Little known paintings!

It is hard to believe that it has been four years since my friend Loyal “Bud” Chapman died. Bud was brought to mind recently when I saw a two-year-old video created to help sell a painting that Bud created after the 1997 Indianapolis 500. Check it out on YouTube.

The story behind the painting is very interesting. When I saw the Indy 500 painting, I decided to share a few more of Bud’s paintings that are not as well known.

Bud’s ability to create art that impersonates reality and poke fun at some stiff upper lip golf elitists was truly a gift from God.

The paintings and sketches that his artistic mind and skilled hand created will live forever. Had Bud lived and worked during the Middle Ages he would be remembered like Rembrandt. Bud and Picasso shared a lot of common traits, both saw their world through a different set of eyes.

Pete Dye, the world-famous architect said, “Bud’s innovative thinking certainly influenced many designers to make the contours a little steeper and the bunkers a little deeper and generally to think outside the box with new designs, and, in that way, Bud made a great contribution to the game.”

For many of us who have spent a lifetime on the golf course, his work is a constant reminder that there will always be another golf course with challenging holes that we never got to play.

Most Bud Chapman fans know Bud’s work for his Infamous 18 Holes that were featured in Golf Digest during the 1970s-80s. Bud’s daily routine was to show up at the golf course around noon and play18 holes, have dinner and start painting. Many times, working through the night.

With a few of his lessor known paintings contained in this story, this writer will attempt to illustrate how Bud made subtle political statements without a word. Also, what a loving and compassionate person Bud was.

The first example was the painting that Bud did for Johnny Snyder. Snyder won many major events in Minnesota and played on the Tour and two US Open Championships. Few people have ever seen the painting below of Johnny on the Mount Rushmore of Golf with Palmer, Nicklaus and Snead (Hogan was replaced by Snyder for this personalized rendition). The Johnny Snyder painting that Bud did for Johnny shows his compassion and respect for really good and dedicated players. The thing that this writer respected the most is the illustration of Snyder and his devoted caddy Chico in the lower right of the painting. To include Chico was great! The painting hangs in Snyder’s home in the Villages in Florida where Snyder is the very successful owner and manager of Johnny’s Birdie Golf Store.

The picture of Bud and me was taken in 2019 at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. When I saw Bud dressed in his familiar black leather hat, he gave me a hug and said, “You and I are the only two MGA golfers who have won the Sr Amateur and the Sr Grand Masters Division of the Sr Amateur.” My immediate response, “Bud you won the Grand Masters 8 time. The last was when you were 90.”

The question is: Was Bud Chapman a better artist or a better golfer? He attempted to qualify for the USGA Open Championship 67 times. Think about that golfing accomplishment itself. Just to be able to enter the US Open you must have an established handicap index of 1.2 or less! This writer believes that Bud’s creative genius outshined his ability with the golf clubs. Bud never swore and always had a smile on his face.