GCA BOOMERANG - How to create the teams?

[Scott Warren]

The inaugural GCA BOOMERANG will be held at Barnbougle Dunes and The Lost Farm from Friday, March 4 - Sunday, March 6, 2011.

How can you pay?
The deposit you have paid to me will be forwarded to Barnbougle Dunes to secure your place and the balance can be paid when you check in to your room on March 3.

late entries
If you want to take part but did not enter by the July 31 2010 cut-off, send me an email or PM and I will check with my contact at the resort to see if you can be added to the field and whether accommodation is avilable.

List of participants

The Aussies
Scott Warren (Deposit received AU$100)
Kevin Pallier (Deposit received AU$100)
Matthew Delahunty (Deposit received AU$100)
Sean Walsh (Deposit received AU$100)
Terry Thornton (Deposit received AU$100)
David Elvins (Desposit received AU$100)
Mark Ferguson (Deposit received AU$100)
Andy Gray (Deposit received AU$100)
Steve de Wilde (Deposit received AU$100)
Jason Perry (Deposit received AU$100)
Sean Peacock (Deposit received AU$100)
Luke Storey (Deposit received AU$100)
Matt Maydo (Deposit received AU$100)
Todd Shuiling (Deposit received AU$100)
Stuart Cooper (Deposit received AU$100)
Matt Houston (Deposit received AU$100)
Adam Lowes (Deposit received AU$100)
Victor Annamalay (Deposit received AU$100)
Dustin Knight (Deposit received AU$100)
David Meyers (Deposit received AU$100)
Andrew Summerell (Deposit received AU$100)
James Bennett (Deposit received AU$100)
Dieter Jones (Tasmania resident - handling own booking)
Brett Morrissy (Deposit received AU$100)
 

The internationals
Mike Whitaker (Deposit received AU$105)
Patrick Kiser (Deposit received US$100)
John Mayhugh (Deposit received US$100)
David Kelly (Deposit received US$100)
Kyle Henderson (Deposit received US$100)
Sven Nilson (Deposit received US$100)
Colin Macqueen (Deposit received AU$100)
Bill Brightly (Deposit sent US$100)
Rob Miller (Deposit received AU$100)
Scott Coan (Deposit received US$100)
Wayne Freeman  (Deposit received US$100)
Ron Kluwe  (Deposit received US$100)

[Bill_McBride]

If I'm going that far, it's going to be to play Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath!

Is it possible to be put under a general anesthetic for the 24 hours of the trip?   

Tasmania would make a great pre or post trip, right?  The beauty of the recent Buda - one of the beauties - was being a virtual member of Royal Cinque Ports during our stay, and being next door to Sandwich.  I hope the same situation might be possible in Melbourne.

[PThomas]

i'd love to go if financially feasible at the time

and like Ace McBride, RM has to be on the schedule!

[Tim Leahy]

i'd love to go if financially feasible at the time

and like Ace McBride, RM has to be on the schedule!

Sounds like something I would be interested in. Have always wanted to play RM. What's the weather like that time of year?

[Bill_McBride]

i'd love to go if financially feasible at the time

and like Ace McBride, RM has to be on the schedule!

Sounds like something I would be interested in. Have always wanted to play RM. What's the weather like that time of year?

Seasons are flipped, so February/March are like California in August/September without the fog.

[Cory Lewis]

I'm very interested, but like others have said, it would have to include the "big guns" if I'm going to endure a plane ride for that longr, I would only want to do it once, so RM, Kingston, Barnbougle, Commonwealth, Metropolitan would need to be included for me to make the trip.

[PThomas]

Is it possible to be put under a general anesthetic for the 24 hours of the trip?   

we'll just invite the likes of Tiger and Phil, with the caveat that in order to listen to our knowledge for a week or so they have to take us on their private jets,,,

now who could in their right mind could pass up that opportunity?

[Scott Warren]

24 hours is a bit of an exaggeration for the US guys.

LA > Melbourne is about 15hrs

But London > Melbourne, for the UK contingent, is indeed 22-23hrs, generally with a stop in Asia somewhere.

[Bill_McBride]

24 hours is a bit of an exaggeration for the US guys.

LA > Melbourne is about 15hrs

But London > Melbourne, for the UK contingent, is indeed 22-23hrs, generally with a stop in Asia somewhere.

NW Florida to LAX via Atlanta = 6 hours flying time.  24 hours is probably optimal spread over two days.   

[Mark_F]

Is it possible to be put under a general anesthetic for the 24 hours of the trip?   

