Spangles
I am glad you didn't think Kington a waste of time.
It is interesting that you wanted to compare Kington with Painswick and Cleeve Cloud and it does strike me as a very reasonable approach to figuring out how you feel about Kington even though all three are very different. I know I told you that my over-riding impression of Kington is that its a proper course built on hill. Its not really that odd or quirky once you get past how the green shaping/hill slopes dictate play - the net effect isn't all that different to bunkering except that I think it looks better than sand and most people have little experience with this sort of shaping. As you say, the real unique thing about Kington is the micro-undulations. One can count on having issues with lies a few times a round. I think the micro-undulations increase the importance of gaining good angles of approach. At least if one gets a "down" lie the ball can be scuttled toward the target, but you have to decide to drop the pride and play for the scuttle. On 17, did you try to pull off some kind of floater?
I would go almost opposite of your take with Kington, Cleeve Cloud and Painswick. Painswick is easily the course I admire least of the three. As you allude to with Kington's 18th (though I adamantly disagree with your example), there is too much luck and goofy stuff going on to really get behind Painswick 52 weeks a year even if the weather was stellar. Plus, the conditioning and lack of width are very problematic. In winter the course is mucky. In summer the course is a rough fest. I love Cleeve Cloud, but I don't think it uses its hills nearly as well as Kington does and this results in more up and down golf than I would like. However, there are some super greens sites (at Painswick as well), but I can't ever help thinking that CC could use bunkering in big way - massive scale bunkers, but not that many. Of course, the final kicker for me is Kington has superior turf and greens to either Painswick or CC. This makes a big difference when one plays these courses as often as I do.
Anyway, I am still not convinced Kington is suitable for Buda. I don't know if a few rounds is enough for guys to come to grips with the micro-undulations. It took me a about six rounds before I came to an understanding that above all else, if one wants to score well at Kington, keep the angles of approach in mind to the exclusion of all else. Plus, there isn't much nearby for the Mercans to play once Kington is in the history books. Somewhat like Norfolk, a much lower-income version of Norfolk that is, Herefordshire is a step back in time.
Give me a shout when you want to play the 18th again - its a feature hole
Ciao