News from the Celtic Manor Resort http://www.celtic-manor.com/media.aspx en-gb Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:43:39 +01:00 VSI-Thinking 2010 VSI-Thinking CMS info@vsi-thinking.com
Montgomerie selected Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari to join qualifiers Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Peter Hanson for the match against the United States of America from October 1-3.

Celtic Manor Resort Chairman Sir Terry Matthews said: “I congratulate every member of the European team on winning their place in the team. “It is a considerable achievement both for those who qualified automatically and for those who were awarded wildcard selections.

“In my opinion, this is the strongest European team ever assembled and I look forward to welcoming these very talented players to The Celtic Manor Resort in four weeks’ time. “I have no doubt they will meet an equally determined American side and we all anticipate a fantastic week of the finest sporting competition.”

At the start of the season Montgomerie urged his Ryder Cup contenders to play in this year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open to better acquaint themselves with the Ryder Cup layout and, in Donald and Molinari, he has picked players who shone in that tournament.

Donald finished third on his first appearance at Celtic Manor in June while Molinari was just a shot further back in fourth. With tournament champion Graeme McDowell one of the highest placed team qualifiers after his sensational US Open triumph a fortnight later, and Wales Open runner-up Rhys Davies invited to be part of the team room in a non-playing role, Montgomerie has surrounded himself with golfers who have performed well on The Twenty Ten Course. Like McDowell, Poulter and Jiménez return to Celtic Manor with fond memories as the Wales Open winners of 2003 and 2005 respectively.

In all, seven of the 12 players who will bid to regain The Ryder Cup from the Americans played in this year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open and only Westwood and Poulter have yet to play the new Ryder Cup layout in competition.

“I think it’s a definite advantage for Europe to have so many of the team who know the course well,” said Celtic Manor Director of Golf Courses Jim McKenzie. “A good number of them also have the added confidence of having played very well on The Twenty Ten Course. “Although I think US Captain Corey Pavin is right when he says there is nothing tricked up about this golf course, there’s no doubt the more you play The Twenty Ten Course the more you learn about it.”

Pavin adds his four captain’s picks to complete his team next Monday (September 7). They will join automatic qualifiers Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton and Matt Kuchar.

More on The Ryder Cup

]]> Sir Terry Matthews, the owner of host venue The Celtic Manor Resort, has congratulated the golfers who have won places on the strongest European team ever assembled for The Ryder Cup. A European side containing eight of the world’s top 20 golfers was finalised on Sunday when Captain Colin Montgomerie added his three wildcard picks to the nine automatic qualifiers decided upon completion of the last counting event, the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Montgomerie selected Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari to join qualifiers Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Peter Hanson for the match against the United States of America from October 1-3.

Celtic Manor Resort Chairman Sir Terry Matthews said: “I congratulate every member of the European team on winning their place in the team. “It is a considerable achievement both for those who qualified automatically and for those who were awarded wildcard selections.

“In my opinion, this is the strongest European team ever assembled and I look forward to welcoming these very talented players to The Celtic Manor Resort in four weeks’ time. “I have no doubt they will meet an equally determined American side and we all anticipate a fantastic week of the finest sporting competition.”

At the start of the season Montgomerie urged his Ryder Cup contenders to play in this year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open to better acquaint themselves with the Ryder Cup layout and, in Donald and Molinari, he has picked players who shone in that tournament.

Donald finished third on his first appearance at Celtic Manor in June while Molinari was just a shot further back in fourth. With tournament champion Graeme McDowell one of the highest placed team qualifiers after his sensational US Open triumph a fortnight later, and Wales Open runner-up Rhys Davies invited to be part of the team room in a non-playing role, Montgomerie has surrounded himself with golfers who have performed well on The Twenty Ten Course. Like McDowell, Poulter and Jiménez return to Celtic Manor with fond memories as the Wales Open winners of 2003 and 2005 respectively.

In all, seven of the 12 players who will bid to regain The Ryder Cup from the Americans played in this year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open and only Westwood and Poulter have yet to play the new Ryder Cup layout in competition.

“I think it’s a definite advantage for Europe to have so many of the team who know the course well,” said Celtic Manor Director of Golf Courses Jim McKenzie. “A good number of them also have the added confidence of having played very well on The Twenty Ten Course. “Although I think US Captain Corey Pavin is right when he says there is nothing tricked up about this golf course, there’s no doubt the more you play The Twenty Ten Course the more you learn about it.”

Pavin adds his four captain’s picks to complete his team next Monday (September 7). They will join automatic qualifiers Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton and Matt Kuchar.

More on The Ryder Cup

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:41:26 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=0
The Ryder Cup, a biennial shootout between the top golfers of Europe and America, has grown into one of the biggest events in world sport with a potential global television audience of one billion viewers.

To mark its first ever staging in Wales this October, specialist gunmaker Holloway & Naughton ® was commissioned to create the bespoke 12-bore game gun.

The gun features intricate engravings from the world-renowned Welsh engraver, Phil Coggan. His images include a detailed portrait of Samuel Ryder, the seed merchant who created The Ryder Cup back in 1927. Also, depicted in gold, is a Welsh dragon, national symbol of Wales and a bald eagle to represent the American visitors. The Ryder Cup itself is featured on the top lever in the finest detail. A striking European flag is blued onto the trigger guard accentuated by gold stars.

As well as its decorative appeal, however, the finished product is also a sporting shotgun of exceptional quality.

“It’s a work of art but also a fully functioning sporting gun hand-built to the very highest specifications,” said Andrew Harvison, managing director of Holloway & Naughton ®. The gun represents more than a twelve hundred man-hours of effort in its production.

“There is a beautiful feel to the gun which has been enhanced by the wonderful, detailed artwork of Phil Coggan. It was a real honour to have been granted this commission and we are very proud of the end result, the sort of quality shotgun that is not made very often, these days.”

Featuring a 12-guage sidelock action and a single inertia trigger, the shotgun has demiblock 30-inch barrels and a tapering solid rib.

The gun will be put on display during The Ryder Cup, which takes place from October 1-3 at Celtic Manor, the five-star resort in South Wales.

Simon Gibson OBE, Chief Executive of Wesley Clover, the holding company that owns the resort, said: “Celtic Manor’s reputation as a world-class golfing venue will be cemented when it stages The Ryder Cup, but shooting is another popular outdoor pursuit we offer our leisure and corporate clients.

“Many people enjoy both sports and there are certainly similarities between the two. The importance of technique and maintaining your powers of concentration are key elements of shooting and golf.

“The gun is a celebration of Wales hosting The Ryder Cup for the first time and the Welsh and British craftsmen involved in its design and construction have created a truly magnificent shotgun worthy of the occasion.”

For log-in details to access The Ryder Cup Gun Image Gallery , please contact Paul Williams or Paul Bailey on +44 (0) 1633 410 251.

For more information about the whole range of Holloway & Naughton ® guns, please contact:
Andrew Harvison
Holloway & Naughton ® Gunmakers,
Turners Barn Farm,
Kibworth Road,
Three Gates,
Billesdon,
Leicestershire,
LE7 9EQ
United Kingdom.
T: +44 (0) 116 259 6592
E: afharvison@hollowaynaughton.co.uk  

More on Holloway & Naughton

]]> A specially commissioned shotgun will go on display at this year’s Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales to celebrate the sporting links between shooting and golf.

The Ryder Cup, a biennial shootout between the top golfers of Europe and America, has grown into one of the biggest events in world sport with a potential global television audience of one billion viewers.

To mark its first ever staging in Wales this October, specialist gunmaker Holloway & Naughton ® was commissioned to create the bespoke 12-bore game gun.

The gun features intricate engravings from the world-renowned Welsh engraver, Phil Coggan. His images include a detailed portrait of Samuel Ryder, the seed merchant who created The Ryder Cup back in 1927. Also, depicted in gold, is a Welsh dragon, national symbol of Wales and a bald eagle to represent the American visitors. The Ryder Cup itself is featured on the top lever in the finest detail. A striking European flag is blued onto the trigger guard accentuated by gold stars.

As well as its decorative appeal, however, the finished product is also a sporting shotgun of exceptional quality.

“It’s a work of art but also a fully functioning sporting gun hand-built to the very highest specifications,” said Andrew Harvison, managing director of Holloway & Naughton ®. The gun represents more than a twelve hundred man-hours of effort in its production.

“There is a beautiful feel to the gun which has been enhanced by the wonderful, detailed artwork of Phil Coggan. It was a real honour to have been granted this commission and we are very proud of the end result, the sort of quality shotgun that is not made very often, these days.”

Featuring a 12-guage sidelock action and a single inertia trigger, the shotgun has demiblock 30-inch barrels and a tapering solid rib.

The gun will be put on display during The Ryder Cup, which takes place from October 1-3 at Celtic Manor, the five-star resort in South Wales.

Simon Gibson OBE, Chief Executive of Wesley Clover, the holding company that owns the resort, said: “Celtic Manor’s reputation as a world-class golfing venue will be cemented when it stages The Ryder Cup, but shooting is another popular outdoor pursuit we offer our leisure and corporate clients.

“Many people enjoy both sports and there are certainly similarities between the two. The importance of technique and maintaining your powers of concentration are key elements of shooting and golf.

“The gun is a celebration of Wales hosting The Ryder Cup for the first time and the Welsh and British craftsmen involved in its design and construction have created a truly magnificent shotgun worthy of the occasion.”

