By Steve Scott, golf correspondent

BY THE words and actions of some of the world’s top players, you’d think you could catch something nasty at Loch Lomond this week during the Barclays Scottish Open, something which could seriously damage your Open Championship prospects.

There are still some who believe that a week at the club does irreparable harm to any player who has aspirations to become Open champion next week.

Now that the works to raise the course’s water table have taken trench foot out of the equation, the only real afflictions to be had at Loch Lomond are midge bites and those resulting from over-indulgence.

There is no evidence it does any harm to the golf game, no matter what some believe.

It does not repel 11 major winners, 22 of the world’s top 50 and the best field of the year in Europe—if holding that distinction for one week only—although only one of the major champions, Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, is regarded as among the favourites.

Ogilvy has done an about-turn on Loch Lomond, returning here having accepted the wisdom that the best way to prepare for an Open is play incessantly on the linksland.

“The last two years I’ve played links courses before the Open,” said the 2006 US Open champion.

“Last year it was Formby and West Lancs and in previous years I played around St Andrews and Carnoustie, and I ended up playing rubbish in both Opens.

“I always wanted to come back here and play here, and I thought it was bad before the Open to play here, but now I don’t think it is.

“I played Prestwick yesterday, so I’ve had a bit of links golf, and it’s not that different, you quickly get back into the mode.

“I think the problem last year was that I lacked competitive play before the Open.”

Ogilvy also thinks he needs to play more in Europe, where his career really started.

“I re-joined to play in the Race to Dubai, so I need to get my numbers of tournaments up but I’d already decided to play here for a competitive element prior to the Open.

“I’m considering the Dunhill, but the Presidents Cup might get in the way.

“But I’ve been here two or three days and I’m already thinking, ‘Geez, I should do this more often.’

“This event is for sure one of the top events around the world, a better field and a better golf course than you get in tournaments in America.”

Ernie Els has as good a record in the Open as anyone not named Woods or Harrington in the last 10 years, and he comes to Loch Lomond every year.

The 2000 and 2003 champion said, “We talk about this every year but it always seems that guys who play well this week take it into next week and play well in the Open as well.”

Defending champion Graeme McDowell has played well at Opens, and while he agrees this is not ideal preparation for the championship, it doesn’t matter to him.

“I’m a links player born and bred, and you slip back into it very easily,” said the Portrush-based Northern Irishman. “If I was not defending the title, I’d still be here—you have to get your preparation right and I’m pretty happy with mine.”

While this is a huge event in its own right, next week still looms large. Most players here have stopped off at Turnberry and report a lush course that is fairly generous off the tee, but woe betide if you are a bit wild.

“It’s a shot-maker’s course still, and a different one to 15 years ago or 1986 or 1977,” said Colin Montgomerie, who has strong ties to the course with his academy based there.

McDowell, who played—and lost—to Rory McIlroy in his practice round there last week, was even more fulsome.

“Unbelievably impressed,” he said. “It’s got some of the heaviest links rough I’ve ever seen, but it’s going to be a great test, not one of those long major venues but one that asks you to position your ball off the tee.”

Americans like Boo Weekley, Brian Gay and the up-and-coming Nick Watney, as well as US Tour regulars like Rory Sabbatini, Adam Scott, Robert Allenby and Camilo Villegas are also convinced that no harm will befall them from being at Loch Lomond.

Like Ogilvy, they see an opportunity to get in one of the events they need to qualify for the Race To Dubai bean-feast at the season’s end, the four majors and the three WGC events still requiring them to play another five to make up the statutory 12.

Eight of the race’s top 10 are here, and a top-10 finish will be a step towards the top 60 on tour, who qualify for the £10 million Dubai World Championship at the season’s end.