Celtic Manor Resort, 2010 Ryder Cup Venue, Receives Golfweek Acclaim Twenty Ten named top modern golf course in
Wales; among 20 best in Great Britain and Ireland
(NEWPORT, Wales) - The Celtic Manor Resort - host of
golf's 2010 Ryder Cup and premier luxury retreat less
than two hours
outside London - announces its Twenty
Ten Course has been named the top
modern design in
Wales by Golfweek.
The Twenty Ten ranked No. 19 among all Great Britain
and Ireland courses built since 1960. It placed higher
than the previous
two European hosts of the Ryder Cup:
The K Club (No. 30) and The Belfry
(not ranked). The
Twenty Ten also tops Gleneagles (No. 38), 2014 host
of
the Ryder Cup.
"We're honored Golfweek has rated the Twenty Ten
Wales' top modern course," says Dylan Matthews, Chief Executive of Celtic
Manor. "Golfers from around the world need to experience Celtic Manor and
preview the challenges that lay ahead this Fall for golf's brightest
stars."
Celtic Manor, the top rated resort in the UK, was
founded in 1980 by Welshman Sir Terry Matthews, the Ottawa, Canada-based
entrepreneur and Wales' first billionaire. In 2001, the Ryder Cup Committee
made an historic announcement naming Celtic Manor host of the 2010 Ryder
Cup - Wales' first. The Twenty Ten is the only course ever built
specifically to host golf's most prestigious team event, opening for play
in July 2007. Celtic Manor invested $26 million to develop the course,
clubhouse (which opened in Autumn 2007) and surrounding infrastructure like
a pristine Ryder Cup practice ground for the game's elite (as well as
resort visitors) to hone their skills.
As the Twenty Ten was designed solely with the Ryder
Cup in mind, spectators will have excellent vantage points from which to
watch the action unfold. Three large viewing platforms were constructed for
hospitality above the 16th, 17th and 18th holes, respectively. Galleries
will also gather on the huge natural mounds and hillsides to view not only
the drama of the closing holes, but early-round action as it plays across
the floor of the idyllic Usk Valley.
Ian Woosnam, 2006 European Ryder Cup captain says of
the Twenty Ten: "What you need for The Ryder Cup is drama and they've done
a great job with the design of the Twenty Ten Course. There's water,
driveable par-4s and the finishing stretch is fantastic. You will stand on
the 18th fairway, thinking 'Shall I, or shan't I, go for it?'"
"The Twenty Ten is a very fair course," says Corey
Pavin, 2010 US Ryder Cup captain. "Everything is in front of and you and
there are no tricks to this golf course. What you see is what you get out
here. All of the holes coming in, especially the 14th, 15th and 18th, are
going to be pretty key holes."
"The Ryder Cup will showcase the Twenty Ten Course as
golf's ultimate risk / reward layout," says Matthews. "We invite you to
experience it for yourself, along with our other award-winning amenities."
About Celtic Manor Resort Located less than two hours outside London, Celtic
Manor Resort will host golf's 2010 Ryder Cup and is the UK's foremost
luxury retreat. Featuring 1,400-plus acres of panoramic parkland and wooded
hills, it is recognized as the "Gateway to Wales."
A popular destination among business and leisure
travelers, golf-tour operators and corporate incentive agents, five-star
Celtic Manor offers myriad amenities. These include three championship golf
courses (the Twenty Ten, Roman Road and Montgomerie), two lavish hotels
(the majestic, 330-room Resort Hotel and historic, 70-room Manor House),
five savory restaurants, two tranquil spas and state-of-the-art health
clubs, a golf academy and miles of hiking trails. A convention center,
exhibition hall, array of well-appointed suites, meeting rooms and large
ballrooms are also available to host groups up to 1,500 for conferences,
weddings and other special events.
Celtic Manor is privately owned by founder Sir Terry
Matthews, the Ottawa, Canada-based telecommunications entrepreneur who was
born on the Celtic Manor site when the original Manor House was a maternity
hospital.
Getting There: Celtic Manor is 45 minutes from
Bristol International Airport (BRS) and Cardiff International Airport
(CWL). Daily, non-stop flights are available from Newark, New Jersey (EWR)
to Bristol on Continental; and daily, one-stop flights are from New York
(JFK) to Cardiff on KLM via Amsterdam. London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is a
two-hour shuttle, with rail service from Paddington Station (London) to
Newport, Wales also available.
