Colin Montgomerie hopes new initiative will lead to 'boom' for Scottish golf

Published on Friday 12 March 2010 23:04

COLIN Montgomerie has welcomed a new £1 million initiative to help the transition from amateur to professional and is hoping it will boost Scotland's chances of experiencing a similar "boom" to that currently being enjoyed by English golf.

During a visit to Edinburgh yesterday, the Ryder Cup captain said he was delighted to hear the announcement earlier this week that, in each of the next five years, 200,000 is being made available by Sportscotland to try and improve Scotland's success rate when it comes to talented amateurs switching to the paid ranks.

Montgomerie, along with Paul Lawrie and Catriona Matthew, has agreed to support the initiative in an advisory role and is hoping it can help improve a situation whereby Scotland are pretty poor relations at the moment to England in the world rankings. While Martin Laird, at No95, is the sole Scot in the top 100, England currently have three players – Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey – inside the top ten and nine in total higher than Laird in the standings.

"This announcement is great news as we have been asking for this for a long time due to the fact it is difficult for young players to make the transition," said Montgomerie. "I was very fortunate in that I was able to go to an American university, so I was semi-pro, so to speak, by that stage in my career.

"But, for most amateur golfers, it's almost a case of 'oh, what the hell do I do now?' It is definitely a transition and, while money is helpful, that also applies both mentally and emotionally. It's a big thing trying to react to living away from home, for example. Some of these guys probably haven't experienced that in their life before.

"As an amateur, these players have a support system through the SGU while a lot of them have been part of a team coming through the ranks. You learn very quickly in the professional game, though, that you are an individual – you are on your own suddenly and nobody really cares. It is dog eat do out there. It is tough, there's no question. You need someone like the Government to take care of you, so it is great we now have this support. We have lost out a wee bit, there's no question about that. England is enjoying a bit of a boom at the moment and we have to try and follow suit."

Montgomerie is looking forward to helping Graeme Simmers, the chairman, and fellow board members including Bernard Gallacher with the new initiative. "More than anything else, I think I can provide good advice," he commented. "As a Ryder Cup captain, people are always asking me for advice about what to do. I'm seen as a bit of a model, if you like, as I improved every year. As I've said to the potential members of my Ryder Cup team, my door is always open and I'll say that as well to anyone who wants to turn professional."

Poulter looks certain to be a member of that Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor in October and the European captain is adamant that what may have happened between him and the Englishman in the past will be forgotten about as he tries to get the trophy back on this side of the Atlantic.

"I was the first to text Ian apparently after his superb win in the Accenture World Match Play," said the Scot, who paid a visit to Edinburgh Thistle Golf Club at the Braids to make a rallying call for people to take part in this year's Bupa Great Edinburgh Run – on Sunday, 2 May – in aid of his cancer charity, the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation.

"I sent a text to both him and Paul Casey to congratulate both of them on what was a marvellous performance on behalf of Europe really. They'll both be on the team, of course they will, and I'll be glad about that.

"Ian will be going into this match on the back of having great success at Valhalla. To have four points out of five on a losing team as fantastic and, if there is a put to be holed (at Celtic Manor], there are a few players in Europe who would vote for him to be the man to do it. He's going to be a great asset for the European team."

Before heading off to America – he's spending time with Paul Marchand, his coach, in Houston, before playing in Arnold Palmer's invitational event at Bay Hill – Montgomerie was one of the speakers at last night's annual club dinner at Royal Troon, where, of course, his father James was once the secretary. "It's going to be nerve-wracking, especially with my father in the audience," he smiled. "It will be an insight into what it's going to be like at the opening ceremony at the Ryder Cup."