For log-in details to access The Ryder Cup Gun Image Gallery , please contact Paul Williams or Paul Bailey on +44 (0) 1633 410 251.

For more information about the whole range of Holloway & Naughton ® guns, please contact:
Andrew Harvison
Holloway & Naughton ® Gunmakers,
Turners Barn Farm,
Kibworth Road,
Three Gates,
Billesdon,
Leicestershire,
LE7 9EQ
United Kingdom.
T: +44 (0) 116 259 6592
E: afharvison@hollowaynaughton.co.uk  

More on Holloway & Naughton

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:28:00 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=1
Affiliate websites can earn commission from online bedroom reservations, golf tee times, voucher sales and golf merchandise.

Launch Incentive
The base commission rate is 6% but, as a special launch promotion, we are awarding 10% commission on all sales secured during the first month (until August 6). The top performer for the first month will also receive a luxury overnight stay courtesy of The Celtic Manor Resort. Top performers are to be judged on overall sales value.

Join the programme today at https://www.awin1.com/signup.php?merchant=2855
 
For more information please contact:

James Lewis
Direct Marketing Manager
The Celtic Manor Resort
Location: Coldra Woods,
The Usk Valley,
Newport.
NP18 1HQ
Telephone: +44 (0) 1633 410 251
Fax : 44 (0)1633 410 345
Email: jameslewis@celtic-manor.com

]]> Celtic-manor.com has launched its first affiliate programme through Affiliate Window.

Affiliate websites can earn commission from online bedroom reservations, golf tee times, voucher sales and golf merchandise.

Launch Incentive
The base commission rate is 6% but, as a special launch promotion, we are awarding 10% commission on all sales secured during the first month (until August 6). The top performer for the first month will also receive a luxury overnight stay courtesy of The Celtic Manor Resort. Top performers are to be judged on overall sales value.

Join the programme today at https://www.awin1.com/signup.php?merchant=2855
 
For more information please contact:

James Lewis
Direct Marketing Manager
The Celtic Manor Resort
Location: Coldra Woods,
The Usk Valley,
Newport.
NP18 1HQ
Telephone: +44 (0) 1633 410 251
Fax : 44 (0)1633 410 345
Email: jameslewis@celtic-manor.com

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:23:42 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=2
Celtic Manor has acquired the historic country inn at Tredunnock, near Usk, from a partnership which included Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans.

The Newbridge on Usk will remain open as Celtic Manor takes over and the business will be operated as a going concern, with all bookings taken by the previous management honoured in full.

The restaurant with rooms is situated six miles upriver from Celtic Manor in an idyllic rural location in the hamlet of Tredunnock. It is the first acquisition made by the five-star resort outside its 1,400-acre estate near Newport in South Wales.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “Over the years the Newbridge on Usk has earned a deserved reputation for the quality of its food and drink and we look forward to building on that success. The restaurant has a very loyal following and we want to reassure regular customers that it is very much business as usual.

“The Newbridge is in a wonderful position right beside the river and I am sure it will prove very popular with guests staying at The Celtic Manor Resort. It also offers us a fantastic alternative venue to host corporate events and weddings.”

Wholesome gastro-pub fare, made from locally sourced produce, will be served in an 80-cover restaurant which features rustic wooden floors, fireplaces, traditional bar, a spacious mezzanine and terraced gardens for al fresco dining alongside the river.

The property also includes six stylish bedrooms, all boasting oak and teak furniture, oak floors, digital TV and internet connection. Bathrooms feature marble and limestone tiles, storm showers and roll top baths.

The Newbridge on Usk adds another enticing attraction to The Celtic Manor Resort which already houses five restaurants in its two award-winning hotels and two large and luxurious golf clubhouses.

For more details visit celtic-manor.com/newbridge or call Reservations on 01633 410262.

]]> The Celtic Manor Resort has added the Newbridge on Usk to its collection of hotels and restaurants.

Celtic Manor has acquired the historic country inn at Tredunnock, near Usk, from a partnership which included Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans.

The Newbridge on Usk will remain open as Celtic Manor takes over and the business will be operated as a going concern, with all bookings taken by the previous management honoured in full.

The restaurant with rooms is situated six miles upriver from Celtic Manor in an idyllic rural location in the hamlet of Tredunnock. It is the first acquisition made by the five-star resort outside its 1,400-acre estate near Newport in South Wales.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “Over the years the Newbridge on Usk has earned a deserved reputation for the quality of its food and drink and we look forward to building on that success. The restaurant has a very loyal following and we want to reassure regular customers that it is very much business as usual.

“The Newbridge is in a wonderful position right beside the river and I am sure it will prove very popular with guests staying at The Celtic Manor Resort. It also offers us a fantastic alternative venue to host corporate events and weddings.”

Wholesome gastro-pub fare, made from locally sourced produce, will be served in an 80-cover restaurant which features rustic wooden floors, fireplaces, traditional bar, a spacious mezzanine and terraced gardens for al fresco dining alongside the river.

The property also includes six stylish bedrooms, all boasting oak and teak furniture, oak floors, digital TV and internet connection. Bathrooms feature marble and limestone tiles, storm showers and roll top baths.

The Newbridge on Usk adds another enticing attraction to The Celtic Manor Resort which already houses five restaurants in its two award-winning hotels and two large and luxurious golf clubhouses.

For more details visit celtic-manor.com/newbridge or call Reservations on 01633 410262.

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:07:21 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=3
As well as contributing financially towards the festival, Celtic Manor will host the school art exhibition and a musical evening of swing and jazz on Tuesday 6th July.

The music event on the Resort’s Rooftop Garden, from 8pm, will feature the Tim Kliphuis Trio celebrating the music of Stephane Grappelli.

Caerleon Arts Festival is staged for the eighth time from 2nd-11th July and Celtic Manor has sponsored the event since its inception in 2003.

This year’s festivities include exhibitions from local artists, a production of The Tempest in the Roman amphitheatre and further concerts from the likes of Rossini Bartolotti-Hayward and Blaenafon Male Voice Choir.

As ever, the main event will be the International Sculpture Symposium. Six sculptors will be working in wood and stone on the Hanbury Field to create story telling chairs as part of the ‘Talkwood’ theme.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “Caerleon is the closest town to The Celtic Manor Resort and we are proud to support its growing arts festival.

“The festival attracts a lot of visitors to the area and is something many of our guests enjoy attending. We are delighted to be part of the festival by hosting these events and we wish the organisers every success with this year’s festival.”

The Caerleon Arts Festival is also supported by Newport City Council as part of its Newport Festival 2010 celebrations to mark this year’s Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

Caerleon Arts Festival Chairman Tim Davidson said: “The Celtic Manor has been a firm friend of the Festival from the beginning. Our volunteers are delighted to receive such tremendous support again this year which is such an important year both for Caerleon and the Newport 2010 celebrations.”

For tickets or further details on any of the festival events, visit Caerleon Tourism Information Centre or call 01633 422656.

Web link - http://www.caerleon-arts.org/

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18430909472&ref=ts

Picture caption: Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews, centre, toasts the event’s success with Caerleon Arts Festival organisers Tim Davidson, Claire Baker-Westhead, Catherine Davidson and Greville Hunt

]]> The Celtic Manor Resort will once again lend its support to the Caerleon Arts Festival when the event begins on Friday (July 2).

As well as contributing financially towards the festival, Celtic Manor will host the school art exhibition and a musical evening of swing and jazz on Tuesday 6th July.

The music event on the Resort’s Rooftop Garden, from 8pm, will feature the Tim Kliphuis Trio celebrating the music of Stephane Grappelli.

Caerleon Arts Festival is staged for the eighth time from 2nd-11th July and Celtic Manor has sponsored the event since its inception in 2003.

This year’s festivities include exhibitions from local artists, a production of The Tempest in the Roman amphitheatre and further concerts from the likes of Rossini Bartolotti-Hayward and Blaenafon Male Voice Choir.

As ever, the main event will be the International Sculpture Symposium. Six sculptors will be working in wood and stone on the Hanbury Field to create story telling chairs as part of the ‘Talkwood’ theme.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “Caerleon is the closest town to The Celtic Manor Resort and we are proud to support its growing arts festival.

“The festival attracts a lot of visitors to the area and is something many of our guests enjoy attending. We are delighted to be part of the festival by hosting these events and we wish the organisers every success with this year’s festival.”

The Caerleon Arts Festival is also supported by Newport City Council as part of its Newport Festival 2010 celebrations to mark this year’s Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

Caerleon Arts Festival Chairman Tim Davidson said: “The Celtic Manor has been a firm friend of the Festival from the beginning. Our volunteers are delighted to receive such tremendous support again this year which is such an important year both for Caerleon and the Newport 2010 celebrations.”

For tickets or further details on any of the festival events, visit Caerleon Tourism Information Centre or call 01633 422656.

Web link - http://www.caerleon-arts.org/

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18430909472&ref=ts

Picture caption: Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews, centre, toasts the event’s success with Caerleon Arts Festival organisers Tim Davidson, Claire Baker-Westhead, Catherine Davidson and Greville Hunt

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:14:45 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=4
The Twenty Ten Course purpose built for the event was praised for its exciting challenge and excellent condition by the top tour golfers competing in The Celtic Manor Wales Open earlier this month.

