The Daily Record - Alastair Forsyth

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

Bubba's so good even Seve would doff his bunnet

2012-04-11T06:25:08Z

SWING coaches and sports psychologists all over the world must be gulping in fear after Bubba Watson won The Masters so thrillingly on Sunday night.

The big American's victory might just get a few of us questioning the amount of time we spend analysing our swing and the amount of cash we spend on mind coaches.

Watson has never had a golf lesson in his life. Never had a session on the couch with a shrink either.

He plays with the carefree abandon we all did as kids. He grips it and rips it off the tee and while his swing is all over the place, he has found a way of getting it right where it matters most - as the club strikes the ball.

He is the longest hitter on tour but there is so much more to Bubba's game than length. He has the imagination to see shots nobody else can and, more importantly, he can execute them.

His second shot from the trees on the second extra hole at Augusta on Sunday was outrageous. He got it up and out of the trees with a swinging hook and it ended up 20 feet from the hole, giving him two putts for the Green Jacket.

It was a shot no manual can teach you. Seve Ballesteros would have doffed his cap to it if he were still around and I'm sure Phil Mickelson was smiling as he watched it on TV.

Phil has become more technical in his approach but at the heart of his game is a carefree spirit, as witnessed by that incredible flop shot he played on Saturday.

Seve was all about swashbuckling brilliance and while Bubba has some way to go before emulating the feats the Spaniard achieved, there was more than a touch of Ballesteros about how he went about his business on Sunday.

It was a fascinating duel with Louis Oosthuizen and although the South African lost out, he has nailed the myth that his Open win at St Andrews two years ago was a flash in the pan.

The pros knew that anyway. We had seen how well Louis had played in the run-up to St Andrews and he has been consistently good since then.

He has a swing to die for and that's what made Sunday so exciting. We had the precision of Oosthuizen against the panache of Watson and the clash in styles was brilliant to watch.

Watson won and, as I said, there is maybe a lesson in that for all of us who seek perfection in this game because it can't be found. Perhaps, sometimes, it is better to just feel your way around the golf course, using your instinct.

Perhaps that's what Lee Westwood will be thinking as he ponders another missed opportunity to win a Major.

If Lee had putted even half decently he'd have won The Masters because from tee to green he was the best in the field by a distance.

If and when his putting catches up with the rest of his game he will win major championships. For me, he's the best player never to have won one.

As for myself, I am currently in Malaysia to compete in an event I won in 2002 and it is good to come back even if I never ever get used to the humidity!

I'll have to finish in the top five to make it into next week's event in China but I'll give it a go. Maybe if I think less about my swing and just go with the flow, as Bubba did, I'll have a chance.

Tiger Woods can end his 7-year itch for glory

2012-04-04T06:58:26Z

IT has been seven long years since Tiger Woods last shrugged his shoulders into a Green Jacket.

That's pretty surprising when you consider that between 1997 and 2005 he won The Masters four times and played Augusta National as if it were a pitch and putt competition in his own back garden.

Since then, plenty has happened in Tiger's personal and professional life and for a long time it looked like the career of the man who is arguably the greatest player to have lifted a club was on the slide. He even dropped out of the world's top 50 at the end of last season.

But Tiger has clawed his way back and his victory at Bay Hill a couple of weeks ago had all the hallmarks of Woods in his heyday. He led from the front and when the heat was on that Sunday he made birdies to keep his rivals at arms' length.

It was a brilliant performance and it has set him up for a return to Augusta this week. I believe it will be a successful return after a monumental battle with Rory McIlroy.

That's the showdown not only the golf world wants to see but one everyone with an interest in sport would be glued to.

Rory v Tiger going head to head on the back nine on Sunday night would be unmissable.

For me, they are the two best players at the moment and certainly their games are suited to Augusta. Luke Donald is the world No.1 and I'm an admirer of the Englishman's consistency but his relative lack of length off the tee will be a disadvantage.

That said he's the best in the world on and around the greens and a bad putter has never won the first Major of the season.

But the way Tiger and Rory play the game is tailor-made for Augusta where length, flight and an ability to draw the ball are essential. Rory will eat up par fives this week and if Tiger's putting is on he'll make birdies.

There are three Scots in the field and I wish them well.

Sandy Lyle has made the cut a few times in the last couple of years which is some achievement for a guy on the Seniors Tour.

Martin Laird is a player who should love Augusta because he hits the ball a mile. He has risen to 35 in the world and is up there with the best.

And then there is my pal Paul Lawrie. I'd love him to do well and I think he will. More importantly, Paul thinks he will.

But the best week of the lot? I fancy that will belong to Tiger.

