Well that's another BUDA over and a very successful event it was too. Lots of old faces although some couldn't make it and a few new faces who will hopefully come again.
The Players club was an inspired choice to base ourselves. The whole group together (apart from Bogey who perhaps wisely decided not to introduce his wife to the general rabble) helped greatly with the logistics and the socialising and Adrian was a brilliant host. Thanks to him and his staff. As for the courses;
Cleeve - I didn't play Cleeve due to height issues but from talking to the rest of the group quite a few had this as their favourite course. A combination of openess, elevational changes and interesting greens seemed to do the trick.
Painswick - I'd played it once before about 11 years ago and while I could remember a lot of the holes there were a few very good holes I'd forgotten about. Some inspired golf design only let down by the hole crossing and more tellingly the public footpaths going across the course from all sorts of directions. The fact that we played on a Saturday only exacerbated the problem. If only they could ring-fence the course to stop the ramblers.........
Stranahan - Adrian's design and the second course at the Players club. There's a lot to like about the course with the greens being the star of the show. Built by means of landfill, I think I'm right in saying the detailed design was made up on the hoof as the landfill went in (Adrian - correct me if I'm wrong). There are a number of blind or semi-blind shots which you wouldn't normally expect on a modern course but that just adds to the attraction. A course that takes a bit of knowing, and no bad thing that. I'd definitely like to play it again.
Minch - the ultimate in rustic golf. A huge open expanse with cows dotted about here and there. Where Painswick and to a lesser extent Stranahan were a bit stressful due to the proximity of other golfers and ramblers, Minch was in comparison relatively stress free. The rough was low thanks to the cows, so no ball hunting, and there was rarely anyone in danger of being hit. In terms of the design, the par 3's were the highlight although the other holes also have interest but really it is the open expanse that makes it.
So to sum up, well done and thank you to Tony in organising, thanks also to Enno for bring BUDA into the digital age, thanks to Giles for proving that when it comes to Captaincy less is more
and finally once again thanks to Adrian and his team and also the other clubs for their hospitality.
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