Tee Time with Richie Ramsay... Carbon colours catch the eye

We are delighted that European Tour player Richie Ramsay has agreed to become a Carbon ambassador this season.

Here is the first in a series of blogs we will feature from one of the top Scots on Tour as the 2016 season pans out.

“Every tournament Friday during the season I will be wearing the Carbon colours and already it has been catching the eye of spectators and my fellow players.

On the recent “Desert Swing” in Abu Dhabi and Dubai some of the guys were winding me up about wearing orange because it has become associated with world number four Rickie Fowler, who won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where I tied for 14^th.

Rickie wears orange on the final day of tournaments because it’s the colour of Oklahoma State, where he was at college.

So there were a few comments flying about on the driving range about me raiding his wardrobe for the orange and black Carbon colours.

But I don’t share Rickie’s fashion sense – I won’t be wearing his hi-tops any time soon.

I had to explain to the Scots guys that my colour scheme had nothing to do with football because I am a proud Aberdonian, not a Dundee United supporter!

The gear looks the part and it was good to play well on the two Fridays when I was wearing the Carbon colours in Abu Dhabi and at the Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club.

I have been concentrating on my swing, short game, mental game and the fitness element, trying to tie it all in. I got off to a nice start in Abu Dhabi where the rough was thick, putting a premium on finding the fairway.

You can play all you want with friends but changes have to be tested in tournament conditions.

Qatar was cold and windy and I dropped some silly shots there. Unfortunately, the Dubai Omega Classic was a mini-disaster. I don’t know what was going on there. I just played poorly and my short game was terrible.

But I am reasonably happy with the start to the year because I tend to be at my best in mid to end of season and my putting has been improving year by year.

After the disappointment of failing to make the cut in Dubai, I returned to Scotland with Angela and we are counting down to the birth of our first baby.

I’ve had to visit the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion because a problem I had last season kicked off again in Dubai. I’m back on drops for that. It’s an inflammation of the pupil. They know how to treat it but there may be an underlying issue.

Fortunately I’m taking time off from the Tour with the baby in mind. But I’m having to wear sunglasses a lot, even inside when it is bright, which has friends giving me stick.

Hopefully we can get that sorted out before the next tournament in my diary, which might be the Spanish Open at Valderrama in April.

I remember leading the Andalucia Masters there almost wire to wire, battling with Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez. It is a fantastic golf course and a great challenge. It is somewhere I know I can do well.

Obviously the baby is the priority right now and the patience I need out on the golf course came in handy when we were assembling the buggy this week!

But I have asked Angela for a pass so I can cheer on Scotland against France at Murrayfield next month!”