Masters could be best yet

2012-03-28T06:00:14Z

TIGER WOODS' long-awaited comeback victory has set the stage perfectly for what I expect to be the best ever US Masters tournament.

With just a week to go, I can't remember a more exciting build-up with so many of the world's best players hitting top form just in time for the season's first major at Augusta National.

Tiger's triumph on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, five shots clear of another resurgent star in Graeme McDowell, was just the icing on the cake after the mouth-watering golf we have seen in the last month.

The yo-yo battle between Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald for the World No.1 spot, which the Englishman is currently winning, has been fascinating enough.

But when you throw Woods into the mix, fired up on the back of his first win in 30 months, it just keeps getting better.

There's also Lee Westwood chasing his first Major and Phil Mickelson returning to his favourite course.

There are many more contenders such as Ian Poulter, whose third-place finish at Bay Hill on Sunday showed signs that he is finding his feet after a flat spell hampered by illness.

And rule out Martin Kaymer at your peril. A lot of people are writing the German off because he has never made the cut in four years of trying at Augusta but he's a top player and I'm sure after his previous disappointments he'll have a game plan in mind.

He is just too classy to be ruled out and it won't be a shock to me if he is in the mix near the end.

All eyes will, of course, be on the tantalising prospect of Woods and McIlroy going head to head.

For me, they're the most gifted golfers of their generation. At just 23, Rory shows all the signs of becoming a phenomenon of the sport not seen since Tiger first blazed his trail in the early part of the century.

Ironically, perhaps the one man who can stop Woods is Woods himself. He will have his eye on recapturing that No.1 ranking from Donald as well - not to mention resuming his bid for the five Major titles he needs to beat Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 wins.

So much is at stake and what a spectacle it will be if Tiger and Rory are within a couple of shots of each other turning into Amen Corner on the final day.

I'm delighted Paul Lawrie will make his Masters return and wish him, Martin Laird and Sandy Lyle the best of luck.

I'd also love to see Ernie Els seal his spot by winning in Houston this weekend. Failing that, here's hoping he gets an invite.

Rory Mcllroy set to dislodge Luke Donald and reign

2012-03-21T07:58:20Z

SO Rory McIlroy's reign at the top lasted just two weeks.

But don't be surprised if the young Northern Irishman knocks Luke Donald off his perch again within the next fortnight.

And if manages to return to No.1 in the rankings I could see him staying there for years.

No one has been able to dominate the sport like Tiger Woods did in his heyday.

But if anyone can establish a lengthy reign at the top then it's McIlroy.

Take nothing away from Donald. The way he won the Transitions Championship on Sunday to reclaim top spot was hugely impressive.

Shooting 66 to clinch a place in the four-man play-off was great - and the superb seven iron he pinged to six fee to birdie the first extra hole was even better.

But McIlroy has it in him to be the next phenomenon.

I fancy him to win The Masters next month because his game is tailor-made for Augusta National.

And the 22-year-old will return to the scene of his greatest disappointment with something priceless added to his armoury - maturity.

When he let a four-shot lead slip in his collapse last year many people feared what it might do to him.

But it only made Rory wiser and stronger.

The way he led from the front to win the US Open was proof he had learned from Augusta. And he will hammer home that point on his return.

While I expect McIlroy to rise above the rest this year, there is no doubt he will find it much tougher to stay there than Tiger did.

There are so many top players vying for that No.1 spot and I expect Tiger to be among them soon.

If he gets back to his best I can see a great rivalry blossoming with McIlroy.

The first battleground could be Augusta and what a thrill it would be to see those two going head-to-head.

As for my own golf, I was glad to be back competing for the first time in two months at the Andalucia Open last week.

Finishing in 47th place wasn't a reflection of how well I was hitting the ball.

I have put in a lot of work into swing changes so I was pleased to see that paying off with consistency in my driving and irons. Only my putting let me down.

As told to Euan McLean

Masters will be heel deal with Tiger Woods on-form

2012-03-14T06:20:47Z

GOLF fans will breathe a sigh of relief today after Tiger Woods announced his Achilles injury is not as bad as first feared.

Watching him limp out of the WGC event in Florida on Sunday, the signs looked ominous that we'd be denied his presence at what is shaping up to be an electrifying US Masters next month.

Fortunately, though, it looks like he'll be OK and we can look forward to an epic shoot-out at Augusta with an on-form Woods going up against the likes of Rory McIlroy, Lee
Westwood, Luke Donald and Justin Rose.

Still, Woods' retiral at Doral raised a few questions. Has he become injury prone, as often happens to sportsmen who overcome serious problems only to suffer niggles in other areas as they're overcompensating for the original problem?

