The Daily Record - Alastair Forsyth

I've had bellyful of these punters

2012-07-25T07:28:02Z

BELLY putters are taking a bit of stick again.

World No.1 Luke Donald and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington have both said they'd be glad to see the back of them. It's a fair point and the duo may be about to get their wish.

There were rumours of a ban about a month ago but there needs to be clarity over what is and isn't allowed because there are different versions of the club.

Ernie Els used a belly putter on his way to glory at Royal Lytham while Adam Scott used something a bit different.

What are the Royal and Ancient going to do? Are they only going to ban clubs of a specific length or clubs which are anchored to your body?

It's not just a case of getting the belly putters banned, there has to be clear wording.

The fact both Els and Scott did so well using them at The Open has brought further focus on the putter. But Keegan Bradley won the US PGA last year using one so this debate is nothing new.

Belly putters are not the be all and end all - if that was the case we would all be using them.

I did at the Madeira Island's Open in May as I was really struggling on the greens and having dabbled with one I can speak about the benefits - but there weren't many.

The club was okay but it took a bit of getting used to and I quickly opted to get back to the conventional club. I putted well initially and then the following week I was poor and didn't enjoy using it in practice so I changed back to normal.

I'm not saying I won't try it again but as I didn't see a huge improvement there was no danger I was going to make the switch permanent.

The debate is being discussed more openly and I just wish the R&A would clear the issue up sooner rather than later.

We are talking about a club which more and more golfers are relying on. So many of the young Americans coming out of college are using the long putter and so many of the young professionals are doing likewise.

It used to be the case that the broom handle putter was used by older guys who maybe were suffering a touch of the yips with their putting. They would revert to that to try to cope but the big problem with the belly putter is that it is anchored to your body.

I understand why that shouldn't be allowed - a club should be held only by your hands. I can see that being the reason why it would be outlawed.

There are so many guys now using these long putters to good effect.

Having said that, it wasn't putting which decided the destination of the Claret Jug. I watched Scott's collapse and felt for him as he's usually such a relaxed guy.

Nick Faldo said Adam has a tendency to hit it left under pressure and that looked to be the case.

I have spoken to a lot of people this week where I'm preparing for the Austrian Open and all were mystified as to why Scott used a three wood on the 18th.

He could have avoided the bunkers by taking an iron or even a driver.

As told to Gordon Parks

Odds on Lee Westwood to end Major hoodoo

2012-07-19T05:53:58Z

LEE WESTWOOD and Tiger Woods. Not very original I know but you can't help look in the direction of that pair when looking for an Open 2012 winner.

I've been speaking to a few of my pals and there's an overriding feeling Westwood is due to have his turn soon in a Major.

When accuracy is going to be key, the name Westwood has to come to the fore because he's one of the best drivers of the ball in the world, if not THE best.

I accept drivers won't be getting used much and irons will be the order of the day off the tee but Westwood uses his superbly.

Open winners need a good short game and I think it's ridiculous when that aspect of Lee's game is criticised.

As he said himself, you don't get to world No.1 or contend in so many Majors without having a quality short game.

Half the problem is that when you are so good from tee to green folk want perfection. I don't think even Lee would argue that his putting is not always the best in the field and that could have cost him a couple of Majors.

His putting is not as strong as his long game but it's hardly Sunday morning stuff and far too much has been made of his short game.

If you are having a bet, you have to back Westwood because you feel it's coming.

I'm sure people think the same about Luke Donald. He is so good and so consistent, yet it hasn't happened for him in the Majors.

However, the world rankings don't lie. Luke's the best player in the world at the moment and you expect him to contend.

Are they just destined to be unfortunate?

Perhaps. No one has a divine right to win Majors and there are guys you wouldn't imagine as winners of these events taking the big titles. Guys come in with so much belief that it's almost an inner arrogance.

Talking of inner belief leads us nicely to Tiger. He's full of the stuff and playing well again.

The one thing about Tiger is he knows how to win these Majors through strategy.

It's type of last-man standing stuff.

I watched him around
St Andrews when he won and he played one of his rounds on a flat calm day.

Guys were pulling out drivers and smashing the ball for miles but Tiger still played defensively.He shot 66 but went for nothing.

