If people try to take the positives out of a mainly negative situation then perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing that we lost the Ryder Cup in Valhalla.

Victory for America will have rekindled interest in the competition from that side of The Atlantic and will make for a better competition in Wales next time.   Europe losing should also encourage our guys, both current and prospective, to lift themselves and their game.   Whatever happens, we should be in for some fun in the Valleys in two years.

I have been asked innumerable times for my thoughts on Nick Faldo's captaincy and they have not changed after the event from what they were before.  To me, he was mediocre and failed to understand the duties of a captain.  He didn't put the work in before, didn't do anything to bring the team together and didn't consult his senior players.   He also showed a complete lack of man-management skills.

With Lee Westwood two up after nine holes of Friday afternoon's fourballs, who on earth thought it would be a good idea to tell him that he was going to be left out of the following morning foursomes.   Unbelievable.

I'm sure Lee was completely deflated particularly since he was told during his 27th consecutive match.  I'm sure it also affected his concentration while hitting his confidence levels for the next two days.  A captain really has to understand what makes players tick, but unfortunately Nick Faldo did not see this as a pre-requisite for the job.   He didn't do anything in the build up to discover how his best players perform and under what circumstances they perform best. Unfortunately the Ryder Cup turned out to be all about Nick Faldo.

Personally, I do hope that Faldo's deputy in Valhalla, Jose Marie Olazabal, will be captain in Wales in 2010.  Chema has the respect of everybody on both sides and will do a great job.

From the American side, I thought Paul Azinger proved to be a class act.  A lot of thought went into his planning and he got everything he wanted, the course, his picks... and everything out of his team.   Most of all he put the spirit back in an American team and made it just like what the Europeans used to have.

I wouldn't be the least surprised if Gary Lockerbie wasn't in contention next time even though he may be far from a household name just now. Gary won in Kazakhstan at the weekend to leap to the top of the Challenge Tour rankings - immediately ahead of another of our players, Dave Horsey - and gain an automatic place among the big boys next season. Its been a long road back for Gary after losing his card last season having looked certain to retain it and go on to greater things.  For one reason and another - one being a lack of work - he missed out and had to play Challenge Tour this time.

Over the last six months there has been a big improvement in his work ethic and fitness and the results are there to be seen.  Sometimes missing a card can give a player a necessary kick up the backside and this is what's happened to Gary.  Now I am sure he will go on to bigger and better things.

Now I'm off to The Belfry for what promises to be the best Quinn Insurance British Masters yet.  There is plenty going on both on and off the course and if the weather holds up we should have a great week.   Come and join us.  You won't be disappointed.