The Montgomerie Course is one of three beautiful layouts at the Celtic Manor Resort, and was one of two courses opening at the Welsh venue in 2007. 

 

The man whose name has been given to the course – Colin Montgomerie – designed the layout and went on to captain Team Europe three years later to a stunning win at the Ryder Cup at the resort. 

 

The Montgomerie Course is one of three courses at the Welsh venue, which is just outside Newport. Celtic Manor is also the home of the Roman Road Course and the Twenty Ten Course - the host of the Ryder Cup. 

 

 

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As the name suggests, DP World Tour and Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie was the man to design the Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor. 

 

The Scot made the most of what was already at the resort, using holes from the now-defunct Coldra Woods and Wentwood Hills to create the 18-hole course. 

 

The Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor has played host to the EuroPro Tour in its history, following its opening in 2007. 

The Montgomerie Course is the shortest of the three courses at Celtic Manor, measuring shy of 6,200 yards. However, it plays as a Par 69 so it not an easy ride! Golfers are treated to incredible views of the valleys from the elevated tee shots around the layout, along with thrilling downhill approaches - not least the memorable ‘ski slope’ 3rd hole. 

 

The course opens with a tough par 4 of more than 460 yards from the tips. Two greenside bunkers are ready to catch any errant shots, with what will likely be a long iron or hybrid. 2 is the opening par 3 on the course, before the par 3 3rd hole. At more than 610 yards from the back tees, it is the longest hole at the Celtic Manor Resort. It does play somewhat downhill all the way, but even then, good luck! 

 

“The woods on the left should force you to the centre of the fairway. A safe second shot will be to lay up before the fairway bunkers. For even the longer hitters, the challenge to hit the green in two is almost impossible” - Terry Jacoby on the 3rd of the Montgomerie Course in ‘1001 Golf Holes You Must Play Before You Die’ 

 

If you get through the 3rd unscathed, then the 4th could well see you come unstuck. The 180-yard par 3 plays through a valley to a green that has three bunkers guarding it. From the 4th tee, you can look to your left and see the 15th green of the Twenty Ten Course. A trio of gentler holes follow and offer some chances to get your score looking after the tricky start to a round. The 9th is the only other par 5 on the course, and features eight bunkers, all in twos dotted down the hole.  

 

The back nine begins with a tough par 4, where the approach is played over a water hazard to a shallow green. 11 is a sharp dogleg right, with six small, circular bunkers at the corner of the fairway. 12 and 13 both push the 400-yard mark, before back-to-back par 3s at the 14th and 15th. The penultimate hole on the Montgomerie Course is a drivable par 4 of less than 300 yards. However, seven bunkers await anything that isn’t perfect... 18 is a tricky dog-leg left, with players tempted to try and cut the corner over a thick section of trees. Get past that, and the green is accessible and can be attacked.

Where is Celtic Manor located?  

Celtic Manor is less than four miles from the centre of Newport. Cardiff is only 15 miles to the west, while the English border is around the same distance to the east. The Montgomerie Course is in its own section of the resort, bordering the River Usk at the northern point of the resort.  

 

Newport Train Station is around five miles from Celtic Manor, and has trains from London Paddington, Portsmouth, Cardiff, and Manchester hourly throughout the day. 

  

Cardiff Airport is the nearest international airport to Celtic Manor, with TUI Airways using the airport as a hub and flying to several European destinations. Only 30 miles from the resort is Bristol Airport, which also has easyJet, Jet2.com and Ryanair, along with TUI, that use the airport as a base. There are more flights and more destinations from Bristol than Cardiff. 

What golf facilities does Celtic Manor (Montgomerie Course) offer?  Celtic Manor is also home to a Golf Academy. There is a 28-bay driving range, over two tiers, with each bay having the latest TopTracer technology so golfers can use the tech to perfect shots, play games and enjoy practice.  

  

There is also a specific short game area with three chipping greens, all of which have artificial hitting areas around them so they can be used throughout the year. Celtic Manor also has an Indoor Putting Studio which can be used in lessons with qualified professionals. 

What are the green fees at Celtic Manor (Montgomerie Course)?  
The price of a green fee at the Montgomerie Course changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. There are also stay & play packages available at the resort.  

 

For more information on current green fees on the Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor, visit their website here. 

 

  

Visit Celtic Manor’s website here. 

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