Golf: Smith out to get back into swing of winning

Qualifying for this year's event takes place tomorrow at Craigmillar Park and Lothianburn, with the matchplay stage teeing off on Monday at Broomieknowe.

Smith recorded the last of his four successes at the Bonnyrigg course in 1995 and the newly-turned 44-year-old is quietly confident about his chances of bridging a 16-year gap.

He has been a double winner for the Lothians in matches over the last two weekends and reckons a couple of visits to Kingsfield Golf Centre to see Dave Burns is paying dividends.

"I went to see Dave, who works with Stevie Gallacher, mainly because I wanted to see my swing on a video," said Smith.

"He checked out my long game to start with but then I went back to get him to have a look at my short game as well.

"I'm the type who likes to see it for myself and then make my own mind up, and the couple of times I went to see Dave has certainly helped me.

"I'm sure people will be able to relate to something that feels terrible when they are swinging the club, but when you see it on a video it is easier to trust."

Smith first lifted the Lothians title in 1986 before recording a hat-trick of wins from 1993 to 1995.

"If I can qualify for the matchplay then I still feel I can beat anyone," he added.

"In the last two matches for the Lothians, I've won both, even though I've found myself playing against 18-year-olds and asking myself what I'm doing still playing.

"The truth, to be honest, is that I keep trying to retire but they won't let me!"

One event Smith insists he won't be donning the Lothians colours in is the forthcoming Scottish Area Team Championship at Prestwick.

While he was once a mainstay of the side that dominated the event, the former Scotland B cap isn't a fan of the new format.

"It's rubbish," he said. "The fact it's no longer straight matchplay suits the full-time amateurs.

"There should still be a place in the game for the older guys who are working as well as trying to play golf at the weekends, but they've done away with some of the Mid-Amateur events in Britain and that's a shame."

Despite Smith's double win, Lothians lost 12-6 to Northumberland at Newbattle last Sunday in an annual friendly - a result Smith believes should be a catalyst for change.

"I think (team captain] Mark Timmins has to take the bull by the horns and make some major changes," he added.

"It might mean that we don't win much for a couple of years but young players need to be bled in properly.

"The problem at the moment is that the Lothians seems to be going through a transition and that's probably why they keep calling on players like myself."

Kingsknowe's Allyn Dick isn't defending his title due to the fact he's playing in the Lytham Trophy while Carrickvale's Craig Elliot, the beaten finalist at Royal Burgess last year, is another absentee at tomorrow's two qualifying courses.

Among those joining Smith in the 36-hole battle for the Stuart Cup are Haddington's four-time winner Keith Nicholson and 2004 champion Steven Armstrong, from Turnhouse.

So, too, is West Linton's Scott Walker, who lost on the last green to Smith in that 1995 final, and the aforementioned Timmins, who claimed the crown in 2000.

Kevin Hastings, the last Broomieknowe player to lift the title in 1989, will be determined to give himself another tilt at it on home turf.

That will also be the aim of Jamie McIntosh, one of the rising stars at the Bonnyrigg club and the brother of Scottish Junior Champion of Champions Kate.

"The Lothians is still an event everyone should want to win," said Smith. "Put it this way, it helped me get into the Scotland set-up.

"It's a big county and the fact I lifted the title three years in a row made people realise that I wasn't bad at the game."