It was amazing to watch. He had clearly picked his target holes for birdies, made them and stayed out of trouble the rest of the way around.

He had a game plan and carried it out ruthlessly. Lytham is going to be about accuracy but the thing for Tiger is that he can use his iron play.

He has that 2-iron he can fire down the middle all day long and that will be a potent weapon this week.

Possible outsiders? I'd be looking at Francesco Molinari, who is striking the ball superbly.

Of course, the Scottish lads can have a good week. Paul Lawrie could be right up there, having put himself into contention for the Ryder Cup.

He's playing the best golf of his career and should be sound this week, as should Martin Laird, who had a week of links practice at Castle Stuart.

Steven O'Hara is a good friend of mine and I'm also delighted he is playing.

But if forced to pick a winner, I've got to go for Westwood.

As told to Craig Swan

Scottish Open is major stepping stone for big guns

2012-07-10T07:17:49Z

THE Scottish Open is back on us this week and it's a tournament that holds huge significance for the home boys.

However, after just one year at Castle Stuart in Inverness, it's going to be just as important to some of the world's elite.

It's well documented what happened with the abysmal weather last year and the tournament being shortened but we can only hope that was a freak.

The forecast isn't great but last year's July thunderstorms were drastic and no golf course could have completely handled it.

Yet, at the end of the day, the tournament was completed and was won by the world's No.1, Luke Donald.

Luke's back this year and I have no doubt this is going to become, if it's not already, a major stepping stone for some of the big guns ahead of the The Open.

It's a week beforehand on the schedule so the links effect is crucial but it is also not too penal.

There is no way you are going to come here the week before Royal Lytham and have your morale and game destroyed.

A few years ago, the Scottish Open was at Carnoustie the week before The Open and that place is as tough it gets. It was wild and some guys felt it was too tough a challenge the week before a Major.

Okay, the wind might blow at Castle Stuart and make it tough but you won't get battered to bits.

It's links golf but it's not brutal and it's a gentle warm-up for The Open.

Last year was the first time that Phil Mickelson has really contended for The Open when he charged on the Sunday at Royal St George's and I don't think it's any coincidence that he played at Castle Stuart.

He'll bring a lot to the tournament having been added to the field last weekend and it's great to have another top-class player here. Having played well here and done so well at Royal St George's, it must make sense to come.

As for myself and the other Scottish lads, this event is like none other on the calendar.

My family and I have a two-bedroom apartment up here and it's a huge difference from being stuck alone in a hotel.

There is no jumping on a plane, you are in your own car, you have your family with you every night.

The only thing you have to keep reminding yourself is that you're not on holiday.

It's much better than the normal week and, with these things in place, it's down to me to perform.

Last week in France was a big opportunity for me and I was frustrated not to make the cut. I didn't play badly, I just made big mistakes in the first round when I got greedy.

That was silly around a course such as Le Golf National and it cost me a double and a triple bogey which ruled me out for the weekend. I should know better and it was daft but I played okay on the Friday and feel good going into Castle Stuart.

I closed a year ago with a 65 to give me a decent finishing position and I'll look to match or better that at some stage this week.

The scene is set and, dare I say it, I believe we can dream for a home winner.

● As told to Craig Swan

I can't wait to get Eiffel of toughest 18th hole in golf

2012-07-04T08:00:49Z

FRENCH OPEN this week. Scottish Open next week.

In the context of my season, two absolutely massive events.

In fact, without wishing to go overboard, these are akin to my two Majors of the year.

The Scottish Open invite is a huge bonus as it's a great thrill to be involved at Castle Stuart.

But more about that next week as France has to be the focus given the sheer size and stature of the event.

It's massive, with more than £2.5million in prize money so you are always guaranteed a classy field.

Everyone looks forward to this event as Le Golf National is regarded as one of the best courses on the Tour - with an 18th hole which ranks among the most difficult in the game.

It's going to be a perfect Ryder Cup venue in 2018 as the closing stretch is as good as you'll find anywhere.

The risk-and-reward value really is something else. Take the infamous 18th, for example - if someone offered four pars right now for the week you would snap their hand off.

Put it this way, you could be three or four clear going into the last three holes and you still haven't won it.

But to be fair, the entire course is terrific. There is not a weak hole on it.

