193 - Celtic Manor Resort (Montgomery)

Location: Newport, Wales

Rating: 8.1

First stop in Wales and my first time playing golf in the country.

Celtic Manor was the first stop on my first golfing trip to Wales, the infamous host of the 2010 Ryder Cup and as a resort home to 3 courses. I started off on the Montgomerie Course and I think it was probably my favourite of the 3 courses they have to offer in terms of variety of holes, changes in elevation and huge raking greens which were very quick and quite tough to read.

The first is a great starting hole, a 320 meter par 4 which is not long by any standard but with a slanted fairway all feeding down to the left and trouble either side it is only an iron off the tee which leaves you with a challenging approach to a raised green where anything short slopes into the reeds before the green. The second allows slightly more respite however it is an uphill doglegging right par 4 with a plethora of bunkers on the right side of the fairway. The 3rd is another doglegging par 4 this time with a downhill approach with trouble over the back and so it continues.

It is a really challenging course, constantly testing your knowledge of the distance of your clubs and requiring precision especially with any approach shots. My favourite hole was the 12th, a 500 meter par 5 which the most stunning backdrop of the Welsh countryside. Your drive disappears down the hill and the green is perched right down the bottom with a view of the Twenty Ten course in the background. The following hole is another beauty, 130 par 3 nestled in the forest hitting across a large ditch.

Overall a really really fun course to play, not easy and not too long, just the right mix of width and difficulty. I played early on a Sunday and managed to get round in really good time, no real hold ups.