Just like the K-Club at least week's European Open, I expect it to be a real slog. I know that the fairways have been narrowed, but I bet the rough will also have been grown and the place seems to get longer each year. We seem to play courses that are over 7,000 yards every week now, and it makes for a real grind. There's an obsession with American-style courses, but the officials seem to forget that the conditions are very different on this side of the pond. All of which means the scores are higher, which means spectators don't get to see players making birdies and the players get fed up. And I know it's not just me because the subject is one that crops up time and again in the locker room among the players.
No-one will be taking the course apart. The secret to playing Loch Lomond is consistency, and to make sure that you play the difficult holes well. Most of the players will tell you that the key to a good round at the Scottish Open is to play two sets of holes well. The first important run is the first four holes: you need to be at least level, and preferably one under par, by the time you walk off the fourth green. I keep arriving on the fifth tee at two-over-par, which makes it a horribly long old day.
The second slab of challenging holes is 10, 11 and 12, which are all horribly tricky, especially if it's windy. The tee-shot on ten is all-important, while 11 is a 230-yard par-three, so accuracy off the tee is also vital there. The key shot on 12 is the approach shot because the green is such an odd shape - it's like a big banana, with a 12-15-foot drop off the side - that it's very easy to end up coming away with a bogey.
Of the European players, the three who I think could do well are Alistair Forsyth, Simon Khan and Nicklas Fasth because all three have a game which suits the course and because they've all got up a bit of momentum. Monty's also looking good right now and seems to be hitting a vein of form. He shouldn't be discounted.
Stephen Gallacher is the course's Tour Pro, and he's been performing fairly steadily recently, partly because he's been working with Bob Torrance, as has Alistair. Stephen strikes the ball beautifully and, despite a tendency to blow hot and cold, has the talent to do well here and obviously knows the course inside out. I was talking to his dad in Munich and he was saying that Stephen is striking the ball exceptionally well at the moment, so he may surprise us all.
Of the overseas players, the two who have always been a threat in recent years have been the two South Africans, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els. Retief will be competitive, but it will be interesting to see which Ernie turns up here.
Ernie seems to be on the wane, an experience that none of us really relish. That has been put down to his injury, but I don't think that's the only reason. There's no doubt that it's made a difference, but it's also undeniable that Ernie is getting older. He's also switched caddies this year, which can be hard, and has changed his clubs to Callaway, a change which is even harder to deal with.
As with us all, though, if Ernie wants to be in with a shout of challenging for the Scottish Open, he needs to drive straight and make some