Leading the tributes was Europe’s newest major champion, Graeme McDowell, who closed with rounds of 64 and 63 to win at Celtic Manor before going on to land the US Open in his very next event at Pebble Beach over the weekend.

“I think this is going to be a wonderful Ryder Cup venue,” said McDowell after his Wales Open triumph. “The golf course is magnificent, and you know, what the Matthews family have put into this event to get the Ryder Cup, they deserve everything they get.

“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here and I’m impressed; it looks amazing. The holes with the water they’ve shaped and defined well and made them much more visually intimidating. The more you play it, the more you really start to like the golf course.”

McDowell’s weekend scoring at Celtic Manor, and Welshman Rhys Davies’ course record 62 to finish second, provided evidence that birdies and eagles were available on The Twenty Ten Course but many more scorecards were littered with double bogeys and worse. Former Open champion Paul Lawrie racked up an 11 on the par-five second and final round leader Marcel Siem twice found a watery grave on the short third to run up a quadruple bogey seven and throw away his title hopes.

“This golf course has all the length you want and I think they have a fabulous amount of tee options,” added McDowell. “There’s so much they can do with the course to move it around. I love the way this golf course sets up.

“The fairways are reasonably generous targets in places, but if you missed them, there was some horrible, horrible rough out there, really thick, wiry type stuff. If you were out of position, you were in big trouble. But if you could drive it good, you could really set yourself up with some medium and short irons to the greens.”

As well as exciting team matchplay options, the course has also been built with spectators in mind. The banks along the last four holes alone can hold the 50,000 fans anticipated for every day of The Ryder Cup and, from this hillside, spectators can watch the drama unfold on up to 10 holes in the valley floor below.

McDowell said: “For the finish, 15 through 18, you just have huge natural amphitheatres and we were out there just picturing 50,000 people on the banks and what it’s going to be like for the Ryder Cup.”

Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie will now fine-tune the course set-up how he wants it for The Ryder Cup in consultation with tournament officials and Celtic Manor’s Director of Golf Courses, Jim McKenzie.

Montgomerie said: “I think it stacks up tee to green as one of the best courses we play right now and I am not the only person who is saying that. I have read the reports from other top players and they feel the same way.

“This is fabulous tee to green. It is not just about length here, you need to be in the right side of the fairway for certain pin positions, it is a great set-up. This is a great test of golf, the challenge of hitting the fairway is number one because you can’t get near the pins if you’re off the fairway.”

As well as final preparations on the golf course, work begins next month on erecting 20 grandstands to seat 18,000 people on the lower sections of The Twenty Ten Course and building three giant hospitality pavilions on holes 16, 17 and 18, as well as the spectator tented village and media centre.

Following the opening earlier this year of a new £2m bridge over the River Usk to the new practice ground for The Ryder Cup, two vast coach parks off Catsash Road and Bulmore Road have now been hard surfaced and will be used to drop off and collect ticket holders using the park and ride facilities at Llanwern and Tredegar House.

]]> With exactly 100 days to go (Wednesday 23rd June) until the first Ryder Cup ever to be held in Wales, The Celtic Manor Resort is ready to stage golf’s most prestigious team tournament.

The Twenty Ten Course purpose built for the event was praised for its exciting challenge and excellent condition by the top tour golfers competing in The Celtic Manor Wales Open earlier this month.

Leading the tributes was Europe’s newest major champion, Graeme McDowell, who closed with rounds of 64 and 63 to win at Celtic Manor before going on to land the US Open in his very next event at Pebble Beach over the weekend.

“I think this is going to be a wonderful Ryder Cup venue,” said McDowell after his Wales Open triumph. “The golf course is magnificent, and you know, what the Matthews family have put into this event to get the Ryder Cup, they deserve everything they get.

“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here and I’m impressed; it looks amazing. The holes with the water they’ve shaped and defined well and made them much more visually intimidating. The more you play it, the more you really start to like the golf course.”

McDowell’s weekend scoring at Celtic Manor, and Welshman Rhys Davies’ course record 62 to finish second, provided evidence that birdies and eagles were available on The Twenty Ten Course but many more scorecards were littered with double bogeys and worse. Former Open champion Paul Lawrie racked up an 11 on the par-five second and final round leader Marcel Siem twice found a watery grave on the short third to run up a quadruple bogey seven and throw away his title hopes.

“This golf course has all the length you want and I think they have a fabulous amount of tee options,” added McDowell. “There’s so much they can do with the course to move it around. I love the way this golf course sets up.

“The fairways are reasonably generous targets in places, but if you missed them, there was some horrible, horrible rough out there, really thick, wiry type stuff. If you were out of position, you were in big trouble. But if you could drive it good, you could really set yourself up with some medium and short irons to the greens.”

As well as exciting team matchplay options, the course has also been built with spectators in mind. The banks along the last four holes alone can hold the 50,000 fans anticipated for every day of The Ryder Cup and, from this hillside, spectators can watch the drama unfold on up to 10 holes in the valley floor below.

McDowell said: “For the finish, 15 through 18, you just have huge natural amphitheatres and we were out there just picturing 50,000 people on the banks and what it’s going to be like for the Ryder Cup.”

Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie will now fine-tune the course set-up how he wants it for The Ryder Cup in consultation with tournament officials and Celtic Manor’s Director of Golf Courses, Jim McKenzie.

Montgomerie said: “I think it stacks up tee to green as one of the best courses we play right now and I am not the only person who is saying that. I have read the reports from other top players and they feel the same way.

“This is fabulous tee to green. It is not just about length here, you need to be in the right side of the fairway for certain pin positions, it is a great set-up. This is a great test of golf, the challenge of hitting the fairway is number one because you can’t get near the pins if you’re off the fairway.”

As well as final preparations on the golf course, work begins next month on erecting 20 grandstands to seat 18,000 people on the lower sections of The Twenty Ten Course and building three giant hospitality pavilions on holes 16, 17 and 18, as well as the spectator tented village and media centre.

Following the opening earlier this year of a new £2m bridge over the River Usk to the new practice ground for The Ryder Cup, two vast coach parks off Catsash Road and Bulmore Road have now been hard surfaced and will be used to drop off and collect ticket holders using the park and ride facilities at Llanwern and Tredegar House.

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:44:37 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=5
Although the prospect of a first Welsh winner had the home galleries cheering, McDowell proved an equally popular champion after he followed up Saturday’s round of 64 with a stunning 63 on the final day.

McDowell and Davies both went to the very verge of The Ryder Cup qualifying places with their pay days of £300,000 and £200,000 respectively and the Ulsterman is already looking forward to a possible return in the autumn to face the Americans at the same venue.

“Valhalla a couple of years ago did nothing but stoke the fires as far as my desire to be on the next Ryder Cup team,” said the 30-year-old member of Nick Faldo’s defeated side in 2008. “My goal is to make the team automatically but this is certainly going to be a feather in my cap if I don’t qualify.

“I think this is going to be a wonderful venue. Celtic Manor got exactly what they deserved this week, they got a great week’s weather and the golf course is magnificent.

“What the Matthews family has put into this event to get The Ryder Cup, they deserve everything they get. I think it’s going to be a great year.”

McDowell’s 15 under par total was three better than Davies who briefly held the lead and even threatened to return The European Tour’s first round of 59 when he reached 10 under for the day with an eagle two at the driveable 15th.

Davies also eagled the 8th after holing an eight-iron and birdies at the ninth, tenth and eleventh fired him right into the mix before McDowell, starting the day four shots better off, began to match his fantastic play by going out in 30. After further birdies on 10 and 11, the Irishman used the experience of his four previous European Tour wins to par in for victory.

Pre-tournament favourite Luke Donald also moved up the leaderboard with a 65 to finish third but Germany’s Marcel Siem, who led by three overnight, had to settle for seventh after a 74 which included a quadruple bogey at the short third.

Stephen Gallacher, Robert Rock and Edoardo Molinari shared fourth on nine under and there were also top 10 finishes for Ryder Cup stars Miguel Angel Jiménez, Thomas Bjorn and Niclas Fasth.

]]> Graeme McDowell completed a sensational weekend of low scoring to claim The Celtic Manor Wales Open by three strokes, holding off the brave challenge of Wales’ Rhys Davies whose course record 62 secured second place.

Although the prospect of a first Welsh winner had the home galleries cheering, McDowell proved an equally popular champion after he followed up Saturday’s round of 64 with a stunning 63 on the final day.

McDowell and Davies both went to the very verge of The Ryder Cup qualifying places with their pay days of £300,000 and £200,000 respectively and the Ulsterman is already looking forward to a possible return in the autumn to face the Americans at the same venue.

“Valhalla a couple of years ago did nothing but stoke the fires as far as my desire to be on the next Ryder Cup team,” said the 30-year-old member of Nick Faldo’s defeated side in 2008. “My goal is to make the team automatically but this is certainly going to be a feather in my cap if I don’t qualify.

“I think this is going to be a wonderful venue. Celtic Manor got exactly what they deserved this week, they got a great week’s weather and the golf course is magnificent.

“What the Matthews family has put into this event to get The Ryder Cup, they deserve everything they get. I think it’s going to be a great year.”

McDowell’s 15 under par total was three better than Davies who briefly held the lead and even threatened to return The European Tour’s first round of 59 when he reached 10 under for the day with an eagle two at the driveable 15th.

