By Matt Slater
BBC Sport at Royal Troon |
The captain of the host club at an Open Championship has numerous duties - diplomat, PR man, go-between and lunch date to name just a few.
But no matter how busy Royal Troon Golf Club Captain Arthur Dunsmuir gets this week, he is still a fan and golfer.
 Dunsmuir and his members enjoy playing to the grandstands |
So when he's not rooting for club member Colin Montgomerie, whose father Dunsmuir plays golf with every week, he will be thinking about getting out on the course on Monday - hopefully, to recreate Monty's victory march up the 18th.
The members haven't been allowed on the course for the last two weeks as the R&A, broadcasters and tented village brigade have been let loose on their beloved links.
Don't feel too sorry for them, though, they've been able to satisfy their golf cravings at neighbouring courses like Turnberry, Prestwick, Barassie and the Gailes links.
But it's the Championship Course on "The Breezy Links o' Troon" that they miss, and Dunsmuir is no different.
"As long as it doesn't rain on Monday, things will get back to normal very quickly. It's a very resilient course," the captain said.
"We're all itching to test ourselves on the championship set-up. And it's great playing with the grandstands still up - we all get to dream a little."
Dunsmuir would also like to relax a little. This week is just the culmination of a process that started two years ago when the R&A's course architect visited Troon to make his suggestions for the set-up.
The Troon resident is far too discrete to reveal what those suggestions were, and stressed that the R&A is the perfect tenant.
"We have a great relationship with the R&A," he said. "They know there is a balance to strike: we are a members' club, and this is an area of special scientific interest."
In the end, only 96 yards were added to the course that hosted the 1997 Open, but there were 10 new bunkers added.
"Scottish bunkers, too. Not the type you can play seven-irons from. These are ones you have to play out sideways," said Dunsmuir.
"But our members aren't going to worry about a new bunker 300 yards down the fairway. Unless they play two bad shots, that is."
And he was quick to point out that any short-term disturbance to the 126-year-old club's equilibrium is more than worth it in terms of prestige, revenue and the wealth it brings into the area.
"I can't verify the figures, but it is said that this week will bring up to �50m into the local economy. I live locally, and people are always coming up to me to say how pleased they are to have the Open back at Troon," he said.
"Hosting the Open is an enormous honour. And for the last year Royal Troon has served as a magnet for golfers wanting to play all the great courses in this area.
"This year was our turn, but other years it's Turnberry, and Prestwick is always very popular because of its history. But all our neighbours are great courses."
And with that, the diplomatic Dunsmuir disappeared for a lunch with the captains and captains' wives from all those clubs.
He did, however, give me a tip before he left.
"If the wind keeps blowing in this direction (from the west) it will favour a left-hander. When it blows like this it is hard on the right-handers on the back nine," he said.
A left-hander? You work it out.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Our members aren't going to worry about a new bunker 300 yards down the fairway - unless they play two bad shots, that is 
