By Iain Carter BBC Five Live golf correspondent

In the latest of his fortnightly reports from inside the ropes, our man looks at whether European courses offer the best preparation for majors, revisits the Michelle Wie debate and muses on a multitude of other issues.

Ernie Els' toughening of Wentworth's West Course for last week's PGA Championship prompted plenty of discussion on the general level of difficulty of European Tour courses.

As revealed in previous Golfing Gossip, Els set out to make Wentworth a test that acts as proper preparation for the US Open.

Winged Foot hosts the US Open from 15-18 June

Luke Donald said last week course set-ups in Europe are generally easier than those he faces in the US and Michael Campbell was in agreement.

The US Open champion believes Europeans would stand more chance at the majors if they played tougher lay-outs in the build-up to the four biggest weeks on the calendar.

Campbell also explained why he misses the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond the week before the Open.

"Some players don't want to play it because it's not a links course - that's why I don't," he said.

"I just don't feel it prepares me for the Open. I think maybe we might change to a links course the week before and I'd probably play then. My preparation nowadays is all about trying to win majors."

Westwood will miss US Open qualifying at Walton Heath

Campbell famously qualified at Walton Heath for last year's US Open.

Amazingly, at the European Tour's annual dinner last week, he revealed he almost didn't bother going to the 36-hole qualifying competition that proved the first step to his major glory at Pinehurst.

But the Kiwi's extraordinary story is not enough to persuade the out-of-sorts Lee Westwood to have a crack at trying to win a place at Winged Foot this year.

Westwood has a corporate obligation on 5 June, the date of the Walton Heath qualifier, and that will take precedence.

Michelle Wie's invitation to the European Masters in Crans-Sur-Sierre later this summer has left my inbox inundated.

The majority view is supportive, recognising Wie's star quality and what it will bring to the event.

John in France is less enthusiastic (actually I wondered if it was Jean in France until I saw that Monsieur Van de Velde was playing at Wentworth last week!).

Wie will play in the men's European Masters in September

John says if women can enter the men's events, surely the men can take part in female tournaments.

Is there much merit in this argument? After all, no-one says that if it's OK for a 52-year-old Sam Torrance to play a main tour event then under-50s should be allowed to enter Seniors tournaments.

Surely the European Tour and leading tournaments should be for the best players and the biggest draw cards regardless of age or gender?

By the way, Zach in Italy wondered if Wie will play off ladies' tees in Switzerland. No, she'll be off the same tees as the rest of the field.

Depressingly, junior golfer Matt from Lancashire emailed to ask why, as a 13-handicapper, he gets treated "like a rat" at every golf club he visits?

All I can say is that unless Matt is throwing his clubs like javelins, digging up tees and greens or living in the clubhouse drains, he's entitled to ask one simple question: "What's your problem?"

Golf is a game that should be welcoming and attractive to youngsters.

On a similar theme, for a long time I've thought that there should be a 20-20 short-form version of the game featuring big names in made-for-television tournaments.

The golfing grapevine suggests I'm not alone - watch this space...

Ever wondered what it would be like for an amateur to play golf with Jack Nicklaus or Tom Watson?

The answer lays in the excellent autobiography of a very good amateur indeed, Peter McEvoy, who has just published "For Love or Money".

Honest, forthright and insightful, the former Walker Cup captain provides a different slant - not just on the amateur scene but the game in general. It's well worth reading.

Who will be the star of September's Ryder Cup? Perhaps a so-far unnamed albino hare (this is true), resident at the K Club.

He's been spotted by all and sundry, bar a battalion of photographers desperate to snap this unusual and elusive creature.

We wait to see whether he (or she) proves a lucky charm or a curse to those it crosses.

And to finish, a few heart-warming tales. Firstly, congratulations to Luke Donald on his engagement to fianc� Diane.

The soon-to-be Mr and Mrs Donald

Also, congrats to PGA pro Gary Vickers, who has been awarded the Toby Sunderland Award in recognition of services to charity.

The 37-year-old didn't give much - just one of his kidneys to help save the life of former Tour pro Haydn Selby-Green.

And Tour rookie Ross Fisher is someone with his priorities in place.

He won a brand new Jag for winning the nearest-the-pin competition at the British Masters, but he's likely to turn it down because he remains grateful to a Wentworth member for already providing sponsored vehicle.

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