| Surely every player's dream - to come to St | | | | than firstly, home players doing well, secondly, a |
| Andrews, the home of golf and tee it up in The | | | | goodly supply of birdies and thirdly, some |
| Open Championship. But what of the humble | | | | interaction with our golfing heroes. This was an |
| spectator ? | | | | excellent Championship for all three. |
| How well did measure-up for over 200,000 | | | | Although Tiger came away with the prized Claret |
| mortals who came to follow the fairways with | | | | Jug, this was also a terrific championship for local |
| their golfing gods ? Here is one person's reflection | | | | players - be they Scots, Brits or fellow Europeans. |
| on those heady days in July 2005, when the spirit | | | | Colin Montgomerie's renaissance as a key |
| of Old Tom Morris stirred, and the golfing world | | | | contender for Major honours created an air of |
| paid full attention to the triumphs and disasters | | | | feverish excitement and expectation - Scotland's |
| that played out on St Andrews' majestic links. | | | | hero was cheered more loudly around the course |
| Majesty and spectacle were indeed the order of | | | | than the world's No.1 big cat from America. Tiger's |
| the day - on all four of the championship days. To | | | | dominance of the final afternoon did not detract |
| be part of the retirement party for the world's | | | | from the general impression that Monty had |
| greatest ever golfer, was truly special for player | | | | acquitted himself magnificently. But for a recent |
| and spectator alike - a fond farewell from an | | | | restoration in Tiger's own form, the cheers of |
| adoring public to a sporting king of kings. That | | | | "C'mon Monty" could well have swept the burly |
| Jack Nicklaus finished his professional playing | | | | Scotsman to carry off the Claret Jug for himself. |
| career with a birdie three at the closing hole was | | | | Let's not forget the European threat posed to |
| enough to send every golf fan into raptures of | | | | Tiger's plans on the final day by Spain's deadliest |
| delight. The roar of approval that greeted his final | | | | duo - Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia. |
| putt was on a par with that accorded a team | | | | Added to this, the top Amateur and winner of |
| lifting the FA Cup or the Superbowl. | | | | the Silver medal was Scotland's own Lloyd |
| Unforgettable ! If Tiger set the scoring benchmark | | | | Saltman, who will no doubt feature strongly in the |
| on the opening day, and Monty raised the spectre | | | | forthcoming Walker Cup. |
| of his long-awaited first Major win, then it was | | | | Making courses tortuously challenging to score well |
| Jack who set the whole championship alight on his | | | | on seems to be a trend in Major championship |
| "farewell Friday". | | | | golf, but not one that necessarily lights up the |
| While following the Nicklaus-Watson-Donald | | | | crowds. Crowds love birdies. Admittedly courses |
| three-ball on that momentous Friday, I reflected | | | | should not surrender too easily to the power and |
| on what made the two senior players such | | | | technology of the modern game, but allowing |
| imperious leaders of this great game. Admittedly | | | | players to shine, rather than be humiliated must |
| they have scores of victories to their names, not | | | | be the right way. With as many as four driveable |
| least 28 Major titles, including 8 Open | | | | par 4's on St Andrews' Old Course, there were |
| Championships. But their leadership is also notable | | | | opportunities a'plenty for crowd-pleasing |
| for its distinctive human quality. Jack and Tom | | | | risk-reward golf. On Saturday, Tiger was the only |
| actually demonstrate their respect and | | | | player to drive the 380 yard par-4 10th, to the |
| appreciation for the biggest and sometimes most | | | | huge delight of the crowds and amazement of |
| overlooked population in golf - the spectators. | | | | the players putting out on the green. |
| Whenever either player strode onto a tee box, | | | | So, with appetites satisfied, local players doing well |
| they appeared to make deliberate eye contact | | | | and birdies rolling in, what more could we |
| with at least one or two fans thronging round | | | | spectators want - some wit and repartee from |
| that tee-ing ground. Few other players do this, but | | | | the players perhaps. At a time when many tour |
| to meet eye-to-eye with one of the golfing gods | | | | professionals seem be-dazzled by the dollar-signs |
| is a moment not forgotten. | | | | flashing in front of their eyes, it is re-assuring to |
| As any golf fan will tell you, it is not just the | | | | know that the art of "entertainment" is still alive |
| players who make The Open such a memorable | | | | and well in at least some players. |
| occasion. We spectators need to be fed and | | | | On the final day, a wolf-whistle greeted Ian |
| watered, we have to take "liquid management" | | | | Poulter as he walked onto the 11th tee, |
| breaks, we want to marvel at the quality of the | | | | resplendent in his pink outfit. Ian duly |
