BUDA IX 2011 - Suggestions for next years venue

[Ben Stephens]

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

Mark has started the BUDA IX bandwagon!  

I am quite happy to help out to organising a BUDA on the North Norfolk Coast - with Hunstanton and Brancaster as the main venues with Royal Worlington and Newmarket, Sheringham, Royal Cromer and Woodhall Spa as secondary venues.

If BUDA IX is to be in September it will have to be squeezed in somewhere between the Hunstanton East Anglian Autumn Foursomes (mid Sept) and the Grafton Morrish an old public schoolboys foursomes tournament (late Sept/early Oct)

I do know the secretary at Hunstanton and know the area in regards to the B+Bs quite well. My suggestion is that we all stay in the Le Strange Arms Hotel for the duration of BUDA so that everyone is all together under one roof - http://www.abacushotels.co.uk/bw-le-strange-arms-hotel-norfolk/

If this is the chosen venue for next years BUDA it is suggested that we book it early as possible.

Cheers
Ben

[Ben Stephens]

There are a lot of options for next year's BUDA here are some suggestions.


The Heathlands of the Midlands - Hollinwell, Woodhall Spa and Sherwood Forest

The Yorkshire Courses - Moortown, Alwoodley and Ganton

North Wales - Royal St. Davids, Aberdovey, Nefyn, Conwy.

North West of England - Formby, Hillside, Southport and Ainsdale

Lake District and Scottish Borders - Silloth, Seascale and Southerness

The South West - Saunton, Royal North Devon, St. Enodoc

North West of Ireland - Carne and Enniscrone


Cheers
Ben

[Mark Chaplin]

Yorkshire was 2007

I did North Wales this year and the golf is sporty and cheap, the disadvantage is the distances between the clubs, Aberdovey to Nefyn is the thick end of 1.5-2 hours on slow roads.

[mike_malone]

 I know that the key to all of the choices is who does the organizing.  But when I see NW Ireland as an option I think of Enniscrone paired with Sligo instead of Carne. I think they are closer together and provide a more dramatic contrast in golf. This could lead to sidetrips to the lesser known Donegal courses that are marvelous.

[Bill_McBride]

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

Mark has started the BUDA IX bandwagon!  

I am quite happy to help out to organising a BUDA on the North Norfolk Coast - with Hunstanton and Brancaster as the main venues with Royal Worlington and Newmarket, Sheringham, Royal Cromer and Woodhall Spa as secondary venues.

If BUDA IX is to be in September it will have to be squeezed in somewhere between the Hunstanton East Anglian Autumn Foursomes (mid Sept) and the Grafton Morrish an old public schoolboys foursomes tournament (late Sept/early Oct)

I do know the secretary at Hunstanton and know the area in regards to the B+Bs quite well. My suggestion is that we all stay in the Le Strange Arms Hotel for the duration of BUDA so that everyone is all together under one roof - http://www.abacushotels.co.uk/bw-le-strange-arms-hotel-norfolk/

If this is the chosen venue for next years BUDA it is suggested that we book it early as possible.

Cheers
Ben

Any venue that features a hotel called "Le Strange Arms" would be attractive to the Buda crowd.  (Does Fawlty Towers resonate in the back of your mind, with Basil goosestepping around saying, "Whatever you do, for God's sake don't mention the war!")

Ben, what are the distances between the Norfolk courses, and where is Le Strange Arms in relation to the courses?

I'd also like to see us on slightly softer and flatter venues, my blistered left big toe will take a while to heal.  

Ben, great to meet you and James at this year's event, can't wait  for next year.  Thanks for stepping up for Buda IX, new blood is a good thing!

[Ben Stephens]

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

Mark has started the BUDA IX bandwagon!  

I am quite happy to help out to organising a BUDA on the North Norfolk Coast - with Hunstanton and Brancaster as the main venues with Royal Worlington and Newmarket, Sheringham, Royal Cromer and Woodhall Spa as secondary venues.

If BUDA IX is to be in September it will have to be squeezed in somewhere between the Hunstanton East Anglian Autumn Foursomes (mid Sept) and the Grafton Morrish an old public schoolboys foursomes tournament (late Sept/early Oct)

I do know the secretary at Hunstanton and know the area in regards to the B+Bs quite well. My suggestion is that we all stay in the Le Strange Arms Hotel for the duration of BUDA so that everyone is all together under one roof - http://www.abacushotels.co.uk/bw-le-strange-arms-hotel-norfolk/

If this is the chosen venue for next years BUDA it is suggested that we book it early as possible.

Cheers
Ben

Any venue that features a hotel called "Le Strange Arms" would be attractive to the Buda crowd.  (Does Fawlty Towers resonate in the back of your mind, with Basil goosestepping around saying, "Whatever you do, for God's sake don't mention the war!")

