Why golf? I can’t answer that question, it only throws up more unanswerable questions. Why should golf, a game whose true intricacies I will probably never master, exert such a hold over me?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. The winter and a new career in the voluntary sector have conspired to keep me indoors. The trials and tribulations of securing funding and a good blast of Scottish weather have made golf take a back seat.

And yet it’s always there. Perhaps the absence magnifies its looming presence. Why is it that as I snatch a few moments at my desk in the evening, writing for fun or for money (or both) the picture that grabs me is not of the football or rugby legends but the golfing legend I have never met. Jack Nicklaus, who in my unofficial hero’s gallery is probably the man I have least in common with, is the one I admire the most (this might be partly because a sympathetic lady member once told me on the putting green that my grip reminded her of the Golden Bear).

Why is it that not having played for a few months the new mind plan that gave me a reasonable season last year (playing the averages, staying calm) has been replaced in my mind’s eye by a new risk taking power game that I have neither the skill or a good enough back to pull off?

Why do the badminton racquet, tennis racquet and bowls that I have used more often in the past few months remain in the car boot but the golf clubs sit in the hallway, putter and balls out and asking for a few moments of practice?

Last weekend my brother came to stay. We made no decision about his impending stag weekend. But we are now committed to spending a weekend playing the course that we grew up on before he gets married. Neither of us have played there for ten years. Yet we could remember every hole, we could discuss the best approach to each hole, we could recall in incredible detail our finest displays on each of those holes (and some of our worst ones as well!).

I can still remember the first birdie I got on another course: not the name of the course (it was in Yorkshire) but I can still see the three wood, seven iron and five foot putt. I can still remember the feeling. I can remember shots I hit playing at Whitby with a Richard Briers lookalike whose name I never knew.

I can remember playing in Dumfries and Galloway with my granddad and brother, at first using cut down clubs. I can remember my first golf shoes (Dunlop, cheap and cheerful in a blister inducing way).

I remember my first driving range (out by Edinburgh Airport – followed by a meal in the airport which always seemed to taste better than any of it does now.) Or practicing on the open area next to Cockenzie Power Station. Or devising an elaborate course in the back garden to stage, and win, my own Open (and the feeling of wonder when I realised those plastic balls could easily clear the house and that the 18th hole could be truly spectacular if the green was placed in the front garden!).

I can remember my friend getting a bunker shot horribly wrong and smacking the head of the coolest boy in school. Our horror, the laughter of the men on the tee behind us and the realisation that a Maxfli to the back of the head must hurt like hell. I remember feeling hugely excited when I met Brett Ogle at the Open qualifiers held at Gullane and, five years before, insane jealously that my brother was actually working at the qualifiers at Longniddry.

And yet I can barely remember the games of rugby and football I played. I can hardly remember a game of bowls when I step off the green. And at school I was never the most dedicated player. Only occasionally would I be one of the juniors that played two or three rounds a day in the summer holidays. Never did I harbour hopes of being a professional. My parents never played the game. So why the obsession?

Maybe it is in the blood. Colin Montgomerie recently spoke of golf as being almost Scotland’s national game. Perhaps each of us feels an ownership of the game. My non playing dad is knowledgable and appreciative of the game. My non playing mother and grandmother used to love going to the Open practice rounds at Muirfield.

And, the funny thing is, I don’t think it’s unhealthy. I think we should rejoice that we are the home of this great game. That even now players, good and bad, and millionaires and billionaires want a small piece of Scotland to recognise our role in the game.

And I feel proud that Scottish galleries are so often praised for their knowledge and appreciation of golf. Not just of the holes in one and the target golf but of the gritty round when a players luck has blown away in the fierce seaside wind and scrapping is the only way to succeed. So let Scotland rejoice in our unwitting obsession and realise that golf lets the world see the best of us.

How many of us had the conversation. Watching some televised sport (the normal triggers are sport of a truly woeful nature or those moments of sporting exhilaration when athletes seem to transcend what is thought possible in their chosen field) the chat will inevitably come to the missed opportunity:

“Could have been me that, you know? If only I’d had the dedication/supportive parents/decent school/avoided the knee injury.”

If you’ve known the speaker for years (or if you are the speaker) then you may know this to be lie. If you don’t know the speaker that well, then you simply fall into the role of willing stooge: a nod of the head followed by a rueful half smile and a murmured agreement that life is, indeed, unfair.

