Golf cart puts me in the shade but real worry is my putting

The great golfing debate in the United States so far this season has concerned Casey Martin, who won his court fight to use an electric cart while playing on the US Tour and Nike Tour. I knew Casey from his college days, when he went to Stanford with Tiger Woods, and so it was interesting to meet him again at the Nike event in Knoxville last weekend.

More than that, I actually got to play alongside him for the opening two rounds. In fact, after the first round, as I walked off the 18th green in 90 degrees of heat and absolutely exhausted, a local radio reporter thrust a tape recorder into my face and asked me how I felt after enduring a round in such conditions while Casey had benefited from the buggy.

I just told him that Casey was probably as tired as I was, or even more so, which was probably true. But the reality is that I didn't want to get involved in anything. Some guys, among them the biggest names in the game, have very strong views on the matter, feeling that he is getting an unfair advantage. But this debate has been going on since his college days (although, obviously, it wasn't as high-profile back then) when he'd request a cart on some of the longer, hillier courses due to the disability in his leg. Some tournaments would allow him use a cart, others wouldn't. Now, though, he has the court's backing to request one at any US tournament, so that is that. Anyway, he has proven to be a very big draw on the Nike circuit and I was surprised at the large crowds who followed him in Knoxville. As I've said, I know him from our college days when I was in Clemson and he was in Stanford and we had two seasons playing against each other. We also met at the Tour School qualifying last November and he is very easy to get along with and really is a very nice guy. And, to be honest, I'm more concerned with my own golf game right now rather than getting dragged into the debate.

Unfortunately, I missed the cut in Knoxville by a shot. I finished on two under par for the two rounds but I wasn't too disheartened because my ball striking is so good. In fact, Casey turned to me after the second round and said that I was giving myself so many chances that my round could just as easily have been a 60. And, you know, he was right. I swear that after I birdied the second hole (to move to three under) that I had seven birdie putts from inside 15 feet on the next seven holes and I lipped out five times. A putt would slide by, or just shave the edge of the hole. I could even hear the crowd reacting in disbelief that they were staying out. It really was incredible and, then, what happens? I get a bogey and finish with a level par round. Honestly, it was the worst level par round I've ever had.

When I got back to the hotel, I had a feeling that two under wouldn't make the cut and I watched some of the golf from the Memorial in Ohio on the television and, coincidentally, they were screening an interview with Tom Lehman.

What he said struck a cord with me.

Tom is currently ranked number one for reaching greens in regulation on the US Tour but he's struggling on the greens. He was asked what had gone wrong with the year. He replied that it was his putter, not his putts; and added that he'd be very worried if something was mechanically wrong with the way he was hitting his putts. He said he was hitting good putts, but that they just weren't dropping. I pepped up at that, because it's exactly the same with me. He was casual and matter-of-fact about it. So, if it's no big deal for Tom Lehman, it should be no big deal for Richie Coughlan.

The difference between tapping in and pulling the ball out of the hole is very small indeed, but I'm happy enough and know that all I need to do is to have patience. It will come good. My friend, Robbie Shiels, who was over in the States on holiday, carried my bag for the two days at Knoxville and he enjoyed the experience, seeing everything from inside the ropes. However, my regular caddie, "Herman", who had a small operation on his knee last week, will be back with me for the Kemper Open in Maryland this week. I arrived up here on Sunday night and played in the ProAm yesterday and am looking forward to the tournament.

There is still a long way to go in the season, but the next few weeks are important ones for me. I play in the Kemper this week, then in the Buick Classic next week. After that, I have a week off - that's the week of the US Open at Olympic, but I somehow got my dates mixed up and didn't enter the qualifying - and I'm on the road again for the following two weeks, the Motorola Western Open and the Greater Hartford Open.

That means I won't be able to play in the Murphy's Irish Open, of course, but the way I figure it is that I'll have many years, hopefully, playing in the Irish Open.

This season, though, I have to play as much as I can in the US and try to retain my card. That has got to be my main aim and I have to do everything I can to ensure I succeed. Getting into the two tournaments that happen to clash with the Irish Open was important and that could be the week that my putting gets red hot.

The Kemper marks the start of an important stretch which sees me playing in four out of five tournaments, and I know the importance not only of making the cut but also in making a good show over the weekend's play when all the moving and shaking takes place.

Playing for four of the next five weeks gives me the opportunity to improve my place in the moneylist. My spirits remain high and, equally importantly, I'm also very patient. There is no question of any frustration creeping into my game. It's in good shape, so I know the good scores will come.

(In an interview with Philip Reid).