Experienced Coltart tailor-made for mentoring role

The Aberdonian has watched the likes of double Scottish champion David Law and Philip McLean benefit from his own experience and has called on the Scottish Golf Union to do the same with Coltart, a Ryder Cup team-mate at Brookline in 1999.

“The talent is coming through but it takes a bit of time to adjust to professional golf and I’m convinced that it’s mentors these kids need,” said Lawrie.

“The SGU does a fantastic job, but they need people who have been there before to put an arm round them and tell them what is happening.

“I’m not trying to blow my own trumpet, but I would say that David Law and the other boys in the Foundation have found it pretty helpful that they can either call or email me. I see that as a huge next step for Scottish golfers. They need guys with the sort of experience Andrew Coltart has working with them, no question.”

Lawrie, who signed off 2011 by landing a whopping cheque for finishing second in the Dubai World Championship, is heading to South Africa next week to start his new campaign in the Volvo Champions event at Fancourt.

“It would have been nice to have played ten of the next 12 weeks after Dubai as that was the best I have putted for a long time,” he said. “Apart from nine holes on the Friday, when I struggled with the driver, it was also some of the best golf I’ve played for a long time.

“But there’s no reason why I can’t take up next week where I left off last year. I played quite a lot of golf with my two boys on holiday in Dubai so I don’t feel rusty. Indeed, I feel ready to go again.”