Certainly.  Watching an Australian-made In-flight movie will knock you out perfectly.

[Richard Choi]

If you can get enough people and get a section of the airplane to yourself, you probably have enough discussions to last the entire flight easy.

Of course, that may result in knocking out every other passenger on the airplane...

This would be cool if it came together. Not sure if WAF is very high on this one.

[Rob Rigg]

Sounds like it will be epic - count me hopefully in if it goes off (might have to send the wife to Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef or something).

[Scott Warren]

Great to see so many are keen to be involved!

[David Kelly]

The flight is really not that bad.  You most likely will leave LAX on the 11:30PM flight so you will be able to sleep for awhile unless you are someone that just can't sleep on an airplane (and in that case take an Ambien).  The in-flight entertainment gives you dozens of tv and movie options as well as music and between those, a good book and the two or three meals they serve you'll be in Melbourne quicker than you think (albeit mid-morning two days later).

[Kalen Braley]

I did the LA to Sydney flight once..it was 16 hrs as I recall.

[David_Elvins]

Good stuff Scott,

I would recommend Barnbougle for an event. 

-Great courses - possibly the two best in Oz
-set up for accomodation and hosting
-better event with everyone having to travel

People can make their own arrangements to play RM, KH, Commo, etc, depending on what they want to do/how much time they have.

[Michael Whitaker]

Scott - Count me in! If I am alive I will be there. What will we call the event... the Aussie Cup?

To travel that far it will have to be a two week trip for me, maybe three.

Build it and they will come!!!

[Chris Flamion]

Count me in, I left this up and the wife walked by and said an absolute yes, just have to find something for her to do.  March would be undoable for me however. 

Great idea let me know if I can help with anything.

[Kevin Pallier]

Scott

I recieved your PM (thanks) and agree it's a wonderful concept you are envisiging.

I'm sure the Aust. GCA brotherhood would be only too happy to help as best we can.

If any GCAers want to hook up via Sydney - I am certainly available to help with trip planning etc.

[Matt Day]

I'm in subject to work

and can we arrange a few sandbelt tracks as well please 

[Brad Fleischer]

I have been looking for a reason to go back down under and if this isn't a good enough reason I don't know what is.

Sandbelt,sandbelt,sandbelt ummm did I mention sandbelt 

Oh and the fact that lost farms should be done makes this a possible trip of epic proportions. I will be staying tuned.

Brad

[Tony_Muldoon]

Scott as BUDA proves there is no better way to see courses and clubs than in a GCA event. I would love to be there. Thank you for proposing this.

However

-   Respectfully even with your organising powers you aren't going to get people to schedule it in and commit with 3 months notice over Christmas.  Dates and costs will need to be fixed 9 months in advance for people to commit.

-   With no close friends or relatives in Oz I figure it’s a one time, three week visit and my wife believes I’m not going without her.  So timing is critical.  I’d like to say I’m in but it’s hard to be sure when I'll be able to pull it off.

All that woffle aside I’m confident that one day I will tee it up with you in Australia. (Chris you too.  Err senior moment... JB and SW 2!)  As the BUDA has shown these events have a way of gathering momentum and as Mike says organise it and we will come.  Good luck.

[Mark Pearce]

It sounds fantastic.  Like Tony, however, I have reservations about whether you're allowing yourself enough time back in Aus to organise.  Also like Tony, I'm never going to get away with travelling to the Antipodes without my wife and family and making it a three week trip.  That's a big cost and, unless things pick up dramatically economically, not one I'm going to be able to commit to.

One final word.  To all those saying "I'm only coming if it includes X, Y or Z":  here's an offer from someone to organise a great event.  Of course you want to play some other great courses.  It's bloody cheeky to expect Scott (or any other Aussie contributor) to sort that out for you.  Just as we do with pre/post BUDA golf, commit to the event and sort out the add-ons yourself.  I'm sure there'll be some help available.

[Mark Chaplin]

Well said Mark, those who would only travel if certain courses are available should stick their heads above the parapet and ask how THEY can help to make it happen.

I've just heard a rumour of Buda 2010 at Muifield and St Andrews, unless we can play four ball at Muirfield on Friday and Peter Dawson hosts us at lunch at the R&A on Saturday you can count me out.

[Philip Gawith]

Don't forget that there is already a GCA event scheduled for Australia late next year which Ran/Ben are organising - see the Golf&Travel section. My own experience a few years back suggests the foreign visitor who opens his cheque book can get onto just about all the top courses - but that is not quite the same as being hosted by a member in the Buda style, which is probably too much to hope for on a trip of that style.