[Sean_A]

I enjoyed Buda immensely and it was wonderful to meet a few new Pests.  I thank one and all for turning up otherwise it would have been strange all by my lonesome.  I would especially like to pat Whitty and Spangles on the back for taking on the skippership roles.  Like any good committee, these guys put a stamp on their Buda.  I was especially pleased they tried out the Chapman format.  I think it went well despite a bit of belly aching.  Ross was a real trooper in giving us a presentation on Celtic Manor and the Ryder Cup then heading to London the same night!   It was an eye opener to get a glimpse of the infrastructure (on and off the course) required - whew! Some of my favourite moments were:



1. Watching Whitty work Porthcawl's dining room for free wine.  It was particularly gratifying to egg Che Wardo on to beg a glass off that pair of scallywags; Conrad and Mark (to be renamed later).  

2. Receiving a fine bottle of Bourbon from Che Wardo.  With a double touch of water it is very fine.

3. Receiving a Greenville Golfing Society cap from Whitty.  Good as gold he is.  

4. Meeting our young junior being sponsored by Buda due in the main to the generous contributions of Mayday and T Levin.  More on this at a later date, but I gotta tell ya, I watched him on the range and the kid swings it like a machine.  

5.  Rediscovering Porthcawl.

6. The patience of Pests with the conditions at Pennard - which were far from ideal.  Much like Rye and other courses which don't water fairways, Pennard is best in the winter.

7. Watching Peter Mallalieu (sp?) stride the fairways of Porthcawl.  Peter was hinting that this may have been his last Buda.  If this is true all Pests will be much worse off for it.

I will likely think of more things when reminded.  In the meantime, here are a few pix.

This pretty little thing had me back tracking a few steps after breaking her personal bubble.


I wonder if anybody was caught out by the church.  


Introducing from left to right: the newly named (and not because of his singing) Mark The Canary Pearce, Ace, Whitty, Conrad Gamble, Drinkin Joe & Che Wardo


From left to right: The Canary, Jason Topp (the silent assassin?), Doc Hiseman & Boony (by the door), Vice Captain of Pennard GC, one of the great Professionals in the game - Mike Bennett, Lorne Smith (Mr Fine), Whitty & Spangles


It gets a bit ugly now...






Doc breaks the trend



The Canary looking considerably less graceful than he should do.  


Ciao
          

[Robin_Hiseman]

Sean

It was a brilliant weekend and I'd like to thank you for your commitment to getting us all down to this beautiful part of Wales and to organising the itinerary so well.  Great job!

I must tell you that Jason, John, Mark and myself tried really hard to retrieve your shiny, new baseball cap from the middle of the gorse bush behind the 15th tee, but it was way beyond reach!  I think someone took a photo, but judging by how inaccessible it was it may be destined to become a permanent feature of the course.

Roll on the next one.  I guess the discussion of suitable venues will commence soon...

[Mark Pearce]

Sean

It was a brilliant weekend and I'd like to thank you for your commitment to getting us all down to this beautiful part of Wales and to organising the itinerary so well.  Great job!

I must tell you that Jason, John, Mark and myself tried really hard to retrieve your shiny, new baseball cap from the middle of the gorse bush behind the 15th tee, but it was way beyond reach!  I think someone took a photo, but judging by how inaccessible it was it may be destined to become a permanent feature of the course.

Roll on the next one.  I guess the discussion of suitable venues will commence soon...

Robin,

That baseball cap was Drinking Joe's, not Sean's.  i saw it fly off.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks Sean... I was only briefly there but it was certainly worth the last minute detour... Hopefully next year, I can make the whole weekend...

[Mark Chaplin]

You know it's poor show when the best looking beauty present is a fine brown heffer!

I'm sure you all had a great BUDA and look forward to catching up soon.

[Eric Smith]

Some of my favourite moments were:

1. Watching Whitty work Porthcawl's dining room for free wine.  

Sean, I may have captured our Captain in the act...



More to come, but I would like to say that I had the time of my life over there in Wales. So many firsts for me. Links golf, Beef Wellington, Black Pudding, holiday snaps, candid photography, even Old Speckled Hen.  I loved listening to the many different accents from you fine gentlemen.  Staying in the dormie at Porthcawl was very nice indeed.  Particularly Friday night after closing down the bar, huddled around Sean's bottle of bourbon. I remember that stuff going down like nails on top of the Hancock's and the T&T's.  Mark Pearce's telling me my tie didn't quite cut the mustard stung a little, but I think I know him well enough now to gather that that is just Mark being Mark.  He's fun like that.  I hope when I'm old and gray that my hair looks as good on me as his does on him.  Mark did offer a great suggestion that evening and that was that the BUDA itself needs its own tie, for only those who have played in it.  My wife is a designer and it would be my honor to have her submit a few samples to you all over the course of the next year in order to get them around your necks by BUDA IX.

