Laura Davies, whom the European women will lean on heavily when they host the Americans on October 6-8, never has minced a word. Which explains why the British bomber, who has visited Loch Lomond Golf Club on several occasions in the past year, can sum up this awesome venue in just two words.

"Sheer magic."

Davies, for one, seems perfectly suited to tee it up on these 660 glorious acres that lie near the world-renowned loch, the largest inland body of water in Scotland. Until very recent geological times - the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago - Loch Lomond (the lake) was an arm of the Atlantic Ocean, a fitting scene for this biennial showdown that matches the two teams from each side of "The Pond." But when a glacier bore down on the area back then, leaving a mountain of debris in its path, Loch Lomond was trapped and formed a mere 25 feet above sea level. Adding to the wonderment, several groves of centuries-old trees (46 different types in all), as well as an abundance of wildlife (mostly deer and pheasants), abound on the property.

In addition, Loch Lomond has been the setting for some of Scotland's most storied history. The legendary William Wallace, whose life was immortalized in the Oscar-winning movie "Braveheart," once roamed these lands with his band of freedom fighters. Also noteworthy were the famous swordsmen Rob Roy MacGregor and Robert the Bruce, the first King of the Scots. But it was the Clan Colquhoun, whose roots can be traced to the early 1200s, who pioneered and cared for this pristine parcel long before it was a golf haven.

So the gauntlet to protect and enhance had already been laid down when the brilliant golf architectural team of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish arrived to design the golf course for Loch Lomond Golf Club, which opened to an elite international membership in 1994. The delicate project had been the brainchild of English entrepreneur David Brench, although it was spearheaded and developed by Lyle Anderson and his Scottsdale, Arizona partners - Drew Brown, Mark Sklar and Bennett Dorrance (DMB). All parties involved knew what a hidden gem they held in their hands. To their credit, they only polished it, which is why Loch Lomond Golf Club is often referred to as "the most beautiful course in all of Europe."

"The golf course is nature in its purest state, and it was paramount to Jay and I that we keep it that way," Weiskopf explained. "Without question, it was the best piece of available land for golf that I've ever seen."

Morrish, who did 25 courses with Weiskopf before they parted ways in 1998, offered this insight: "One course neither Tom nor I will ever equal is Loch Lomond. Nature and history provided us a site beyond compare."

Yet another chapter will be added when the Americans attempt to defend The Solheim Cup. Even though the Yankees will be on foreign soil, they might like what they find, as Loch Lomond Golf Club is much more American in character and style than the vast majority of seaside and inland links that have made Scotland such a sought-after golf destination.

Loch Lomond Golf Club opens gently, as its first nine holes weave their way along the water and through several stands of tall pines and firs. What makes the outward nine so unpredictable is the mood of the loch. When the wind blows cold, as it very well might late in the fall at The Solheim Cup, it can be a bear. When the weather is tame and the winds lame, players can assume a more aggressive attitude.

Gordon Smith, who has caddied at the Club for the past six years, said the secret to Loch Lomond is the first swing. "If you miss it off the tee around here, you're dead," Smith said of Loch Lomond's penchant to reward and punish. "It sounds easy, but when the wind blows off the loch, which usually is always, that's a tough thing to do even though the fairways are plenty generous. And (the wind) makes the course play so much longer."

Smith added that there is a well-known saying among Loch Lomond's members: "The next hole is the hardest one." The front nine certainly follows that formula, as strategy in the form of club selection is critical. A perfect example is the par-4 fourth, nicknamed "Ben Lomond’" after the legendary landmark that lies near the Trossach Hills, the natural gateway to the Scottish Highlands. Hit a driver or a long iron, and it's a short iron to the two-tiered green. Pull out the driver, as Davies might do at The Solheim Cup, and it can be merely a chip and a putt to an easy birdie. Always keep in mind that the front is only a warmup for what lurks ahead.

The final nine is without question one of the most incredible stretches in golf, beginning with the long and lavish par-4 10th. Either a driver or a 3-wood off the tee must settle quickly on this sweeping, downhill fairway that is interrupted spectacularly by wetlands. Backdropped against historic Gallow's Hill, both the tee shot and the approach are things of beauty. But add in the water, and the 10th can be a beast.

What most will remember at The Solheim Cup come crunch time are the final five holes, which are ideal for match-play in the sense that anything can happen from a big rally to an untimely disaster. Risk-reward is at a premium, with the short, par-4 14th being an excellent example. Appropriately nicknamed "Tom and Jay's Chance," a player is offered two distinct routes to the green, one being safe and short to the left, and the other requiring a big drive over 200 yards of marsh to a green that is quite reachable.

Ironically, the 14th also was the most dangerous moment in Weiskopf's architectural career, as he became ensnared in a peat bog there early one morning during construction of the course, and was nearly swallowed up if not for a tree root that he clung to for several hours before he managed to pull himself to safety. The experience was so life-threatening that Weiskopf lost all of his clothes in the bog, getting out with only his life.

The last four holes also are loaded with twists and turns, as the stars of The Solheim Cup will find in succession: a tight dogleg par 4 that breaks sharply to the right; a lengthy, par-5 dogleg left with a massive green fronted by a burn; a long par 3, where short is a certain bogey, and, finally, the perfect closer for match-play, where only a well-placed drive on this dramatic dogleg left will lead to a par or a birdie at best.

The crescendo comes to a climax with the ruins of the Rossdhu Castle rising up behind the 18th green. Back in the 12th century, it was the retreat of Mary Queen of Scots, who penned many of her famous love letters there. If European Captain Dale Reid has her way, that amorous theme will stay in place for this pending date with history.

"Loch Lomond is such a fantastic place, with so much history," said Reid, who played in the 1992 Solheim Cup, when Europe posted its only victory, a shocking upset at Dalmahoy in Edinburgh, Scotland. "If you know anything about Rob Roy and William Wallace, you know that there's already been enough bloodshed around there. We don't need any more."

No, a better ending for both teams might be found in that old Scottish ballad about those bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond: "You take the high road, and I'll take the low, and I'll be in Scotland before you." And, it might be added, may the best team win!