Gavin Dear (left) and Wallace Booth, setting the record straight (images by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

E-mail from Gavin Dear

Walker Cup: Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth

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felt it was great honour to play in match

Hi Colin,

I have been out of the country for a few weeks playing and hadn't until last night had a chance to catch up with Wallace Booth. I saw Ross Kellett's comments on Scottishgolfview about the Walker Cup and how we felt about it.

Both myself and Wallace felt a bit hard done by the article and felt that it made us look a bit ungrateful. We know both Ross and Martin Dempster very well and know that there would definitely be no ill intent in how the article was written or what was commented on within the article.

But we just wanted the opportunity to tell everybody what we had discussed with Ross and felt about the Walker Cup and kind of set the record straight.

Both Wallace and I really enjoyed the event and it was a great honour to be involved in a match of that calibre. It was a very important for both us of to play and it was undoubtedly our aim at the start of the 2009 season.

Ross asks our opinions for time to time, and this is one of the reasons he will become an even more successful golfer because he is extremely willing to learn. He asked about the Walker Cup and what we would recommend.

Both Wallace and I told him the Walker Cup is something to mark on the calendar for 2011. But that's some time away. This year we felt that the big goal should be a place in the Eisenhower team and trying to win a national championship, something which Ross is very capable of doing.

Then, the way he is playing, we both said that he has to go to Tour School. If he doesn't gain whatever he feels appropriate to turn professional, then he should remain amateur for another year.

If that happens then the Walker Cup will be his goal. The Walker Cup is difficult, being bi-annual and a player for instance like Callum Macaulay was unlucky because it was never really an option for him.

Maybe it will be an option for Ross, maybe not. With regards to the perception of the Walker Cup in the professional game, it is difficult to tell. Professionals are interested to hear about the experience of playing in the Walker Cup but do not hold you in high regard just because you played. You are just another golfer in their eyes - and that's the way it should be.

From Ross's perspective he has seen both Wallace and I miss out at Tour School, struggle for sponsorship and struggle to secure invites to events. Maybe that has pushed him to think a little differently.

We have told him we didn't expect playing in the Walker Cup to open many doors and, from what we have seen of professional golf, it's tough and you have to really work for what you get but both of us would rather have the experience of playing in the Walker Cup than not.

I hope this clears up a few things.

Regards,

Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth