Folks

Per the Arble Method, this initial post will serve from now on as the point of information about next years Budapest Cup.  It will be updated as appropriate and/or as additional information comes in.

LATEST NEWS

Good News--25 souls are committed to the event, most of whom have sent deposits to allow us to confirm our reservations

Bad News--future committees will not have all 5 rounds guaranteed (although alternative games can and will be arranged, if needed)

£75 or $155, by check or cash, to the address as below:


GOLF

DATES, VENUES, TIMES, ETC.

Avant Golfe

Sunday June 15 2008

"Dine" at Astruther Chippy, followed by 3 club competition over as many holes as possible on the Anstruther golf links, followed by libations, trash talk and other bullsh*t.

Monday June 16, 2008
Lundin Golf Club (Lundin Links)
Morning--six 4-ball times from 9:16-10:00
Lunch--soup and sandwiches in Clubhouse
Afternoon--six foursomes (2-ball) from 2:28-3:00
Dinner--to be determined
Cost for golf--70 pounds

Tuesday June 17, 2008
Golf House Club Elie
Morning--six 4-ball times from 10:34-11:15
Lunch--in clubhouse
Afternoon--six foursomes (2-ball) from 2:34-4:15
Dinner--to be determined
Cost for golf--65 pounds

Wednesday June 18, 2008
Lundin Golf Club (Lundin Links)
Morning--12 singles (mano-a-mano) 9:24-11:00
Lunch--slap up final meal and presentation in Clubhouse
Cost for golf--45-50 pounds (didn't ask, yet)

ACCOMODATIONS

The McBride Gang of 7/8 will be in St. Andrews.  I have provisionally booked 10 rooms in the Crusoe Hotel in Lower Largo (staggering distance from Lundin Links), and purportedly the place from which Alexander Selkirk (Defoe's inspiration for Robinson Crusoe) sailed.  www.crusoehotel.co.uk

DINNERS

Probably something informal and off the cuff on arrival day (June 15).  Something planned and reserved, formal or informal on June 16, probably a local restaurant.  Something a bit more formal on June 16th, probably at or near our hotel.

"OFF PISTE" GOLF POSSIBILITIES

Pre- or Apres- gatherings at:

--Balbirnie Park (see Martin Bonnar for details)
--Aberdour (see me, but may or may not be possible)
--Fairmont (St. Andrews Bay)
--Kingsbarns
--Crail
--St. Andrews Links courses
--etc.

During event golf (dew sweeping or in the gloaming)

--Lundin?
--Anstruther?
--Fairmont?
--etc.

PARTICIPANTS

Interest has been strong with the following people in the frame:

Defintely Committed

1. Rich Goodale              Paid                 In Crusoe Hotel
2. Ian Dickson               Check in Pub      In Crusoe Hotel?
3. Craig Disher                Paid                In Crusoe Hotel
4. Mike Whitaker             Paid                In St. Andrews
5. Mark Pearce               Paid
6. Bill McBride                 Paid                In St. Andrews
7. Martin Bonnar             Paid
8. Joe Buehler                Paid                In St. Andrews
9. Mike Mazenko             Paid                In St. Andrews
10.Bill Linne                   Check in Mail
11.Jarry Taylor                 Paid              In St. Andrews
12.John Reynolds              Paid               In St. Andrews
13.Gary Slatter               Check in Pub     In St. Andrews?
14.Joe Fairey                  Paid                In Crusoe Hotel
15.Tony Muldoon              Paid               In Crusoe Hotel
16.Andrew Mitchell           Paid                In Crusoe Hotel
17.Conrad Gamble            Check in Mail
18.Andy Levett                Paid
19.Jason Topp                 Paid
20.Stan Dodd                  Check in Mail     In Crusoe Hotel?
21.Mark Bourgeois            Check in Mail     In Crusoe Hotel
22.Philip Gawith               Paid                 In Crusoe Hotel
23.Lloyd Cole                   Check with Manager
24.Peter Mallalieu               Paid
25.John Kinnear               Check in Mail

Interest--Probable/Possible

26.Liam McWilliam            
27.Ulrich Mayring
28.Jim Goby                    
29.Ward Peyronin
30.Mark Chaplin              
31.Nick Leefe    
32.Giles Payne
33.Lou Duran  

           

If anybody is misclassified or wishes to be added (or, shock-horror! I have forgotten), please e-mail me or post at the end of this thread.

As always, the more the merrier, so sign up early and often!

The good news is that we have confirmed tee times.  The bad news is that we are going to have to put up some earnest money soon.  As was done last year, we will be looking for a non-refundable deposit of £75 pounds or ~$155 (exchange rate TBD) as soon as you are ready to commit to the event, with additional charges settled on site individually and/or paid after all our costs have been accounted for.  I'll note them if and when paid on the list above.

You can send them to:

Richard Goodale
23 Bellhouse Road
Aberdour, Fife
KY3 0TL
Scotland, UK

That's all I can think of for now.

