A bonny break from plane fare

I began what was supposed to be a low-key and relaxed week's work with the usual plane journey. A middle-aged, Middle-Eastern couple caught my eye as I boarded my flight for Scotland. I do not know how other passengers reacted but on seeing the couple sitting serenely a couple of rows up from me I found myself gaping at them.

It was difficult to look beyond the stereotype and realise these were just passengers like me and not suicidal Muslim militants. Travelling has got most of us on edge these days, I am looking forward to a break soon.

As the "world's best" were putting on their matchplay show in the leafy surroundings of the Wentworth estate the "Jocks" were putting on their own in the highlands of Aberdeenshire. The Scottish Matchplay is a new event sponsored by Paul Lawrie's sponsor, Aberdeen Asset Management. It was a 48-man event made up of players from the Tartan Tour and other Scots on the European Tour that Lawrie could entice to the very social gathering.

It was the last event of the year for the Scottish players who now face a break until next April. There is something very sobering about coming from the relative excesses of the European Tour to the sparse purses on the Scottish Regional Circuit. From the German Masters and its €2.7 million prize fund to this week's Dunhill Links Challenge, the £50,000 sterling Scottish Matchplay did seem rather trifling. Fortieth place in Germany was better paid than first in Scotland.

Paul Lawrie arrived on the first tee on Thursday to face his first opponent of the week, Paul Malone from Edinburgh. Malone, who was 72nd on last year's Order Of Merit, arrived at the course in a modest vehicle with a sponsor's name splashed all over it, weighed in at under 11st, had his amateur brother carrying the bag and did not change his ball after every short iron shot in case he ran out of fresh ammo.

In contrast, his more formidable opponent, both in size and pedigree, cruised up the avenue to the Meldrum House Golf Club in a swanky-looking motor with more exhausts than an F16 fighter jet, started his day with a rub down from his Australian physiotherapist, breakfasted with his coach who was also playing in the event, and relied on the bag-carrying expertise of his professional tour caddie, who had enough new balls in the bag to supply a modest driving range .

Malone looked like he had just "bunked off" school for a morning round of golf with someone special. It's not that long ago Lawrie was in the same position as the struggling young pro.

The occasion got the better of the young Scot and his battle with the local giant finished on the 15th.

The Tartan Tour consists of a series of pro-am events between April and October. There were over 60 one and two-day pro-ams and five 72-hole events where the pros get to go it alone. Colin Gillies won the Order Of Merit, amassing close to £40,000 sterling. The question most people ask is why doesn't Gillies play the main European Tour. Obviously a very talented golfer, he tried once and decided he would prefer to be the big fish in the small pond of the Tartan Tour.

It is a curious attitude peculiar to this part of the world, according to a Dr Richard Cox, a sports psychologist who works with many top Scottish sports people, including my player. For some reason, the Scottish would prefer to be 100th in the world and top of the Scottish list if it meant getting to spend more time at home.

The host was beaten in the semi-final by the eventual winner, Mark King, from Livingstone, near Edinburgh. King beat senior player Russell Weir in the final. The 51-year-old Weir ran out of steam in the final, having played 36 holes on two consecutive days

I departed from my accommodation in a local historical house a mile from Meldrum House, jumped into my car and headed south to St Andrews for the Links Championship, happy I did not have to possibly confront my "Islamphobia" on board an aircraft for another week yet.