Even on the so-called easier holes, you need to drive it really well to give yourself a chance of taking advantage.

Normally, the fairways are narrow and punishing, although it is a little softer due to the recent weather.

Three-woods and irons from the tees are regular because, even on the holes without water, you have some serious deep rough if you stray off line.

It's everything you want from a golf course. Play well and you'll be rewarded, struggle and you'll be punished.

It's just an old-fashioned course which has stood the test of time and it's for the thinkers. It's not a bomber's paradise where blitzing the ball down the fairway will bring results.

Le Golf National is a proper test of your skills and I'm hoping that I go into this one in good shape.

Missing out on an Open place at Sunningdale was a sore one but, to be fair, I felt as though I'd played rotten for most of the day.

Basically, I felt I was out of it, but I birdied five of the last seven holes to get a crack at a play-off, even though I was still shocked four under got me into that position.

I didn't make it and wasn't happy with my game but I wasn't far away.

I just need to put everything together, long game and putting, and I'll be right in there.

When my ball-striking is good I'm struggling with the putter and vice versa so this fortnight would be the perfect time to pull it together given the context of these events.

In my category, I don't get to play these big ones too often and tournaments of this size in Paris and Inverness could make my season.

If I can throw in two top 20s, or have one top five, I'm knocking on the door for my 2013 full card. So given the level of category I'm playing at right now, these really are like two Majors.

Two weeks ago I made the cut at the BMW in Germany, which is the third biggest tournament of my year along with France and Scotland.

Making the weekends again is going to be absolutely crucial, but I know one thing I won't be doing here in France even if it all goes well.

Last year, Thomas Levet won, jumped in the water next to the 18th green to celebrate and injured himself for about two months.

I'm not so great at swimming so I won't be doing that!

Why I'll get over missed two-footer

2012-06-27T05:53:06Z

I WOKE up yesterday still cursing the missed two-footer that cost me a place at The Open.

But you've got to accept golf can be a cruel game sometimes and hang on to positives - and there are a few as I look ahead to two massive weeks.

I was delighted to be told I'll be playing in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart and I'm grateful to sponsors Aberdeen Asset Management for granting me an invitation.

It's a course I enjoyed playing last year and I have good memories of a closing 65 to finish 25th.

I'll be looking to do well again from July 12 to 15, knowing a big week could help me regain my European Tour card.

Before that is the French Open at Le Golf National, host venue for the Ryder Cup in 2018.

I earned my ticket to Versailles in local qualifying and it was well worth the effort because events like the French are where I need to be to get up the order of merit.

But in terms of big tournaments I don't think you'll find one bigger on the European Tour this year than this week's Irish Open. A lot of things have combined to capture the imagination of the locals who will flock to Royal Portrush.

For the first time in the Tour's history they are looking at a sell-out. The only tickets still on sale are for the opening round tomorrow.

This is partly because it's the first time a main Tour event has been held in Northern Ireland since 1953.

Throw in the fact that Major champs Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell hail from Portrush and grew up playing his famous course, then add a couple more Irish stars in Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington and it's easy to see why golf has never been healthier in the country.

All of these factors are sure to make the week a huge success and that's sure to add to the clamour to bring The Open here again.

The Claret Jug hasn't been won on Irish soil since Max Faulkner won the 1951 title at Portrush but the recent boom in Irish golf has raised talk of taking it back there.

Royal Troon has just been confirmed as the host venue for 2016 but if this week's event proves a success I wouldn't be surprised if they look at Portrush for 2017.

As told to Euan McLean

French Open qualifier has set me up nicely for crack at BMW Championship

2012-06-20T08:22:38Z

AFTER weeks of playing very little competitive golf I feel my season is finally getting up and running - and hopefully I am finding form at the right time.

I finished 15th at St Omer on Sunday, which sounds okay but I left a lot of shots out on the course and could have played much better even though the course was tough and almost unplayable at times due to the wind.

But what really boosted my confidence was my performance in the French Open qualifying event on Monday. I jumped in the car on Sunday night and drove three hours to get there for the 36-hole event and I'm glad I did.

There were 75 competitors chasing four spots in one of the biggest events on the tour, but I shot a nine-under 63 in the first round and finished second to book my return to France in a fortnight.

