Whoever coined the phrase about ‘change being as good as a rest’ wasn’t thinking about golf. I certainly didn’t get any rest out of the change Ernie Els recently made to the West Course at Wentworth.

Normally after two days of the PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship event, I’m heading back home up the M1 wondering why I ever drove down in the first place.

Not this year my friends. Not only did I qualify for all four days, but also managed to climb into the top 10 as many of Europe’s finest punctured in the new potholes Ernie and his co-designers placed along the new-look Burma Road.

Ernie’s mandate was obviously to make the course tougher and he has definitely succeeded. The scoring, in perfect conditions, reflected just how hard a course it is now – at least seven shots more than last year. Congratulations to England’s Simon Khan, who produced an excellent final round to post a score that nobody could match as record crowds sizzled in the sun.

That finish helped me hang on to my new world ranking of 3 and, if the tweaks are made to the course that they were talking about afterwards, I won’t be driving to Wentworth with any misgivings any more. It will be a fine test of golf.

Since we’re on courses I’ll now switch to Celtic Manor, scene of this year’s Ryder Cup. My schedule means I’ll be missing the Wales Open, but I’ve told European team captain Colin Montgomerie that I’ll visit nearer the time. It is probably better to have a look at the course and see the greens just before the event anyway. If you play Wentworth now and in October they are two completely different animals and I think Celtic Manor may be the same.

Talking about green brings me to UPS, who are taking a major initiative with that colour even though their own are a very distinctive brown and gold.

Typical of UPS for being ground breakers and brand leaders. I don’t expect anything else from my favourite carrier, but their presence at Wentworth last week was much appreciated, particularly by all those who had a go on their golf simulator in the tented village.

UPS is so serious about recycling that even the Astroturf on their simulator is made from recycled plastic and renewable materials. And they also operate the largest alternative fuel fleet – more than 2,000 vehicles - in their industry.

So that’s it from me for a fortnight because I’m off to Portugal on holiday to re-charge the batteries and be ready for my next major objective – the US Open at Pebble Beach.

I haven’t quite been on my game since The Masters so I’ll be doing everything I possibly can to get it back before I head for The States.

I’ll be heading to Pebble for practice the weekend after next and then Walking in Memphis (a Marc Cohn song) to get tournament sharp immediately before the year’s second grand slam event.