Buda IX - Open for business

[Bill_McBride]

I sent the hotel an email asking for a single rate and haven't heard back.  Any suggestions would be welcome.  If they offered a special rate for doubles I guess the single rate might be x2.

[Stan Dodd]

Is there still room?

[Tony_Muldoon]

Stam see IM.


Bill try ca;omg him I founf him very helpful.

Mike I'll send you a copy of the email offer he sent me -quoted above- and at the end of the month I'll send him a list of names I know of. Once an offer is made we can demand its honoured.


Tony

[James Boon]

Tony,

Thanks for sorting out BUDA HQ!

Just so you know, Ben Stephens and I are booked in from Tuesday night till a check out on Saturday morning. Depending upon post Buda plans, I checked with the hotel and if it works better that we check out on the Friday, thats not a problem as long as we tell them when we check in...

Also just to confirm for the Registration link: I'm off 5, in for all 3 days of Buda golf, certainly interested in post Buda golf (to avoid heading north on the M1 on a Friday) and pre Buda golf is also a possibility depending upon some logistical issues...

September can't come quick enough!

Cheers,

James

[Michael Whitaker]

Some info for planning local transportation while attending Buda IX:

Frequent direct train service from London Waterloo [WAT] to Haslemere [HSL] (no changes)
Travel Time = 45-60 mins
Cost = £18 (less with railcard)

Taxi from Haslemere Station to Devil's Punchbowl Hotel  ~ £10

Taxi from Devil's Punchbowl Hotel to Liphook Golf Club or Hankley Common ~ £14

[Tony_Muldoon]

Deposits are now in and we have our teams.  

I’m delighted to say that Stan Dodd and Chappers have now confirmed.

So imagine a drum roll...


USA


Craig Disher
Lynn Shackleford
Mike Whittaker
Ken F
Bob Jenkins
Bill McBride
Joe Bueler
Ran Morrisett
Eric Smith
Joe Andriole
Richard Goodale
Stan Dodd

ROW
James Boon
Ian Dickson
Phillip Gawith* days tbc
Tony Muldoon
Ulrich Mayerling
Jim Goby
Ben Stevens
Conrad Gamble
Mark Pearce
Robin Hiseman  28th / 29th only
Giles Payne
Peter Malelieu
Mark Chaplin

IN most matches it will be a straight 12vs12 as a few have indicated that they feel substitutions for the PM rounds are in order. So it works.

Time for nominations for Captains. EDIT JUST re read page one.


Looks like we have room for one on Friday as Philip has said he’s unlikely to be able to stay.
Sean, Jamie?

Anymore thoughts on pre or post BUDA games?  I will be at Deal on the Sunday before but work and a wedding means nothing else possible.

[Bill_McBride]

Re: pre-Buda golf, I am hoping for a p.m. round at Woking on Tuesday (our flight's in that morning).   What's the drill?  Does an email to the secretary work? This would be Drinkin' Joe and me and I think Lynn Shackleford, so there's room for at least one more.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Re: pre-Buda golf, I am hoping for a p.m. round at Woking on Tuesday (our flight's in that morning).   What's the drill?  Does an email to the secretary work? This would be Drinkin' Joe and me and I think Lynn Shackleford, so there's room for at least one more.

Steady on.  I know they respond to fax!   


I've always found the secretary very helpful, it's a great place.

[Sean_A]

Deposits are now in and we have our teams.  

I’m delighted to say that Stan Dodd and Chappers have now confirmed.

So imagine a drum roll...


USA


Craig Disher
Lynn Shackleford
Mike Whittaker
Ken F
Bob Jenkins
Bill McBride
Joe Bueler
Ran Morrisett
Eric Smith
Joe Andriole
Richard Goodale
Stan Dodd

ROW
James Boon
Ian Dickson
Phillip Gawith* days tbc
Tony Muldoon
Ulrich Mayerling
Jim Goby
Ben Stevens
Conrad Gamble
Mark Pearce
Robin Hiseman  28th / 29th only
Giles Payne
Peter Malelieu
Mark Chaplin

IN most matches it will be a straight 12vs12 as a few have indicated that they feel substitutions for the PM rounds are in order. So it works.

Time for nominations for Captains. EDIT JUST re read page one.


Looks like we have room for one on Friday as Philip has said he’s unlikely to be able to stay.
Sean, Jamie?

Anymore thoughts on pre or post BUDA games?  I will be at Deal on the Sunday before but work and a wedding means nothing else possible.