I played well but the big difference was my putting. I have got rid of the belly putter because it wasn't making a huge difference. I've been trying a few things with the short stick again and it has gone well.

It has set me up for a crack at another big event this week, the BMW International in Cologne. This is a well-run tournament with a quality field and I was delighted to learn on Sunday I'd been given an invite. I know the course well as the German Masters was played there until four years ago.

The BMW has always been played in Munich but the sponsors want it to be taken round the country and the track in Cologne is very good and fair, so there will be no complaints from the players.

I'll need a top-10 finish to be assured of a place in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart next month.

If not, I'll be going cap in hand looking for an invitation because that is a tournament I am desperate to play.

Hopefully I will get in four rounds in Germany and then I'll jump on a flight to Heathrow in time to play The Open qualifying at Sunningdale on Monday morning - told you it's been a busy time!

As I said, this week's course is a fair test but from what I've seen and heard, the same can't be said of the US Open venue - the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Nobody minds a course being tough but when good shots are punished it's not right. It was a slog for everyone - when Luke Donald is 11 over after two days you know something is wrong.

Congratulations to Webb Simpson, though, for being last man standing. And commiserations to Lee Westwood, whose chances of winning ended up a tree when his ball got lodged in the branches and he shot a double bogey early on Sunday.

I've done the same thing, in Dubai. But my most ridiculous penalty shot came a few years ago when I marked my ball, which was 20 feet from the pin, then replaced it correctly and walked round the hole to size up the putt.

As I did so, I dropped my coin and watched it roll about 25 feet round the other side of the hole and straight into my ball. It moved a fraction, so that was that. Penalty.

It's a crazy game with crazy rules but I love it. I'm just glad I'm getting the chance to play more of it.

Go for US winner

2012-06-14T07:22:22Z

THE US Open has thrown up an amazing story before Tiger, Phil, Rory or Bubba have even hit a shot.

The fact a 14-year-old will tee it up at the Olympic Club today is nothing short of jaw-dropping and it will be fascinating to see how Andy Zhang handles it.

It is a huge ask for the teenager, who got the call on Monday when Paul Casey pulled out, but to have been high on the alternate list proves he is a very good player.

The US Open is the toughest week of the season though and the course is set up to provide the sternest examination of the field.

It's hard enough for seasoned pros and, to be honest, I can't see Zhang making the cut because the course is a monster, with tight fairways and tough rough.

It would be nothing short of astounding if the teenager made the weekend.

So, who is going to win it then? I make no apology for going for the obvious names.

Tiger will contend strongly, Rory McIlroy is on form again and Luke Donald is a cracking bet.

But for me, Lee Westwood is the man they will all have to beat.

I was in the field the Englishman demolished in Sweden last week and I believe he is the best player in the world from tee to green.

He has weaknesses but when it all comes together, Westwood is virtually unstoppable.

I know he hasn't won one before but this could be Lee's Major.

For me, the St Omer Open near Calais takes centre stage this week. I finished 12th here last year and with a Euro Tour card for this season and next up for grabs, it's going to be a massive event.

As told to David McCarthy

Day early start shows power of top stars

2012-06-06T06:02:29Z

IT'S a strange week for those of us playing at The Nordea Masters in Sweden because the tournament starts today and finishes on Saturday.

The reason? To allow those competing at the US Open in San Francisco next week the chance to get to California in plenty of time to acclimatise.

That shows you the power the top players have these days because in order to get stars like Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia to come to Stockholm they've moved the entire event.

That makes it all a bit strange but I'm sure that other than us all thinking we are a day ahead of ourselves all week it won't make much difference.

I've played here the past two years and it's a tough track but it would be much harder if we were playing off the back tees.

That would take this course beyond the 8000-yard mark, which is just ridiculous.

It was only built three years ago so perhaps the thinking was technology is going to improve so much they had to ensure the course was always going to be long enough to handle it.

But 8000 yards? Come on!

It won't be anything like that this week, thankfully. If it had been we might have been here until Sunday after all and not just because slow play has become a big issue again.

The decision to dock Ross Fisher a penalty shot caused lots of controversy at Celtic Manor in the last round of the Wales Open.

But Ross can have no complaints as there are plenty of warnings dished out by refs when you are on the clock.