The golf.

Wales was quite the introduction to links golf for me.

You see sort of flat looking holes in a lot of pics of Porthcawl,




 

...but make no mistake it is anything but a flat golf course.  I'm still feeling the burn in my calves from our 36 hole day there.  The golf at Porthcawl is all that and more.  Anywhere I can swing away with the two wood and putt from wherever I want is quickly becoming the only type of golf that I want to play.  Porthcawl is only my second links played, and as many of you mentioned to me, my education is just beginning.  What a feeling just knowing that this, THIS, is only the beginning?!!









Whenever I missed a shot, I found a bunker. So I was in a lot of these big, deep, revetted bunkers. Mostly, this was when approaching the greens.  That is such an interesting aspect of thoughtful GCA, placing them where the golfer will likely miss and one I notice that Tom Paul has started a thread on.


Andy Levett on the 10th green, a long green, receptive at the front but narrows as it wraps back around more deep bunkers.


Aside from the golf at Porthcawl, a walk on the beach below the clubhouse is not to be missed.






The town is only a 15 minute stroll down the beach.


As for Pennard,

THAT place....well Doak probably said it best in the CG.  Is it the most spectacular piece of land for golf in the world?  I'll take his word for it.

SIMPLY SPECTACULAR.


I sent Ran this picture from the 16th while on the train back to London,


...and he wrote back that the 16th at Pennard was probably his favorite spot in all of golf! It's easy to see why.
This is looking to the sea from behind 16 green.


Beautiful part of the world there at Pennard.


I thought I liked blind shots before I played there.  I was wrong.  I love them! Thank heavens we had Bill McBride in our foursome, though. I'd have definitely played to a few incorrect greens without his guidance.


I tried to do my part and shoo the cattle away so that he could hit his shots.






Careful where you step on the 10th tee!


Again, I had the time of my life.  What's funny is only about a month ago I felt the same way after that golf trip. This bodes well for the future.

It was great getting to meet and see all of you -- thanks for having me.















Until next year...

Cheers,

Eric

[JLahrman]

The canary outfit looks better than the rest of the clothes put together.  No pleats in the pants either.  Nice work.

[Jason Topp]

The final event was conrad's Fuel mishap on the way home. I hope he got home.

Mayhugh and I spent a final morning enjoying Woking which was a peaceful respite after Pennard.

[Michael Whitaker]

To Sean:  Thank you for making this year's event such a rousing success!!! The courses... the camaraderie... the meals... the WINE... the presentation... it could not have been a better Buda. You did a great job and we ALL appreciate your efforts on our behalf.

To Tony Muldoon:  You are the best! Thanks for your quick decisions that kept things moving and for putting up with my frustrations. You were the "great calming factor" in the middle of the chaos!

Some of my favorite moments:

 1. Working the dining room at Royal Porthcawl for free wine!!!  

 2. Seeing Burnham & Berrow and Pennard for the first time. You are a lucky man, Sean!

 3. Partnering with Eric & Jason... sorry I made you guys work so hard!!!

 4. Wardo's pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 5. Meeting Lorne Smith, Ben Stephens, Ally McIntosh and Richard Muldoon!

 6. Renewing UK friendships with James, Conrad, Philip, Robin, Andy, Peter, Tony, and Mark!

 7. Watching Lorne's slooooooooooooooooow backswing!

 8. Arguing over handicaps with Tony and Mark!!!

 9. Talking sci-fi movies with James. Remember, James: "Martian Child" and "Momento"

10. Turkish food in Mumbles!

11. Listening to Conrad talk about his young sons and their budding love for golf!

12. Enjoying a "Proper Pimms" on the seaside patio at Royal Porthcawl with a good collection of Budanistas!

13. Strategizing with John Mayhew on the best way to successfully use the handheld showering device in the Royal Porthcawl dormy house.  

14. Watching the smiles on EVERYONE'S faces whenever and wherever they gathered. What a great collection of guys... gentlemen all!!!

I can't wait until next year!!!

[James Boon]

To Sean, Michael and Tony,
Many, many thanks for a wonderfully organised event! Be it arranging the logistics in advance of the main event, or the last minute adjustments to the running order to make things run smoothly on the day, you all did an awesome job for which I can't thank you enough!

To our American visitors,
Without you guys making the effort to travel here, this event would be nothing! I think I played or talked with pretty much all of you, and all I can say is I can't wait till next year to see you all again!

To the home team,
Great to see some old friends and make some new ones!

I really enjoyed being able to show those of you who could make it around Burnham & Berrow. I get the impression you all enjoyed it and you are all more than welcome down there again. We then all headed for the Dormey House at Porthcawl only to be diverted through Newport which was a pain, but when that first pint of ale was eventually being drunk in the clubhouse, I could see this was going to be an awesome trip!