Spangles

No, I can't make a 9-10 am start on Friday so count me out.  I am hoping to play an afternoon game and Saturday and Sunday AM if stuff is going on.  I know Eric is interested in St Georges Hill.  Is there anything happening the weekend prior?

Ciao

[Bill_McBride]

Re: pre-Buda golf, I am hoping for a p.m. round at Woking on Tuesday (our flight's in that morning).   What's the drill?  Does an email to the secretary work? This would be Drinkin' Joe and me and I think Lynn Shackleford, so there's room for at least one more.

Steady on.  I know they respond to fax!   


I've always found the secretary very helpful, it's a great place.

I emailed the secretary.  Then I sent him a follow up when I noted their website has a reference to GCA's profile of Woking!   They won't be able to say no!

[Eric Smith]

Anymore thoughts on pre or post BUDA games?  I will be at Deal on the Sunday before but work and a wedding means nothing else possible.

Spangles

No, I can't make a 9-10 am start on Friday so count me out.  I am hoping to play an afternoon game and Saturday and Sunday AM if stuff is going on.  I know Eric is interested in St Georges Hill.  Is there anything happening the weekend prior?

Ciao

Sean,

I had hoped to add on one last round after we wrap up on Friday and SGH would be sweet - but I'm thinking now I'll likely pack up the clubs and ride the train in to London to visit my sister's boyfriend, take in some sites and log some pub time with him before I fly home on Saturday.

[Ulrich Mayring]

Bill, I'd love to play Woking, so if the Tuesday PM round is happening and there's still room, then I'm in.

Or, as Friedrich Schiller would say:

'Tis mine your suppliant now to be,
Ah, let the band of love—be three!

Yes, taking some liberty with his verse, I think they only allowed three-balls back then.

Ulrich

[Bill_McBride]

Bill, I'd love to play Woking, so if the Tuesday PM round is happening and there's still room, then I'm in.

Or, as Friedrich Schiller would say:

'Tis mine your suppliant now to be,
Ah, let the band of love—be three!

Yes, taking some liberty with his verse, I think they only allowed three-balls back then.

Ulrich

I will know more shortly.  I'm hoping we can get a couple of four balls for lunch and an afternoon round.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Bill
I am a team player, so I will go where you want or need me.  I had initially expressed an interest in playing Woking on Tuesday the 27th.  Since then I have been told I should play Walton Heath(Old), because it is better than Woking.  In fact without knowing the accessibility of either or the price, I have recently emailed the Secretary at Walton Heath.  I have not yet heard back.

Do you know anything about either or have you played either?  Anyone who wants to express a thought, it will be welcomed.

[Brent Hutto]

Lynn,

Walton Heath was the first course outside the USA I ever played. Both the Old and New are first-rate. In fact I would not want to have to choose which of those two I prefer as the New seemed equal in quality and had a couple of my favorite holes out of the entire 36-hole day. Lunch was good, too. For what it's worth.

I have no played Woking, unfortuantely so I can't offer a comparison. I played a couple of links courses on that same trip and probably prefer them to almost any inland course but the day at Walton Heath was nearly as enjoyable as even the links. They had recently begun the tree reduction when I was there in 2006 and have done even moreso by now I'm sure. The property has a very open feel to it and plenty of width to play with. Very nice roll to the land, not hilly enough to be an unpleasant walk but plenty of ups and downs so that there are few flattish holes. The green, as a whole, are rather on the subtle and low-profile end of the spectrum rather than being highly contoured. I found the whole course to be an excellent design without needing any huge, obvious features that make you go Wow. I'd almost say tasteful design rather than gaudy or something like that (and I'm one who likes gaudy course features as much as the next geek).

Oh, and the heather is easy to find your ball in but don't assume it will be easy to play your ball out of. Choosing to take unplayable lie relief at a stroke penalty can show good discretion if the drop will leave you out of the heather. I'm just sayin'...

[Michael Whitaker]

Pre-Buda Golf at DEAL:  I am going to be in Deal the Saturday and Sunday before the Buda (Sept 24-25). Any and all are welcome. Planning to play 36 on Saturday and 18 on Sunday morning. Let me know if you would like to join us and I'll work out the details.

Tony - Ken F is Ken FIELDS.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill
I am a team player, so I will go where you want or need me.  I had initially expressed an interest in playing Woking on Tuesday the 27th.  Since then I have been told I should play Walton Heath(Old), because it is better than Woking.  In fact without knowing the accessibility of either or the price, I have recently emailed the Secretary at Walton Heath.  I have not yet heard back.

Do you know anything about either or have you played either?  Anyone who wants to express a thought, it will be welcomed.

I haven't played either, Lynn. 