He must have known he was being timed although it's the first time the penalty has been given out during a tournament.

Normally the player gets fined but not this time and it has been the talk of the range this week.

But I don't think you'll find the field racing round the course today because of what happened.

It was a sore one for Ross but when you are told you are going too slow you don't normally need to be told twice.

As told to David McCarthy

Paul Lawrie is right to skip US Open

2012-05-30T08:29:01Z

Paul Lawrie will be the last man to admit it but he is almost there in his quest to make a second Ryder Cup appearance.

My pal's superb joint-second place finish at the BMW PGA Championship did more than just earn him £312,000 and rocket him into the world top 30.

It also saw him go second on the European qualifying points list from which skipper Jose Maria Olazabal will draw five of his team for the trip to Medinah, Illinois, in September.

That makes his final-round 66 at Wentworth even more impressive.

He has proved time and again this year he can compete with the very best and he was beaten only by the newly re-established world No.1 Luke Donald on Sunday.

Events don't come much bigger than the European Tour's flagship event - but I know one or two eyebrows have been raised at his decision to snub one of the few that is more prestigious. Paul announced a few weeks ago he will not be competing at the US Open in San Francisco next month.

The reason? His top priority this season is to make that Ryder Cup side and he believes a trip to the west coast of America would do his chances more harm than good.

I know many people who rate the Majors as the be all and end all in golf would find that attitude astonishing but I can see a lot of sense in Paul's decision.

He'd have gone there as a contender but will have been thinking of the after-effects of such a gruelling journey.

You are essentially writing off two weeks either side of it because preparations overshadow the week before and jetlag wrecks the week after. There are far more Ryder Cup points up for grabs at the European events that follow the US Open.

Paul is 43 now and will recall that his last transatlantic trip - in February - left him struggling for a month with a bout of bronchitis.

I hope his single-mindedness pays off when the action starts at Medinah in September, and the way he's playing I'm almost certain it will. While Martin Laird faces a tough task to battle against the likes of Donald, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia in the world points list, in theory Paul's chosen route through the European Tour-based earnings should be easier.

If he keeps grinding it out so consistently every week, I can't see another three guys overtaking him.

As told to Euan McLean

Growing scourge of slow play is a ticking timebomb

2012-05-23T07:35:32Z

SLOW play is killing our game.

That was the stark warning from Luke Donald earlier this year and at last one of golf's governing bodies has shown it's ready to take action.

The LPGA Tour hit the headlines this weekend for declaring war on the dithering pros who are grinding golf to a halt.

If you missed it, American Morgan Pressel was penalised one hole for persistent slow play during the semi-final of the Sybase Matchplay Championship.

Both Pressel and her opponent Azahara Munoz had been put on the clock when they got to the 12th tee after persistent warnings from the rules official.

Yet, still Pressel took two minutes and nine seconds to play just three shots instead of the allocated 90 seconds.

The result? The hole she had just won was forfeited and suddenly from bounding on to the 13th tee three up, Pressel was now just one ahead.

It proved the turning point of their match as Munoz went on to win.

If we are serious about stamping out slow play then some players are going to have to get beaten with the rough end of the stick.

The LPGA made an example of Pressel and perhaps it will be severe enough to make other pros take note.

The sight of Kevin Na taking multiple practice swings, waggles and then stepping back from the ball to go through the process again is torturous for players and spectators.

Jonathan Byrd was the catalyst for Donald's aforementioned warning after he had watched him trudge to victory at the Tournament of Champions in January.

On one occasion Byrd was timed taking one minute 45 seconds to play one shot.

That's just two examples of an alarming culture of slow play filtering down from the pro ranks to the average club golfer.

Something must be done but Tour bosses have been striving for the last 10 or 20 years to combat this growing problem without finding the solution.

Automatic penalty shots added to your card are among the ideas recently suggested and I'd agree that would be a strong deterrent.

Penalising shots is probably the best way forward, as long as the rule is applied with common sense.

Playing badly or heavy wind could take you over the 40 seconds you should have.

But overall there is no excuse for the five-and-a-half to six-hour rounds we are seeing on tour.

