The prize money is very decadent yet is an irrelevance to the spectator because these are Championships where a title means a lot to a player, not simple financial reward. Of the four events each year, the Amex is possibly the most prestigious and for 2004 it is returning to Ireland, to Mount Juliet, a course which simply has (in the words of the best players), the best greens there are. Put the best players in the World on a course such as Mount Juliet and you are going to have a feast of shot making plus rapidly reddening scoreboards.

The Amex takes the Top 50 in the World along with Order of Merit winners from each of the World Championship Tours and this year returns to a course which produced a final leaderboard (back in 2002) which was a very good reflection of the very best players from that year and 2001 - although a certain Darren Clarke did not seem to find it to his liking (or his golf was just 'off') with nothing below 70 in any of the four rounds.

A World Championship event - of whatever sport - should attract attention from the world-wide media plus lots of local support and there was fervent expectation from the huge 100 000 + crowd of Irish golfers (and golf watchers), one of the most respectful and knowledgeable spectators you will ever find. The Irish love their sport and Clarke and Padraig Harrington knew what to expect. The likes of Woods and O'Meara have stopped over on the way to the Open for many years, following a trend started by Tom Watson, but for the other 63 players in the field, this was golf as they, the players, love to play it - great course and great crowds,

A Harrington or Clarke win this year (or perhaps Graeme McDowell if he continues his ever upwards rise in the World Rankings and makes it into the field) will produce delirium from Dublin to Cork, from Waterford to Sligo. With Woods not performing as he would like, leaving Els and Singh to possibly take over as No 1 or Phil Mickelson to turn another tournament into a win, there will be just as many, if not more people at Mount Juliet able to enjoy golf making the most of its relatively new World Championship schedules .... unlike other sports have done.

Despite the drugs scandals, there is only one cycling event which produces the names of the best there is in that sport. The Cycling World Championships can never match the Tour de France for impact, just as say for Skiing where each year individual races at the great resorts are a tier above a bi annual event and the Olympics will always be the crowns that the Champions want. Athletics came up with its own rival to the five rings then went money mad, at the same time as standards were not rising and more people seemed to be visiting the chemists too often.

The golfer of today owes much to Tiger Woods for the money that they play for since his arrival but the sport became a global one with Palmer, then Nicklaus and Player and has always provided the best rewards for its players. The aforementioned, plus Lee Trevino, would play across the World (albeit with appearance money) and their effect on raising the profile of golf and the desire of others to take up the game through the growing popularity of respective tours was immeasurable. All this means that a player can be very well rewarded for just playing the game to a high standard.

Other sports have found popularity, and all that goes with it, somewhat fleeting. There is something about golf though that should ensure the same does not happen. The change from a Top 60 on a Tour keeping their card (all over the world), to a Top 125 before any sort of re-qualification is balanced by the excellence required to make Top 50 in the World Rankings which has benefits throughout - not just for the WGC schedules. The biggest prize money means that there are many Europeans playing more and more on the PGA Tour yet a number do talk of what actually makes a Tournament or Championship special, the 'extras' which make a player write a certain venue into their diaries mid Winter.

One choice is because of a course and the facilities that go with it. Whether the R&A will be rushing to put Royal St George's back onto the Open roster or the USGA will keep the same course preparation schedule for Shinnecock for the next US Open visit are open to conjecture. However, St George's in 2003 produced a final leaderboard that was the equal of virtually any Open for the quality of those who had a chance to win - and the records for when Greg Norman triumphed there show the old links in just a favourable a light. Those final 7 holes are like a fragmented concrete road or lane, going this way then that, then blown up by an artillery attack. Trying to guide a golf ball along each hole, in a bit of wind, is there not to test generic skill (ability). That would not be fair on the history of the game. What was required was nerve, patience, imagination and proper bottle. The player who won did all of these better than those behind him.

Mount Juliet has never attracted any criticism of any sort, nothing comparable to say St George's - actually no criticism whatsoever. Its nothing like the old links and architecturally, Jack Nicklaus was the designer so he can defend and defy any critics - should here be any. Led by Tiger, 2002 was nothing but praise for the estate and for the course, to have the best greens in the World has a certain kudos.

Being 25 under par did not mean that the course was a patsy. Its defences were down through a lack of rough and the perfect greens introduced so much positive play. There were no excuses for the best in the World not to play their best approaches and know that a true struck putt would get its reward. Like many a Nicklaus design, a fade has its uses and wide fairways are there so that the course asks questions of the best (can you hit the right side) and allows us everyday golfers to enjoy a round for the other 51 weeks of a golfing year.

Mount Juliet is outstandingly beautiful. Its also away from Dublin so its a 'retreat', something extra special with all the facilities the players were able to enjoy at the Conrad Hotel - a Championship to bring the family or friends to. Any players with a phobia for travel will be packing their passports for the 2004 Amex. The players will be there.

This perfect (even more so that normal) piece of Irish countryside is more than 80 miles from Dublin and Cork but the spectators will be there as well, in their tens and tens of thousands. This time the Amex is at the very end of September so maybe an Indian Summer will grace the course which has a reputation for standards of condition that very very few even can aspire to. Even if it rains a little, you can be sure the players will be trying their hardest yet still raising a smile or two. And there is one little secret that you can only find out about if you come back to Mount Juliet after the 2004 Amex.

Tucked away between House and the Golf clubhouse, in an open bit of woodland, is the Mount Juliet putting course. None of us will witness the best players in the World divesting themselves (the losers that is) of the contents of their wallets post play on the 18 hole, a par 55 of swinging and slinging greens that are set onto mounds and between mini lakes and streams. Think Augusta in your back garden (with Dairmud Gavin taking to grass) and look out for the monster tadpoles that grace the water hazards - rather than the huge fish of the estate waters. Fabulous, the icing on the already wonderful cake.