By Iain Carter BBC Five Live golf correspondent

In the latest of his fortnightly reports from inside the ropes, our man gets to look after Tiger Woods' clubs and has an early stab at selecting the European Ryder Cup team.

Wonders never cease! Here is the most memorable thing from my week in Dubai - Steve Williams, Tiger Woods' long-time minder and bag carrier, was nice to me.

Well, when I say nice, I mean he didn't chew my head off - which is a first.

Williams (left) spots someone willing to look after Tiger's clubs

It all happened as I sat waiting to interview Ian Woosnam in the Emirates clubhouse. Who should trudge up the stairs, bag on shoulder and pro-am scorecard in hand, but Williams.

My previous dealings with the Kiwi caddie can be summed up be these offerings: "If you're just going to ******* talk, get out of here" when I was commentating AND looking for Tiger's ball at the Sandwich Open; and "No, I don't do interviews" (several occasions).

So when he emerged at the top of that staircase last week I wasn't exactly thrilled. But then he nodded and said "hello". Furthermore, he parked Tiger's bag right next to me, and said: "You'll look after these won't you? I know you will."

And then he disappeared downstairs. Leaving me and Tiger's clubs! All I can tell you is that he has some kind of bird as the headcover for his five wood ("my old man's club", as he called it), and you could shave in the reflection of his irons.

In fact, make that in the reflection of the grooves in his irons. Williams might not be a favourite of commentators, photographers or inadvertently noisy fans, but he sure can clean a club!

Did he thank me? No, he didn't get time. I was called into see Woosnam so I entrusted the world number one's most treasured possessions with the club receptionist.

OK, so it's stretching a point to say that was the most memorable thing from my week in the Desert. Of course Woods' victory will not be forgotten for a long time. And it's worth mentioning in relation to a question e-mailed by Paul from the UK.

He wonders whether there are any instinctive players on Tour or are they all coached to the point where flair and imagination has gone out of the game? I think he has a point, and it's beautifully illustrated by Woods' victory.

Woods is always looking to spice up his round with an interesting lie

We all know Woods has undergone all sorts of swing changes. He hasn't, though, yet harnessed much accuracy off the tee.

This leads to the need for all sorts of amazing recovery shots and I would suggest a reliance on the greatest golfing instincts since Senor Ballesteros was in his pomp.

Sure, he has practised these amazing flop shots, hooks, slices, bump and runs and countless other methods of imaginative escapology, but I doubt Woods ever discovered how to execute them in any textbook or magazine.

I've actually had some lessons based on this instinctive approach. It's fascinating. You're not taught any technique, just given a series of tasks aimed at improving whatever area of the game needs attention.

The results can be remarkable and left me just wishing someone could come up with a way of securing the time for the necessary follow-up practice.

So it's quite depressing to see so many coaches on the range of Tour events telling their pupils where the club should be pointing at the top of their backswing.

Surely it's where the club is at the point of contact with the ball that counts. Maybe if conventional lessons aren't working we should be prepared to rely on our instincts a bit more.

One of the players I saw on the range in Dubai was Ian Poulter. Matthew e-mailed to say he hopes that this will be the year for the flamboyant figure from Milton Keynes.

Poulter hopes he's Gunner do better this year

I hope you're right Matthew because I agree with you, golf needs its personalities.

How refreshing it was to see Poulter in his own clothes rather than some manufacturer's uniform, though the Arsenal football shirt was a step too far.

He has changed clubs this year, from Taylor-made to Cobra. It'll be interesting to see how he does.

Often there is a bedding-in period after any switch of sticks - Poulter has to hope it doesn't take too long for him in a Ryder Cup year.

Geraint in Wales wonders whether European Tour players are dismayed by the lack of world ranking points they can gain compared with their American counterparts.

If they do feel that way they should look no further than Colin Montgomerie, who rose from 83rd in the world to the top 10 last year on a schedule based essentially around European events.

Monty proved you don't have to sell your soul to the US Tour

The key is to get into the top 50 in the world - then you can play the majors and the World Golf Championship events.

These are the tournaments that yield most ranking points.

It's interesting that Justin Rose, Greg Owen and Philip Price, among others, have failed to secure top 50 places despite basing themselves in the States for substantial periods.

On the subject of tours, Geoff Clutterbuck down under wonders whether the Australian Tour should join forces with the Asian Tour.

It might not be a bad idea because the Aussie Tour is struggling despite so many players from that country occupying top 50 places in the rankings.

Anything to strengthen their position has to be a good move and I note the European Tour will be co-sanctioning the Australian Masters at the end of the year.

They should pull out all the stops to get the country's biggest names there because the way America bosses the calendar isn't healthy.

Surely a united front from Europe, Asia and Australia can only help restore some balance to the global game.

Finally for now, on the flight to Dubai I was sitting with the Independent's golf man James Corrigan and we decided to predict what we thought the European Ryder Cup team would be come September.

We independently wrote down our chosen 12 and came up with an identical set of names!

For the record the Carter/Corrigan picks are: Garcia, Stenson, Olazabal, Harrington, McGinley, Clarke, Westwood, Casey, Donald, Howell, Montgomerie and Dougherty.

Got any burning golf questions? Email them in and we'll get Iain to answer the best of them in his next column.

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