American players, including their captain Tom Kite, made all the proper diplomatic noises after a recent visit to Valderrama. And Seve Ballesteros, the European skipper, has issued an advanced plea to spectators to behave in an appropriately sporting manner. Can this really be the Ryder Cup?

Whatever about the situation when the teams, ready for combat, arrive on site next month, it is clear that the Spaniards are determined to create a calm, welcoming atmosphere for their American guests. "The Ryder Cup is not a war," insisted Ballesteros. "It is a competition between Europe and America and in the end, the true winner is going to be the sport itself."

He added: "I would ask the spectators that they behave well and that they don't applaud if the American team misses a shot. We are going to do everything possible to win, but within a sporting context, of course." Of course.

As a reaction to the defeat at Oak Hill, does the intense nature of the American build-up not indicate an attempt to recreate the infamous War-on-the-Shore atmosphere of 1991? "No," replied Ballesteros. "I don't believe they are trying to do that. Tom Kite and myself want to have a competition. Not a game between friends, but a fair battle where the sporting spirit prevails."

And what of the spectators? "The Spanish public are very well educated and I don't think they will have any difficulty in following the rules of etiquette and adapting to the situation," he said. "They know this is not football. There is no other country like Spain. The image will be modern and positive."

Finally, Ballesteros was asked if it would reflect badly on Spain if there were traffic problems and things failed to operate like clockwork. "The problem with the Ryder Cup is that with the matches starting at 8.0 a.m. in the morning and finishing at 6.0 p.m. everyone will be travelling at the same time," he said.

The skipper went on: "I understand that the roads will be ready on time but we must remember that there are always traffic problems at a major tournament, especially with 25,000 people heading in the same direction. I arrived late on the tee once in the US Open because of traffic problems."

This was a reference to the 1980 staging at Baltusrol where the Spaniard had a 9.45 a.m. start on the second day. A courtesy car, which picked him up at 9.25 a.m. for a ten-minute drive to the course, got caught in a traffic snarl-up, with the result that his playing partners, Mark O'Meara and Hale Irwin, had already hit their approaches to the first green, when he arrived on the tee. The bould Seve was disqualified.

He concluded: "We created a very good impression of our country when we held the Olympics and the soccer World Cup. I am confident we can do the same with the Ryder Cup."

Maybe it had to do with the regular excuses golfers come up with for pursuing their favourite pastime. Either way, it was refreshing to hear Brennie Scannell explain why he happens to be at Woodbrook almost every day of the week. "I've feck-all else to do," he said with disarming candour.

The former Irish international was 80 last month. And in anticipation of the big occasion, he shot a gross 80 at Woodbrook - a splendid net 68 off 12. Now he is looking forward to a celebratory holiday in Bavaria later this month, courtesy of his daughters Louise and Hilary.

Looking back over his competitive years, he recalled the 1949 Home Internationals at Portmarnock, where the home unions engaged in a special test aimed at revising the SSS. "All the players had their drives measured at the 10th and 11th holes, which, of course, are in opposite directions," he said.

Scannell went on: "At the time, 200 yards was accepted as the average drive for SSS purposes. After the test, however, it was increased to 220. Naturally, with such renowned big hitters as Joe Carr, Jimmy Bruen, and Billy O'Sullivan, we in the Irish team claimed responsibility for the change."

"IT'S an interesting course - you have to pick your way around very carefully. I'll have to hit a lot of two-irons and three-woods. A lot of strategy is required." - Tiger Woods on Valderrama.

Since the great man's death eight days ago, there have been a number of enquiries about his 1967 exploits, which could be described as Ben Hogan's last hurrah. That was the year in which he set Augusta alight with an inward 30 for a third round of 66 in the US Masters.

It was also the year when Jack Nicklaus smashed Hogan's US Open aggregate record with a 275 at Baltusrol. After finishing 34th with 292, Hogan made the comment "Hell can't be hotter than this." It could have been the New Jersey weather, but most observers reckoned the remark referred to Nicklaus's game.

But back to Augusta. Joe Carr, who completed 72 holes of the Masters on that occasion, takes up the story: "I was finished my round about an hour when I became aware of extraordinary excitement around the 18th green. Everybody stopped what they were doing. The word had gone around that Hogan was burning up the back nine."

Carr went on: "Soon, the cheers were deafening. And they lifted the roof when he sank a 15 footer on the 18th for a closing birdie. I have never known an atmosphere like it before or since. It remains one of my greatest memories in golf."

Herbert Warren Wind, the doyen of US golf writers, also recalled the occasion with relish. He wrote: "Years after we had all thought we could never again hope to see this incomparable shot-maker at the peak of his powers, here he was - grey hair edging his teak-coloured neck below his old flat white cap - knocking down the pins just as he did two decades ago.

"Oh, it was something to see. I was lucky enough to be standing alongside the 10th green when he started his exciting rush down the back nine by planting a seven-iron pin-high, five and a half feet away, and tapping a touchy downhill putt into the centre of the cup."

For the record, Hogan's back nine that day was (par in brackets): 3(4) 3(4) 2(3), 4(5) 4(4) 4(5), 3(3) 4(4) 3(4). Sadly, he went on to shoot a fourth round of 77 for 290 and a share of 10th place behind Gay Brewer. Carr, incidentally, was 55th.

Gary Player's victory in the Senior British Open at Royal Portrush last Sunday, was remarkable for several reasons. Not least was that his activities on the US Senior Tour this season were serious curtailed by a double hernia operation.

In fact Player came to these parts for the British Open last month in a modest 51st position in the US Seniors money list - his lowest placing since joining the tour in November 1985. Another significant aspect of his Portrush triumph was that it happened to be in a play-off with fellow South African, John Bland.

Despite a ruthless matchplay reputation, Player has a surprisingly poor play-off record in the US, where he has won only three times in 13 sudden-death battles. Now, however, he can boast the same number of "major" titles both on the regular tour and as a senior.

Since joining the over-50s, he has won the Senior USPGA (3), British Seniors (3), US Senior Open (2) and US TPC (1) titles. They go rather nicely with three British Opens, three Masters, two USPGA Championships and one US Open. His last regular major was in 1978 when he sank a 15-foot downhill birdie putt on the 72nd green to capture the Masters with a final round of 64.

This day in golf history . . . On August 2nd, 1959, Bob Rosburg - Rossie to his colleagues on ABC television - won the USPGA Championship at Minneapolis GC. The 33year-old had a final round of 66 to beat Jerry Barber and Doug Sanders by a stroke.

In Brief: The Murdo Ross Memorial Father and Son foursomes will be held at Waterford GC on August 30th . . . Oliver Woods tells me of a remarkable happening at Co Armagh recently when he, Jim McCreesh and Gary Frizzel all had holes in one at different holes, during the Lonsdale Cup.

Teaser: A player's ball is lying behind a bunker and he decided to putt through the bunker. There is a small stone (loose impediment) in the bunker on his line of play. May he push the stone down into the sand or remove it?

Answer: Sand may not be pressed down if the act would improve the line of play (Rule 13-2). However, Rule 23-1 permits the removal of a loose impediment in a hazard when the ball is not lying in the hazard.