The problem with our attitude to sport is that almost every sport has become mass participation. By which I mean that as the number of people actually playing decreases, the number of people actively watching through TV coverage is growing all the time. We are all experts now: we know the problems with players, we know the problems with tactics, we know exactly what we would do if we were ever granted the stage.

But what if we actually took ourselves seriously? What if the pub chat about where Lee Westwood went wrong on the tricky par 4, 15th actually became a burning desire to do it ourselves?

That is exactly what the journalist Tom Cox did when he tried his arm at the Europro Tour in 2006. The results of Cox’s endeavours (a talented youngster who had walked away from the game he had rekindled his desire to become, at 30, a talented club player) are not the stuff of Hollywood. The book he produced on his experience, Bring Me The Head of Sergio Garcia, is, however, an entertaining glimpse into the lower reaches of professional golf.

Cox’s problem, perhaps, is that he thought he could live the fantasy of the bar: the point is, almost without exception, very few of us ever fantasise that we had the talent to become non league footballers, lower division rugby players or struggling golfers. Our fantasies are about the big stage.

Cox, who with more method in his approach may have fared better, found out that this was not the life for him. The sun drenched fairways of the Open are one thing. The travelling, cost and danger of your cat peeing on your golf bag of the Europro Tour are something else. Cox’s disappointment at the surroundings almost immediately hampers his dedication and his game.

The humour of the book often centres around Cox’s own misfortunes (caused, more often than not, by himself). A practice round on the wrong course, a mix up with the dates of Open qualifiers, the battles with the “brain worm” that destroys his game, his – often jaundiced and unjustified – dislike of officialdom and his opinions of the special breed that call the Europro Tour home.

But what of the financial consequences? Or the real feelings of his long suffering, and apparently eternally sympathetic wife, Edie? By not dwelling on these issues Cox, at times, comes across as a man living through a very early midlife crisis.

One of Cox’s friends when he was a teenage tearaway terrorising junior officials and winning bucketloads of trophies has already given up the pro’s travelling life by the time Cox turns to it. It is the friend’s father who sums up the problem that a lack of total dedication can bring, no matter the potential of the talent. His son had told him he felt sorry for an opponent as he cruised to a 5 hole lead. In that instant the father knew that his son lacked the single mindedness that a top pro needs. It may be the missing ingredient that a lot of those on the Europro Tour search forlornly for through the reasonable weeks, the mediocre weeks and the downright bad weeks.

Cox’s experiment would have been far purer if he had been prepared to hand his life over to the 24 hour pursuit of success that it seems many of today’s players have. But married, thirty something, freelance writers with mortgages and cats are unable to do that. So Cox must cast himself as the lovable maverick who can do it his own way, the unsponsored hick in the slightly shrunk polo shirt that can buck the trend and beat the system.

As an undiluted treatise on the way to succeed on the golf course the book suffers because of the compromise Cox has had made. As an endearing, entertaining and, at times, laugh out loud funny story that provides a small insight into the lower reaches of sport, however, this is a wonderful book.

As for the ending. Not even 200 hundred striking Hollywood writers could imagine a professional’s last hurrah being in an Urban Golf event with a caddie who had come along for the free whisky and bag made out of cardboard by an ever indulgent wife!

There is a tremendous youth movement right now on the LPGA Tour, which depending on point of view, could be a good or bad thing for the game. On one hand, this influx of young talent is bringing the LPGA Tour to unprecedented heights. Never before, in the history of the women’s game, has it been so marketable. In fact, in just her second year on board, Commissioner Carol Bivens has raised the ante on sponsoring a Tour Event, and has major corporations, who’ve never aligned themselves with women’s golf before, standing in line to host a golf tournament. But on the other hand, with many of their marquee players under the age of 21, the LPGA Tour may soon find themselves in a position much like professional tennis in the 1980′s — ruled by egotistical brats. And of course, if that does come to fruition; it wouldn’t take long before the LPGA Tour, like women’s tennis in the mid 80′s, started to lose popularity. Lets look at the pros and cons of this debate and see if there is a logical answer.

