A word in the ear from Premier Pam Gordon forced golf legend Jack Nicklaus to last night rethink the design of his proposed course on the former Southampton Annex baselands.

Nicklaus, on a whirlwind stopover on his way from the US to England, made his first visit to the land which he plans turn into Bermuda's next championship lay-out.

But having spent more than two hours surveying the property and pencilling in subtle changes from an original design by the British PGA, the man who turned to golf architecture after rewriting the sport's record books, conceded the message he received from Premier Gordon would weigh heavily on his mind as he worked on a final draft.

And that message? "I told him the community had concerns about the quality of the course, that we already have eight courses, that a visitor can come to Bermuda and play a different course every day, and that whatever he leaves in Bermuda is his signature course and it has to be world class quality so that Bermuda can be looked at as a destination for significant tournaments,'' said Gordon.

"And I told him anything less than that would not be satisfactory for our community. "Mr. Nicklaus gave his word he would go back and make some revisions and design a course which he would be very proud to carry his name.

"I believe in a person's integrity and their word and he gave me his word, and I think Bermuda will have a golf course that we will be all be very pleased with at the end of the day.'' Having kept the Premier waiting for close on half an hour as he sought to tour as much of the 260 acre property as possible in the limited time allowed, the Golden Bear admitted he was slightly taken aback by Gordon's forthright comments.

But he said he was delighted she had taken such an interest in the proposed development -- one that is being put forward by a group known as Morgan's Harbour, backed by the resort group, Renaissance, and which was accepted earlier this year by Bermuda Land Development Company over four rival bidders.

"I think (what she said) was great,'' said Nicklaus. "Why beat around the bush with your message. She told me exactly what you want and why you want it.

This is the last piece of property you can accomplish that on. "And I'll be honest, I wouldn't have done what I'm going to do now if she had not spoken to me.

"I probably would have designed the golf course to make it a little easier because of the potential wind conditions. But she wants to make sure this island has the ability to house a world class golf tournament with a world class golf course that gets world class recognition. I think that's a very reasonable request from a Premier of an island if that will help the island from a tourism point of view.'' But even before speaking with Gordon, Nicklaus recognised that several changes could be made to make the course more demanding and interesting than originally planned.

"I've completely reversed the front nine already,'' he chuckled. "We're starting at nine and playing backwards now.'' As for spectacular holes over water which many critics have said the original design lacked, Nicklaus said he also envisaged changes in that direction.

"You've got a water site. You should use the water. That's one of the things that's going to make it spectacular. The thing I don't want to do with the golf course -- and I know you've got a lot of wind in Bermuda -- is make it unplayable.

"You've got to be able to play the course when the wind does blow.'' Nicklaus, however, indicated that if Morgan's Harbour gave the go-ahead, he would be more than happy to take the course out onto the peninsula, an area which rival designers Tom Fazio and Arnold Palmer had incorporated in their plans before being rejected by BLDC.

"We could do it either way you want to do it,'' agreed Nicklaus. "What I was asked to do was not use the peninsula. The wind would have been a factor but it's going to be a factor anywhere on this piece of land. "If it's so desired we'll go out on the peninsula, but I was asked not to. And that's fine by me.'' Nicklaus who arrived on the Island in his own private jet late yesterday afternoon and was whisked to Southampton by helicopter, left last night but said he would be returning as many as ten times before and after construction begins.

And he confided that the course could be open within a year from the time work began, although it's understood Morgan's Harbour were looking towards late 1999 as an opening date.

"If we started work today, providing we had all the permitting, we could be playing this course in a year,'' said Nicklaus.

Asked what he had accomplished during such a short visit, Nicklaus laughed: "A lot more than I thought.

"I shortened the course a little bit today as I went round because I was trying not to have to move too much earth and instead utilise the things that were here.

"But now I have to rethink a little bit on that simply because of what your Premier has asked me to do. I now have to make sure you're going to have a world class golf course. "As far as the silly golf ball goes today, you've got to be able to have a fair amount of length. "We had the golf course just over 7,000 yards. But I need to rethink that, get to places we weren't going to go and create a little more yardage to be able to accomplish what she wants.

"If you want world class competition here, you don't want the players coming and shooting 62. You want them to have to make a few putts to shoot a low score.'' ALL CHANGE -- Jack Nicklaus (right) and senior design associate Dave Heatwole ponder revised plans as they tour the former Southampton Naval Annex yesterday.