A DISAPPOINTING week in terms of a tournament finish, but a great seven days in terms of star spotting.

In this game I have the pleasure of mixing with the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen and Lee Westwood on a regular basis as the European Tour takes me across the globe.

But, love it or hate it, the Dunhill Links Championship is a time to share the golf course with some of the best players in the world and a few of the top names in sport and showbusiness.

Actor Michael Douglas, supermodel Jodie Kidd, Olympic gold medallist Steve Redgrave and former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel were just four of the well known names to have been playing in the Dunhill - a competition that is just like one extended pro-am.

And I still get star struck, especially with the top celebrities - even if it is former Newcastle manager Ruud Gullit!

If I could use that as an excuse for the way I putted over the three days I would be happy, but I can't. Once again that proved my downfall.

Playing alongside former Walker Cup player George J Zahringa III - a typically named American - in the end I did not qualify for the final day's play, finishing 99th.

READERS of this column will know I've had a few problems with that part of my game this season and it was exactly the same in Scotland. It was the same at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kings Barn.

I wouldn't care but I was delighted with the rest of my game all week, I just couldn't hole my putts. I struck the ball so well and then when I got on the greens I kept missing from five feet and ten feet.

During my week off - ahead of the Madrid Open a week tomorrow - I have been and will be working harder on my putting. Yesterday I was up in Glasgow with my coach Ian Rae and he is coming down on Friday to work a little more.

It's strange, though, because I really don't know what is going wrong.

Whether it's mentally or technically, I need to sort it out before the start of the new season in December.

TO see Monty win the Dunhill was great but I did feel for my North-East colleague Ken Ferrie. When he was five shots clear I thought he was going to do it.

But Ken has had a great year and, although disappointed not to win at the weekend, I'm sure the £300,000 cheque for coming second will have softened the blow.

TEN days after it finished I would just like to congratulate The Wynyard Club - the course where I do most of my practising - on the way it hosted the Seve Trophy.

I was amazed to see how well the course looked and held up to the big occasion, bearing in mind the problems it had before the competition.

And, after speaking to Continental Europe golfer Henrik Stenson and a couple of others, they all spoke highly of it and were impressed with the whole set up.

Contrary to what has been said since, I personally don't think The Wynyard Club will become the Seve Trophy's spiritual home and be back in two years, but I do think it has a good future.

After showing it has the capability to host such an event, a regular European Tour event must be on the cards, particularly if they do build the luxury hotel they are talking about.

It would be fantastic for the club, the area and for the European Tour to be back in the North-East on a regular basis.