Ben, what are the distances between the Norfolk courses, and where is Le Strange Arms in relation to the courses?

I'd also like to see us on slightly softer and flatter venues, my blistered left big toe will take a while to heal.  

Ben, great to meet you and James at this year's event, can't wait  for next year.  Thanks for stepping up for Buda IX, new blood is a good thing!

Bill,

Le Strange Arms is in Old Hunstanton a few hundred metres away from the Hunstanton clubhouse. Perfect to have a couple of beverages! Brancaster is about 5 to 7 miles away from Old Hunstanton down the A149. Sheringham is about 35 miles away around a 50 min journey on a winding coastal road.

There is an hidden gem in Kings Lynn Golf Club – a tree lined course about 15 miles away from Hunstanton. Even the Queen’s summer home, Sandringham, is not far away.

Woodhall Spa is 2 hrs drive away and Royal Worlington and Newmarket is 1hr 30 mins away from Old Hunstanton.

I assure you that Hunstanton and Brancaster are flattish links courses, unlike Porthcawl and Pennard but both a must see!  

It was fantastic to meet ‘the’ Bill McBride in person look forward to the next time we meet. Send my regards to Drinkin’ Joe!

Cheers
Ben

[Ben Stephens]

Bill

Hunstanton had the reputation of having the fastest greens in England apart from a few troubles in the last few years and they were back to their old self this year.

Brancaster, like Pennard, is a one off a truly unique links course with cross over holes and club rules allow you to ground in a water hazard mainly the marshland areas. Probably my favourite spike bar in the world!

Cheers
Ben

[Mark Chaplin]

Ben - good to hear Hunstanton has recovered from their troubles. I too have heard good things about Kings Lynn.

If you offer the gang will follow, north Norfolk does offers interest for those flying 3500+ miles for golf and good company.

Royal Cromer was a disappointment especially when they couldn't provide two bottles of champagne at 0900, shambles, call themselves a Royal club!

[Dale Jackson]

Although I will not be at BUDA (unfortunately), I can add my endorsement of Le Strange Arms.  A group of 12 of us stayed there for four days about 2 weeks ago and it would be perfect for BUDA HQ.  Bar in the hotel and (large) pub attached.  And as Ben mentioned, it is walkable from Hunstanton.

[Tony_Muldoon]

It’s a sign of strength that there are so many options and I would attend any of these.  As the cliché goes “organise it and they will come..”

It’s pretty impossible to hit all the bases in organising this but IMO  the best events have managed to arrange some or all of the following (in addition to being played on great courses – a given)

- Everyone in the same hotel, best for carousing.
- A member who can get us a great speaker for a dinner in the club.
- Good weather, September is usually pretty good.
-Placed over a weekend allows more to participate, from GB&I





This year is bad timing for me but in future I’d like to organise one at North Berwick and another one in Ireland (Enniscrone/Rosses Point/Strandhills, or Portrush Dunluce/Valley/Porstewart/Castlerock, or Rossapenna/Portsalon, or Dooks/Ceann Sibeal/Tralee.)  Next Spring I’m off to Siloth so for personal reasons I’d prefer if that waited a year.


This year I’d be happy to get involved in helping organise North Norfolk or a visit to Worlington on the way up or down.  A potentially great venue.

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,28076.0/

[Mark Chaplin]

Titchwell Manor permitted bar room putting competitions including an excellent hole from the first floor down the stairs to the bar via the lounge!

[Paul Nash]

after missing out this year I would hope that I can make it next year. I used to be a junior member at Kings Lynn and it is certainly worth a look (quite similar to Woburn in many ways - quite tight - not one for lovers of expansive diving areas), especially as it is only about 15 miled from Le Strange Arms.

[Sean_A]

I would echo Spangles' sentiments of weekend Buda (easier for GB&I folk and for US folk to play their supplementary courses on week days) and one hotel.  IMO this was the hitch this year once folks decided they weren't interested in staying in Swansea (no reasonably priced hotel big enough nearby to Pennard if Swansea not included) and when many wanted to stay in the Porthcawl Dormie House which couldn't accomodate all.  I am likely in the minority, but I prefer if Buda stays in Wales/England simply because so many folks already hit Ireland and Scotland.  

I have stayed at Le Strange and its ok.  A bit of a blue rinse brigade going on and somewhat faded, but ok.  There are a few pubs nearby without having to walk into Hunstanton.  Caley Hall is another option nearby so is The Lodge.  

I think Brancaster is a tough course to access in the fall.  There are a lot of old boy societies turning up. If this is a serious option, someone needs to make calls now.  Just from browsing the websites, Brancaster is out for weekend golf, but Hunstanton is alright.  I didn't look at site of the Sacred Nine.