The early morning sun over Royal Portcawl was a great sight, just check Philip's photos. Then a couple of rounds around a course a certain Welshman hadn't stopped telling me about since it was finalised as this years Buda destination...

The ninth was possibly my favourite, but I was so enamoured with it this was the best pic I could get, with from L to R, Mike, Conrad and Eric.


A few playing partners... Firstly Conrad looking a natural


Mike facing the wrong way as usual, with Eric looking on


Captain Muldoon, a fine playing partner and Captain


Drinkin' Jo and Craig "Straight down the middle" Disher



That nights meal was great. You only need to look at the smiles on everyone's faces in Eric's pics above. Here is the nights chief photographer Eric "The Jedi" Smith with our after dinner speaker Ross McMurray, discussing his colaboration on the next Ryder Cup venue...


An early morning start at Mumbles, looking across at Port Talbot steelworks with the sun rising above, an awesome if somewhat dystopian, sight...


Then to Clyne, where the sheep were so nice I claimed a few, like any good Derbyshire lad should...


Wardo, straight from a stint in the kitchen?


Mark, not so canary like, but still in good form considering how many he had the night before


Yours truly...


Our resident GCA Robin "Doc or Cardinal" Hiseman gets the best view possible


The drive on the 13th at Clyne, where the line is further right than it looks. Having all gone left Mark came up with my favourite quote of the week:
"These cows have been some sort of MacKenziean deceit!"


Then to Pennard! This place just blew me away, literally and metaphorically, I just love it. Here's Drinkin Jo playing from the remains of the church on the 7th


Pennard: Land of Marker Posts and Cows!


The seventh had to be my favourite combination of architecture and setting


So many great and plenty of hazy, memories! Wow, I honestly can't stop thinking about what an awesome few days Buda was! So where are we going next year???

Cheers,

James

ps Mike, I've not forgotten the films. I'm going shopping at lunchtime!
ps2 Perhaps next year we should set up a long hitting contest between Ben, Eric and Philip? It would be a close call... 

[Mike Sweeney]

Spectacular pics of what looks like a wonderful event. Fall is just crazy busy but somehow I will make one of these events with Mr Whit as my host. Thanks for sharing.

[Ben Stephens]

James - great pics,

Thought I would put in some superficial awards based on the stories on this trip with one winner from each team!

The Calvin Peete award (for the straightest driver)

USA - Craig Disher (who else???)
GBI - James Boon

The Ralph Lauren award (for the best dressed player)

USA - Ward Peyronin
GBI - Mark Pearce

The Bubba Watson award (for the longest driver)

USA - Eric Smith
GBI - Philip Gawith

The Caddyshack award (for the best golf bag)

USA - John Mayhugh
GBI - Robin Hiseman (both the old and new ones!!!!)

The Ben Crenshaw award (for the best putter)

USA - Lou Duran
GBI - Conrad Gamble – with a huge pressure putt to halve match with Sean at Pennard

The Payne Stewart award (for the most trendiest shoes/socks)

USA – Joe Buehler
GBI – Lorne Smith

The Rickie Fowler award (for the most colourful hat)

USA – Sean Arble
GBI – Tony Muldoon

The Sam Torrance award (for the most injured player)

USA – Bill McBride
GBI – Ben Stephens

And finally The John Daly special award (for free drinking skills) - Michael Whittaker

[Eric Smith]

Boony,
 
Great post.  Like you, I haven't stopped thinking about BUDA.  Your pics are a great reminder to me that I was, in fact, there! You know, as soon as we stepped off the first tee at Porthcawl, and I turned to you and said, "Admiral Ackbar?", the smile on your face and the ensuing conversations led to one of those kind of days where you wish you could bottle it and save it forever. Great fun!  I can almost smell the booze in that goofy pic of me and Ross, how many times did we try to snap that one, a dozen?? Fortunately, there will be more days like that in the future, with the stewards of BUDA at work, or not?, on the next iteration.


Big Ben,

Please, I'm no Bubba!  Everyone knows that YOU are the animal off the tee. I'm just trying to get a hook-trapped two wood on the ground running and on those courses, that strategy seemed to pay off...until the approach shots anyway.  0-2-1 in my first BUDA.  But it's the spirit that counts, right?!  Great meeting you and I hope we'll have the chance to tee it together next time.

One other note: When I grow up I want to be Lorne Smith! He makes the World's Most Interesting Man look like the actor that he is.  Lorne is the real thing!

Cheers,

Eric

[Mark Chaplin]

You know something is wrong when Mark Pearce wins a best dressed award!

Any rumblings about 2011, north Norfolk (Hunstanton, Brancaster & Royal Worlington) very north (RD, Brora, Golspie & Castle Stewart), St Andrews (New, Jubilee & Eden)........??

