Caddie's RoleIn the absence this year of the biggest distraction to aspiring golfers, the Ryder Cup, we will have the opportunity this week to enjoy some international team golf without the hype of the greatest marketing achievement of the professional game.

I have just arrived in the suave and sophisticated city of Montreal in preparation for the Presidents Cup, in which the US (including Tiger Woods) takes on the Rest of the World at Royal Montreal Golf Club. It is always difficult to bond a team of traditionally egotistical players into an enthusiastic unit for a long weekend of matchplay even when they come from the same country. So the idea of such a disparate group as the Rest of the World gelling is hard to envisage.

Yet somehow it seems to happen. There is a theory that nothing is as unifying to a contrived team as the thought of beating the mighty US. I am not sure how valid this argument is, but having been around top golfers at varying stages of their playing weeks I do know that there is one consistent trait: they do not like to lose even in a practice-round side bet.

So despite the Presidents Cup being effectively a non-earning week for the pros, where they are given a certain amount of money to donate to their chosen charity, it is usually not much of a talking point before the event. But come curtain call there is no doubt the players from both sides desperately want to win their individual matches.

In fact, the competition starts in the team rooms. Last time in Washington, each team cabin had a table-tennis table on which players began their warm-up routines by trying to beat the best opponent presented by players and caddies. So despite these "silly season" events being somewhat contrived, do not question the desire of the participants to win.

The Seve Trophy, which has somehow established itself as a permanent alternate-yearly fixture on the European Tour, kicks off this week at the Heritage Club outside Portlaoise. Despite some difficulties with the relatively new club over the years, this is a great opportunity to get what is a very fine golf course, designed by the creative and meticulous Jeff Howes, on the map.

It is, of course, no surprise the Heritage was chosen as this year's venue, given Seve's attachment to the club. I believe it will be a deserving venue no matter what the weather may bring. Given the abundance of new, quality courses in the country in the past decade, it is hard for one to raise its head above the others. I would imagine the players will give the course the credit it deserves.

The Presidents Cup has had its ambassadorial heads in Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as non-playing captains since its inception. The Seve Trophy has had Seve Ballesteros at the helm of the European team, and until now Monty has led the British and Irish team.

There is a new departure this year as Nick Faldo begins his foray into leadership. I assume this is to give him a test run ahead of his Ryder Cup-captaining debut in America next year. As thorough as Faldo is, I am sure he was keen to test his steering skills early. Having observed the formidable golf of Faldo in his prime, I would have said he would never have made a good captain. His single-mindedness and isolationist attitude in his heyday, when he moved among us as a muted giant letting his clubs speak loudest, suggested that he was not a communicator.

What a difference a decade makes. Nick has turned into an expert communicator in his golf commentary, which is witty and insightful and gives his viewers a sense of how his brilliant golfing brain worked when he performed at his best. Those of us inside the ropes were always aware of his dry, if diffident, wit on the course.

In not choosing an Irishman as a wild-card for this year's team the captain has already shown that performance and not politics is what motivates his selection procedure. Most of us thought Paul McGinley, despite his relative lack of form, would get the captain's nod for obvious reasons, especially given Padraig had decided not to play.

This was not the case with the RoW team. Captain Player went for the political choice in the home favourite Canadian Mike Weir. Given that these are largely "fun" events, there is a strong argument from a local-fan perspective of trying to get a homeboy on the team. I wonder will our fans' allegiance be more European than British given the Irish have been temporarily dropped from this year's billing.

It is a great opportunity to watch the rare form of team matchplay with some of the European Tour's finest competing on a quality course with two legends of European golf applying their acumen and statesmanship to leadership.

My money is on Faldo.