So many courses, so little time!

[Scott Warren]

Lynn,

It's a tough one. A very tough one. They are very different golf courses with very different attractions.

Walton Heath (Old) is a "better" course, but Woking is more charming.
Walton Heath is bunkered impeccibly, but Woking has an incredible set of greens.
Walton Heath is an open heath, Woking is more tree-lined with less heather (but still a decent amount).

In the end, the greater proximity of Woking to Heathrow and the area you'll then be travelling to for the Buda Cup would have me suggest that it's the better bet.

Woking has the best set of greens I saw on the Heathlands, great variety and a few examples of genius bunkering, especially the way a single greenfront bunker does the job at 3 and 11.

[Craig Disher]

Lynn,
I'd strongly recommend a day at Walton Heath over Woking. I'm an outlier in not really understanding the high regard most have for Woking so my recommendation may be suspect. However, the history and atmosphere at WH, especially after the massive tree clearing they did several years ago, make it an essential stop, imo. They also have a great lunch which sets nicely between rounds on the old and new.

[John Mayhugh]

Lynn,
I've played WH Old and Woking.  Either would be a great choice.  I would give the nod to WH if only because you should see the charming little putting green outside of the clubhouse before they make changes to the course.

Worth noting, though, that Woking is about £55 cheaper.

[Sean_A]

Anymore thoughts on pre or post BUDA games?  I will be at Deal on the Sunday before but work and a wedding means nothing else possible.

Spangles

No, I can't make a 9-10 am start on Friday so count me out.  I am hoping to play an afternoon game and Saturday and Sunday AM if stuff is going on.  I know Eric is interested in St Georges Hill.  Is there anything happening the weekend prior?

Ciao

Sean,

I had hoped to add on one last round after we wrap up on Friday and SGH would be sweet - but I'm thinking now I'll likely pack up the clubs and ride the train in to London to visit my sister's boyfriend, take in some sites and log some pub time with him before I fly home on Saturday.

Fair enough Eric.  

Lynn

Both WH (either course) and Woking are well worth seeing.  I prefer Woking and would suggest it over WH (if you are playing the Old) if only because changes are coming and you will then have seen a no longer existing course.  I spose seeing it would carry a certain cache if the design were original, but that isn't the case.   Much of the decision depends on if you want to spend the considerably more money to play WH and if you want to play the brawnier WH compared to a more gentle Woking.  I would say that five years ago I thought WH obviously the better course, but now I am not convinced.  Woking has an undeniable appeal which I cannot believe is all down to the oft labeled charm tag. 

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

Brian,

Glad to see you add The Berkshire (though the Blue is also worth a mention), I'm puzzled that it always gets left out of these lists.  In fact I think the Red may be the perfect place for a game after a long flight.  Not too testing to a par of 72 but plenty of length if you want to really test yourself and try to make a good score.

[Sean_A]

I hold my hand up and admit that I was the one who recommended Lynn play Walton Heath over Woking. But I was really only using WH arbitrarily as one of a number of unmissable courses around London and also in light of the fact Lynn is playing another similarly intimate / charming / less brawny course in that vicinity during his stay.

I suppose what we should really ask Lynn is: where haven't you played in London? If you haven't played Sunningdale Old, Swinley or St George's Hill (all have more of a Woking style but admittedly are grander), then unquestionably those should be your priority. I am also adding in Walton Heath but you've already had that discussion plus it has a lot of similarities with Hankley so I wouldn't mind so much if you. I am working on the basis that cost isn't an issue though - if it is, that's a totally different story.

Sean, Scott - would you not agree that Woking has a couple of total dud holes? There also seems to me to be a clear disparity between the Front and the Back nines - but I have only played once so maybe I need a few more gos.

SWAG

No, I don't think Woking has any dud holes.  I am not enamoured with the 9th, but its toughness is a welcome element.  I know many don't llike #s 16 and 17, but each are good holes and 17 is particularly good with a throw back green.  My bigger issues are with the back to back par 5s at 14 and 15.  I would gladly break these up by starting on #15 as #1 even though there is an awkward walk involved.  An added benefit to this is the golfer would be properly tuned to play the current 1st as the 5th.  

Ciao

[Stan Dodd]

I am a new addition and looking to join up for some Pre Buda Golf on Monday and Tuesday.  I will be sans auto so looking to throw in with someone, splitting expenses of course.  also accomadations for sunday , Monday and Tuesday.
also for Tony and organizers I am 7.6 CONGU.

[Scott Warren]

7.6, Stan?! You've obviously been scoring more than the 36pts we could count on you signing for last May. Good playing!