Or, one I can't believe people are asking, has he gone soft? Whoever came up with that theory has clearly forgotten the US Open in 2008 when Woods won an 18-hole play-off playing with a fractured leg and a busted cruciate!

In terms of sheer grit and determination that must be ranked among the greatest ever sporting achievements.So, no, I don't believe Tiger is now a softie.

As told to Euan McLean

Gers stuck in time warp for 22 days

2012-03-07T06:19:01Z

UNCERTAINTY has been eating away at the Rangers players, staff and supporters for the past three weeks.

It is little wonder players cannot sleep properly or perform to the best of their ability on the park given the ordeal of administration has been dragging on for so long.
From the moment Duff and Phelps' men walked through the front door there has been a black cloud hanging over Ibrox.
It's a horrendous situation and I can understand to a degree what the 177 members of staff are going through, as my wife is one of them.
Like the first-team squad and the Rangers management team, her fate rests in the hands of the people currently running the club.
Having the threat of the axe hanging over you every day is a thoroughly unpleasant experience.
At Dundee, Livingston and Motherwell the redundancies were made within 72 hours of those clubs going into administration and everybody knew what was happening - for the best or worst - fairly quickly.
Rangers seem to have been caught in a time warp for the past 22 days.
Not knowing has been agonising for the staff and the longer it drags on the worse it becomes.
Of course the administrators have a job to do and that is to trim £1million-a-month from the club's outgoings to have a chance of surviving.
If they fail then 140 years of history and tradition will be wiped away along with the workers. Along with the supporters, the players and other members of staff live in hope.
Everybody was under the impression last Friday would be the day when cuts were made and redundancies took place.
Yet, here we are the following Wednesday and very few things seem to have been resolved apart from Gregg Wylde and Mervan Celik leaving of their own accord.
Rangers don't have a game this weekend which is a bonus as I think it would be difficult for them to put on any kind of performance.
The players are spending up to eight hours every day in meetings instead of training and preparing. It is nigh on impossible for them to perform under the current circumstances.
Wylde said yesterday he couldn't sleep at night due to the off-field turmoil and there are a few others who look mentally shot. It is totally understandable. I know from my own experiences you just cannot forget what is happening for 90 minutes.
Some sportsman have the incredible ability to switch off their emotions when they are on the pitch, the court or the golf course regardless of what is happening in their private lives.
But most people, and I include myself, are unable to shut everything out and perform as if nothing has happened.
Most of the guys who played against Hearts on Saturday did so knowing it could be their last game for the club. That cannot have been easy. The circumstances Ally McCoist has had to work under this season are the worst ever and there's no way he can possibly keep his players focused.
I have been going to Ibrox for 30 years and never known anything like this.
Yet, through the worst period in Rangers' history - apart from the Ibrox disaster - Ally has managed to conduct himself with class and dignity.
Nobody will be hurting more than him. While he remains at the helm then there is hope.
But while the administrators are in situ then there will always be uncertainty.
As told to Colin Duncan

Ryder Cup hero Sam Torrance is well worth lifetime award

2012-02-29T07:58:45Z

AT the end of next month Sam Torrance will be presented with a Scottish Golf Union lifetime achievement award and it is well merited.

Sam follows in the footsteps of Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie and no one would deny he fully deserves the accolade. I was honoured to present Paul with his award last year but can't make this year's dinner, although I have done a video adding my congratulations to Sam, who won 21 titles on the European Tour and went on to win the Senior Order of Merit.

It is his Ryder Cup record, though, as player and captain that has elevated him in the eyes of many. It really is phenomenal.

My abiding memory of Sam, however, is not of his tournament and Ryder Cup successes. It is simply the kindness he showed the likes of myself and Stephen Gallacher when we joined the Tour.

He was a seasoned pro who didn't have to go out of his way to make us feel welcome but did it anyway.

He always looked after the Scottish boys, making sure we were all right and he was always available if we needed advice. He was a class act then and still is now.

Another class act is Rory McIlroy, despite the fact he missed the chance to become world No.1 on Sunday.

The young Ulsterman got to the final of the Accenture World Golf Championship after beating Lee Westwood in a classic semi-final but needed to see off Hunter Mahan to depose Luke Donald as the best player on the planet.

He fell short but it's only a matter of time for McIlroy and with his age and talent he's the one player who could make the world No.1 slot his own for two or three years.

Confidence

Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Donald and even Tiger Woods will be sniffing around but Rory has the game to get there and stay there.

● I've spent this week down
at Wentworth testing my new TaylorMade clubs after switching from Callaway and can't wait to get out there and use them for real.