As told to Euan McLean

Martin Laird making play for Ryder Cup side

2012-05-16T07:20:06Z

I WAS glad to play my part in another good week for Scottish golf, racking up my second-best finish of the season while Martin Laird was performing heroics across the pond.

Finishing ninth at the Madeira Islands Open was a pleasing start for my new belly putter, after reluctantly turning to the controversial kit to solve my woes on the greens.

But Martin - another belly putter user - produced a storming performance at The Players Championship, regarded as the unofficial fifth Major because of the quality of the field and tough Sawgrass course.

So to shoot a final-round 67 to tie for his second runner-up finish of the year is another great achievement in the world No.31's rising career. The performance must make people sit up and take notice. Jose Maria Olazabal especially.

If Martin wasn't already in the European captain's thoughts ahead of September's Ryder Cup at Medinah, surely he has caught Olly's attention now.

As told to Euan McLean

Belly putters should be banned but I'll use them till then

2012-05-09T07:21:29Z

If you can't beat them join them. No, I'm not talking about the drug cheats in sport, but golf's most controversial topic - the belly putter.

After years of feeling exasperated on the greens I have decided to give one a bash during this week's Madeira Island Open.

There are plenty players on tour, probably the majority to be honest, who think extended putters should be banned.

And while you might find this strange, given I've opted to ditch my conventional putter, I totally agree.

I have always been of the opinion these monstrosities should not be allowed anywhere on a golf course.

The general consensus is they give an unfair advantage to players who struggle to hole out. If the rumours in the locker room are to be believed it is probably only a matter of time before the game's rulemakers do put a stop to them being used on tour.

But, while belly putters are still legal I feel I have no alternative but to give them a go.

After tearing my hair out for the past few months, and arguably the last two years, I cannot see any other solution.

After remodelling my swing I couldn't be any happier with the way I am striking the ball.

From tee to green I feel as if I am playing some of the best golf of my career. But that is when everything starts to unravel.

I have regularly been taking 34, 35 and even 36 putts per round and those kind of stats are simply not acceptable at professional level.

It's so dispiriting when you are playing so well yet scoring so desperately because of what is happening with the flat stick.

I just feel as there is nothing for me to lose because my putting cannot get any worse.

Hopefully it will work the oracle for me this weekend on a course which has proved lucky in the past.

I won the Madeira Open in 2008 when it was last played at this venue. I'm quietly optimistic a return to Madeira combined with my new putter might just kick-start my season.

As told to Colin Duncan

Lee Westwood's caddy whack

2012-05-02T07:12:21Z

WANTED: Golf caddie, experience of helping Major champions preferred, not too clumsy essential.

Lee Westwood's caddie Billy Foster is the latest figure within golf to come a cropper by participating in a sporting hobby, injuring his knee in a game of football.

The doctors are suggesting the damage will be six weeks out for Westwood's trusty bagman but the consequences could be more severe than that for his client.

This is a big month and a half ahead for the world No.3 as he gears up for the US Open and his next chance to finally grab that elusive first Major. But losing his right-hand man will not help.

Lee's frustration at The Masters last month will only intensify the 39-year-old's determination to break down the door he has been knocking on for the past three years.

At times at Augusta he looked like his moment was coming with some quite superb ball-striking that had him very much in the hunt - only for his putting to ultimately cost dearly in the end.

His record of close calls now reads five thirds and two runners-up in four years.

And pats on the back will be no consolation to a guy who is beginning to find himself compared to Colin Montgomerie.

The tag of best player to have never won a Major hangs like a noose around these guys' necks and Westie will be determined to unburden himself at the Olympic Club in San Francisco on June 17.

If he can get his putter hot, I could see him winning but the loss of his caddie is a blow to his chances.

It's the strong relationship he has with Foster which will be missed - and never more so than in the moments when the pressure is on. It's not about calling yardages - players can club for themselves.

No, the mark of a good caddie is to know the right things to say at the right time to get the best out of their player.

Foster is just the latest in a long line of extra-curriculur activities causing trouble.

Paul Casey is is only recently on his way back from losing the best part of a year on Tour to a dislocated shoulder suffered while snowboarding. And remember Ernie Els being stopped at the height of his powers by a knee injury from a sailing-boat accident.

The vast list often prompts people to wonder why top pros risk their livelihoods by indulging in other sports.