First, the reasons why teenagers should be allowed access to play. Some think the LPGA should allow anyone good enough to play on the Tour unfettered access. It shouldn’t matter if they are 15 or 45. If they have the skills to compete – they should be allowed to play. After all, this access has brought the tour some much-needed excitement over the last few years, with players such as Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis. And this young trend is continuing internationally as well, with Europe, South Korea and Australia starting to produce some world-class teenagers. In fact, it was just announced last week, that 18-year-old South African, Ashleigh Simon, would make her LPGA debut this week at the Jamie Farr Classic. So why shouldn’t these young girls play? They bring a fresh approach to the game, as well as a new fan base. This is what the sponsors are looking for. This is why they invite Michelle Wie to their events. They understand no matter what drama may ensue from Michelle being there — they will sell more tickets and hence get more exposure for their brand.

Now, let’s talk about a few reasons why teenagers should wait to play the LPGA Tour. These young girls, no matter their level of golf game, do not have the maturity to deal with all that has been thrust upon them. Do we really think Michelle Wie would behave at age 21 — the way she has the last six month? Is it possible that Natalie Gulbis would have won by now if she had finished college and not spent ages 18-22 posing for calendars? Who knows for sure – but I will say this. I was standing on the putting green at the U.S. Open a couple weeks ago when Patty Sheehan walked over to talk with one of the caddies. Now, Patty Sheehan is a legend. Owner of one of the best golf swings in the history of golf and one of the reason why girls like Michelle Wie get to play for so much money and attention. But while I was there, which was for at least 30 minutes, no current player went over to say hello. In fact, my guess is, very few of the 30 or so girls practicing on the Pine Needles putting green, even knew who Patty Sheehan was. To me, this is where the “disconnect” begins. There are the old school LPGA Tour players and there are the new age girls. There is no connection or sense of history between them.

So, is this a problem or just evolution? I cannot say for sure — but I see potential problems on the horizon for the LPGA Tour, and only for that one reason. The rest of the brand is incredible — pretty girls playing wonderful golf — plus a smart businesswoman leading the way. I think the only thing that can stop them is the “Diva” factor. And for the first time, since I’ve been following and traveling with the LPGA Tour, I’m starting to worry about the attitudes of the girls who are supposed to be the “future.” To me, it only makes sense, as it is almost impossible to grow up under so much scrutiny. I have watched my four sisters handle puberty and have coached a number of top level teenage girls — so I’m speaking from a little experience. That is a tough time in a young woman’s life, as they struggle to find an identity and a place in the world. I’ve witnessed teenage girls on top of the world one-minute and completely depressed the next — only because someone commented on their sweater and how it made them look. So you can imagine how difficult it must be for Michelle Wie, who never had bad press in her life, all of a sudden criticized at every turn. During your high school years, imagine everyone in school talking about you and all the things you were doing wrong. Not exactly confidence instilling, is it? Michelle is going through that now, except she gets to read about it in every national newspaper. I know, I know — she has millions. It’s the price you pay. But millions of dollars doesn’t make a teenage mind mature any quicker. She is still just a high school recent high school graduate. Remember how mature you were at that age? Thankfully, I’ve repressed all my teenage memories.

I think to stave off this potential problem, the LPGA Tour should implement a rule. A teenager should only be allowed 3 exemptions into LPGA Events until they’re 18. If they qualify for a tournament (such as the U.S. Open) — they can play — but no Tour membership and no unlimited exemptions. From ages 18-21, they can receive 5 exemptions per year and qualify for others if so desired. This number of events would be a perfect summer schedule for a top college player. Then, at age 21, all girls would be eligible for full membership on Tour with access to an unlimited number of tournaments. The only exception I would make is — if during her teenage years, a girl actually wins a tournament — she could petition for early membership. But that’s it! No more kids acting like adults. If they don’t want to go to school — that’s okay — they can go play the Futures Tour. They can spend a couple years learning how to travel and how to manage their time. This would also make them much more appreciative of the luxuries they take for granted on the LPGA Tour.

I don’t want to give you the wrong impression — I am a huge fan of the LPGA Tour. And I’m a huge fan of all these incredibly talented young women. Because of that, I want to put them in the best position to succeed. I want the LPGA Tour to succeed. I don’t want their success to follow a bell curve, which I think it’s doing now. They are on the way up — but destined for a fall in about 5-10 years. I would rather they have consistent growth with classy young women — who make solid role models for all juniors that idolize them.

So, what do you think? Is the LPGA Tour getting too young? Or do you like what you’re seeing now?

Oh, and we may have to have this conversation about the PGA Tour soon as well. 16 year old Tad Fujikawa just announced he is going pro. Stay tuned.