Davies also eagled the 8th after holing an eight-iron and birdies at the ninth, tenth and eleventh fired him right into the mix before McDowell, starting the day four shots better off, began to match his fantastic play by going out in 30. After further birdies on 10 and 11, the Irishman used the experience of his four previous European Tour wins to par in for victory.

Pre-tournament favourite Luke Donald also moved up the leaderboard with a 65 to finish third but Germany’s Marcel Siem, who led by three overnight, had to settle for seventh after a 74 which included a quadruple bogey at the short third.

Stephen Gallacher, Robert Rock and Edoardo Molinari shared fourth on nine under and there were also top 10 finishes for Ryder Cup stars Miguel Angel Jiménez, Thomas Bjorn and Niclas Fasth.

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:16:50 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=6
Castell Howell has signed up as a Patron sponsor in a five-year deal and will benefit from hospitality places in the pavilion overlooking the 18th green, patrons’ recognition in the official programme and during the tournament, playing access to The Twenty Ten Course and benefits at October’s Ryder Cup.

The new sponsorship agreement will see Castell Howell supply its Celtic Pride meats, pies and burgers for sale in the halfway houses of the prestigious Twenty Ten and Montgomerie golf courses at Celtic Manor.

The Celtic Manor Wales Open takes on added significance this year as it is played on the same Twenty Ten Course which will host The Ryder Cup later in the year. Many of the leading contenders for the European team will be hopping to catch the eye of Captain Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson and David Howell will all be among the starting field.

Castell Howell Sales and Marketing Director Kathryn Jones said: “We are delighted to be stepping up our relationship with The Celtic Manor Resort by becoming a Patron sponsor of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

“We are all looking forward to a fantastic tournament this summer as we look ahead to Celtic Manor staging The Ryder Cup during the autumn. As well as aligning our brand to one of the most high-profile events in Welsh sport, we are also very proud to see our products being served throughout the year to the resort’s discerning clientele.”

Serving over 4,000 customers, across a wide range of businesses, including hospitals, hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, hospitals, schools and leisure establishments, Castell Howell has become firmly established as one of the country's leading independent food wholesalers.

Celtic Manor Resort Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones said: “We have been working hard with our sponsorship agency, Essentially, to bring in new sponsors for this year’s tournament and are delighted to add a Welsh company of Castell Howell’s reputation to the backing we have already received from Ladbrokes and SWALEC.

“As we welcome more and more international visitors from all over the world to Celtic Manor, it is very important that we are able to offer them Welsh produce and showcase what Wales has to offer.

“Our visitors come looking for a taste of Wales and we are very happy to provide it through the support of valued suppliers like Castell Howell.”

For information on sponsorship opportunities at The Celtic Manor Wales Open, please contact Kevin Vandrau at Essentially on 0207 820 7012.

Picture caption: Castell Howell Sales and Marketing Director Kathryn Jones and Celtic Manor Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones lift the lid on the new sponsorship deal

]]> The Carmarthenshire-based company takes its place alongside the likes of BMW, Rolex, Zurich and Diageo in supporting the £1.8m event on The European Tour.

Castell Howell has signed up as a Patron sponsor in a five-year deal and will benefit from hospitality places in the pavilion overlooking the 18th green, patrons’ recognition in the official programme and during the tournament, playing access to The Twenty Ten Course and benefits at October’s Ryder Cup.

The new sponsorship agreement will see Castell Howell supply its Celtic Pride meats, pies and burgers for sale in the halfway houses of the prestigious Twenty Ten and Montgomerie golf courses at Celtic Manor.

The Celtic Manor Wales Open takes on added significance this year as it is played on the same Twenty Ten Course which will host The Ryder Cup later in the year. Many of the leading contenders for the European team will be hopping to catch the eye of Captain Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson and David Howell will all be among the starting field.

Castell Howell Sales and Marketing Director Kathryn Jones said: “We are delighted to be stepping up our relationship with The Celtic Manor Resort by becoming a Patron sponsor of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

“We are all looking forward to a fantastic tournament this summer as we look ahead to Celtic Manor staging The Ryder Cup during the autumn. As well as aligning our brand to one of the most high-profile events in Welsh sport, we are also very proud to see our products being served throughout the year to the resort’s discerning clientele.”

Serving over 4,000 customers, across a wide range of businesses, including hospitals, hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, hospitals, schools and leisure establishments, Castell Howell has become firmly established as one of the country's leading independent food wholesalers.

Celtic Manor Resort Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones said: “We have been working hard with our sponsorship agency, Essentially, to bring in new sponsors for this year’s tournament and are delighted to add a Welsh company of Castell Howell’s reputation to the backing we have already received from Ladbrokes and SWALEC.

“As we welcome more and more international visitors from all over the world to Celtic Manor, it is very important that we are able to offer them Welsh produce and showcase what Wales has to offer.

“Our visitors come looking for a taste of Wales and we are very happy to provide it through the support of valued suppliers like Castell Howell.”

For information on sponsorship opportunities at The Celtic Manor Wales Open, please contact Kevin Vandrau at Essentially on 0207 820 7012.

Picture caption: Castell Howell Sales and Marketing Director Kathryn Jones and Celtic Manor Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones lift the lid on the new sponsorship deal

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:50:59 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=7
One of the leading energy providers in Wales, SWALEC joins the likes of Zurich, Diageo Rolex and BMW in backing the £1.8m golf tournament on The European Tour.

The Celtic Manor Wales Open takes on added significance this year as it is played on the same Twenty Ten Course which will host The Ryder Cup later in the year. Many of the leading contenders for the European team will be hoping to catch the eye of Captain Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson and David Howell have already indicated they will be among the starting field.

SWALEC is already a substantial supporter of Welsh golf and has signed up to a four year deal. It is currently in its third year of sponsorship of the SWALEC Wales Challenge at The Vale Resort in August and also supports grassroots development through its partnership with Golf Development Wales. Currently, its sponsorship is funding ‘welcome to golf’ booklets for players new to the sport in Wales and free taster sessions at selected clubs across the country.

SWALEC’s sponsorship programme aims to support the communities it serves. It has an extensive programme including a three-year partnership with the Welsh Rugby Union, which includes the SWALEC Cup, Plate & Bowl and the SWALEC Leagues, and a ten-year agreement with Glamorgan Cricket on venue sponsorship of the SWALEC Stadium.

SWALEC’s Sponsorship Manager Huw Lock said: “We are delighted to be adding The Celtic Manor Wales Open to our sporting portfolio. This is one of the biggest events in Welsh sport and we are all looking forward to watching a fantastic tournament this summer as we look ahead to Celtic Manor staging The Ryder Cup during the autumn.”

Celtic Manor Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones added: “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming on board such a strong Welsh brand as SWALEC to our family of sponsors”.

“SWALEC has always been a major supporter of Welsh sport and we’re delighted that they have chosen to become a Patron sponsor of The Celtic Manor Wales Open in what is a very exciting year for Welsh golf.”

For more information on sponsorship opportunities at The Celtic Manor Wales Open contact Kevin Vandrau at Essentially on 02078207012.

]]> SWALEC has signed up as the latest Patron sponsor of The Celtic Manor Wales Open which takes place this year from 3rd-6th June.

One of the leading energy providers in Wales, SWALEC joins the likes of Zurich, Diageo Rolex and BMW in backing the £1.8m golf tournament on The European Tour.

The Celtic Manor Wales Open takes on added significance this year as it is played on the same Twenty Ten Course which will host The Ryder Cup later in the year. Many of the leading contenders for the European team will be hoping to catch the eye of Captain Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson and David Howell have already indicated they will be among the starting field.

SWALEC is already a substantial supporter of Welsh golf and has signed up to a four year deal. It is currently in its third year of sponsorship of the SWALEC Wales Challenge at The Vale Resort in August and also supports grassroots development through its partnership with Golf Development Wales. Currently, its sponsorship is funding ‘welcome to golf’ booklets for players new to the sport in Wales and free taster sessions at selected clubs across the country.

SWALEC’s sponsorship programme aims to support the communities it serves. It has an extensive programme including a three-year partnership with the Welsh Rugby Union, which includes the SWALEC Cup, Plate & Bowl and the SWALEC Leagues, and a ten-year agreement with Glamorgan Cricket on venue sponsorship of the SWALEC Stadium.

SWALEC’s Sponsorship Manager Huw Lock said: “We are delighted to be adding The Celtic Manor Wales Open to our sporting portfolio. This is one of the biggest events in Welsh sport and we are all looking forward to watching a fantastic tournament this summer as we look ahead to Celtic Manor staging The Ryder Cup during the autumn.”

Celtic Manor Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones added: “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming on board such a strong Welsh brand as SWALEC to our family of sponsors”.

“SWALEC has always been a major supporter of Welsh sport and we’re delighted that they have chosen to become a Patron sponsor of The Celtic Manor Wales Open in what is a very exciting year for Welsh golf.”

For more information on sponsorship opportunities at The Celtic Manor Wales Open contact Kevin Vandrau at Essentially on 02078207012.

Wed, 26 May 2010 15:19:24 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=8
David heads up front of house at both the Michelin star Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth, and the three AA rosette Crown at Celtic Manor. He beat off five star competition to lift the coveted 2010 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year title.

The Monmouthshire General Manager won following a written submission and a day’s competition against the likes of the manager at the exclusive Hilton on London’s Park Lane and the celebrated Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire.

