Former soldier is on guard duty at Loch Lomond club house

Jun 29 2008 Euan Mclean

HE has seen combat in a forgotten conflict lost among the headlines of the Vietnam War.

He spent years as an MoD policeman keeping the Royal Navy's baddest boys in line and shutting angry protesters out of Faslane.

But Rab Curran insists his toughest task was guarding the Players' Lounge at Loch Lomond from a posh old dear hell bent on conning her way in for free bevvy.

Over the last eight years this dapper gent has become one of the most recognisable figures at the Barclays Scottish Open, resplendent in his regiment's Glengarry and a different tartan every day.

That spectacular handlebar moustache screams old-school sergeant major and his no nonsense demeanour should be more than enough to make gatecrashers think twice about chancing their arm.

So Rab laughs when he remembers the unlikely appearance of the biggest troublemaker to turn up at Loch Lomond. He grinned: "You'll always get a punter coming up with a skinfull saying 'I met Monty in France and he said the next time I'm at Loch Lomond I should come in and see him.' Aye, right. That way pal.

"But the biggest chancer I encountered was a wee wummin from St Andrews.

"She came up to the door dressed in the tweed jacket, skirt, the typical brogues, wee hat and the handbag.

"A typical wee posh wifey aged about 70.

"She said in a plummy accent 'I'm from St Andrews' as if I'm supposed to instantly bow and usher her in.

"So I asked to see her pass and she said 'no I'm just here to see my friends.' "Now I knew she was chancing her arm but rather than physically blocking her I told her to go to reception.

"I turned around and faced the public again but I sensed something wasn't right and turned back for a look and sure enough she'd vanished.

"She'd just gone straight into the Players' Lounge.

"So I went in after her and there she is swanning about among the players and their families looking for drink.

"I politely got her out but on our way we bumped into the chief executive who told me he had just had her removed from a hospitality tent. She was going round everywhere looking for free drink.

"So our toughest customer turned out to be a wee wifey from St Andrews!"

Moments like that aside Rab insists it's the banter and interaction with the spectators that makes his 12-hour days standing guard outside the Players' Lounge pass quickly.

Rab, who saw action in the Borneo Confrontation in the early 1960s before joining the MoD, feels he is still doing his bit for his country by helping promote Scotland at the Loch Lomond event.

While his moustache - which he has been growing since 1972 - catches the attention of players and spectators alike he insists he takes more pride in his tartan garb. The 71-year-old said: "To me people at the Scottish Open should all wear tartan.

"I don't know if it's a generation thing but I feel it's an important part of the identity of the tournament.

"I've had American and Mexican golfers asking to pose for a photograph with the guy in the tartan.

"Others ask where they can get tartan trousers like mine and I send them off to a place in Alexandria.

"It's the people you meet and the banter you get that make the job special to me.

"I get people coming up to me and giving me a cuddle to say hello - they only see me once a year!

"That's what I love about it but my main job is to ensure players don't get interrupted.

"When they are out on the course everybody is asking for autographs but once they step into that lounge it's the only sanctuary where they can shut off and relax."