[Ben Stephens]

Big Ben,

Please, I'm no Bubba!  Everyone knows that YOU are the animal off the tee. I'm just trying to get a hook-trapped two wood on the ground running and on those courses, that strategy seemed to pay off...until the approach shots anyway.  0-2-1 in my first BUDA.  But it's the spirit that counts, right?!  Great meeting you and I hope we'll have the chance to tee it together next time.

One other note: When I grow up I want to be Lorne Smith! He makes the World's Most Interesting Man look like the actor that he is.  Lorne is the real thing!

Cheers,

Eric

Eric

Its more like bad back Ben this time! The only big crack I managed to hit was on the 8th at Pennard where it easily could have gone past the green but for a ghastly large pot bunker at the front! Great to meet you and look forward to seeing you at next year's BUDA!

Cheers
Ben

[John Mayhugh]

You know something is wrong when Mark Pearce wins a best dressed award!

For some strange reason, he wanted to get changed out of his yellow trousers before passing through King's Cross station.

Great to see some familiar faces along with some new ones at Buda this year.  Had another fantastic time, & that's due to the people as much as the golf courses.  Will try to post some photos and thoughts later this week, but for now catching up at work is the priority. 

I would love to see us at Silloth next year, but will do my best to make it no matter where. 

Thanks for Sean, Tony, & Michael for their organizational efforts and to James Boon for hosting some of us at Burnham & Berrow.  It's great having guys do all the hard work & all I have to do is show up. 

[Mark Pearce]

I was certainly VERY relieved to have changed the yellow trousers whilst standing by the side of the A48 after Conrad filled his diesel with unleaded.  Who would have imagined Mayhugh and Topp as my knights in shining armour?

There are a number of ideas for next year.  I'm looking into Silloth.  Craig is keen on West Sussex.  Tony has a Lothian based idea.  No doubt there'll be much discussion in ensuing weeks.

[Ben Stephens]

I was certainly VERY relieved to have changed the yellow trousers whilst standing by the side of the A48 after Conrad filled his diesel with unleaded.  Who would have imagined Mayhugh and Topp as my knights in shining armour?

There are a number of ideas for next year.  I'm looking into Silloth.  Craig is keen on West Sussex.  Tony has a Lothian based idea.  No doubt there'll be much discussion in ensuing weeks.

Mark,

Could you provide more info about Silloth - I am interested in going there - on BUDA IX thread

What would be the second course if we went to West Sussex?

Cheers
Ben

[Tony_Muldoon]

Very fine indeed Sean, thanks again for setting this up. Great mix of golf and socialising. Reminded me of the old song “I’ve just been to a mahvellous party...and I couldn’t have liked it more.”

Once again thanks to all those who travelled so far, it makes the party special.  I think I got to play with all of you but Eric, who had to bail early-next time and Bill who picked up an injury.

All 4 courses I saw were special in their own way but with Pennard the song is “The more I see you...” truly a special place, and one of the dozen or so courses that are in my top 5 (you do know what I mean).


I only mention songs because missing out on Singing in Wales shows what a fule I was not getting into the Dormy House with you guys.  Must have been fun.

I thought I was hitting it pretty well, but clearly Ole Chicken wing is back!

 



Congratulations Mike on spoiling my otherwise perfect score! What a great competition.



Great stuff, roll on next year.

[Brent Hutto]

That is not the swing that wore me down with one good tee shot after another at Deal back in June...

[mike_malone]

 Clyne?

[Philip Gawith]

Tony, what happened at Pennard on Sunday? I have not see a score anywhere. Judging by the fawning picture ROW was bested by the forces of darkness? Has Whittaker dragged the trophy back to South Carolina?

And do i read between the lines from some of the comment elsewhere that there was a challenging breeze blowing?

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

It looks like BUDA VIII was a great event. I'm keeping an eye on the suggestions for 2011 as I'm determined to to get there and finally meet some GCAers.

[Bill_McBride]

Tony, what happened at Pennard on Sunday? I have not see a score anywhere. Judging by the fawning picture ROW was bested by the forces of darkness? Has Whittaker dragged the trophy back to South Carolina?

And do i read between the lines from some of the comment elsewhere that there was a challenging breeze blowing?

Philip, if I recall correctly the USA side was in a -5 hole heading into Sunday's 36 holes and managed to pick up a point or two during the day's matches.  The predictably boring [and generally unpopular] result was a 7th UK/GB&I/ROW victory in 8 Buda Cups.   

As always it was great fun, spirited competition with old and new friends over premier venues, with excellent social activities intertwined along the way.  Thanks to Sean and the captains Muldoon and Whitaker for the solid organizing!

"Challenging breeze?"  Seven days worth for our gang, from Kent to Wales it never stopped!

[Mark Pearce]

Challenging breeze?  Most people hit driver on the 180 yard par 3 13th.  Joe Buehler hit driver there to 12 inches, though!

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