The Celtic Manor is at the forefront of the recent rise to prominence of Welsh golf. Following the success of the 38th Ryder Cup, golfers across the world will be drawn to create their own golfing memories following in the footsteps of the victorious European Team.
Roman Road Course
The Roman Road was the resort’s first, opened in 1995, and was then ranked as Wales’ best inland layout. Since then, intensive investment has drastically improved the drainage, ensuring that the course can handle the demands of resort golf. Robert Trent Jones had to build around the many ancient Roman roads that traverse the land, and his work was so good that it played host to the Welsh Open in 2005 and 2006.
Montgomerie Course
The recently opened Montgomerie Course has been built using the land that formerly hosted the Coldra academy course, and Monty has used some of the original holes from the former Wentwood Hills Course, which played host to the Welsh Open from 2000 to 2004. The hilly layout will be a challenge for the best ball-strikers, and is a welcome addition to the Celtic Manor’s golfing repertoire.
Twenty Ten Course
The Ryder Cup Course has been built at the bottom of the valley, and as a result the surrounding hills serve as natural amphitheatres; the atmosphere at the 2010 matches was scintillating. With Ryder Cup memories on show throughout the course, will you be a fist-pumping McDowell holing a putt on the 16th or a chip-duffing Mahan on the 17th? With the course measuring 7,469-yards from the Championship markers, this is an examination that will test all who step out onto its lush fairways.
The Celtic Manor’s practice and teaching facilities have made it the ideal home for Welsh Golf Union. Notable features include the two-tiered driving range, whose purpose-built tuition bays utilise the latest in technology.