In the Spirit of Buda

Rich (AB, MBA, EG)

Thanks, Craig.

I very much hope that Jim and Peter can make it too.  They and you are what BUDA is all about.

Cheers

Rich

Bill

Murcar is a very good golf course.  As much fun and challenge as Cruden Bay or Royal Aberdeen IMO.  Go for it.

AS your plans firm up, let me know what day you'd want to play in BUDA so we can fit that around other peoples schedules.  Don't give up on the Old Course, however, with the dollar plummeting you might be the only people on the ballot!

Rich - I have played The Old Course several times so it's not the end of the world if I miis it this time... count me in for the Buda Cup 100%. I've never played Lundin or Elie, so I'm keen to see them both. Plus, I want another shot at Andrew Mitchell, aka The Baildon Butcher. Yes, I am a glutton for punishment!

Bill - I'm sorry to learn about Cruden Bay. Why not look onto Royal Aberdeen or Nairn instead of CB.

We're at Nairn on the Wednesday.  RD Struie/Championship Tues, Nairn Wed, RD Championship Thursday early, Friday looks like a match vs Golspie there.  Saturday is the rub, Cruden Bay a problem, we will most likely go on to Murcar which everybody including Rich says is very good.  Royal Aberdeen up to 150 quid on Saturday, Murcar 85.  Sigh.  

Sean

I was up at Murcar this summer, and the changes made are minor--a bunker here and there, a few new "tiger" tees.  They did build a great range and practice area--probably the best I have seen in the UK.

Sorry you'll miss Lundin/Elie.  Sure you can't coordinate it with your links trip?

Rich

And now for something not completely different....

Spoke to Elie today, and we can get times on Wed., but only in the afternoon--the Society of Bonecrushers (probably aka Redanmen) has the morning sewn up (as it were).  So, we have that going for us.....

....or, Elie is free all Tuesday.  So....

....how about doing day 2 (Tuesday) at Elie, and then the singles at Lundin on Wednesday? We could eat out Tuesday night in Elie/Anstruther (the Cellar restaurant in Anst'er is superb) and have a gala lunch at Lundin Wednesday afternoon after the singles.

The only minor problem with this is I haven't been able to get hold of Ian Dickson today to see if this is possible from the Lundin point of view.  When he calls back, would anybody object to this slight change in plans if we can arrange it as above?

Let me know your thoughts.

Rich

It could well be that, I might, conceivably, be considering. That is, it’s not impossible, that perchance there is some probability that I can attend on Monday and Tuesday.

It needs to be understood that the above in no way constitutes a firm and binding contract.

(You will have guessed that  I am going to push my luck for a decision on this as soon as a suitable moment crops up ).

For me the new arrangements seem even better.

Sean

I was up at Murcar this summer, and the changes made are minor--a bunker here and there, a few new "tiger" tees.  They did build a great range and practice area--probably the best I have seen in the UK.

Sorry you'll miss Lundin/Elie.  Sure you can't coordinate it with your links trip?

Rich

MURCAR just won  Course of the Year 2007 from Scottish Golf Tourism.  

Rich - I like the revised schedule of Lundin-Elie-Lundin. Make it so!

Rich - thanks for the fixing. I am keen to be there so pencil me in. I will firm up closer to the time.

Philip

Rich, I, and most likely several of my cohort, are in for the full Monty, with the only waffle/quibble that some might skulk out of a round should there be successful ballot applications.

I should have been an attorney in view of the drafting of the above paragraph.

I have forwarded your inital post to the Gang of Seven with a request that they express their interest at this point.  I hope to confirm before long.  If it doesn't work for all of us to be in full bore, we will work it out.  Mike Whitaker is, like me, in for the full programme.

St Andrews has become far too popular.  The Links Trust website has few tee times left for the New Course over our dates, 16-18 June.  Plenty on the Jubilee and Eden....

We are already booked into a St Andrews B&B (Vardon House off the Scores) and a private apartment on Market Street.  

Thanks for organizing!

Good to hear, Martin, and thanks for the offer of some off-piste activities for the visitors at Balbirnie Park.  I'll note this on the home page, and update as it develops.

Overall, the response has been great.  I think we already have a quorum, and I'm confident of getting at least 24 people participating by the time June comes around.  If we need people to fill any open slots, we should have no problem in enlisting like-minded locals, given that at leat 3 of us live locally and even have real friends!

Ulrich

By "formal" I mostly mean something planned in advance, with a reservation, napkins, non-plastic silverware, tables and chairs, etc.  The only place one might possibly need a coat and tie is if they want to explore the inner sancta of the Elie clubhouse.

I'll put you down for a definite maybe.  Hope you can come.

Rich

PS--if it happens to be warm the day we play Elie, you will be able to wear shorts, but ONLY if you have knee-length socks.  Bring some along, just in case, or you'll have to buy a pair for about 20 quid at the pro-shop.

R