Celtic Manor Resort (The Montgomerie)

Designed by Ryder Cup legend, Colin Montgomerie, in conjunction with Ross McMurray from European Golf Design, the new course at the colossal Celtic Manor Resort opened for play in July 2007 alongside its big brother the Twenty Ten course.

Monty’s new course has used the opening and closing holes from the old Wentwood Hills course for its front nine and the homeward nine has been created from land that once housed Celtic Manor’s old 18-hole Coldra Woods academy course.

While the Montgomerie course features a few deep pot bunkers and the club’s marketing blurb will have you believe that this gives the course a links-like feel, the layout is an open-country parkland affair with dramatic elevated tee shots across valleys.

The addition of the new 6,371-yard par 69 Montgomerie course allows Celtic Manor to boast three top-class courses and it has reaffirmed its position as the premier golf resort in Wales.