western applications are not possible to access in China. But here we use "weixin" which is something very similar to Facebook and in there can players and operators of Minigolf-courses publish news and photos or comments. The knowledge about Minigolf will be spread very quickly by this way.

The third reason are commercial interests. Why to deny this? There is no Minigolf-course in this world which has no commercial interests. The preconditions at this place are ideal: the students which are counting to several 10.000s in Hechuan are a great potential of players and sports-(wo)men.

Peyman: What’s your plan for future for this course?

Bruno: This plant is the corner-stone of Minigolfsports in China. It will be the training-base for players of the national teams including the Chinese National Minigolfteam and for trainers and referees in China and maybe in Asia. Hechuan will become the "capital" of Minigolfsports in China. Like Bad Munder in Germany we want to make Hechuan famous for this sports. End of June are intensive-trainings for players planned which will become the representatives of China at the Asian-championships in November 2014 in Kish Island. We already got the agreement of a world-class-player and a famous trainer from Europe to hold this training. Also players from other membership-nations of the AMF are welcome to this training.

Peyman: Let us to know about AMF. What’s the main plan for AMF in 2014 and 2015?

Bruno: At this moment we are still a "small light" within the WMF. We want to strengthen our position within the WMF. The European Federation which is the majority in the WMF should realize, that the "eastern little brother" learns now how to walk by himself.

We wish to become competitors and wish to get rid of the label of just to be "victims" which have not any chance against the skilled and well-trained/playing European teams. This will need some time of course, engaged players and officials, support from government and some support also from WMF-and WMF-members side. But I am sure we will get this support.

As I told before: we already got the agreement to have support from world-class-players and trainers to share their experience with us "newcomers". Each member of the AMF just should ask for that. Of course there should be first a Miniature- or Feltgolf-course approved by the AMF/WMF.

In my opinion we have to encourage some newer nations for more self confidence. We can show up to the "big brother" only, if we stand together and will appear as an independent, effective, strong and serious but loyal partner within the WMF.

The WMF treats us equal as any member. This starts with the ideally, technical and financial support which the WMF offers to members. There is financial support for some projects within our membership-nations. As far as I know did none of the AMF-members ever applied for such a support. I just ask myself why this never happened. We have some really active players and officials: for example does everybody in the WMF knows Yuki and in Taiwan is a players team and also ambitioned board-members. But we need to "encourage" the responsible persons in every country. We all have the same goal!

Peyman: We know the AMF has a good board and seems very efficient relationships between board members. Tell us more about collaboration and sharing responsibilities between board members.

Bruno: In my opinion we did good progress within the AMF during the last 2 years. Even we did still not reached the optimum but we are working on that! There are difficulties based on different cultures and big distances. Mainly because of the big distances we meet very seldom in person and face to face. Knowing each others better would help and would accelerate our growing-together. We can not change the map but we can use more the possibilities of modern communication to compensate our disadvantages.

But as you know: each coin has 2 sides! The AMF covers the areal of the biggest world's population! And one day the AMF should have the most Minigolfplayers of any continental federation within the WMF.

Peyman: Thank you Bruno for your time. And the last remark?

Bruno: Let's make the Asian Championships on Kish Island become a milestone for the AMF and CMF! Thanks to William for the great efforts and support which he did to the Chinese Minigolfsport Federation and by that way also to the AMF!

» Link to the interview in original on the AMF website

SHARE

Share


Comments (1)


Austria bfree4life (Günter Inmann)

14 May 2014 at 08:13
Well done and great job! it looks very good and hopefully you will apply soon for a World Championship, so my personal dream will come true to play a WC outside of europe! :-) anyway, its not just my personal opinion i think, its nice to see and read how ambitious the people can be and what they can affect if they are in a positive way annoying. so hope the best for the owner of this course, for the players there and also for all other asian nations, that they will become better and soon we can see a player from Asia in the Matchplay of a WC! congrats

Add comment
To add comments, you need to log in.


History made as Adam Kelly wins the first BMGA Major of the season

United Kingdom 12 May 2014 at 20:40 | views: 18023 | Comments: 0

The two day British Championships were contested at Strokes Adventure Golf Course in Kent across the weekend of 10th and 11th May. After nine rounds of outstanding minigolf, Adam Kelly (Kent Minigolf Club) made British minigolf history by becoming the first UK ...
Read more »

History made as Adam Kelly wins the first BMGA Major of the season

All wins for Uppsala

All wins for Uppsala

Sweden 11 May 2014 at 20:13 | views: 16247 | Comments: 0

Uppsala once again showed the rest of the teams in the Swedish Elitserien who is the best when the first round was played on the tough felt course of Örebro. Saturday offered a cold weather but still at least no rain. On Sunday though the weather got worse and the ...
Read more »

Portuguese teams national championship - An epic battle

Portugal 11 May 2014 at 19:49 | views: 17232 | Comments: 1

Lisbon was the stage of the Portuguese teams’ national championship in the weekend of 26-27 April. This competition took place during one weekend where seven 7 rounds were played, men and women in eternity, and juniors, seniors and oldtimers in concrete (the same ...
Read more »

Portuguese teams national championship - An epic battle

Three World Champions aims for a first MOS WC title at WAGM

Three World Champions aims for a first MOS WC title at WAGM

Sweden 08 May 2014 at 20:44 | views: 19451 | Comments: 0

WMF has released the full starting field for the WAGM that will be played next weekend in Gothenburg Sweden. It contains no less than 3 individual World Champions (Carl-Johan Ryner, Filiph Svensson and Achim Braungart Zink) and many other star players. Also the ...
Read more »

UPCOMING EVENTS   More »




LATEST RESULTS   More »

 29 Oct 2022

Olde Scotland Yard Course Championship

 22 Oct 2022

Clifton Heights Course Championship

 29 Sep 2022

European Champions League Final

 23 Sep 2022

Open African Championship

 17 Sep 2022

Miniest Open

 17 Sep 2022

Branson Open

 17 Sep 2022

6th Matterhorn International Pro-Am




LATEST NEWS

World 08 Mar 2024 at 19:50 | PatPenguin
Celebrating International Women's Day!

Czech Republic 12 Feb 2024 at 15:14 | PatPenguin
Adventure Golf Tournament Updates

United Kingdom 10 Nov 2023 at 12:50 | PatPenguin
Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel - Interview with Glenda Young

United States of America 16 Oct 2023 at 13:27 | PatPenguin
Gary Hesters Grabs First USPMGA Masters Tournament

Sweden 11 Oct 2023 at 12:54 | PatPenguin
2023 World Championships General Class Held in Sweden

Italy 17 Aug 2023 at 14:07 | PatPenguin
German Domination at the Youth European Championships

Austria 03 Jul 2023 at 13:10 | PatPenguin
Women of WAGM 2023 - A Perspective from Vanette Block

Sweden 29 Jun 2023 at 12:39 | PatPenguin
World Championship Training Groups Announced

Austria 20 Jun 2023 at 13:26 | PatPenguin
Austria Reigns at WAGM 2023

United States of America 06 May 2023 at 14:10 | PatPenguin
Mosk Grabs the Buckle in Texas

Minigolfnews 06 Apr 2023 at 12:41 | PatPenguin
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace