On a glorious summer's day in Lancashire yesterday golf enthusiasts got to watch some world renowned golfers go through the final throes of British Open 130 pre-qualifying. It was a Bank Holiday weekend atmosphere. Golf-clad spectators gathered on the balcony of the Fairhaven club terrace and chatted idly until the next group hit off the first tee, temporarily interrupting their conversations.

The better groups had large galleries trailing down each fairway in unusually close proximity to players who are normally kept at a safe distance from inquisitive golf enthusiasts. It does seem that British Open qualifying attracts spectators with a good understanding of the basic etiquette of the game - seemingly more informed than the people who attend normal tour events.

There is little need for crowd control.

Although there were star pairings with their star auras, there was a greater abundance of the more casual-looking golfer. This may have something to do with the new qualifying system for the British Open.

There were plenty of golf bags perched delicately on caddie-cars. The pin lay abandoned to the side of many greens, discarded by part-time caddies, much to the horror of the professional toters to whom dropping a pin on the deck is a grievous offence. Many players didn't have caddies and resorted to the old spit and polish of their golf balls to remove any unwanted stains.

The unmistakable sound of rapid fire of club on ball and ball to net was audible beside the car-park as many professionals chose to warm up in the nets and not on the customary manicured range.

The Fairhaven practice ground was about 180 yards in length, surrounded by trees. The modern pro might risk a seven iron to keep short of this constricted area but no more. To come to these century-plus old courses is a refreshing contrast to the modern courses visited by the tour.

Tony Johnstone, a tour veteran despite not scoring very well on the 74-par Fairhaven course, had nothing but praise for the condition and lay-out. This is another reminder to tournament organisers that there is a great interest in the traditional form of links golf and yet there is still a lack of such venues on the professional circuit.

Per-Ulrik Johansson blended in perfectly in his fawn attire with the fescue grasses. The only suggestion that the Swede, who has been playing in the US this year, was back in Europe was that there was the customary large gap between his group and the one ahead of him. He obviously has not got any quicker on the course despite playing on the American Tour.

Johansson's caddie marched up the fairway, arms spread like a cormorant drying his wings in the sun, in an effort to get a yard-perfect number for his boss. As his caddie did his impression of a bird in flight, Johansson was flailing his arms in some sort of time-killing ritual. With both caddie and player in an outstretched arm position they would not have looked out of place directing aircraft .

I continued my pre-qualifying spectating at St Annes Old Links which, as its name suggests, is a very traditional old links and has a direct link with Royal Lytham. It came about as a result of the "Premium course", as it was know drop of the Blackpool Tower and the amusement park's Big Dipper, the parched-looking terrain of the Old Links looked somewhat out of place.

Des Smyth was ebullient in his assessment of the course as he discarded his spikes into the boot of his car and slipped into his street shoes, signifying an early finish to a very good day's work. He had missed out last year at St Andrews but his 64 yesterday sealed his place in the 130th British Open and he was thrilled.

The format for qualifying this year has changed dramatically. With only 34 places available from just under 400 entrants the chances of success don't need to be highlighted. This is about half the number that stood to qualify in previous years.

Through various meetings of the Royal and Ancient, the US PGA and the European Tour, it was decided they should try to give a better quality of player a better chance of qualifying. So it was decided that the top eight finishers in the Western Open, played in the US a few weeks ago, would be exempt for the Open. It was also decided that a similar number would be exempt from the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond last week.

As ever, there are teething problems with any new system but what the authorities failed to recognise, or chose to ignore, in the 2001 qualifying set-up was that it gave the American golfers a greater chance of qualifying. Some may even say they had an unfair advantage, by having two and a half bites at the cherry as opposed to the Europeans' one and a half bites at the Open qualifying cherry.

Greg Chalmers, who plays on the US circuit, played in the Western Open and did not play well enough to get an Open exemption. He then got an invite to the Loch Lomond tournament and had another go at the top eight of the non-exempt at that event.

Effectively, for those who were astute and keen enough to play in the Open and were tour players in America, they had more chances to qualify than their European counterparts.

Which begs the question is the Open Championship becoming more closed and for whom?