The simple answer is: you need to have hobbies to help you relax.

So you won't stop me playing five-a-side football with my mates during the winter.

As told to Euan McLean

Golf chiefs are right to allow fans' phones at The Open

2012-04-25T07:07:56Z

INTERESTING to see the R&A have relaxed the rules to allow fans to bring their mobiles to The Open.

For a sport that too often has to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the dark ages, it's a refreshing and sensible move.

R&A chief executive Peter Dawson has recognised people are too attached to their phones to simply leave them at home all day.

So it's a sensible move but the big question is how will it affect the golfers?

Well, to be blunt, it won't make much difference in comparison to all the other noises and distractions that are part and parcel of a Major championship.

For all the decorum and respect shown by your average fan in the UK it's inevitable so many people gathered in one spot will cause lots of distractions.

Whether it's crowd movement or general chatter, the noise from behind the ropes is just something players have to accept as an occupational hazard.

Phones going off at the top of your backswing is just another one on the list - and it WILL happen.

It's inevitable some poor soul will forget to switch his handset to silent. And if it sounds like I feel sorry for them, then you're right.

Imagine that feeling of wanting the ground to swallow you up as you fumble around trying to silence the thing - only to look up and see Tiger Woods shooting you daggers for putting him off the four-foot putt he has just missed.

Think of the disapproval from the hundreds gathered around you, not to mention the worldwide TV audience pouring scorn from their armchairs because the BBC cameras have zoomed in to expose the culprit.

That's one heck of an incentive to double check your phone before leaving the tented village!

But it will still happen and the look of horror on people's faces when it does never changes - and that includes the tour pros!

There has been more than one occasion when I've heard a phone go off, only to turn round to growl at the culprit and find an embarrassed playing partner rummaging in his golf bag. And no, I'm not naming names!

But the worst of the lot was when I was playing with a high-profile star after bad weather had forced the final round into a Monday. He was frantically trying to organise a private jet to get him home. So desperate in fact that when his phone rang as we were going up the 18th he took the call!

The bottom line is mobiles are here to stay but are less annoying than the noise made by US golf fans after a few shandies - and they are not going to ban beer any time soon.

As told to Euan McLean

Class acts can inspire me back to top

2012-04-18T05:54:33Z

THEY say form is temporary but class is permanent, so I am delighted to see Stephen Gallacher and Paul Lawrie back at the top.

Stephen's second-place finish at last weekend's Malaysian Open is the latest success in a great run of performances from the Scottish boys over the last few months.

To be beaten in Kuala Lumpur by the man who had just lost a play-off for the US Masters, Louis Oosthuizen, speaks volumes about how well Stephen is playing just now.

As does the fact it was his second runner-up finish of the season, having come within a shot of forcing a play-off at the Dubai Desert Classic in February.

Stephen's success in Malaysia has propelled him up the world rankings to 82nd and now he's homing in on the all-important top 50.

Of course, Paul is already in that promised land thanks to his even more remarkable resurgence.

Second place at the Dubai World Championship was followed by victory at the Qatar Masters and most recently a terrific performance on his return to the Masters.

He is consistently churning it out at the very highest level and that's hugely encouraging for me at a time when my game isn't as good as it could be. You see, I was on tour with the guys when things weren't going so well and saw their frustration.

Paul's lowest ranking was 346th back in 2005, Stevie's 483rd in 2008. These were tough times for both guys but they kept the faith and look at them now. That's exactly the example I need to follow.

It's frustrating when you are not playing as you can and I have been in the middle of that for the last couple of years.

But I believe I can get my game back to its best and my European Tour card with it. As a former winner, I got into the Malaysian Open and scored okay to be in the top 30 after three rounds until a nightmare on the last day.

I know that my game is not far away and I just need a big week when the putting and long game come together.

On another note, I think the soaring temperatures must have frazzled Stephen's brain.

After his third round last weekend he signed for a 69 when he had actually scored a shot less. Fortunately it wasn't the other way round as signing for a lower score means disqualification. Signing for more than you shot just means that's what you signed for so keep it and learn your lesson.

Fortunately it didn't cost him too dearly as Oosthuizen won by three shots. Imagine how he'd have felt if the South African had edged it by one?

As told to Euan McLean