By Mark Orlovac

Mark James plays a shot during the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill

For the first time in 17 years, Mark James is planning to relax for this weekend's Ryder Cup.

James has been involved with the European team in some form or other at every Ryder Cup since 1989.

But he will watch the 2004 clash at Oakland Hills, which starts on Friday, without feeling the intense pressure that usually comes at this time of year.

And when Colin Montgomerie and the rest of the European team go into battle against the United States in Michigan, James knows exactly what they will be going through.

"I'm looking forward to it because I'm going to be watching it at home," he told BBC Sport.

"I've been involved with the Ryder Cup for so long so it will be a nice change to sit back and put the telly on.

"It's the ultimate team event in our sport, without question.

"The last time I played in 1995, I was very nervous in the singles. Regularly during the round I felt waves of nervousness pour over me.

"At times it's not a nice feeling but in another way it's a great experience."

As a captain, it is a big benefit to have played in the matches Mark James

James made his debut in 1977 and went on to play in seven Ryder Cups, winning a total of eight-and-a-half points from a possible 24.

In 1999, James was appointed European captain and led the team in the controversial contest at Brookline where the United States came from 10-6 down to claim a dramatic one-point win.

And James has revealed the amount of preparation a Ryder Cup captain has to do to give his side the best possible chance of winning the greatest prize in golf.

James concern for US crowds

"There is a different type of pressure being captain," said James.

"You have got to do a lot of other things as well as you can, instead of just playing the game.

"I had to look at different things over a long period of time, the form of the players with regard to wildcards, the way they are playing with regard to the pairings and how they might fit together.

"I had to look at the accommodation for the players over there, the practice facilities, the locker room facilities and the type of food we were going to get at the course and at the hotel.

Ben Crenshaw and James were the Ryder Cup captains in 1999

"It was in that kind of detail. We can't get there and find they are all getting served cabbage soup. I'd have a lot of unhappy campers on my hands."

This year's captain Bernard Langer is also no stranger to the pressures involved in playing the Ryder Cup, having taken part in 10 matches since 1981.

And James believes Langer's experience as a player will be a vital asset to his captaincy.

"As a captain, it is a big benefit to have played in the matches, you need to have played a number of times if possible," he said.

"You need to have seen it from A-Z and that's a big help as captain. You know what to expect and you know all the little things that may go wrong with regard to team morale.

"You also know all the niggly things that might get on top of the players and you can head a lot of things off before they become issues.

"You've been there and you know what they are going through, how they are thinking and how they are feeling."