There was a time when Christmas lasted for 12 days. In this feverish modern age, of course, it’s now so bloated, it goes on and on for yonks.

In the window of a house not far from me, there's a decorated tree that's been up for so long, when it finally does come down – maybe in early April? – I’m assuming the sense of deflation will be broadly equivalent to the sobbing despondency that greeted the felling of the treasured sycamore that stood next to Hadrian’s Wall.

While we hurtle towards Santa’s annual tumble down the lum, it’s all festive this and yuletide that. In fact, the season of goodwill – or commercial racket, whichever you prefer - gets rammed down the throat with such unrelenting force, I’ve just coughed up a little bit of tinsel while typing this sentence.

As for goodwill in the world of golf? Not bloomin’ likely. For the heid bummers of the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, the on-going power struggle has just about developed into the nightmare before Christmas. Jon Rahm’s defection to LIV Golf last week was the latest twist in this extraordinary tale.

There will no doubt be a few more birls to come yet as the men’s game continues to be consumed by money and the ramifications – should that be Rahm-ifications? – of this extortionate arms race and the greed, entitlement and........

© Herald Scotland