| playing surfaces, we need somewhere to buy our | | | | acknowledged the admirer by blowing a kiss back |
| memorabilia, and we seek out the best vantage | | | | into the crowd. Playing partner Nick Faldo |
| points to see the golf itself. We also want to rub | | | | nervously shuffled further away from Poulter, |
| shoulders with our golfing heroes, while giving | | | | suspecting he was interrupting the flirtatious |
| them enough space to feel fully concentrated and | | | | goings-on. It was pure vaudeville, and much |
| play to their best. On all these counts, the | | | | enjoyed by the gallery. On the same day, one |
| tournament organisers did us proud. | | | | also had to admire Tiger chuckling at one or two |
| If the Old Course is not renowned for being the | | | | missed putts on the baffling roller-coaster greens |
| most spectator-friendly viewing venue, then a | | | | - a chuckle rather than scowling at his putter or |
| little bit of advanced "grandstand planning" | | | | caddie is much more endearing. |
| combined with some "walking the course" created | | | | When all is right with the world on the golf course, |
| plenty of opportunity to get close to the action. | | | | what then for the spectator at a St Andrews |
| The four grandstands around the turn (a "loop" of | | | | Open ? Here is where the Auld Grey Toon |
| five closely knit holes starting with the par-4 7th) | | | | trumps the other Championship venues. A mere |
| gave wonderful views of several greens and tee | | | | 50 yards from the 18th green are the first of the |
| boxes - a real sporting amphitheatre. Some | | | | city's many pubs. Take another 50 paces and |
| spectators happily spent the whole day in the | | | | restaurants start to appear on the map. In fact |
| same stand, some the whole championship ! For | | | | everything in this bustling city - its harbour, |
| those who preferred to walk, this thin strip of | | | | cathedral, university, golf shops, accommodation |
| out-and-back links land does have two big | | | | and the like - are all located within a pitch or a |
| advantages for spectators. The Old Course is | | | | drive from the course itself. Add in the wonderful |
| relatively flat and therefore easily walked, and the | | | | seaside location, the expansive West beach, the |
| golf can be watched from either side of the | | | | beautiful River Eden estuary and the glorious Fife |
| course, not least at the most famous hole of | | | | countryside, and it all tallies-up to a unique and |
| them all, the 18th. | | | | probably the most awe-inspiring of all golf venues. |
| The thousands of "back office" support staff who | | | | In the cosmopolitan and bustling atmosphere of |
| catered to our every need are to be hugely | | | | the city centre, it didn't seem at all remarkable |
| applauded for making this a great Championship | | | | that on one evening we sat down to a Mexican |
| for spectators. To curb hunger and quench thirst | | | | dinner with Mr & Mrs Kenny Perry at an |
| there were an abundance of fish'n'chip bars, | | | | adjacent table, or on another evening bumped |
| drinking holes, hamburger stalls and ice cream | | | | into Vijay Singh ambling along Market Street, or at |
| kiosks. If carbo-loading was not the culinary | | | | the conclusion of the tournament saw a |
| choice, then many delis provided healthier fare. | | | | spit'n'polished Nick Faldo being photographed on |
| The "food and drink" offer was in all respects | | | | the 17th fairway with a group of fans. |
| substantive, only dwarfed by the tented village - | | | | This was indeed a very special Open, contested |
| more the size of a respectable market town, if | | | | by the greatest players, deservedly won by the |
| truth be told. Everything on sale for the keen golf | | | | world's No.1 and all played out in the finest |
| fan, and then more. | | | | weather that the Kingdom of Fife can serve up. |
| With all that food and particularly beverage on | | | | Few items appear on my "could be improved" list. |
| offer, it was surprising that not once in four days | | | | Perhaps I'd like to see a few more characters in |
| did I hear these regal surroundings rent by the | | | | the game and the re-emergence of a tad more |
| crazed shriek of "yo the man !" or "in the hole !" | | | | "entertainment" value. The courses themselves |
| On the noise front however, one is tempted to | | | | could possibly accommodate a touch of sensitive |
| ponder why the jet-fighter sorties from nearby | | | | nip and tuck to create better spectator viewing |
| RAF Leuchars needed to be flown on the first | | | | points, without requiring radical surgery. However, |
| two days of The Open. At least these noisy | | | | in terms of the overall presentation and |
| fighting machines remained grounded on the | | | | organisation of a great sporting spectacular, its |
| Saturday and Sunday. | | | | hats-off to the R&A, St Andrews and the |
| Turning to events on the course itself, nothing | | | | 134th Open Championship - we spectators had a |
| seemed more in demand from we spectators | | | | ball ! |