''We re-jigged Royal Liverpool for this year's Open. It was most satisfying in light of the Open itself. The course held its own, on its comeback to the Open roster list. Tiger's approach to playing the course was very interesting - very strategic! He just didn't want to take the bunkers on.'

What about his favorite course of those more than seventy designs?

'I think that would be the Kintyre course at Turnberry. Its a spectacular piece of land which has been given a new dimension.

Over in the US and Canada, Steele has been the designer of a number of spectacular courses - red Tail, the Vineyard Club, Cherokee, Abercote and Carnegie Hotel to name but a few. There has been a very fruitful relationship with Peter De Savary which has included projects such as Scibo Castle and the work on Bovey Castle. Where does Steel get his inspiration?

'From all of them - Colt, McKenzie, Fowler. They were the pioneers but it was a hap-hazard arrangement. They made a great study of the land but you have to remember that at the time they had no machinery.

So who does he admire of the present architects and is he of the Gary Player camp that golf courses should never be criticised or of the Nicklaus line of thought that there are barely a handful of great architects?

'I like Tom Doak and Ben Crenshaw, architects who work with the land. There is too much landscaping and maybe some won't praise other architects because its giving away possible business. Everyone has talent, some merit.'

There is, of course, the problems of safety on the course - what is Steel's position on this part of an architects duties?

'Health and Safety has become a complete nightmare. They speak as if no-one ever gave a thought in their lives before - that no-one should ever get hit, ever. There is the complete anomaly at St Andrews. Its should prove the most dangerous course in the World but I can't remember seeing anything about injuries.'

So what of the affects of new technology and Tiger on the game? Does Steel see a future where technology is reigned in?

'No question, something has to happen. I think its a great pity and no-one has really acted creatively. When you read what Greg Norman wrote about Seve in Seve's autobiography, the game is less spectacular now, much less so.

'In order to counter technology, the architect has to find a way of making courses a challenge without getting gimmicky - people putting pins in silly places.'

And what does Steel think of committee member architects?

'They can be a problem. On the other hand they are all golfers, although 'let loose' they can be a very dangerous thing. An architect has a strenuous job sometimes when they are called in to act as referee between two or three different points of view.'

So where is the future?

'I can't overstress that we must get rid of the gulf between courses which are 7500 yards and those which are 6000 yards and can't stretch another yard of length out of their land. Its frustrating but it was good to see the courses fighting back this year - Hoylake and Burnham & Berrow in he English Championship. And you have to remember that in 1953, Ben Hogan won at Carnoustie, the first time the Open had been played on a course of over 700 yards. He improved on every round, one of only five champions who have ever completed that feat.'

The affect of technology was something Steel was specific about in his speech at the Centenary Dinner -

'If in cricket the manufacturers of the cricket ball produced a new ball that a schoolboy could smash out of Lords cricket ground, the MCC would not increase the boundaries (even if they could). They would tell them what they could do with their new ball!'

This is one of a number of features for the home page, interviews with principle guests from the Centenary Dinner, plus reflections on our teams and this year's champions.

On the main 'Features' part of the site there are lots of ideas for Christmas presents and 2007 holidays including (more added every day) -

Books & DVDs -

Biogrpahies of Seve and Greg Norman

Swing instruction - the Golf Factory

The Best Golf Quotations

The 2007 AA Guide

BodyGolf

The Little Book on Golf - with DVD

Centurions of Golf

'Five Lessons' from Ben Hogan

Presents -

Cotswolld Shoes

Sunglasses

A special 'Golf' TV

Holidays -

Mauritius

The Azores

The Dordogne

Lanzarote

Italy (with special golf school)

The West Coast of Ireland

Bovey Castle

Kenya

Special deals from Thistle Hotels.

There is European Tour coverage from the Dunhill Championships in South Africa, plus news of the last event of the year in Mauritius and more to come