My Callaway deal was coming to an end and they were humming and hawing about an extension, so when TaylorMade were keen to get me I was delighted.

It's a confidence boost that TaylorMade are willing to take me into their stable and I have to thank my management team at Bounce for setting it up.

• As told to David McCarthy

Messing with players' livelihoods

2012-02-22T06:21:58Z

SOMETIMES I despair for this sport I love.

Is there another game on the planet where a guy sitting on his sofa thousands of miles away from a tournament is taking place can have the power to wreck a player's chance of winning just by lifting a phone?
It happened over the weekend and deprived my fellow Scot Peter Whiteford an opportunity to win the Avantha Masters in India.
I know Peter. He is no cheat and did nothing to merit the severity of the punishment he received - disqualification - after he was reported by TV viewers for hitting a shot on the 18th hole on Saturday, when it had moved fractionally.
Peter wasn't sure if it had moved and asked his playing partner, his caddy and even the cameraman.
He was then reported by the armchair rules officials, and the ball did move, so he should have incurred a one- stroke penalty. Trouble is, he'd already signed his card by the time the rules infringement came to light.
What Peter should have done was go to the TV compound and check the footage before signing his card - because signing for the wrong score led to the disqualification.
But come on. Did the punishment fit the crime? Of course it didn't and it deprived a hard-working player the chance to win the tournament or at least to finish high enough to help secure his card for next season. People are messing with players' livelihoods.
Surely, a one-stroke or even two-stroke penalty would be sufficient. I can only reiterate what Graeme McDowell said to them a few months ago: "Get a life".
● I am looking forward to watching the World Golf Championship matchplay event in Arizona this week in the hope Paul Lawrie can do something pretty special.
Paul will play Justin Rose in the first round and I think he has a real chance of winning.
To be fair, it is such a good event that anybody can beat anybody.
Fingers crossed Paul can go a long way and keep flying the flag for Scotland.
● Finally, there is nothing more annoying than slow play but on Sunday night in the US, Keegan Bradley took it to a different level.
The American takes an age between shots and at one stage waggled the club 17 times before hitting the ball.
Maybe some of the couch potatoes who think nothing of cliping on players who make genuine mistakes should complain about Bradley.
• As told to David McCarthy

Scots are back in the swing

2012-02-15T07:10:50Z

SCOTTISH golf has taken a kicking in recent years. But maybe, dare I suggest, we are on the way back to better times.

For the first time in eight years we have three players - Paul Lawrie, Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher - in the world's top 100 and it's very heartening.

It has been a brilliant start to the season for a lot of the Scottish lads. Paul's
performance to win in Doha, as I discussed last week, was superb and he followed it up with a solid finish in the Dubai Desert Classic.

Above him on the board were Scott Jamieson, building on a great first year, and the outstanding Stephen, who finished just a shot behind winner Cabrera Bello.

It's funny because I spoke to Stevie during the practice days at the Emirates Golf Club and he said he wasn't playing great. He then stepped out on day one and shot 65!

But Stevie did superbly and it was a great effort to go so close to winning, although you wouldn't know it by some people claiming he blew it.

Marc Warren and David Drysdale have also had good finishes recently, as have Craig Lee and George Murray. Richie Ramsay is in there as well and I had a decent tournament myself in South Africa.

It's terrific and I'm hoping we can all push each other on.

You only have to look at what happened with the Northern Irish guys over the past couple of years.

Graeme McDowell winning the US Open egged Rory McIlroy on to do the same and then Darren Clarke picked up the baton to win The Open.

I know it is on a different scale as we're talking Major wins but you get my meaning.

Seeing each other doing well will inspire us and I'm hoping it can be a good time again for Scotland.

We've taken a bit of stick in recent years and although some has been justified a lot of it has been over the top.

There is no question we have had a lot of talent who have not made the expected impact at the top level.

All we can do is look at the guys on the scene just now and hope they provide some inspiration.

Everyone is chipping in at the moment and it would be great if we could get another victory on the board soon to build on Paul's triumph.

However, I don't know when I'll get the chance to do my bit again.

The Tour doesn't return to Europe until the middle of March and that could be when I'm back involved. I got my season off to a good start but people keep asking if it gets me into any extra events and unfortunately it doesn't.

There is nothing I can do and it is exactly what I expected.

There are events in the Middle East but the fields are small and there can
sometimes only be 10 invites.

If the likes of Tiger Woods and John Daly want to play, they'll get the shouts.

I just have to keep asking the question but when we get back to Europe I'll get a few more outings and hope to contribute to the Scottish resurgence.