By Iain Carter BBC Five Live golf correspondent

In the latest of his fortnightly reports from inside the ropes, our man looks at John Daly's importance to golf, casts an eye over Hoylake and Loch Lomond, looks at golf in Africa, and continues the debate on proposed Ryder Cup changes and golf balls.

Before we get too concerned about John Daly's gambling losses, it is worth taking note of what he had to say on the subject this week.

While his soon-to-be-published autobiography states he has blown around $33m in casinos, Daly told The New York Times: "I maybe should have stressed more that I probably won $20 or $25m."

Daly admits huge gambling losses

So his losses are not quite as big as they first appeared. Even so he is dealing in massive sums of money and we can add gambling to the long list of addictions that dog his life. They don't call him "Wild Thing" for nothing.

It is good to hear the PGA Tour is lending a sympathetic ear and let us hope he can find a way to avoid squandering his riches.

Daly is great for golf. It needs its larger than life characters and if I were Tom Lehman I would want him in the US Ryder Cup team.

I bet he would have a positive impact. Sorry, perhaps I should rephrase that.

Speaking of the Ryder Cup, your emails have been unanimous in the view that the current format should be left well alone.

The rumours of discussion to extend it from three to four days have not gone down well. Typical of your views, Rob emailed to say it would break a great tradition and Mary says a change would kill the excitement of the event.

Many of you are still inundating my in-box with thoughts on how far the golf ball is flying.

It is interesting to note that many of you would like to see a tournament ball for the pros that limits distance and let the rest of us enjoy the benefits of modern technology.

It is a logical answer but flies in the face of current policy. When I saw R&A chief executive Peter Dawson at Hoylake last week, he was adamant that the rules of the game must be the same for all players.

But as Chris points out, tennis hasn't suffered by slowing down balls for the top pros and as a result there has been no need to extend court sizes.

Dawson did confirm that manufacturers are at last submitting prototypes of balls that don't fly as far and this may prove the first significant step in reining back the big hitters.

Hoylake looked in great shape ahead of its return to the Open roster, but they want a wet spring to encourage growth in the rough.

Women decline Open chance

Without it - and if the weather is calm in Open week - there may be some spectacular low scoring; the major record low round of 63 might even be beaten.

On the other hand, if the rough grows and the wind blows it'll be some test.

Hoylake will be a good stage for the Open

It was also interesting to note that the R&A are keen for us to refer to this year's Open venue as Hoylake rather than the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, although nobody actually explained why.

Huge crowds are expected and the best route in looks like being by train from Liverpool, and I just wonder what the American players will think as they head on the motorway to the Wirral and pass the not-so-scenic Ellesmere Port refinery.

Fortunately, the outlook is altogether more attractive when you arrive at the course. Those bumper crowds will generate huge revenues and much of it will be ploughed into golfing projects around the world.

This should please Julius Okorie who emailed from Nigeria wondering about the standard of golf on the African continent.

It is certainly an area of concern, because many leading European players used to ply their trade in the winter months in Africa but nowadays are attracted to the Far and Middle East instead.

It's hard to see how the continent can compete outside South Africa, where the game should be booming given the exploits of Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Tim Clark.

Clark will be defending his Scottish Open title at Loch Lomond in early July. I was there earlier this week to sample the delights of one of the most stunning courses you will ever see.

Let me give you an idea of what it's like at this most exclusive of clubs.

First, you have to find the gated private road that leads to the imposing stately home of a clubhouse.

Then you get told off if you don't drive all the way to the clubhouse, because there's someone there who'll take your clubs and park your car.

There is a man to clean your shoes, you hand over your clubs at the end of the round and by magic they appear in your boot when your car is returned at the end of the day.

By then you've been fed like a king and nearly drowned in a shower that would put water bosses in the south east of England into a state of apoplexy.

No such worries on the bonnie banks, though, they have more than enough rain - it's the only drawback.

But drainage improvements have been made over the winter and next on the agenda for Scottish Open organisers is seeking to renew Barclays' sponsorship which expires this year.

I was also at Lytham recently ahead of the Weetabix Women's British Open which will be staged there in July. The sponsorship situation is less rosy in this case, with Weetabix having signalled their intention to pull out.

Surely in the age of Wie, Creamer, Sorenstam and co another big investor will be keen to be involved, especially with next year's tournament taking place at St Andrews.

That's all for now, as you may be able to tell, it's been a busy but fantastic spell touring some of the greatest courses in the country.

Having had the chance to play them as well, I'm left to lick my wounds - reminded again how good these pros truly are at playing the game.

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