Presented with the title at the top Babylon restaurant at the Roof Gardens, London, David said: “I am absolutely thrilled at winning this prestigious award. I was very humbled even to be chosen as a finalist but then to be picked from this line-up of such strong restaurant managers is incredible.

“I see this honour not just as a fantastic award for myself and for Wales but also as recognition for the unstinting hard work and dedication of the two superb teams that I manage at The Crown restaurants at Whitebrook and Celtic Manor.”

Liverpool-born David, aged 40, has worked in the industry for 24 years. He trained in Liverpool, beginning as a commis waiter and went on to hold positions at the Lords of the Manor, Gloucestershire, and Hunstrete House near Bath. David is in his third year as General Manager at the Crown restaurants.

Judge Paul Breach, vice chairman of the Academy of Food & Wine, said: “David’s written submission was very financially orientated and thorough – he was the only finalist the panel would have invested its money in.

“David demonstrated to the judges that he had a very broad skill set in food and wine, business and training. He is also a very good communicator. When challenged his answers were considered and knowledgeable.”

Stephen Mannock, programme director for the National Skills Academy, said: “One of our roles is to find excellence and promote it and to promote front-of-house as a highly skilled professional career.

“The standard of this year’s Restaurant Manager of the Year competitors was exceptionally high, but the winner demonstrated exactly what we were looking for. He will be a great ambassador for front-of-house as a professional career.”

David receives a fabulous study-tour week in New York, staying at Manhatten boutique hotel, The MAve, in the trendy Flatiron District to complete a stage at one of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group properties.

The Crown at Whitebrook and The Crown at Celtic Manor will receive a complimentary 12-month subscription to the OpenTable reservation system.

The UK Restaurant Manager of the Year, organised by the Academy of Food & Wine and supported by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, the Savoy Educational Trust and sponsored by OpenTable, sets out to find a top class restaurant manager with great business acumen, fantastic people skills, the ability to recruit, manage and motivate a team and who also has a thorough knowledge of the restaurant trade.

Michele Caggianese, restaurant manager, Galvin at Windows, Hilton on Park Lane, London W1 was runner up.

Picture caption: (left to right) David McHattie, chief executive of the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, David Hennigan 2010 Restaurant Manager of the Year, Academy of Food & Wine Patron Lord Thurso MP and Academy of Food & Wine president Roy Ackerman. Please credit: Adrian Franklin.

]]> David Hennigan, the restaurant general manager of both The Crown at Whitebrook and The Crown at Celtic Manor, has been crowned the very best in Britain.

David heads up front of house at both the Michelin star Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth, and the three AA rosette Crown at Celtic Manor. He beat off five star competition to lift the coveted 2010 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year title.

The Monmouthshire General Manager won following a written submission and a day’s competition against the likes of the manager at the exclusive Hilton on London’s Park Lane and the celebrated Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire.

Presented with the title at the top Babylon restaurant at the Roof Gardens, London, David said: “I am absolutely thrilled at winning this prestigious award. I was very humbled even to be chosen as a finalist but then to be picked from this line-up of such strong restaurant managers is incredible.

“I see this honour not just as a fantastic award for myself and for Wales but also as recognition for the unstinting hard work and dedication of the two superb teams that I manage at The Crown restaurants at Whitebrook and Celtic Manor.”

Liverpool-born David, aged 40, has worked in the industry for 24 years. He trained in Liverpool, beginning as a commis waiter and went on to hold positions at the Lords of the Manor, Gloucestershire, and Hunstrete House near Bath. David is in his third year as General Manager at the Crown restaurants.

Judge Paul Breach, vice chairman of the Academy of Food & Wine, said: “David’s written submission was very financially orientated and thorough – he was the only finalist the panel would have invested its money in.

“David demonstrated to the judges that he had a very broad skill set in food and wine, business and training. He is also a very good communicator. When challenged his answers were considered and knowledgeable.”

Stephen Mannock, programme director for the National Skills Academy, said: “One of our roles is to find excellence and promote it and to promote front-of-house as a highly skilled professional career.

“The standard of this year’s Restaurant Manager of the Year competitors was exceptionally high, but the winner demonstrated exactly what we were looking for. He will be a great ambassador for front-of-house as a professional career.”

David receives a fabulous study-tour week in New York, staying at Manhatten boutique hotel, The MAve, in the trendy Flatiron District to complete a stage at one of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group properties.

The Crown at Whitebrook and The Crown at Celtic Manor will receive a complimentary 12-month subscription to the OpenTable reservation system.

The UK Restaurant Manager of the Year, organised by the Academy of Food & Wine and supported by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, the Savoy Educational Trust and sponsored by OpenTable, sets out to find a top class restaurant manager with great business acumen, fantastic people skills, the ability to recruit, manage and motivate a team and who also has a thorough knowledge of the restaurant trade.

Michele Caggianese, restaurant manager, Galvin at Windows, Hilton on Park Lane, London W1 was runner up.

Picture caption: (left to right) David McHattie, chief executive of the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, David Hennigan 2010 Restaurant Manager of the Year, Academy of Food & Wine Patron Lord Thurso MP and Academy of Food & Wine president Roy Ackerman. Please credit: Adrian Franklin.

Wed, 26 May 2010 14:50:16 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=9
Kaymer, the World No 11 ranked golfer, has won five times on The European Tour in the past three seasons including back-to-back victories in last summer’s Open de France ALSTOM and Barclays Scottish Open.

His challenge for the inaugural Race To Dubai title in 2009 was thwarted by a broken foot sustained in a go-karting accident which ruled him out of action for two months but the 25-year-old German is back on track for a Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor in October after winning the Abu Dhabi Championship for the second time in January. Kaymer is currently fifth on the European Points List and occupying one of the qualifying places for The Ryder Cup Team.

Established Ryder Cup stars Karlsson and Jiménez will both hope to press their claims to retain their places in the European Team with strong Wales Open showings on The Twenty Ten Course which will stage the match against the Americans in the autumn.

Both players have previously won the event when it was staged on Celtic Manor’s Roman Road course. Succeeding Jiménez as champion in 2006, Karlsson also finished runner-up to Scott Strange when the tournament moved to The Twenty Ten Course for the first time in 2008.

The 40-year-old Swede has won 10 times in all on The European Tour and returned to form with a blistering third round 62 in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club on Saturday.

Jiménez counts the BMW PGA Championship as the biggest of his 16 titles on The European Tour and his 2008 success helped propel him to a third Ryder Cup appearance in the last match at Valhalla.

Meanwhile, the latest winner at Wentworth Club, Sunday’s hero Simon Khan, is another former Celtic Manor Wales Open champion who will be teeing it up once again in South Wales next week. Khan secured his only previous European Tour victory at Celtic Manor in 2004 when he overcame Paul Casey in a thrilling play-off.

Khan pipped another more heralded Englishman to gain his second title on Sunday when he pushed Luke Donald back into a share of second place by a single stroke. Donald’s reward was a jump of six places to No 13 in the world rankings and he will set his sights on going one better when he tees up at Celtic Manor for the first time next week.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “It’s great to have three more champion golfers of the calibre of Martin Kaymer, Robert Karlsson and Miguel Angel Jiménez in the starting field for The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

“It is particularly pleasing to see so many of our former winners here at Celtic Manor performing so well on The European Tour and, who knows, we may see the first person lift the trophy for a second time next week.

“This is a great opportunity not only for the players to show Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie exactly what they can do on the tournament course, but also for sports fans to watch top class golfing action on a course which has been purpose built for fantastic spectator viewing.”

Ryder Cup skipper Montgomerie is also in the field, running the rule over fellow Ryder Cup stars Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson, Soren Hansen, David Howell, Paul McGinley and Niclas Fasth, the runner-up to Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl last year.

Other leading contenders for this year’s European Team include Spain’s Alvaro Quiros, Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, and English quartet Ross Fisher, Ross McGowan, Chris Wood and Simon Dyson.

As well as top class sporting action at one of The European Tour’s leading events, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also offers spectators the chance to enjoy family attractions in the tented village and provides a great value, full day out. Children Under-16 enjoy free entry if accompanied by an adult.

Buy tickets online or contact Special Events on 01633 410318 to pre-book tickets by Wednesday May 26. Tickets for all four days will be available for cash purchase on the gate.

]]> Germany’s Martin Kaymer and former champions Robert Karlsson and Miguel Angel Jiménez are the latest proven European Tour winners to add their names to a star-studded field for The Celtic Manor Wales Open from June 3-6.

Kaymer, the World No 11 ranked golfer, has won five times on The European Tour in the past three seasons including back-to-back victories in last summer’s Open de France ALSTOM and Barclays Scottish Open.

His challenge for the inaugural Race To Dubai title in 2009 was thwarted by a broken foot sustained in a go-karting accident which ruled him out of action for two months but the 25-year-old German is back on track for a Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor in October after winning the Abu Dhabi Championship for the second time in January. Kaymer is currently fifth on the European Points List and occupying one of the qualifying places for The Ryder Cup Team.

Established Ryder Cup stars Karlsson and Jiménez will both hope to press their claims to retain their places in the European Team with strong Wales Open showings on The Twenty Ten Course which will stage the match against the Americans in the autumn.

Both players have previously won the event when it was staged on Celtic Manor’s Roman Road course. Succeeding Jiménez as champion in 2006, Karlsson also finished runner-up to Scott Strange when the tournament moved to The Twenty Ten Course for the first time in 2008.

