Caddie's Role: There are courses that we return to every year on tour that you get to feel familiar with, so going back is a bit like going home. Augusta National is one of those pretty predictable places.

You know what to expect when you pull up to Magnolia Lane, or gate seven down the side street as us toters do; there are few surprises. But the difference at Augusta is that there are usually some very subtle changes that only the astute, or pre-warned will be aware of.

A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to play with Nick Faldo in the Tavistock Cup at Isleworth in Orlando. Nick had his present caddie Ryan with him who is also a local caddie at Augusta.

So we got chatting at Isleworth as we watched his man labouring over another putt as the former Masters champion still does at anything he does on the golf course - he is still a grinder. Ryan was telling me about the changes at the National.

Now we all know that there were some major alterations to the course a few years back to make it more of a challenge for today's pro. The mystique that surrounded the proposed changes was intriguing and well discussed; there were stories of helicopters flying overhead with cameramen trying to get photos of the developments.

Well this time there have been a couple of changes that a forensic scientist would be hard pressed to notice. But if you hit your ball in the wrong place around where the subtle alterations have occurred you will notice them.

So, as myself and Retief Goosen stood on the fourth tee last Tuesday evening, looking down towards the green, we both agreed that the right side of the green looked different; the bamboo that used to encroach the right edge of the green had been moved back.

When we got to the green we noticed that a run-off area had been introduced so that a ball that missed the green right would run back about 20 yards instead of into the bush. If you were not pre-warned or paying attention you would be hard pressed to notice such changes.

The next change became apparent when we got to the 15th green. The front right of the green had been raised so that a ball landing on the front of the green is guaranteed to run back into the water. The back left of the green has been extended and a more severe run off area developed to bring the water behind the green into play.

The one thing that remains constant at the National is the age of the patrons. An elderly couple sat where they have probably positioned themselves for the past four decades in early April, behind the seventh green.

As Joakim Haeggman approached the green in a garish pair of orange shiny nylon-looking trousers, as only a Swede would dare leave the house in, the elderly gentleman remarked to his partner that Haeggman looked like 'one of those queers'.

His wife apparently corrected him and said that he was wrong, he wasn't queer, just European. To which he replied that he still looked like a 'faggot' to him.

After days of disruption due to bad weather the second round was finally completed by lunchtime on Saturday. The forecast was good for the rest of the weekend, the future looked bright. The third round was scheduled to start at three o'clock. It was to be a two-tee start in twoballs.

So those players who thought they would be one of the first pairings to go off both tees prepared themselves for play at the advised time. At 3pm last Saturday about 20 players were assembled on the practice putting green waiting for the word from the organisers to commence the third round.

Bearing in mind that the latest that light would permit us to play was 7.45pm, there was some anxiety amongst the players who had hung around all week waiting for the weather to clear, if they started play at 3pm there was a good chance of about 20 players completing their third rounds by sun-down, we were all very aware of that.

We eventually got going by 3.30pm which ensured that only a few groups completed their rounds and therefore had to return early on Sunday to finish off their rounds.

It seemed totally inappropriate for such an esteemed event to preside over such shambolic organisation.

I wonder what Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones would have made of such a dishevelled scene at their prestigious event the Masters?

The attention to detail runs all the way through the tournament and not just on the course.

For many of us there is a tradition and a permanence at Augusta, with just the very minute changes most years that draw us back to partaking in a very rich part of golfing culture.

I hope it doesn't simply become just a nostalgia trip and it remains a prestigious event that everyone with an affection for the game keeps in high esteem and continues to merit its status as a major event.