A son of the Muckle Toon of Langholm, with a penchant for classic rock and honest howffs, a decade of reporting on the Royal & Ancient game has kept me on the straight and narrow despite my own wild attempts at this often infuriating pursuit.
With career prize money of almost £10m and counting, a lot has been earned, too.
Lawrie may not remember the pay-out he picked up from the local bookies as a teenager after placing a canny bet on Sandy Lyle to win the Masters in 1988, but the Aberdonian can still recall where he was as one of Scottish sport's great moments unfolded.
On Grand National weekend, it was perhaps fitting that talk turned to a flutter at Augusta National.