The 40-year-old Swede has won 10 times in all on The European Tour and returned to form with a blistering third round 62 in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club on Saturday.

Jiménez counts the BMW PGA Championship as the biggest of his 16 titles on The European Tour and his 2008 success helped propel him to a third Ryder Cup appearance in the last match at Valhalla.

Meanwhile, the latest winner at Wentworth Club, Sunday’s hero Simon Khan, is another former Celtic Manor Wales Open champion who will be teeing it up once again in South Wales next week. Khan secured his only previous European Tour victory at Celtic Manor in 2004 when he overcame Paul Casey in a thrilling play-off.

Khan pipped another more heralded Englishman to gain his second title on Sunday when he pushed Luke Donald back into a share of second place by a single stroke. Donald’s reward was a jump of six places to No 13 in the world rankings and he will set his sights on going one better when he tees up at Celtic Manor for the first time next week.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “It’s great to have three more champion golfers of the calibre of Martin Kaymer, Robert Karlsson and Miguel Angel Jiménez in the starting field for The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

“It is particularly pleasing to see so many of our former winners here at Celtic Manor performing so well on The European Tour and, who knows, we may see the first person lift the trophy for a second time next week.

“This is a great opportunity not only for the players to show Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie exactly what they can do on the tournament course, but also for sports fans to watch top class golfing action on a course which has been purpose built for fantastic spectator viewing.”

Ryder Cup skipper Montgomerie is also in the field, running the rule over fellow Ryder Cup stars Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson, Soren Hansen, David Howell, Paul McGinley and Niclas Fasth, the runner-up to Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl last year.

Other leading contenders for this year’s European Team include Spain’s Alvaro Quiros, Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, and English quartet Ross Fisher, Ross McGowan, Chris Wood and Simon Dyson.

As well as top class sporting action at one of The European Tour’s leading events, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also offers spectators the chance to enjoy family attractions in the tented village and provides a great value, full day out. Children Under-16 enjoy free entry if accompanied by an adult.

Buy tickets online or contact Special Events on 01633 410318 to pre-book tickets by Wednesday May 26. Tickets for all four days will be available for cash purchase on the gate.

Mon, 24 May 2010 14:34:27 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=10
Played on the same Twenty Ten Course which will host The Ryder Cup in October, The Celtic Manor Wales Open is staged for the 11th time this summer and attracts many of the leading players on The European Tour. Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Oliver Wilson have already indicated they will be playing in this year’s event.

Ladbrokes has signed a three-year deal worth a six-figure sum and will run on-course betting in the tented village for visitors to next month’s tournament.

Extending a sporting portfolio which already includes the World Darts Championship and golf’s Scottish Open, Ladbrokes will enjoy wide-reaching benefits at the venue for this year’s Ryder Cup.

Its sponsored boards at The Celtic Manor Wales Open will include the 15th tee, appropriately the site of the biggest risk-and-reward shot on the spectacular Twenty Ten Course where players can elect to try and drive the green on a par-four.

Adjacent to the 15th green, the company will also sponsor a Par-3 Challenge for spectators to get a taste of the action and chance their arm at winning Ryder Cup tickets provided by The Celtic Manor Resort.

In a win-win wager, spectators will receive a £10 on-line bet from Ladbrokes for their £5 entry fee as well as a £5 voucher to spend on Celtic Manor merchandise in the tented village. Every entrant hitting the green wins a round to come back and play the Roman Road or Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor and the shot which finishes nearest the pin on each of the four tournament days wins a pair of Ryder Cup tickets, courtesy of The Celtic Manor Resort.

Ladbrokes Sportsbook Director Paul Witten said: “We’re very excited to be teaming up with The Celtic Manor Wales Open this year and for the coming years.

“It’s great to support an event which so closely fits our brand. Many of our clients will readily identify with the risk-and-reward challenges of The Twenty Ten Course and we look forward to a busy week in the tented village.”

The sponsorship deal also sees Ladbrokes benefit from hospitality places at the tournament, tickets to the pre-tournament gala dinner and tickets for October’s Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

Celtic Manor Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones added: “It’s great to welcome on board another sponsor of the calibre of Ladbrokes.

“Ladbrokes has been a major supporter of leading sporting events for many years and we’re delighted to add them to our list of sponsors at The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

“The Celtic Manor Wales Open is one of the premier events on The European Tour but we’re always striving to improve and develop the tournament. We would not be able to do this without the support of all our sponsors.”

For information on sponsorship and marketing opportunities, call the Special Events team on 01633 410318.

CAPTION: Ladbrokes Sportsbook Director Paul Witten, left, seals the deal with Celtic Manor Resort Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones

]]> The London-based bookmaker joins the likes of Zurich, Diageo, BMW, Rolex and Barclays Corporate, in backing the £1.8m European Tour event which runs from June 3rd-6th.

Played on the same Twenty Ten Course which will host The Ryder Cup in October, The Celtic Manor Wales Open is staged for the 11th time this summer and attracts many of the leading players on The European Tour. Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Oliver Wilson have already indicated they will be playing in this year’s event.

Ladbrokes has signed a three-year deal worth a six-figure sum and will run on-course betting in the tented village for visitors to next month’s tournament.

Extending a sporting portfolio which already includes the World Darts Championship and golf’s Scottish Open, Ladbrokes will enjoy wide-reaching benefits at the venue for this year’s Ryder Cup.

Its sponsored boards at The Celtic Manor Wales Open will include the 15th tee, appropriately the site of the biggest risk-and-reward shot on the spectacular Twenty Ten Course where players can elect to try and drive the green on a par-four.

Adjacent to the 15th green, the company will also sponsor a Par-3 Challenge for spectators to get a taste of the action and chance their arm at winning Ryder Cup tickets provided by The Celtic Manor Resort.

In a win-win wager, spectators will receive a £10 on-line bet from Ladbrokes for their £5 entry fee as well as a £5 voucher to spend on Celtic Manor merchandise in the tented village. Every entrant hitting the green wins a round to come back and play the Roman Road or Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor and the shot which finishes nearest the pin on each of the four tournament days wins a pair of Ryder Cup tickets, courtesy of The Celtic Manor Resort.

Ladbrokes Sportsbook Director Paul Witten said: “We’re very excited to be teaming up with The Celtic Manor Wales Open this year and for the coming years.

“It’s great to support an event which so closely fits our brand. Many of our clients will readily identify with the risk-and-reward challenges of The Twenty Ten Course and we look forward to a busy week in the tented village.”

The sponsorship deal also sees Ladbrokes benefit from hospitality places at the tournament, tickets to the pre-tournament gala dinner and tickets for October’s Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

Celtic Manor Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones added: “It’s great to welcome on board another sponsor of the calibre of Ladbrokes.

“Ladbrokes has been a major supporter of leading sporting events for many years and we’re delighted to add them to our list of sponsors at The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

“The Celtic Manor Wales Open is one of the premier events on The European Tour but we’re always striving to improve and develop the tournament. We would not be able to do this without the support of all our sponsors.”

For information on sponsorship and marketing opportunities, call the Special Events team on 01633 410318.

CAPTION: Ladbrokes Sportsbook Director Paul Witten, left, seals the deal with Celtic Manor Resort Marketing Director Gareth Rees Jones

Tue, 18 May 2010 12:15:35 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=11
Competing for a share of the £1.8m Wales Open prize fund, Donald will get a good look at The Twenty Ten Course which will provide such a spectacular stage for The Ryder Cup in October.

The Chicago-based Englishman is bidding to regain the place on the European Team he held in the record victories of 2004 and 2006, when he contributed five-and-a-half points from a possible seven. He was unavailable for the last match at Valhalla in 2008 because of a wrist injury.

Donald is a two-time winner on both The European Tour and the US PGA Tour and he has returned to form with three top ten finishes in the United States this season. He currently stands seventh on The Ryder Cup World Points List, just outside the four automatic qualifying places, and his first appearance in The Celtic Manor Wales Open will come at the end of a three-week spell in Europe.

“After The Players Championship in the States, I’m going to play at Wentworth, Madrid and then at Celtic Manor for the Wales Open,” said Donald in his diary for golfmagic.com. “I haven’t played The Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor yet so hopefully it will be good practice for The Ryder Cup because I'm determined to make the team again.”

Donald, the current World No 19 ranked golfer, turned professional in 2001 after a standout amateur career which included two winning Walker Cup appearances for Great Britain and Ireland. Both his European Tour wins – at the Scandinavian Masters and the Omega European Masters –came in 2004, sandwiched by victories on the US PGA Tour at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in 2002 and the Honda Classic in 2006.

A World Cup winner with Paul Casey for England in 2004, Donald was joint fifth in last year’s Open Championship at Turnberry, his best Major Championship performance since tying for third place in the 2005 Masters Tournament and the 2006 US PGA Championship.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “We are delighted that Luke Donald has entered the tournament as we look forward to seeing the strongest playing field ever assembled for the Wales Open.

“Luke is certainly one of the players European Captain Colin Montgomerie will be watching closely as his Team takes shape and it’s great that spectators at The Celtic Manor Wales Open will get the chance to see him at close quarters for the first time.”

The tournament is staged for the 11th time this summer and former winners include Paul McGinley, Paul Lawrie, Ian Poulter, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Robert Karlsson and the defending champion, Jeppe Huldahl.