Parents ask me all the time, how to get their children interested in golf. And then once interested, how to make sure their child improves. And then once there’s improvement, how to make sure they reach their full potential. Seems every parent I meet wants their child to be the next Tiger Woods and are looking for the magic formula. If it were only that easy.

Still, it is a valid question – and one that I take quite seriously. So, how do you — with a child who wants to play golf — turn him or her into the next Tiger Woods? Here are my top four tips.

1. Make it all about the short game. As much as your young child wants to be on the driving range hitting drivers, they will see much quicker improvement with practice around the greens. And the touch and feel they develop from ages 5-10, will stay with them forever. Long before your child steps foot on a golf course, they should spend countless hours around the putting and chipping green. Teach them 4 things; A basic chipping technique, a basic pitching technique, a basic bunker technique and a simple putting stroke. There is no need to get into trick shots (kids are wonderful about finding them on their own) – just the basic technique. For now, have them use just one club around the green — a sand wedge. There will be plenty of time later on to show them how to change clubs on “pitch and runs.” The reason I want them to learn first with the wedge is simple. You can always go with the high shot around the green – but can’t always go with the low option. There may be rough or a bunker between them and the hole, when a 7-iron will just not work. Teach them first how to control the trajectory of their sand wedge, and your child will become a better golfer for it. As for putting, teach them to keep their heads still. This valuable lesson, which is better learned early, will hold them in good stead through out their lives. The only thing I would “make” them do is — hole 20 three footers in a row every time they practice. Get them used to seeing the ball go in at an early age. But other than that, let them enjoy their hour or two having fun around the green. As long as they are sticking the fundamental technique, don’t say too much. Kids are amazing at teaching themselves all the things we want them to know.

2. Get them a teacher. This is one thing I would highly recommend early on in your child’s development. It doesn’t need to be Butch Harmon – just someone who is qualified and understands fundamentals. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to correct things that parents taught their kids as gospel. Kids don’t have to take lessons every week — but just enough to make sure their technique is getting better. That’s all! Too much instruction for a kid is just that — too much. Even if you’re a good player and know the basic technique, get a teacher! Your child will take a professional more seriously and understand that the time spent with the instructor is all about golf — and not about getting grounded the night before.

3. Don’t let them fail. I know this somewhat defies conventional wisdom, in that we want to teach our children to overcome obstacles. But in golf, there’s just way too much scar tissue to get through for most people to reach their true potential. Think about it — when we are first learning the game – what type of scores are we making? Mostly, lots of double, triple and quadruple bogeys. And that’s usually with mulligans. We see the ball go in the water. We see the ball go in the trap. We have lakes we cannot carry. This is a lot of negative input that will always be with us. Now, we may get better and stop making those high numbers – but we still remember. I say don’t ever let your child have those memories. The smartest thing Earl Woods did in raising Tiger: he never letting him make a double bogey. How did he do this you ask? He didn’t make the simple mistake of putting Tiger at the red tees at 5 years old, just because they were the closest to the green. Instead, he would have Tiger tee off from a point in the fairway where he could easily reach the green in regulation; such as the 100 yard marker. If it were a par 4, he wanted Tiger to hit the green in two shots. If it were a par 5, he wanted him to hit the green in three shots. As a result, Tiger has been putting for birdie since he starting playing golf. During some rounds, he was shooting under par at age 4. Now, it wasn’t a regulation score, as it was not from a set of tees. But do you think that mattered to Tiger? All he knew was — I shot 35 today mom! This type of approach basically guaranteed Tiger would not be afraid of “going low.” Unlike other golfers who become afraid when out of their comfort zone, Tiger learned how to just make birdies. This was brilliant and should be copied. All the kids I teach learn how to shoot par golf at an early age and only move back when — they get longer. That’s it! They just progressively move back until they reach the correct tees.

4. Avoid clinics and schools. I know this sounds like crazy advice — but if you really want to raise the next Tiger Woods — teach them to be like Tiger. Independent!! There has been an influx of academies for kids, and parents are paying top dollar to reap the benefits. But sadly, what ends up happening on most occasions is — your child is taught the same exact thing as every other child. They are in groups of 6-8 and all taught the same thing. But here’s the thing – not all golfers should grip it the same way. Or aim the same way. Or do a lot of things the same way. But the only way to make a clinic format work is to teach systems. The main pro will show his assistants an easy to follow system to teach the kids — and that system is followed to a tee. Can you imagine what would have become of Lee Trevino if he were taught a system? Or Jack Nicklaus with his flying elbow? The best thing to do for your child is — find one good intructor. Have them go less if money is an issue – but get a good solid fundamental teacher. That’s it! Bobby Jones had Stuart Maiden. Jack Nicklaus had Jack Grout. Tiger Woods had Butch Harmon. This is a good formula to copy.

