Just as the first cuckoo sighting is one of the early signs of spring, here is the arrival of one of the unerring indications that winter will be with us shortly - the first curling column of the season in The Commentator.

And what a curling winter it promises to be here in Scotland.

For the first time in almost a decade, Scottish curling can boast that it is home to the world champion and, if that is not enough, for the first time in 15 years, the world champion-ships are coming home to the country that gave this sport to the world, when the new facility at the Braehead Centre in Renfrew will be centre stage next April for the Ford World championships.

Apart from these high profile events, Scottish curling has undergone some major changes over the summer that will have significant impact - probably all for the good.

One of the first duties this season for reigning world champion Hammy McMillan, from Stranraer, will take place this week when he throws the first stone to be delivered on the new ice-pads in Braehead.

As well as giving Scotland an international arena, Braehead will provide a spanking home for the many Glasgow and West of Scotland-based curling clubs that have been homeless since the demise two seasons ago of the Summit Centre in Anderston.

The Braehead centre will also be the operating base of the first of five development officers currently being appointed by the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.

Following an exhaustive process, former world junior champion James Dryburgh has been appointed to this new full-time position, which has been funded by a partnership that includes the Braehead developers, Glasgow City Council, the national governing body itself, and the Bank of Scotland, who have been strong supporters of the grass-roots level ''Curling is Cool'' initiative over the last two years.

Following swiftly in Dryburgh's footsteps, Nancy Murdoch has been appointed to a similar full-time post in Dumfries and Galloway, funded by another partnership group, which in this case includes local rink owners and the world governing body. The Royal Club's on-going recruitment process will shortly see development officers appointed in Ayrshire, Stirling, and Lanarkshire, although of these only Ayrshire will be a full-time post.

After throwing the first ceremonial stone at Braehead, McMillan will make his first competitive appearance of the season in Aberdeen on Friday, when he takes part in a new event, the AXA Sun Life North of Scotland championships, which carries a total prize fund of more than #4000. McMillan will face a strong international and national field, including the teams of regular Scottish national finalists Robin Gray and John Muir.

The women's event in Aberdeen next weekend also promises to be highly competitive with Scotland's top skips

of recent years, Rhona Martin, current Scottish champion Debbie Knox, and Britain's Olympic representative Kirsty Hay all scheduled to be in action.

For the Scottish women, next weekend's event is just the precursor to a season that promises to be completely different from those they have experienced in the past.

One of the complaints of Scottish women's curlers is that they have not been exposed to enough top-class competitive action. That is often cited as one reason for their seeming lack of international success when compared with the international achievements of the men's game.

Now that is all set to change with the introduction by national coach Mike Hay of a gold league programme that will ensure top-level competitive curling for Scottish women throughout the season.

This new format, which brings all of the top Scottish women together at various venues regularly thoughout the season, will replace the traditional style of Scottish championships, which last year was reduced to a straight one-week programme of competition towards the end of the season - hardly the ideal preparation for competing at world level.

This year, the national finals will be competed for again at the end of the programme, but in between 16 teams will have battled it out for the right to be there, a scenario that is practically bound in itself to give an extra competitive edge to Scotland's top women.

It is interesting to note that 16 teams have entered this new-style competition, thereby completely blowing away the concerns of the doubting Thomases who gloomily predicted that this new format would chase away the top women's teams. Instead, it has doubled their participation - just one small step of improvement among the many that curling can expect to see this winter.