The popularity and fun-loving nature of a remarkable journalist, was recalled earlier this week in an admirably meaningful way. It happened in the clubhouse at Valderrama with the official opening of the Peter Dobereiner Room, which will be a permanent monument to the memory of the former golf correspondent of the Guardian and the Observer.

Dobereiner, who died in August of last year, had a mischievous sense of humour, and it was never more in evidence than when he completed the Pratts Bottom Golf and Country Club, three months before his death.

The grandiose title referred to a nine-hole par-three course which he constructed in a corner of the back garden at his home in Kent. Dobereiner described the area as "the forest", before clearing everything away by hand and building a course which boasted a longest hole of 44 yards.

Undeterred by such modest dimensions, he impishly saw fit to present it to the PGA European Tour as a possible future Ryder Cup venue, a fact which was recalled by executive director Ken Schofield here this week. Despite the promise of a neighbour's garden as additional parking space, Schofield regretted that the bid had to be rejected.

It was gently pointed out to Dobereiner that the Irish had more promising terrain to offer for the 2005 matches. And such was his love of Irish golf that he would never have done anything, even in jest, to upset his many friends there.

An initial offering to the Dobereiner Room was 112 books, written by the Association of Golf Writers. Among them were some Irish publications. Given his particular affection for Ballybunion, it seemed highly appropriate that the collection should include the history of the club, written by John Redmond, the former golf correspondent of the former Irish Press.

While working for the Observer, he took many groups of competition prize-winners to the Co Sligo Club at Rosses Point, which was another one of his favourites. So the collection also includes the centenary history of that club. And a third Irish contribution was the centenary history of the Irish Ladies' Golf Union.

Europe's players should be grateful that when their captain, Seve Ballesteros, rose at unearthly hours this week, he generally did no more than make notes about the impending battle. For the 1933 match at Southport and Ainsdale, the British skipper, J H Taylor, engaged the services of a physical-training specialist and ordered his players out onto the beach every morning at 6.30 for a run across the sands.

Tom Kite would not normally be seen as a charismatic figure. But in the difficult role of captain of the visiting US Ryder Cup team, the 47-year-old Texan has emerged this week as a man of considerable dignity and sensitivity. Indeed, he has made a much more favourable impact than his European counterpart, Seve Ballesteros.

Kite's demeanour would come as no surprise, however, to those who have read a charming little book, now on the shelves. A Fairway to Heaven: My Lessons from Parvey Penick on Golf and Life was written by Kite with the help of Mickey Herskowits. Offering very little in the way of instruction, it is more an emotional reflection of Kite's life under the wing of a celebrated golf tutor.

In terms of the writing, it is difficult to assess where Kite stepped aside and his "ghost" took over. But there is a passage which is undoubtedly straight from a gifted, erstwhile student.

On first meeting Penick, Kite wrote: "He was in his late 60s and I was struck by his face - a great, kindly face that made me think: `This is what God must look like.' It was lined and weathered and I felt I could read the Dead Sea Scrolls in it."

The amazing Ryder Cup money-making machine, grinds on remorselessly. And the PGA European Tour, with the promise of rich pickings from the Irish taxpayer, are not the only people coining it in. Their brethren in the US are also doing rather nicely.

After doubling the television rights for the event, beginning in 1999, the PGA of America have negotiated a long-term extension of their deal with the CBS network. It means their annual take from domestic rights for the Ryder Cup will be $10 million.

Meanwhile, with matters at Valderrama still far from a conclusion, things are moving on apace at The Country Club in Boston, home for the 1999 matches. Indeed, a record has already been set there with 59 corporate tents, which will deliver a whopping $15.2 million in revenue, to be split between the club and the PGA of America.

American magazine editors have decided that Tiger Woods is the greatest athlete ever. Naturally, the assessment is based not necessarily on the golfing skills of the US Ryder Cup rookie, but on his phenomenal earning power - even though his services come free-of-charge at Valderrama this weekend.

Using the Wall Street concept of present value, it has been estimated that Woods will achieve career earnings well in excess of his nearest rivals, Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan. The prediction is an approximate $2.3 billion in his career.

It is anticipated that he will earn about $35 million a year, starting in the year 2000, and increasing by $1 million per year until he is aged 65. Put all of that into a Wall Street computer and Woods's present worth comes out at something in the region of $576 million.

Christy O'Connor Jnr would be an ideal captain of the European team when the Ryder Cup is staged in Ireland in 2005.

This is the view of Dave Musgrove, the illustrious British caddie who has absented himself from this weekend's activities because of a conflict of interest. "I didn't want to leave my player open to criticism," he said.

So, he declined to work for his regular employee, Lee Janzen, the American wildcard, who opted for the services of Tom Watson's caddie, Bruce Edwards. Musgrove, who was with O'Connor before joining Janzen, went on: "Christy would be a great leader. He's a great communicator with a wonderful knowledge of the game."

They first became acquainted during the British Open at Royal St George's in 1985. Musgrove was working for the prospective winner, Sandy Lyle, at the time and O'Connor played opposite them in the final round.

This day in golf history . . . on September 27th 1939, Kathy Whitworth was born in Monahans, Texas. As a teenager, she became one of Harvey Penick's star pupils and after winning a few amateur events, left the Odessa Junior College in her home state to join the fledgling LPGA Tour in 1958.

Rather chubby, despite her 5ft 9ins, she worked hard on her game while getting her weight down from 15st 5lb to 10st over the next few years. She was rewarded with her first tournament success, the Kelley Girl, in Baltimore in 1962. Whitworth went on to gain 10 victories in the 1968 season; was the first woman to break the $1 million barrier (1981) and finished her career with an all-time record 88 LPGA tournament victories.

Interestingly, her 87th career win happened to occur at Clandeboye, Co Down, where she captured the £100,000 Smirnoff Irish Women's Open in October 1984. With rounds of 70,74,69,72 for an aggregate of 285, she finished two strokes clear of fellow Americans Becky Pearson and Pat Bradley and took top prize of £22,500.

Footnote: A decidedly curious law-suit is pending in Maryland. It concerns the sudden ending of a 12-year friendship. Breaking point between Charles Shawver and Terry Lee came when, midway through a social round of golf, Sawver put a dead mouse covered in mustard into a hot-dog bun and handed it to his friend. Those watching laughed heartily when Lee bit down, but he later claimed that he suffered considerable "emotional pain." And the damages he's claiming? A not so Mickey Mouse $500,000.

Teaser: In a fourball match, an opponent lifted a player's ball on the putting green after marking its position. He did this without the authority of the player. Is the opponent subject to penalty?

Answer: Yes. Rule 20-1 prohibits such action. Accordingly, the opponent incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 18-3b, but the penalty does not apply to his partner (Rule 30-3f). The player must replace the ball.