I am happy to help organize, but not take the lead on anything.

Ciao  

[Anthony Gray]

  1st day low ball at Cruden Bay

  2nd day alternate shot at Cruden Bay

  3rd day match play at Cruden Bay

  Anthony

[Mark Chaplin]

Why does the Cruden Bay website make the place look like a tree lined parkland course?

[James Boon]

Ben,

As this year was our first Buda, I was hoping that any suggestions of organising Norfolk could wait till 2012, so that we at least had another Buda under our belts, but in for a penny, in for a pound! If others are interested in the Norfolk option, I'll give you a hand, and with back up from Arbles and Muldoon (good name for a band that?) we should be ok...

All the other suggestions also sound great but I have to admit I can see what Sean means about keeping it to England and Wales as a lot of travellers will already have been or be going to Scotland or Ireland.

Cheers,

James

[Ally Mcintosh]

If I had a vote (which I shouldn't because I have only one day's experience to my credit), then I think the Hunstanton / Brancaster duo is a very good option should you be able to negotiate reasonable rates and get on at the weekend... (that is why Tony's suggestion of a member is a good one)... They are close together, there is interesting accommodation, it's a part of the country that many will not have visited and there's lots of other good to great courses within striking distance... Even Woodhall Spa is just round the corner...

September is ideal....

[James Boon]

Ally mentioning September reminds me, September is a fine month for golf, but this does mean the calender (well mine anyway) tends to be very busy. What do people think of May/June time as an alternative?

Cheers,

James

[Adam Lawrence]

I think getting a big group on Brancaster at the weekend might be challenging, without some very good contacts, though I dare say Chappers could have words with the secretary!

[Melvyn Morrow]

From Inverness to Fraserburgh, say mainly between Inverness and Lossiemouth, Castle Stuart, Nairn, Moray GC's, then those who enjoy Dornock or Cruden can make their way easily

Melvyn

[Jamie Barber]

I'd be up for North Norfolk. Hunstanton and Brancaster and very nice. Woodhall Spa too but it's a bit of a trek on those single lane roads.

[Ben Stephens]

If we are going to North Norfolk. I would suggest that we play Brancaster on the Friday and Hunstanton at the weekends finishing off at Woodhall or Royal Worlington on the Monday with Kings Lynn on the Thursday as an extra.

Hunstanton is quiet in autumn apart from the East Anglian Foursomes and Grafton Morrish weekends. It has a lot of country members that fill the course in the summer.

Brancaster is closed to visitors in August.


As for the Le Strange Arms

Single occupancy - best rate is £55 per night.
Double occupancy - best rate is £80 per night.

Sean - I have also stayed at Caley Hall Hotel and 2 other B+B's in Hunstanton they are ok - the key with BUDA is to try and get all members under 1 roof and Le Strange is the best fit to take a party of 24 players or more.

Boony - 2011 or 2012 it does not really matter - what matters is where do the majority want to go to next year.

Cheers
Ben

[Melvyn Morrow]

There is only on place to sort the golfers out from the players and that has to be Askernish  -  Focus your mind, clears the smog of life from your lungs and play the game of your life, that is if you are Man enough You might even get Tom D to come

Melvyn

PS Hunstanton is great and you can stay at Castle Rising    for those brave enough (http://www.castlerising.co.uk/main.html) or my old boarding school at Heacham, no sorry it is no more, just a pile of ashes

[Mark Chaplin]

The only day Brancaster could host a group of 24 is Thursday 15th September and that would be in foursomes a.m. and p.m.

If an organiser comes forward and Norfolk is the venue please speak with the secretary Ian Symington and mention my name as we have discussed this but no provisional booking made.

Melvyn - does Askernish have enough accommodation locally for a single group?

[Ben Stephens]

The only day Brancaster could host a group of 24 is Thursday 15th September and that would be in foursomes a.m. and p.m.

If an organiser comes forward and Norfolk is the venue please speak with the secretary Ian Symington and mention my name as we have discussed this but no provisional booking made.

Melvyn - does Askernish have enough accommodation locally for a single group?

Mark,

Brancaster should be able to accomodate two ball singles either in the morning or afternoon as well as foursomes which it gives a reduced green fee rate for. Hunstanton is starting to allow fourballs which is good news - I have met the secretary Bob Carrick a number of times as I see him at The East Anglian Spring foursomes every year.

Absolutely love the view out of the bar at Hunstaton which gives great views of people teeing off on the 1st!


Melyvn

Heacham Hall is now a hotel with its own 18 hole course - how ironic!

Cheers
Ben