COURSE REVIEW: Where we've been playing
Celtic Manor 2010 Course
South Wales
WHEN a course is designed exclusively to host the Ryder Cup, it goes without saying that it’s going to be tough to play.
At nearly 7,500 yards from the backs, and water hazards on no fewer than half of its holes, next year’s Ryder Cup venue demands plenty of length, and places a premium on accuracy.
The views as you make your way through the picturesque Usk valley are breathtaking, and the challenges that await you on each hole, although difficult, are exhilarating.
Holes like the magical par-3 13th, which demands a 180-yard carry over water, and the notoriously difficult par-4 5th are prime examples of why this course will serve the Ryder Cup so well, and the experience of playing them lives long in the memory.
www.celtic-manor.com
01633 413 000
By: Joe Whitley
Barra
Outer Hebrides
BARRA is home to the most westerly golf course in Britain – and what an experience it is. This delightful island lies at the southern extreme of the Hebrides and has been dubbed Barradise.
The nine-hole golf course is as natural as the island itself – and offers a reminder of how the game began.
The tees are marked by painted stones with arrows on them, fairways are almost non-existent while the greens are fenced off to prevent grazing sheep from trespassing.
Many holes are blind and regularly intersect one other and from every part of the course the Atlantic Ocean is in full view. Green fees are paid into an honesty box and the club is entirely run by volunteers. It is a wonderful experience.
Email: duncanmackinnon@live.co.uk
By: Dan Murphy