The best of 25 years of golf

It seems I’ve been covering golf for The Courier for more than 25 years. No, I’ve no idea how that happened, either. So since it’s a quiet week (enough Tiger analysis!), it’s perhaps suitable to go through my bests from a quarter of a century walking around after people playing this maddening game.

These are just the places I’ve been – I’m sure the Melbourne sandbelt or Pine Valley are lovely, but that’s for the future, maybe – and I’m prejudiced to links golf, so no apologies for that. Courses Best front nine: Royal Aberdeen. A magnificent meander through some of the best dunes in golf.

Best back nine: the Old Course. One of the best par threes, the best short par four, the best par five, the Beardies, Hell, Sutherland, Miss Grainger, Deacon Sime and the Principal’s Nose. And the greatest hole in the game.

Best finish: Carnoustie. Make four fours, clearing the Barry Burn four times, with the Claret Jug on the line. The toughest examination of a potential Open champion.

Best par three: the Postage Stamp, Royal Troon. As unequivocally proven this July. It’s also the best place to watch an Open go by on the entire rota.

Best par fours: ‘Hilbre’, the 14th at Hoylake, or ‘Lucky Slap’, the 15th at Carnoustie. Both severely underrated, and severe. Best par 4½: 17th, Old Course. Best par five: 14th, Old Course. Best non-Scottish course: Royal Birkdale. There’s nothing hidden at Birkdale, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Royal County Down has it beaten on views (as it does with everywhere) but we’re dealing with golf here, and RCD’s back nine is weaker. Tournaments Best tournament covered: the 2012 Ryder Cup, Medinah CC.

Best annual tournament: The Amateur Championship. A week at the greatest courses in the country, with no ropes, no restrictions on who you can talk to, and far fewer egos from those playing AND watching.

Best day of year, every year: Sunday, Open Championship, any venue. Always a sense of history being made, and it rarely disappoints for drama.

Most memorable win: Paul Lawrie, Open Championship, 1999. Had to rewrite ‘Van de Velde wins!’ story in the space of an hour, but it was insanely exciting at the end.

Best round: Greg Norman 64, final round, Open Championship, 1989. My first Open as a writer, I watched Norman all the way around in his final charge. And the play-off was almost unbearable, but that was the Shark.

Worst event: the 2000 Solheim Cup at Loch Lomond. They lost the greens to an infestation, it rained constantly and, to end it all, Janice Moodie teed off in pitch black because she refused a half (the Cup was already won by Europe). Players Favourite player: Severiano Ballesteros. A significant proportion of men my age would have quite willingly given up their first-born to look, act and play like Seve.

Best player I’ve ever seen: Tiger Woods version 2.0, in 2000. Tiger Woods v3.0 in 2005-06 comes a close second.

Player to save your life by driving 300 yards in the fairway: used to be Sergio Garcia, but not sure I would trust him with anything , so now Rory.

Player to save your life by getting up and down from a greenside bunker: Luke Donald at his peak. Once went 3½ months without three-putting as well, but…

Player to save your life by holing a 10ft putt: whoever is the current champion of the Ladies Putting Club of St Andrews (aka the Himalayas). These ladies, many in their 70s or beyond, are lethal within 10ft, even encumbered by their handbags.

Player to talk to: many more candidates these days – Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Graeme McDowell are genuinely thoughtful and interesting. Jack Nicklaus was often great. Monty, for all his tantrums, was golden for journalists, especially on Wednesdays before he had time to get annoyed by something and we badly needed a line.

The Postage Stamp is the best place to watch an Open

Indulgent journalist stuff Best pressroom: the Ladies’ Lounge at West Kilbride GC, occasional host of the Scottish Boys. You can see the last four holes, framed by the beauty of the isles of Arran, Bute and Cumbrae, all without leaving the warmth of your armchair.

Most luxurious clubhouse: the Renaissance, near Gullane. It’s also much classier than Turnberry.

Most cosy and couthy clubhouse: Troon Ladies, which is like stepping back into the early sixties.

Best clubhouse food: Royal St George’s. It is like school dinners – but only if your school had Michel Roux Jr cooking.

Picture: Getty. A typical scene from the 2000 Solheim Cup, Steve’s least favourite event in 25 years.

Picture: Getty. Paul Lawrie and captain Jose Maria Olazabal after the 2012 Ryder Cup.