While the Royal and Ancient continue testing the "trampoline effect" in metal drivers, there is no indication that Europe's leading professionals will adopt the controversial Callaway ERC. Apparently the consensus is that while the club undoubtedly delivers greater length, it is achieved at the cost of accuracy.

The Rules of Golf require that the face of a club be "hard and rigid". In that context, the R and A believe that by regulating the thickness of the component parts of the clubhead, a simple and effective test can be developed and implemented.

This appears to be a much more conciliatory approach than that of the US Golf Association (USGA), which has banned the driver. For their part, the R and A, who have a testing facility at Birmingham University, want to place minimum thickness limits on the clubhead's face, crown and sole.

They claim that this can be measured by a commercially available, hand-held ultrasonic device which, when coupled to a personal computer, will produce a picture of the strata of each component at a certain location, including the thickness of the paint or lacquer and any pores.

It is anticipated that the R and A will issue a further notice to manufacturers in July, inviting comments on the protocol, to be received by early September. And as indicated last weekend, an implementation date of October 1st is being considered.

All of which is likely to provoke only mild interest among the game's leading practitioners on this side of the Atlantic. "If the club was as good as we're led to believe, Colin Montgomerie (who is contracted to Callaway) would be using it," said Paul McGinley. And while readily acknowledging his own attachment to rival manufacturers Taylor Made, the Dubliner added: "Its use at the moment is confined to players down the Order of Merit."

He added: "There's no doubt that it is significantly longer than any other club currently on the market. But players are discovering that they are being forced to sacrifice accuracy, and that's never an attractive option."

McGinley's reasoning regarding the limited use the club is experiencing makes sense. Of greater significance in the longer term, however, is the apparent determination of the R and A to pursue an independent line on the issue, having in the past relied on the USGA for such testing.

They point out, quite reasonably, that without any regulation in this area, performance enhancements due to equipment alone could result in golfers gaining significant increases in driving distances. As the R and A put it: "Despite their short-term appeal, such distance gains are not considered to be in the best longterm interests of the game, especially when added to other factors which enable golfers to hit the ball further than their predecessors."

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of all, however, is the possibility of equipment manufacturers simply doing their own thing, with no serious concern for the game's authorities. When the trampoline effect was first mooted two years ago, prior to the US Open at the Olympic Club, Callaway were not slow to flex their muscles.

The fear grew at that stage that, in a protracted legal battle with the game's authorities, leading manufacturers would be certain of winning, if only because of their vastly superior financial resources. And in a worst-case scenario, the R and A and the USGA would become no more than puppets, helpless to enforce legislation.

On that occasion, manufacturers drew back from the brink. And given their acceptance of the current USGA ban, Callaway don't appear to be in a confrontational mood. But problems are certain to recur, making further clashes inevitable.

Meanwhile, national champion Neil Manchip will be among eight Irish competitors in the £1.5 million Volvo PGA Championship, which starts on the West Course at Wentworth on Friday. The resident teaching professional at Royal Dublin is in the field on the strength of Irish Order of Merit performances, including his victory in the Irish Professional Championship at the Island last October.

Colleague Damian McGrane is also in a line-up which includes Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, McGinley, Ronan Rafferty, Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth. In last year's event, Clarke was the leading Irish finisher in a share of 13th place behind the winner, Montgomerie.

Clarke has the best record by an Irish player in the event in recent years, having been tied second behind behind Ian Woosnam in 1997. But McGinley is looking to a really strong showing from Harrington, whose best performance was in a share of 11th place in 1998.

Since then, however, Harrington has shown his liking for the West Course through brilliant performances in the World Matchplay last October, when he beat no less a figure than Ernie Els in sudden-death, before losing to Montgomerie in the semi-finals.

"I have never seen Padraig playing as well as he is right now," said McGinley, who formed a winning partnership with him in the World Cup at Kiawah Island in 1997. "I don't think anybody would begrudge him success after the disappointment of The Belfry, where he played the golf of his life, prior to his disqualification."

He went on: "Obviously it must have been a sickening disappointment to be deprived of a tournament he would almost certainly have won. But it doesn't seemed to have affected his confidence, which is very important."

Like every other player who knows Harrington's meticulous nature, McGinley was baffled as to how his World Cup partner could have made the mistake of misreading another player's signature for his own. But he took a different view after sharing a drink last week with Harrington and Jamie Spence, his marker at The Belfry.

"On taking a close look at Jamie's signature, I got a better understanding of the error," he said. "Their writing is very alike, though I'm still surprised at what happened."

McGinley concluded: "I believe Padraig is set to win a big title this year. I'm not saying he is ready for a major, though Paul Lawrie's success at Carnoustie proved that it's impossible to tell. But he should win one of the tour's front-rank events, possibly this week's PGA."

As it happens, there has been only one Irish victory in the PGA. And that was way back in 1958 when Harry Bradshaw captured the title at Llandudno. Since then, the closest any Irishman has come emulating that feat was in 1986 when Smyth lost a play-off to the Australian, Rodger Davis.