I do hope you introduce your child to this great game — even if they don’t become the next Tiger Woods. Good Luck!!!

Nick Faldo will continue his efforts to unearth Asian champions of the future with his Faldo Asia Series set to continue in 2007.

The 2007 Series will feature 11 tournaments at nine venues across Asia, culminating in the Faldo Series Asia grand final at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China from December 12-14.

The Series, for youngsters aged from 11-21, is supported by Mission Hills, The R&A and UBS and sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Asia Pacific Golf Confederation.

Faldo, a six-time Major champion, was quoted as saying on his website:

“Looking ahead, I am excited to be announcing a bigger schedule for 2007 in only our second season. Thanks to the support from the host organisations and some first-class venues, plus the commitment from Mission Hills, The R&A and UBS, I believe we can provide even more grass-roots opportunities across Asia this year and, at the same time, continue to help develop the region’s next generation of champions.”

The 2007 Series will see new events in Indonesia and Thailand while China will host three tournaments, including a debut for Yunnan province at the Faldo-designed Lakeview Golf Club in Kunming.

The tour will also visit Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Up to six young golfers will qualify to take part in the Faldo Series Asia grand final, which the man himself will host at Mission Hills.

This year’s winner can look forward to a host of rewards, including the right to play in the Europe grand final, a starting place in the Volvo Masters of Asia, a scholarship to stage one of the Asian Tour qualifying school, plus a round of golf with Faldo. Last year’s event was won by 18-year-old Thai Nakarin Ratanakul.

A young American girl stared down Lorena Ochoa and Laura Davies at the LPGA’s Ginn Open today – and her name was Brittany Lincicome. It was a world class performance against a world class field.

Still, when people talk about all the young American talent on the LPGA Tour, we rarely hear the name Brittany Lincicome. Instead, we hear the names Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis. Nothing against those girls, as they are incredible players in their own right – but there’s one other name that needs to be added to the mix – Brittany Lincicome. And from what I know about Brittany, this win is not a fluke and we can expect to see more of the same.

I first met Brittany 5 years ago while she was playing in and winning our junior golf invitational. We were hosting a junior golf event entitled “Kids Playing for Kids”, with all proceeds going to a children’s charity – Chairscholars – and she was clearly the class of the field. A few things struck me on that initial meeting with Brittany. First, she was unbelievably talented. She could hit the ball an absolute mile and was fearless in how she attacked the golf course. Second, she was calm. She wasn’t at all excited when she played or even when she won. She acted like it was a completely normal thing for her to do. And when I watched her play today at the Ginn Open, she was the same exact way — calm. Nothing has changed at all. She couldn’t be less surprised by her success. I was at Reunion Resort, (just outside of Orlando, Florida) home of the Ginn Open, all week and had a chance to see most of the best young Americans – Pressel, Creamer and Gulbis – and without a doubt, Lincicome was the most impressive.

I believe Lincicome’s rise will continue for the forseeable future for a couple reasons. First, she is completely single minded on golf. From the first time I met her, she has only talked about playing and winning on the LPGA Tour. Back for a moment to that junior tournament. During the awards, as the other juniors were talking about their college and life plans – Brittany was only talking about playing golf. Although she had a slew of college scholarships, she wasn’t interested. She wasn’t interested because she already knew what she wanted to do – play the LPGA Tour. For some juniors, that kind of thinking can be a detriment in their development. But for Brittany, it was exactly the kind of focus she needed. And that focus continues today. With Natalie Gulbis busy with reality shows and calanders – and Paula Creamer busy with commercials and fashion design – Brittany’s sole focus is still just golf.

Next, she already plays the game of the future on the LPGA. She kills it off the tee and isn’t afraid to make birdies and eagles. And for a young pro to compete in the new world of women’s golf – this is a must! So, as the LPGA enters their “Golden Age” – there is a new girl that must be added to the story line – Miss Brittany Lincicome.