When I was roaming the fairways of the PGA Tours of the world- as a player- I was always trying new equipment. Searching for that little bit extra that may help give me an advantage over the next guy.

Now as I roam the practice fairways and driving ranges as an instructor- and yes, still roam the fairways of the PGA Tours with some of my players I coach, I again am still  trying to plan out or look for some type of advantage I can gain for the players I help.

That's human nature- to try and evolve and to try and become better.

As a former player and now as a coach I also - just like always- look at golf from the perspective of the course itself.

The golf courses haven't had much opportunity to speak for themselves with the advancement of technology in recent years. Their voices have been muted- with the volume turned down pretty low.

I love all the arguments from all sides.

Read more: The Forgotten Aspect Of Technology & Golf Courses

The long putter debate still raises the temperature of golf aficionados who believe it isn't in the spirit of the game. With good reason really.

After all- is it truly a stroke?

We can't attach a crutch to our driver if we aren't good drivers of the ball. We can't run a stick up the shaft to keep the left wrist from breaking down if we aren't capable of performing the short chips and pitches necessary at the scoring end of each hole.

So how is it that we are able to anchor an extended shaft up the arm to lock it into place or use such a long shafted version of the putter that we can basically lock the top hand still and perform a pendulum with just the bottom hand?

Many of the older generation will remember that when I won the 1993 Australian Masters I did so with the "broomstick" putter. I swept my Titleist in the hole from every which way during a final round 7 under par 66 to ultimately catch Peter Senior in regulation and sneak by him on the first playoff hole.

Truth be told I did hit all 18 greens in regulation that final day so the putting didn't have to be too strong to be rewarded with a low score.

Read more: The Long Putter Debate- Still Rages On

Growing up only a few hundred yards from Rossdale Golf Club- located just outside the famous Sand Belt area of Melbourne- meant one thing. Practice. I practiced a lot in my formative years.

Not only did I spend 10-12 hours a day at the course in an effort to improve,  I loved it. I truly loved practicing.

I sometimes slept in a tent on the driving range having the birds or the grounds crew mowers wake me up at first light so I could be first there to dust the dew off the grass. Call me dedicated or stupid but I was infatuated with golf and learning how to control the ball and get it into the hole in as few a shots as possible.

Do you expect results because you put the work in? Do results come from loving what you do? It's a question for any form of life- not just golf.

How do you practice? Are you practicing to improve and practicing because you love it OR are you practicing because society says you have to if you want to become better. It may not sound much of a difference but there is a unjumpable chasm stuck in between those two ideals.

Read more: Practice For The Good- Not Just The Bad

Golf- particularly professional golf- is having a tough run at the moment.

Players are being called for penalties that are probably a bit harsh and have no bearing on the result of the shot. Players have been disqualified from events for temper tantrums. Guys are having to contort themselves into a praying mantis position just to drop their ball back into play. And now we have the ugliness of slow play again rear it's early head.

No matter how many hours are in a day the tortoise like play at yesterday's Genesis Open.. damn I hate calling it that (lets name it properly) -The Los Angeles Open presented by Genesis- the golfers would have had a hard time finishing before dark.

Plumb bobbing one foot putts. Reading green books to determine break rather than using instinct. Flag in- whoops hang on the next guy wants the flag out. All made the final round a real snoozefest for the viewer.

I always thought if I was going to miss it, I may as well miss it quick. Al Czervik of Caddyshack fame would've lost his voice yelling out at players "Come on while we're young" if he was at Riviera Country Club this weekend.

Read more: A Slow Game Is A Bad Game

A number of years ago I started writing down my recollections of my life in golf.

Whilst laid out in book form there is no real desire to write the book in it's entirety, more just something my kids can have one day.

I thought I would share the chapter about my early life in golf. Everyone has a start in their chosen career. Here's mine... Enjoy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was recently looking at my first baby book that my mother had saved. She had penned some happenings from my early childhood. Besides the hair clipping and the family tree history I was interested to note that I received a set of clubs (probably only 2 plastic ones) for a gift for my first birthday. So I was no Tiger Woods at such an early age but I guess I was swinging a golf club much earlier than I could ever remember doing so.

It’s hard to believe that I have been travelling the world playing professional golf for a living for half my life. It only seems like yesterday that I was a participant in the 1982 Victorian Open being the youngest player to ever tee off in a major Australian PGA event on my 15^th birthday. That was my first big taste of golf on a stage and I wanted to do nothing else since that February 1982 date.

Read more: Beginnings In Golf- My Story