Any European following in their footsteps this summer will not only have boosted their qualifying prospects to the tune of the £300,000 winner’s cheque, they will also have given Montgomerie the broadest possible hint at their ability to play The Ryder Cup venue.

As well as top class sporting action at one of The European Tour’s leading events, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also offers spectators the chance to enjoy family attractions in the tented village and provides a great value, full day out. Children Under-16 enjoy free entry if accompanied by an adult.

For more on The Celtic Manor Wales Open visit www.walesopen.com

 

]]> Luke Donald will make his debut in The Celtic Manor Wales Open from June 3-6 as he sets his sights on winning a place in Europe’s team for The 2010 Ryder Cup which will be played at the same South Wales venue later in the year.

Competing for a share of the £1.8m Wales Open prize fund, Donald will get a good look at The Twenty Ten Course which will provide such a spectacular stage for The Ryder Cup in October.

The Chicago-based Englishman is bidding to regain the place on the European Team he held in the record victories of 2004 and 2006, when he contributed five-and-a-half points from a possible seven. He was unavailable for the last match at Valhalla in 2008 because of a wrist injury.

Donald is a two-time winner on both The European Tour and the US PGA Tour and he has returned to form with three top ten finishes in the United States this season. He currently stands seventh on The Ryder Cup World Points List, just outside the four automatic qualifying places, and his first appearance in The Celtic Manor Wales Open will come at the end of a three-week spell in Europe.

“After The Players Championship in the States, I’m going to play at Wentworth, Madrid and then at Celtic Manor for the Wales Open,” said Donald in his diary for golfmagic.com. “I haven’t played The Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor yet so hopefully it will be good practice for The Ryder Cup because I'm determined to make the team again.”

Donald, the current World No 19 ranked golfer, turned professional in 2001 after a standout amateur career which included two winning Walker Cup appearances for Great Britain and Ireland. Both his European Tour wins – at the Scandinavian Masters and the Omega European Masters –came in 2004, sandwiched by victories on the US PGA Tour at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in 2002 and the Honda Classic in 2006.

A World Cup winner with Paul Casey for England in 2004, Donald was joint fifth in last year’s Open Championship at Turnberry, his best Major Championship performance since tying for third place in the 2005 Masters Tournament and the 2006 US PGA Championship.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “We are delighted that Luke Donald has entered the tournament as we look forward to seeing the strongest playing field ever assembled for the Wales Open.

“Luke is certainly one of the players European Captain Colin Montgomerie will be watching closely as his Team takes shape and it’s great that spectators at The Celtic Manor Wales Open will get the chance to see him at close quarters for the first time.”

The tournament is staged for the 11th time this summer and former winners include Paul McGinley, Paul Lawrie, Ian Poulter, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Robert Karlsson and the defending champion, Jeppe Huldahl.

Any European following in their footsteps this summer will not only have boosted their qualifying prospects to the tune of the £300,000 winner’s cheque, they will also have given Montgomerie the broadest possible hint at their ability to play The Ryder Cup venue.

As well as top class sporting action at one of The European Tour’s leading events, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also offers spectators the chance to enjoy family attractions in the tented village and provides a great value, full day out. Children Under-16 enjoy free entry if accompanied by an adult.

For more on The Celtic Manor Wales Open visit www.walesopen.com

 

Fri, 07 May 2010 09:58:30 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=12
Seán Clancy takes on the brand new role having held previous sales management positions at Carr Golf Travel, Ireland’s largest golf tour operator, and Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links in Dublin.

Arriving with strong contacts among international golf tour operators, travel agents and corporate golf bookers, Mr Clancy is tasked with building golf sales still further at Celtic Manor, which enjoyed a record year for golf visitors in 2009.

He will be responsible for generating bookings from groups of golfers covering a broad spectrum from local companies and societies to overseas golf travellers and corporate clients.

“I am very excited about joining The Celtic Manor Resort in this Ryder Cup year,” said Mr Clancy, a six-handicap golfer.

“I have been involved in the golf travel business for the last seven years and it is a real thrill to be starting in a new position at such a prestigious sporting venue.

“I was a senior marshal at the Ryder Cup in Ireland in 2006 and my duties included escorting the players’ wives, media and VIP officials around the course. It will be great to be closely involved again this year as part of my actual job.

“The Ryder Cup captures everybody’s imagination and I’ve already found that there is a real buzz about Celtic Manor within the golf industry at the moment. I’m looking forward to making sure as many golfers as possible get the opportunity to play the resort’s three fantastic championship courses.”

The Celtic Manor Resort attracted more golfing visitors than ever before in 2009 when the Ryder Cup effect combined with some attractive stay and play packages saw thousands of players take on the spectacular challenge of the Twenty Ten Course. Bookings again look strong for this summer when the course will remain open until four weeks before the Ryder Cup commences on October 1.

Celtic Manor Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “This is a landmark year for Celtic Manor and one we’ve been building towards for a number of years.

“We’re making sure we have everything in place to facilitate the arrival of golfers from all over the globe who will want to play here both before and after the world’s best players tackle the Twenty Ten Course during the Ryder Cup.

“Seán’s appointment is another key part of delivering that service and we wish him every success as he joins us at this exciting time.”

For more details on planning your next golfing trip to Celtic Manor, visit celtic-manor.com or contact Seán Clancy on 01633 410216, or email sclancy@celtic-manor.com



]]> The Celtic Manor Resort has appointed a golf sales manager as it seeks to maximise the benefits of hosting the Ryder Cup later this year.

Seán Clancy takes on the brand new role having held previous sales management positions at Carr Golf Travel, Ireland’s largest golf tour operator, and Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links in Dublin.

Arriving with strong contacts among international golf tour operators, travel agents and corporate golf bookers, Mr Clancy is tasked with building golf sales still further at Celtic Manor, which enjoyed a record year for golf visitors in 2009.

He will be responsible for generating bookings from groups of golfers covering a broad spectrum from local companies and societies to overseas golf travellers and corporate clients.

“I am very excited about joining The Celtic Manor Resort in this Ryder Cup year,” said Mr Clancy, a six-handicap golfer.

“I have been involved in the golf travel business for the last seven years and it is a real thrill to be starting in a new position at such a prestigious sporting venue.

“I was a senior marshal at the Ryder Cup in Ireland in 2006 and my duties included escorting the players’ wives, media and VIP officials around the course. It will be great to be closely involved again this year as part of my actual job.

“The Ryder Cup captures everybody’s imagination and I’ve already found that there is a real buzz about Celtic Manor within the golf industry at the moment. I’m looking forward to making sure as many golfers as possible get the opportunity to play the resort’s three fantastic championship courses.”

The Celtic Manor Resort attracted more golfing visitors than ever before in 2009 when the Ryder Cup effect combined with some attractive stay and play packages saw thousands of players take on the spectacular challenge of the Twenty Ten Course. Bookings again look strong for this summer when the course will remain open until four weeks before the Ryder Cup commences on October 1.

Celtic Manor Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “This is a landmark year for Celtic Manor and one we’ve been building towards for a number of years.

“We’re making sure we have everything in place to facilitate the arrival of golfers from all over the globe who will want to play here both before and after the world’s best players tackle the Twenty Ten Course during the Ryder Cup.

“Seán’s appointment is another key part of delivering that service and we wish him every success as he joins us at this exciting time.”

For more details on planning your next golfing trip to Celtic Manor, visit celtic-manor.com or contact Seán Clancy on 01633 410216, or email sclancy@celtic-manor.com



Tue, 04 May 2010 13:32:34 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=13
As the contenders for Europe’s Ryder Cup team seek to impress skipper Colin Montgomerie, the £1.8 tournament will also provide a final dress rehearsal for The Twenty Ten Course which promises to provide so much drama in The Ryder Cup.

Under Montgomerie’s instructions, the course has undergone a substantial improvement programme over the winter and it will be the toughest layout ever set up in the decade-long history of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

Purpose built for the team match play excitement generated by The Ryder Cup, the course features water on six of the last eight holes and is poised to produce a thrilling climax when the eyes of the golfing world are trained upon it in October.

Before then, The Twenty Ten hosts its third Celtic Manor Wales Open from June 3-6, having won some rave reviews from Ryder Cup stars and other leading players on the European Tour when it staged the event in 2008 and 2009.

One such enthusiast, European captain Montgomerie, has been working closely with Celtic Manor’s Director of Golf Courses, Jim McKenzie, to implement some final tweaks to the layout.

“We’ve deepened a number of bunkers with larger faces and the rough will certainly be consistently thicker than it has been in previous years,” said McKenzie.

“The greens will also be a lot firmer which is something we’ve been working towards since the course opened in 2007 and which has always been a high priority for Colin Montgomerie. It means only properly struck iron shots will be rewarded by stopping quickly on the greens.

“The course has now had the benefit of a few years of growing in and I’m confident it’s the toughest, but fairest, golf course we’ve seen for the Celtic Manor Wales Open.”

The biggest single revision has seen McKenzie and his team scoop out a huge swale to the left of the 11th green, increasing the chance of shots misdirected that way finding the lake or leaving a tricky tight lie from which to get up and down.

“I think it will be a huge advantage for Colin to see the refinements that he has recommended in tournament play before the Ryder Cup,” added McKenzie, former head greenkeeeper at the West Course at Wentworth.

“The most notable change to the landscape of the golf course is the new swale spilling off the left of the 11th. It’s made the green a much narrower target, as it should be for a reachable par-five, and will leave players with their hearts in their mouths if they pull their approach shots that way.

