The grandstands, the marquees and the hospitality units will all come down now.

So too, although probably more slowly, will the spirits and the pulse rates of the European fans.

But as darkness fell over Gleneagles last night, many of them just wanted to hang around the fringes of the Perthshire course as they celebrated their heroes' achievement of winning the Ryder Cup.

Almost 13 years to the day since the luxury hotel and golf resort was awarded the right to stage the 2014 event, First Minister Alex Salmond handed the little gold trophy to victorious European captain Paul McGinley. However, he was booed by some golf fans.

A huge cheer erupted from the crowd as the Irishman held it aloft, the last hurrah of an occasion that had crackled with atmosphere, excitement and noise since it began on Friday morning.

The royal and ancient game was Scotland's gift to the sporting world more than 600 years ago, and it celebrated its origins by coming home to stage the most boisterous party in its history. In the sedate surroundings of the rolling Perthshire countryside, the best players of Europe and America laid on a drama unmatched in these parts since Shakespeare gave Birnam Wood a speaking part and ordered it up Dunsinane Hill.

It was the first time Scotland had staged the Ryder Cup since the biennial transatlantic cotest was held at Muirfield in 1973.

You shudder to think what the gentlemen - and we can be gender specific on that point - of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers back then would have made of the football chants, the banners and the gaudy clothing on show at Gleneagles these past few days.

In the more sedate club-houses, it might even be a relief that the event is unlikely to return here for a generation or more.

Scotland may still be the home of golf, but the success of the modern Ryder Cup means that countries now fight tooth and nail - and fat cheque book - for the right to host the thing.

When it comes back to Europe in four years, France will be host. The bidding process for the 2022 event has already begun.

After a sensational Saturday performance in the afternoon foursomes, the Europeans had gone into yesterday's singles with a commanding four-point lead, 10-6, needing just another four points to retain the Cup. They wobbled a little in the early exchanges as star men like Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose fell behind in their matches, but Rory McIlroy showed them the way with a crushing 5&4 win over Rickie Fowler, and the home side never looked back.

It was clinched when Welshman Jamie Donaldson struck a magnificent 140-yard wedge at the 15th in his match with Keegan Bradley. The ball stopped two feet from the hole and everyone knew that the contest was over.

About 45,000 spectators had already been partying for three days. Now it was time for the European players to join in.