'Team Scotland' could bring end to talent loss

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
So, I'm not the only one who feels passionate about what happens in Scottish golf. Following my comments here last week about us producing golfers with genuine talent only for them to fall way short of their true potential, a whole host of people have wanted to have their say on the matter.
One pointed out that I had not offered any solutions and asked: Have you any?As I said in last week's column, the people we need to talk to to try and come up with solutions are those who, for whatever reason, failed to climb as high up the ladder as they really should have.For what it's worth, though, I do have some thoughts, but before airing them I think it is only right that I set a few things straight.
Before anyone gets the wrong end of the stick, the fact talent is going to waste is not a criticism of the Scottish Golf Union. Over the years, that organisation has done an excellent job in unearthing young talent and long may that continue.
In my opinion, the SGU's role is to help develop the talent then take that player to the stage where he feels he is ready to join the professional ranks.
Unfortunately, what we are seeing more and more is players making that leap when they are clearly not ready nor good enough to even be contemplating such a step.Listen, it's a big, bad world out there at the top level in professional golf and only those with either a special talent or a special work ethic have got a chance, just a chance, of sharing that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
The fact just about every top amateur these days decides to turn professional is simply ludicrous. Whatever happened to the true amateur, the guy who worked during the week and played his golf at the weekend?
As much as we all want to see Scottish players doing well in the professional game, it would be nice to see someone bucking the current trend and deciding against that move into the paid ranks, getting themselves a job and being content to keep pulling on a dark blue jersey for a number of years.
What about those who are good enough? If it's not the job of the SGU to be taking the lead or even been involved in the crossover, who should be taking on that role?
Personally, I'd like to see a 'Team Scotland' formed and I believe this is something similar to a well-thought out project that Iain Stoddart, David Drysdale's manager, has been working away on behind the scenes over the last few years.
How I'd like to see that work is that a group of talented players – and we are not just talking here about the top amateurs in the country as there are some young assistants out there with equal talent – are identified and they receive the proper support, not just financial I hasten to add, that can give them the best possible chance to make the transition from top-level amateur to the European Tour.
I'd also like to see a manager of that team being appointed and, for me, a person like Dean Robertson or Adam Hunter would fit the bill perfectly. Here are guys who played golf at the top level in Scotland, won on the European Tour and, these days, are very knowledgeable about the golf swing and just about every other aspect of the game.
In short, they're someone who's been there and done it. Either could pass on valuable advice to wannabe Tour players and help them fulfil the potential that has seen them picked out to be part of 'Team Scotland' in the first place.
I'm not saying they should be their coach. Not at all. The people who have helped these players to emerge as potential stars are the ones who should continue working with them at such an important phase in their career.
Where does the money for such a project come from? The government would have to provide some input and, given that we are talking here about professional golfers, I'd like to think the PGA would also want to be involved. Some money from the private sector would be helpful, too.
As a feeder for 'Team Scotland', perhaps an academy could be set up for young PGA professionals where they came under the tutelage of someone else who's played at the highest level, an excellent suggestion made to me by the pro at my golf club.
That's the thing. There are people out there with some great ideas and, for the good of Scottish golf, something needs to be done to try and change things so that, a few years down the line, the amount of talent going to waste is decreasing all the time.
Another thing I'd like to see are more of our players, particularly the rookie professionals, playing on a home-based circuit as they cut their teeth in the paid game. It didn't do Paul Lawrie or David Drysdale any harm and, in the case of the former in particular, he learned to become a winner by playing in Scotland.
Let's make sure that whatever decisions are made going forward are the right ones.

WESTWOOD WON LEVEN GOLD MEDAL
Sixteem years ago a young Englishman turned up in Fife and rubber-stamped his potential by winning the Leven Gold Medal, the world's oldest amateur stroke-play event.
That same year Lee John Westwood also finished second in the European Amateur Championship at Dalmahoy, losing in a play-off to the Dane, Morten Backhausen.
Having witnessed both of those performances, it's been a delight to watch Westwood go on and establish himself as one of the world's top players and, personally, I was delighted he pipped Rory McIlroy in the marathon that was the 'Race to Dubai'.
Not that I have anything against young Rory, of course. His emergence over the past couple of seasons has given European golf a timely shot in the arm and it's surely a matter of how many times he'll be the No1 in the future, not if.
For the moment, though, that crown belongs to Westwood and rightly so. His performance in winning the inaugural Dubai World Championship was truly exceptional and now a major is firmly in his sights.
Tom Watson may have been the man most people wanted to win at Turnberry in July but, really, it was Westwood whose name should have been inscribed on that Claret Jug – and he knows it. He's bounced back courageously, though, and has been helped in a big way, no doubt, by Andrew Chandler, his excellent manager, and just as much by Laurae, his delightful Scottish wife.