CADDIE'S ROLE:There have been more successful Walker Cup players who have struggled as professionals than have thrived, writes COLIN BYRNE

WE HAVE just witnessed what was on paper a shock defeat of the mighty US Walker Cup team on the wind-swept Aberdeenshire coast of north east Scotland.

The sight of the huge waves rolling in from the North Sea and the flags of the Royal Aberdeen course flapping furiously was enough to make even those of us accustomed to harsh British and Irish seaside conditions shudder – but not the intrepid, mostly young, amateurs on both sides who battled with the conditions seemingly without a murmur of discontent.

Interesting how the Walker Cup’s eldest US player was still only in his early 30s. Increasingly, the game is being dominated by fresh young talent, the over-40s didn’t get a look in in Scotland last week. Despite the fact many of these potential professional stars have been playing the amateur circuits of the world for some time and understand, to a certain degree, what its like to “be on the road”, those turning prof in the coming weeks, probably about half of them, are still in for a bit of a culture shock.

I am not suggesting amateur golf at the very highest level is like living in a cocoon, but the reality of playing golf for a living on today’s tours is a very different prospect to winning a Lytham Trophy or an amateur national title.

The first challenge is to get a status on a tour. Naturally they will have been subject to qualifying and exemption scenarios at the top of the amateur game but getting on tour these days – any tour – is way more difficult than 10 years ago.

This is the case because simply there are way more better players jostling for fewer positions.

With the European Tour now incorporating the Asian and African Tours, there are even less playing spots available for aspiring young hopefuls.

Already as amateurs they will have been targeted by the various sports management companies in anticipation of their imminent change in status. They will have given them their versions of how to approach breaking on to their chosen tour.

In Europe there is still some scope for sponsors’ invitations in to events in order to try to earn enough money in those tournaments to secure playing rights for next year. Rory McIlroy availed of this opportunity when he turned professional after the Walker Cup in Royal County Down four years ago.

The boy-wonder from Holywood didn’t even need all his invitations (a maximum of seven events) to gain playing rights for the 2008 European season.

There will be some invitations given to newly-turned professionals on the US PGA Tour’s Fall Finish, but they will hardly get seven starts.

The Tour School, or the foundation tour, the Nationwide, beckons for these guys. With some of them having gone through the college process already they will now embark upon a new task as signed-up professionals, where to a large degree, their status slate has been wiped clean. Of course what they will be able to bring to their professional games is their attitudes. As you are aware, the strongest, mentally more than just physically, prevail in the mind game that is part and parcel of the sport.

So despite having been “top dogs” as amateurs they will be faced with the reality of being “yet to be proven novices” where status is recognised by how many dollars or euros you have written beside your name on the Order of Merit.

Despite the individuality of golf there is no doubt the amateur game does entail more team work and camaraderie, from college to national teams and last week’s Walker Cup. You are on your own as a professional and it can be a daunting task – especially if things don’t go well early on – to find your feet in a new and ruthless arena.

There have been more successful Walker Cup players who have struggled as professionals than have thrived. I would suggest the support system for these young and talented golfers is vital in their crucial early professional months. Even the simple transition to having a caddie on a regular basis and understanding how to get the best out of him or her is something these newcomers will have to quickly adapt to.

Part of the novel enjoyment of watching the Walker Cup over the weekend was the fresh-faced enthusiasm of the contestants who looked young, slightly awkward at times, often over-exuberant but undoubtedly talented.

The only way I can possibly try to explain the transition to having your name etched permanently on your bag as a professional is to recognise the need for a delayed emotional reaction rather than the “heart on sleeve” overjoyed or contrasting abject disappointment look.

There were some players in Aberdeen last week who already had the appearance of sang-froid on their sparsely-whiskered fresh faces. They looked like the ones who will find the “state of zero” quicker on tour and combine such tranquillity with their obvious talent.

The amateur golf party is coming to an end for many of these successful young players and the harsh reality of what can often be an isolated professional world where success is the only measure of worth and the only guarantee of being able to ply your trade is the future.

A new adventure awaits.