What Next for Colin Montgomerie?

Colin Montgomerie has made a good decision by standing down as European Ryder Cup captain. Drama like this year comes infrequently and he knows how much grief he would have got for his selections if his team had gained just 1/2 a point less - the margins between genius and clod were narrow and, as he has said, outside his hands once play started (there is a case for saying that a Captain really proves his mettle in a close contest, others say that it was only close because of some of his errors - in truth we don't know). Whatever the truth, Monty in the States in 2012 as a media focus who can't escape by playing might have been an accident waiting to happen. The US team have shown that they 'get' the Ryder Cup and they will be a tougher proposition over there on and off the course, I'm sure.

Maybe he will be able to eke out another year of decent play on tour with all that palava behind him - he was pretty good as recently as 2006 and he should be a whole lot calmer now. Barring an absoulte miracle it's pretty clear that he had his last two chances at a Major in 2005-2006 and he's reconciled to going without now - after the ups and downs of his (successful but lopsided) career it must be a nice feeling that he's got nothing more to prove in Golf. You kind of feel that the whole of the last 10 or so years of his career, when it began to look as though he would most likely not get that elusive Major, was building up to this moment.

It will be interesting to see if he goes and plays on the Seniors Tour (only 3 years away) where he might well pick up a few Seniors Majors - I'd like that.

I still find him a slightly ridiculous (if entertaining) figure, but it's only fair to reflect that he's done extremely well this cup, he's worked very hard - it's clear that from his side the arrangements have been excellent and made the players feel relaxed and happy and part of a team who want to go out and play for each other (and him). It's impressive that his players speak so highly of him - although a win tends to rose-tint most things.

What next for Montgomerie then - he may have a bit of a repair job to do with his 2nd Marriage after whatever it was that caused him to get a 'super injunction', but away from that he lives for golf and I hope that we see him involved publicly in some capacity (as opposed to less visibly on the corporate circuit and with golf design). Maybe as a commentator in time - he's far from unintelligent, he's articulate, he thinks about what's going on and and he expresses himself forcefully and clearly without collapsing in to cliche-speak. Now that he is properly away from the arena of needing to prove himself on or off the course, he may be able to be more relaxed without any axe to grind or grudge to avoid.

Even those who are not big fans of him like myself need to acknowledge his achievements in the game and that the Golfing world would be a more dreary place without him being visible in some capacity or other.

When Golf Leads By Example

I was there yesterday watching the closing day of this great competition called the Ryder Cup and have to say that for sheer sportsmanship and dramatic entertainment it takes some beating.

Well done Europe and well done Monty the captain. Well played the USA who fought like demons to ratain the Cup. But special thanks to all those that make this one of the most special competitions in the sporting calendar.

Brilliant special stuff and truly one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the world.

Hats off to Stewart Cink

For those that haven't seen the US Ryder Cup team interview, take a look at a true gentleman.... Stewart Cink.

BBC

US Ryder Cup teams are often accused of not having the team spirit and cameraderie that is all too apparent in nearly every European team. However, I was surprised that none of Hunter Mahan's fellow team mates spoke up during his interview when he was so obviously distraught after losing his match.

The fact that Cink spoke up afterwards, in defence of Mahan, shows the measure of the man. Despite being an ardent European fan, I have the utmost respect for Cink as a golfer, and now even more so as a man. It is such displays of integrity that makes golf stand out from all other sports played professionally, and serves to re-inforce my love of both playing and watching the game.

Stewart Cink, I salute you.

Soft Grip on Putts

If you're not gripping your putts softly, you'll never have any feel. Watch a pro sometimes and you'll see a putting grip that is held as softly as possible. That's firm enough to control the stroke, but hands on the club should feel soft, soft soft. By gripping it softly, you allow yourself to actually stroke through the ball firmly, thus allowing it to stay on a good line for the first few feet, and have enough touch on it to be dying at approximately the right spot at or around the hole. Think "Grip softly and putt firmly through the ball" and you'll find your distance control improving.

Fix Your Ball Marks

More and more I'm seeing these pock marks on greens from ball-marks that weren't fixed. And I'm hearing people bitching and complaining that the greens weren't very good. That's because you, you and you, who didn't bother to repair your ball marks, caused it! Fix the damage YOUR BALL caused to that green!! And while you're there, fix one more. If everyone got in that habit, we'd have better greens.

STEEP, DOWNHILL LAG PUTTING STRATEGY

When you have a steep downhill lag putt that looks like it will roll off the back of the green, think about leaving the putt about three feet short of the hole, as the natural tendency is to hit it long. Not five to ten feet short, but three feet short, as you want it to be tap in distance in case it DOES stop short. But if it's a STEEP lag, it should trickle at least those last three feet and die right about the hole.

Reasons why I'm leaning towards U.S.A

With the start of the Ryder Cup fast approaching, my confidence is not as high as it once was.

Forget the argument over picking Harrington over Casey. As Monty says, Harrington is a 3 time major champion and this can be judged at the end of the weekend.

My main concerns are as follows:

firstly, i do not see any leaders within the European team.

People say this is the strongest ever team but i do not agree. There are no leaders on the course such as Faldo, Garcia, Seve, Langer and Monty himself.

The two most experienced players are Harrington and Westwood, one of which is focussed on getting his own game in some sort of order, the other is just returning fromn injury.

Then there are the Molinari brothers. I am a huge fan of theres, however when was the last time two rookies were paired together and won? There is a massive difference in pressure to the ryder cup to the world pairs which they won and it will be interesting to see how they cope.

Should they lose there opening pairs match convincingly then i believe this will give Monty a massive headache. Does he split them up or give the brothers a second chance?

Then there is Tiger Woods. Tiger has had more than enough time to get his game back in order and he will be determined to prove that Pavin was right to give him a wildcard.

This will be closer than what some people think.

HIT SHORT PUTTS FIRMLY

The cardinal sin of all golf is to leave an easy 5 to 6 putt short of the hole. That 2 inch tap in now counts the same as your 250 yard drive. Do yourself a favor and practice, practice, practice a short putting stroke that will consistently be firm enough to ALWAYS reach the cup.

PUTTING FOR QUARTERS

Sometime before a round, on the practice green try putting against a friend for money, say a quarter a hole. Nothing during a round will be as difficult as the crucible of having already faced pressure putts against your playing patner. Making a tough five-footer? Having to lay a long putt from distance? If you've already practiced it - you can have the feeling of "been there, done that."

Laura Davies Does It Again

Laura Davies wins Open de España Femenino

One of Britain’s all-time greatest golfers Laura Davies shot a final round of level par 71 to win the Open de España Femenino and claim her 76th career title at Flamingos Golf in Benahavís on the Costa del Sol.

This is Laura's fourth title this season on the LET (Ladies European Tour) winning in Austria, Germany and New Zealand. With todays win it also means that Laura Davies moves from 3rd to 1st in the LET’s 2010 Henderson Money List. Davies has finished 1st on the Henderson Money List on seven occasions (1985, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2006) and going for an eighth.

Davies is also positioned 1st in the standing for the European Solheim Cup team. Davies is the only player to have played in every Solheim Cup match from 1990 to 2009.

In 2004 Davies was the first woman to compete in the men's European Tour, entering the ANZ Championship in Sydney, Australia. She failed to make the cut, finishing second to last.

Laura Davies is arguably the greatest English female golfer of all time and one of the best in the world. Now age 46 Davies is playing some of the best golf of her career and shows no sign of stopping.