Colin Montgomerie has always shopped at the larger end of the rack but to call him a coach is a bit much. He is no such thing, in any sense of the word.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain must have felt as though he was at his local gym's step class given the times he was asked to climb to the stage at the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year show to celebrate and discuss his team's epic victory at Celtic Manor.
They were a deserving team of the year and in Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell spawned two contenders for the main prize, which was won by jockey AP McCoy. But awarding Monty the Coach of the Year accolade did not seem appropriate.
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Montgomerie marshaled his team very well and was an excellent captain, while several players, including Westwood, said the Scot provided the blueprint for future skippers.
But the role of a coach is not only to create an environment in which players can peform, it is to make them better. Monty deserves credit for doing the former at Celtic Manor but I would have much preferred it if the award had gone to someone who has contributed massively to a current golden era in UK golf.
The judging panel simply went down a populist and unsophisticated route with its pick.
Thankfully, in his acceptance speech Monty got it right by making sure he mentioned the man who should have won his award - Pete Cowen, the hardest working teacher on any golf range anywhere in the world of professional golf.
In 2010, Cowen schooled Westwood to the world number one spot, McDowell to the US Open and coached the top three finishers at the Open Championship. Week in, week out he was on the range dispensing advice to dozens of European Tour players.
The modest Yorkshireman is simply the best in the business as his results this year have shown. He gives players the mechanics and the confidence to improve their games and become world-beaters.
Montgomerie knew he could begin the Ryder Cup with Westwood and get a flying start. He knew he could finish with McDowell - a wise move that won his team the Ryder Cup. That was fine captaincy but we know who coaches both men.
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It was a shame neither players' successes this year were enough for a podium finish alongside McCoy. Perhaps they were victims of UK golf's extraordinary results this year with the vote being split.
It is easy to sympathise with McDowell because I am not sure the wider sporting public quite understood what a huge achievement it was to win the US Open at Pebble Beach. He did something that was beyond Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer and even the mighty Monty.
The good news is that our golfers will be knocking loudly on the awards doors for some years to come. With the wisdom and insight of the likes of Cowen and several other talented British coaches, this golden era is set to continue for some years yet.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/iaincarter/2010/12/montys_men_rightly_recognised.html
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