Surely every players dream - to come to St Andrews, the home of golf and tee it up in The Open Championship. But what of the humble spectator ?

How well did measure-up for over 200,000 mortals who came to follow the fairways with their golfing gods ? Here is one persons reflection on those heady days in July 2005, when the spirit of Old Tom Morris stirred, and the golfing world paid full attention to the triumphs and disasters that played out on St Andrews majestic links.

Majesty and spectacle were indeed the order of the day on all four of the championship days. To be part of the retirement party for the worlds greatest ever golfer, was truly special for player and spectator alike - a fond farewell from an adoring public to a sporting king of kings. That Jack Nicklaus finished his professional playing career with a birdie three at the closing hole was enough to send every golf fan into raptures of delight. The roar of approval that greeted his final putt was on a par with that accorded a team lifting the FA Cup or the Superbowl.

Unforgettable ! If Tiger set the scoring benchmark on the opening day, and Monty raised the spectre of his long-awaited first Major win, then it was Jack who set the whole championship alight on his farewell Friday.

While following the Nicklaus-Watson-Donald three-ball on that momentous Friday, I reflected on what made the two senior players such imperious leaders of this great game. Admittedly they have scores of victories to their names, not least 28 Major titles, including 8 Open Championships. But their leadership is also notable for its distinctive human quality. Jack and Tom actually demonstrate their respect and appreciation for the biggest and sometimes most overlooked population in golf the spectators. Whenever either player strode onto a tee box, they appeared to make deliberate eye contact with at least one or two fans thronging round that tee-ing ground. Few other players do this, but to meet eye-to-eye with one of the golfing gods is a moment not forgotten.

As any golf fan will tell you, it is not just the players who make The Open such a memorable occasion. We spectators need to be fed and watered, we have to take liquid management breaks, we want to marvel at the quality of the playing surfaces, we need somewhere to buy our memorabilia, and we seek out the best vantage points to see the golf itself. We also want to rub shoulders with our golfing heroes, while giving them enough space to feel fully concentrated and play to their best. On all these counts, the tournament organisers did us proud.

If the Old Course is not renowned for being the most spectator-friendly viewing venue, then a little bit of advanced grandstand planning combined with some walking the course created plenty of opportunity to get close to the action. The four grandstands around the turn (a loop of five closely knit holes starting with the par-4 7th) gave wonderful views of several greens and tee boxes a real sporting amphitheatre. Some spectators happily spent the whole day in the same stand, some the whole championship ! For those who preferred to walk, this thin strip of out-and-back links land does have two big advantages for spectators. The Old Course is relatively flat and therefore easily walked, and the golf can be watched from either side of the course, not least at the most famous hole of them all, the 18th.

The thousands of back office support staff who catered to our every need are to be hugely applauded for making this a great Championship for spectators. To curb hunger and quench thirst there were an abundance of fishnchip bars, drinking holes, hamburger stalls and ice cream kiosks. If carbo-loading was not the culinary choice, then many delis provided healthier fare. The food and drink offer was in all respects substantive, only dwarfed by the tented village more the size of a respectable market town, if truth be told. Everything on sale for the keen golf fan, and then more.

With all that food and particularly beverage on offer, it was surprising that not once in four days did I hear these regal surroundings rent by the crazed shriek of yo the man ! or in the hole ! On the noise front however, one is tempted to ponder why the jet-fighter sorties from nearby RAF Leuchars needed to be flown on the first two days of The Open. At least these noisy fighting machines remained grounded on the Saturday and Sunday.

Turning to events on the course itself, nothing seemed more in demand from we spectators than firstly, home players doing well, secondly, a goodly supply of birdies and thirdly, some interaction with our golfing heroes. This was an excellent Championship for all three.

Although Tiger came away with the prized Claret Jug, this was also a terrific championship for local players be they Scots, Brits or fellow Europeans. Colin Montgomeries renaissance as a key contender for Major honours created an air of feverish excitement and expectation - Scotlands hero was cheered more loudly around the course than the worlds No.1 big cat from America. Tigers dominance of the final afternoon did not detract from the general impression that Monty had acquitted himself magnificently. But for a recent restoration in Tigers own form, the cheers of Cmon Monty could well have swept the burly Scotsman to carry off the Claret Jug for himself.

Lets not forget the European threat posed to Tigers plans on the final day by Spains deadliest duo Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia. Added to this, the top Amateur and winner of the Silver medal was Scotlands own Lloyd Saltman, who will no doubt feature strongly in the forthcoming Walker Cup.

Making courses tortuously challenging to score well on seems to be a trend in Major championship golf, but not one that necessarily lights up the crowds. Crowds love birdies. Admittedly courses should not surrender too easily to the power and technology of the modern game, but allowing players to shine, rather than be humiliated must be the right way. With as many as four driveable par 4s on St Andrews Old Course, there were opportunities aplenty for crowd-pleasing risk-reward golf. On Saturday, Tiger was the only player to drive the 380 yard par-4 10th, to the huge delight of the crowds and amazement of the players putting out on the green.

So, with appetites satisfied, local players doing well and birdies rolling in, what more could we spectators want - some wit and repartee from the players perhaps. At a time when many tour professionals seem be-dazzled by the dollar-signs flashing in front of their eyes, it is re-assuring to know that the art of entertainment is still alive and well in at least some players.

On the final day, a wolf-whistle greeted Ian Poulter as he walked onto the 11th tee, resplendent in his pink outfit. Ian duly acknowledged the admirer by blowing a kiss back into the crowd. Playing partner Nick Faldo nervously shuffled further away from Poulter, suspecting he was interrupting the flirtatious goings-on. It was pure vaudeville, and much enjoyed by the gallery. On the same day, one also had to admire Tiger chuckling at one or two missed putts on the baffling roller-coaster greens a chuckle rather than scowling at his putter or caddie is much more endearing.

When all is right with the world on the golf course, what then for the spectator at a St Andrews Open ? Here is where the Auld Grey Toon trumps the other Championship venues. A mere 50 yards from the 18th green are the first of the citys many pubs. Take another 50 paces and restaurants start to appear on the map. In fact everything in this bustling city - its harbour, cathedral, university, golf shops, accommodation and the like are all located within a pitch or a drive from the course itself. Add in the wonderful seaside location, the expansive West beach, the beautiful River Eden estuary and the glorious Fife countryside, and it all tallies-up to a unique and probably the most awe-inspiring of all golf venues.

In the cosmopolitan and bustling atmosphere of the city centre, it didnt seem at all remarkable that on one evening we sat down to a Mexican dinner with Mr & Mrs Kenny Perry at an adjacent table, or on another evening bumped into Vijay Singh ambling along Market Street, or at the conclusion of the tournament saw a spitnpolished Nick Faldo being photographed on the 17th fairway with a group of fans.

This was indeed a very special Open, contested by the greatest players, deservedly won by the worlds No.1 and all played out in the finest weather that the Kingdom of Fife can serve up. Few items appear on my could be improved list. Perhaps Id like to see a few more characters in the game and the re-emergence of a tad more entertainment value. The courses themselves could possibly accommodate a touch of sensitive nip and tuck to create better spectator viewing points, without requiring radical surgery. However, in terms of the overall presentation and organisation of a great sporting spectacular, its hats-off to the R&A, St Andrews and the 134th Open Championship we spectators had a ball !