Play Ballybunion Old for Free, on April 15th

Views over Ballybunion from the 2nd green.

I have a tee time booked for 12pm on Monday 15th April, for Ballybunion Old, on the coastline of Co. Kerry. It is one of Ireland's and the world's top golf courses. I think so, and so does Tom Watson... and between us we have 8 Majors, so we know what we're talking about!

Our Rory

There's been a lot of hand-wringing over Rory's final round collapse on Sunday night. Alot of sympathy too. More worryingly, though, there's been a fair bit of criticism!

People have objected to his level of tweeting when he should have, they imply, been out practising. Or, they say, he's been a professional long enough that he should have the mental fortitude to overcome such pressure. I find such arguments cruel and baseless.

I'm not actually fussed by his age and the argument that he has plenty of more time and that eventually he will realise his enormous potential. My argument is that every golfer has a weakness... and the truly great golfers tackle these head-on and overcome them.

Jack Nicklaus had one: back in 1972 he struggled during the third round of the Masters (although he still led by three shots), failing to find the ball flight he needed on his iron shots. He couldn't achieve the height that Augusta's greens demanded. He walked off the 54th hole, went to the practice tee, and practised and practised until he got it right. He went out the next day and won.

I don't have similar stories about Ben Hogan or Arnold Palmer - but they'll be out there - but Tom Watson was known for his failings on short putts... even though he was regarded highly for his putting. He won 8 majors and was number one in the world between 1978-1982. Rory can take heart from that.

And, needless to say, not all weaknesses are on the course... need I mention Tiger's?

Rory will get better. Everybody knows it. Perhaps what he did on Sunday at the Masters, was to scare the bejaysus out of us, and himself, and prove that youth, exuberance and bundles of talent can have their limitations when the pressure is on. Footballers miss penalties, rugby players drop the ball, tennis players blast it long... and golfers have so much precision in their swing that the tiniest, microscopic bit of self doubt can produce an unravelling of gargantuan proportions in front of millions of viewers on a Sunday night.

And a congratulations to Schwartzel for a stunning finish and a deserved win.

A good article I found:

http://www.setanta.com/ie/Blogs/Malachy-Clerkin/2011/March/Rorys-Story-More-Sad-Than-Bad/

Bitterly Disappointed at Open

You have to wonder if Tom Watson will spend the next few years pondering at the British Open that got away. The 59 year old made everyone else look pedestrian. Everyone was enthralled by his heroics and brilliant play, and we were willing him on to win with every stride he took. In his final round the putts started to come up short and he will relive his weak par putt on 18, time and again. True, he was unlucky with his approach that ended off the back but even so we hoped for a blazing finish. (I imagine Westwood will give himself a good talking to, too)

I was interested by the coverage of Stewart Cink. The BBC seemed to ignore him for long stretches, but once he was playing his way into contention on the third day, and with that putting stroke, he was always going to be a threat. He should have been given the coverage he deserved. Rarely can a man have gone into a play-off with 90% of the audience wanting the other golfer to win - but that's how it was today. No one wanted Tom to lose, and as his poor performance sank lower and lower, the crowd's enthusiasm sank with it. Cink is a deserved winner, but one feels that Turnberry will be remembered for Tom Watson, in the same way that Carnoustie in 1999 will be remembered for Jean van der Velde. It's not about who won it, but how the runner-up lost it.

And as a final note on four fantastic viewing days at the Open, could someone please give Gary Lineker the damn good thrashing he deserves. And if that female commentator, Maureen, happens to get in the way, please pay her the same compliment. They irritated the hell out of me, to the point that I muted them at every turn.

A brilliant Open, but a damp finish.

Ryder Cup venues

Celtic Manor hosts the 2012 Ryder Cup, Gleneagles hosts it in 2014 and Germany are favourites for 2018. Germany aside, how is it possible that no Ryder Cup has been held on a links course? Simple: money. The K Club pumped in ten years' worth of money hosting the European Open, in order to be top of the list to host the competition when it came to Ireland in 2006. The full page review in the Irish Times (20/6/06), by American golf writer Bruce Selcraig, was scathing and dismissive of the course. As a venue it's very impressive, but as a course the writer compared its Disney World charm with the Rembrandts and Cezannes we have elsewhere. It's a fair point.

But, at the end of the day, every competitor is playing the same venue, so it's going to be exciting whether it's played over a links or one giant field. It's one of the reasons I don't understand why the professionals complain about a course; the pin positions at this year's British Open at Turnberry have resulted in a number of compaints by the pros, claiming they are unfair. But they're unfair for everyone, so use your head and play course management. Maybe that's why Tom Watson is leading after three rounds.

Back to the Ryder Cup. Wales in 2012 is a concern for many in the world of golf as there seem to be all sorts of problems at Celtic Manor - from worrying if the course is going to be ready/playable on time, to worrying if players will fall asleep mid-round due to the course's dullness. The same may be true of Gleneagles in 2014. The Ryder Cup won't even be played over the 'first' and premier course (King's), but over the PGA Centenary Course, which is generally acknowledged as being the weakest of the club's three courses. I played King's in 2007, paying £130 for the privilege, and I was disappointed - as were my playing partners, and when it started to rain on the back 9, there was little hesitation in walking in.

Money is the big driver in the Ryder Cup. The same can be said of any sport - look at the Olympics in China, a country that is allowed to get away with human rights abuses at every turn because of its size and global influence - but surely when you have two sides competing against each other, the 'home' nation would choose a venue that would give it the best advantage. But money is money and it is used to influence everything. Smurfit has the financial clout to get his own way, while courses like Ballybunion and The European can only offer the brilliance that comes from an exceptional links course... and not the money to entice the sponsors, the golf unions, tourist bodies and all the other hangers-on.

This is a shame because watching a Ryder Cup played over a true links would be a fascinating spectacle. With Tiger Woods missing The Open cut, and Tom Watson trying his best to make today's professionals look like spoilt children, it would certainly throw up a few interesting Captain's Picks for the US captain.