The Open Championship is the ultimate in golfing glitz and glamour; a point and gawp red carpet extravaganza that makes Oscar night look about as opulent as the dole queue in heavy drizzle.

Judging by Grant Forrest's first taste of the Open experience, the Scottish youngster should fit right in.

"I went to my first Open in 2005 with my dad and two other friends and we took a helicopter from Archerfield to St Andrews, watched the golf, and flew back home again," recalled the 20-year-old. There won't be any need for such lavish travel arrangements this month, though.

After winning the local final qualifier at Dunbar on Tuesday, East Lothian native Forrest – his family are in the process of moving from Archerfield to North Berwick – will make the short, ground-based hop along the A198 to Muirfield for the 142nd Open Championship, which starts in just 13 days' time. It promises to be an exciting, yet emotional, adventure.

Almost a year ago, Forrest lost his father, Graeme, to cancer but emerged from the grief to win the Scottish Amateur Championship just three weeks later.

"It's hard when he's not here," said Forrest, whose highly supportive dad was by his son's side when he first made his mark on the junior amateur scene by winning the Scottish under-16 title in 2009 and the Scottish Boys' crown the following year. "Whenever I do anything in golf, I just think I wish he could be here. My mum and sister were at Dunbar and my mum is not that good at hiding her emotions. Coming down the last few holes she had to walk away. Getting to the Open would have meant a lot to him."

Teeing up in the game's most celebrated major in his own backyard will be the ultimate tribute and Forrest is eager to savour the affair. He's already making plans for a pre-tournament hitabout and his former San Diego University coach, Tim Mickelson, the brother of a well-kent left-hander, may just be the man to help.

"I've already had a word with Tim and asked about a practice round with Phil," added Forrest, who first met the lesser-known Mickelson brother during the 2010 Amateur championship at Muirfield and has remained in contact with him ever since. "That would be pretty cool and those are the kind of things that can happen at an Open. It's the chance to play with the best."

Forrest can't afford to get too far ahead of himself, of course. It will be business as usual next week when he lines up for Scotland in the European Amateur Team Championship in Denmark. His selection for the national aide for that particular event meant he had to turn down an invitation to play in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart as the national amateur champion. Getting to compete in the Open itself is not a bad consolation, mind you, and his last-ditch decision to part with the £140 qualification entry fee has paid off handsomely.

"I wasn't going to enter, to be honest," admitted Forrest, who claimed one of only 12 qualifying places on offer and was one of four amateurs to do so. "I think it was my world amateur ranking, or the fact that I was Scottish champion, that got me straight into final qualifying and, once I was told about that, I put my form in the day before entries closed. I thought it would be worth a punt. Now, it looks like money well spent."