Caddie's Role: Jacksonville Beach Florida was the venue for the Players Championship last week. Ponte Vedra to be precise, but it is in the Jacksonville area.

The Tournament Players Championship (TPC) fever grips the vicinity like a new fashion. I am a regular visiter to Starbucks cafes when I am in the States, there is no doubt that the coffee is worth the compromise of chain existence.

It does concern me at my more reflective moments that the central American bean grower is actually getting his fair share of the corporation cup price, but how can you start the day without a worthy brew? My most convenient cafe was also the one closest one to the golf club, so the clientele had golf chatter simmering over their coffees.

"Happy TPC week," one businessman greeted another as he licked the froth off his coffee. "Do they still have that shoot-out" a rigid-permed older lady asked her colleague as she sipped her morning brew through a pair of sunglasses that seemed to leave only her lips exposed. The waitress mentioned to a customer that she had not served a "golfer" yet but that there had been a gang of Japanese interpreters in for their morning dose of caffeine.

The Tournament Players Championship is bigger than Christmas at Ponte Vedra and its residents celebrate as only the Americans can, excessively.

Sawgrass is the headquarters for the US PGA Tour, this is the nucleus of professional golf in America, naturally it is a melting pot for anyone connected with golf in the States. There is a hugely impressive driving range with its massive expanse consisting of realistic greens dotted around the range for more challenging practice. There are numerous chipping areas and of course the opportunity to hit balls in whatever direction you may feel like. No wonder so many tour pros base themselves in the area.

The main crescent-shaped hitting area closest to the clubhouse is surrounded with the flags that represent each tournament that makes up the extensive US Tour.

Most tournament directors are present early in the week to have meetings about next year's events.

It is undoubtedly a huge event and if the prize-fund was the only yardstick about the importance of the tournament then it is the biggest. Some $8 million were thrown into the pot this year for the players to agonise over for the last time on the Players course as it is now.

As you read this, the clubhouse is being prepared for demolition and the big diggers are moving onto the course to redesign a few holes, dig up all the greens and improve the drainage system.

The clubhouse is only 20 years old, obviously too old in golfing terms in America to justify its existence. There is no room to draw breath in this dynamic industry that we move very rapidly through over here.

TPC week is an intensive golfing week but it also has a busy social calendar.

Not only do many golfers base themselves in Jacksonville but a huge number of their porters also.

So with Vijay Singh's big party on Monday night; directions being a simple five-mile drive along a certain road and "don't worry you will see all the cars and there will be police to direct you to a valet" to Billy Mayfairs caddie's more modest affair on Tuesday night and ending with Joey Sindelar toter's traditional session and Jim Furyk's barbecue on Wednesday, it was a relief to get into competition mode by Thursday.

It is also interesting to see how your colleagues really live when you have only known them through on-the-course conversation and the odd exchange in a hotel lobby. We all attempt to have real lives on tour too, despite the rigours of a nomadic existence.

The main show started and we were paired with Sergio Garcia, El Nino, the hot shot from Castellon. Golf has certainly gained some kudos amongst the younger trendsetters in recent years due to the arrival of exciting charismatic players like Tiger and Sergio. Not that it will ever compete with Coldplay for the drooling combination of cool and sensitive, but playing with Sergio Garcia is as close as you will get to playing with a rock star on tour.

The first thing you notice is that there is an abundance of young people congregated around the first hole. They screech as 'El Nino' is announced on the tee. His cream trousers, pectoral hugging lime green shirt, long hair drooping casually out of his two-tone high top hat set him apart from the average player on tour.

As the round progressed I started to notice a pattern of behaviour amongst these young enthusiasts. It seems that perhaps they were not there for the golf. The same pretty girls appeared at the same places between the walkways from green to tee. They glared longingly into the young Spaniards eyes hoping to get a nod from the engaging Garcia. The Pete Dye Stadium course at Sawgrass is demanding enough on the concentration levels without having fluttering young eye-lashes trying to lure you away from the demands of the next tee shot.

My man shook the demons of Sawgrass off his back with a final round 69 and a second place finish. His final total of eight under reflected what most experts would have considered to be a realistic winning score. Stephen Ames' five under par last round left him with the stunning total of 14 under par which was never going to be beaten.

Despite Ames' impressive score, the most memorable outcome of the week was Nick Faldo's comment when Rory Sabbatini's wife appeared at the course on Friday last with a tee-shirt with 'Keep Up' splayed across the front of it. She was referring to Faldo's deliberate style of play, something that her husband cannot seem to come to grips with.

The seasoned professional and maturing announcer was sharp in retorting that: "It is very embarassing to bring their sexual problems to the golf course. Poor fellow, he has enough problems as it is without her announcing it to the world".

It was a happier TPC week for those who didn't take it quite so seriously.