“The remedial work has also seen us remodel the greenside bunkers with larger faces and similar bunker reshaping has also been done on holes 7, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 18. Drainage in these and other bunkers has also been improved.”

Jeppe Huldahl’s winning score in last year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open was a modest nine under par, as The Twenty Ten Course showed what a fearsome test it was going to provide under the pressure cooker atmosphere of The Ryder Cup.

It promises to provide an even sterner examination this June as many of Europe’s Ryder Cup stars and hopefuls gather to learn the layout and seek to catch the eye of Montgomerie.

Europe’s Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said: “We are delighted with the superb progress made on the Twenty Ten Course by Jim McKenzie and his team, in consultation with Colin Montgomerie, ahead of The Celtic Manor Wales Open in June and The Ryder Cup later in the year.

“This is the 11th Wales Open and the third to be played on The Twenty Ten Course and spectators will again enjoy the great viewing opportunities that this excellent golf course offers.”

As well as top class sporting action at one of the European Tour’s leading events, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also offers spectators the chance to enjoy family attractions in the tented village and provides a great value, full day out.

Past champions of The Celtic Manor Wales Open have included Ryder Cup stars Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Ian Poulter, Paul McGinley and Paul Lawrie.

Any European following in their footsteps this summer will not only have boosted their qualifying prospects to the tune of the £300,000 winner’s cheque, they will also have given Montgomerie the broadest possible hint at their ability to play the Ryder Cup layout.

For more information or tickets, visit www.walesopen.com or call 01633 410318


]]> The Celtic Manor Wales Open steps up another level this year as Europe’s leading golfers get one last chance to prove themselves on the stage for The 2010 Ryder Cup.

As the contenders for Europe’s Ryder Cup team seek to impress skipper Colin Montgomerie, the £1.8 tournament will also provide a final dress rehearsal for The Twenty Ten Course which promises to provide so much drama in The Ryder Cup.

Under Montgomerie’s instructions, the course has undergone a substantial improvement programme over the winter and it will be the toughest layout ever set up in the decade-long history of The Celtic Manor Wales Open.

Purpose built for the team match play excitement generated by The Ryder Cup, the course features water on six of the last eight holes and is poised to produce a thrilling climax when the eyes of the golfing world are trained upon it in October.

Before then, The Twenty Ten hosts its third Celtic Manor Wales Open from June 3-6, having won some rave reviews from Ryder Cup stars and other leading players on the European Tour when it staged the event in 2008 and 2009.

One such enthusiast, European captain Montgomerie, has been working closely with Celtic Manor’s Director of Golf Courses, Jim McKenzie, to implement some final tweaks to the layout.

“We’ve deepened a number of bunkers with larger faces and the rough will certainly be consistently thicker than it has been in previous years,” said McKenzie.

“The greens will also be a lot firmer which is something we’ve been working towards since the course opened in 2007 and which has always been a high priority for Colin Montgomerie. It means only properly struck iron shots will be rewarded by stopping quickly on the greens.

“The course has now had the benefit of a few years of growing in and I’m confident it’s the toughest, but fairest, golf course we’ve seen for the Celtic Manor Wales Open.”

The biggest single revision has seen McKenzie and his team scoop out a huge swale to the left of the 11th green, increasing the chance of shots misdirected that way finding the lake or leaving a tricky tight lie from which to get up and down.

“I think it will be a huge advantage for Colin to see the refinements that he has recommended in tournament play before the Ryder Cup,” added McKenzie, former head greenkeeeper at the West Course at Wentworth.

“The most notable change to the landscape of the golf course is the new swale spilling off the left of the 11th. It’s made the green a much narrower target, as it should be for a reachable par-five, and will leave players with their hearts in their mouths if they pull their approach shots that way.

“The remedial work has also seen us remodel the greenside bunkers with larger faces and similar bunker reshaping has also been done on holes 7, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 18. Drainage in these and other bunkers has also been improved.”

Jeppe Huldahl’s winning score in last year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open was a modest nine under par, as The Twenty Ten Course showed what a fearsome test it was going to provide under the pressure cooker atmosphere of The Ryder Cup.

It promises to provide an even sterner examination this June as many of Europe’s Ryder Cup stars and hopefuls gather to learn the layout and seek to catch the eye of Montgomerie.

Europe’s Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said: “We are delighted with the superb progress made on the Twenty Ten Course by Jim McKenzie and his team, in consultation with Colin Montgomerie, ahead of The Celtic Manor Wales Open in June and The Ryder Cup later in the year.

“This is the 11th Wales Open and the third to be played on The Twenty Ten Course and spectators will again enjoy the great viewing opportunities that this excellent golf course offers.”

As well as top class sporting action at one of the European Tour’s leading events, The Celtic Manor Wales Open also offers spectators the chance to enjoy family attractions in the tented village and provides a great value, full day out.

Past champions of The Celtic Manor Wales Open have included Ryder Cup stars Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Ian Poulter, Paul McGinley and Paul Lawrie.

Any European following in their footsteps this summer will not only have boosted their qualifying prospects to the tune of the £300,000 winner’s cheque, they will also have given Montgomerie the broadest possible hint at their ability to play the Ryder Cup layout.

For more information or tickets, visit www.walesopen.com or call 01633 410318


Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:34:51 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=14
The 46 year old Scot, who has played in eight of the biennial contests against the United States and is the third highest European points scorer in history behind Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer, also conceded he cannot believe how quickly the start of the match is approaching.

“When I was appointed Captain in Dubai last January there was around 16 months to go…now we are down to just six,” he said. “You can feel the excitement building as each week goes by and I am at the stage now where I can’t wait for it all to being in earnest.

“As far as my Team is concerned – although I appreciate there is still a fair way to go in the qualification process – I have to say I’m delighted with the way things are progressing. Everyone knows any Ryder Cup Team has to possess a crucial blend of practiced experience and talented youth and we have both of those elements near the top of the rankings at the moment.

“The reason for this surge of talent is simple; standards are rising due to increased competition among the players. All the guys who are currently in the automatic qualification spots and those just on the fringes are battling week after week to prove how much they want to play in The Ryder Cup.

“By their good play and each wanting to outdo each other’s achievements, they are actually bringing out the best in each other and, as Captain, that is exactly what I want to see.”

Spectators wishing to witness at first hand which 12 players eventually form Captain Montgomerie’s Team during Ryder Cup week itself are reminded that they can still do so as the second ballot is still open until mid April.

Spectators also have the opportunity to immediately buy Practice Day Tickets for Tuesday September 28, Wednesday September 29 and Thursday September 30, in addition to applying for Match Day Tickets through the ballot, both of which can be accessed through the Official Ryder Cup Website, www.rydercup.com/tickets

Practice Day Tickets for Tuesday (September 28) and Wednesday (September 29) cost £30 each – on these two days there is also a special concession for Under 16’s with tickets priced at £15 – and for Thursday when the Opening Ceremony takes place, the price is £40 (concessions £20).

A limit of eight tickets per household is being applied to the purchase of Practice Day Tickets although Ryder Cup Europe will work with Golf Clubs and Societies to ensure, wherever possible, large group numbers can be accommodated especially when this includes Juniors. There will be a maximum of four tickets for any match day for each household.

Ryder Cup Europe’s second formal offer for a match destined to deliver one of the greatest weeks in the sporting history of Wales takes in Match Day Tickets for Friday (October 1) and Saturday (October 2) at £100 and for Sunday (October 3) at £130. There are several Season Ticket options ranging from £140 to £430 and spectators opting for a six day International Pavilion Ticket – costing £950 – will have access to an upgraded facility with a sports bar theme containing seating, television and food and drink purchase points.

There is a half price concession throughout the week including the International Pavilion – a ‘premium’ ticket being offered to the public for the first time – for the Disabled, and if he or she requires a Carer then that ticket can also be purchased at half price.

Successful candidates from the second public ticket ballot will be determined, as was the case in the first ballot, through a computerised random lottery draw to take place this Spring. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of the result by email.

Meanwhile, anyone wishing to secure admission to experience the atmosphere of golf’s greatest team event in the company of friends or colleagues can do so by purchasing Official Ryder Cup Hospitality packages for tables of ten or chalets of 30 or 50 people. Details of those packages can be purchased via www.rydercuphospitality.com







]]> Colin Montgomerie has admitted that, six months to the day when he will stand on the first tee at The Celtic Manor Resort to herald the start of The Ryder Cup, he is delighted at the way his potential European Team is taking shape.

The 46 year old Scot, who has played in eight of the biennial contests against the United States and is the third highest European points scorer in history behind Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer, also conceded he cannot believe how quickly the start of the match is approaching.

“When I was appointed Captain in Dubai last January there was around 16 months to go…now we are down to just six,” he said. “You can feel the excitement building as each week goes by and I am at the stage now where I can’t wait for it all to being in earnest.

“As far as my Team is concerned – although I appreciate there is still a fair way to go in the qualification process – I have to say I’m delighted with the way things are progressing. Everyone knows any Ryder Cup Team has to possess a crucial blend of practiced experience and talented youth and we have both of those elements near the top of the rankings at the moment.

“The reason for this surge of talent is simple; standards are rising due to increased competition among the players. All the guys who are currently in the automatic qualification spots and those just on the fringes are battling week after week to prove how much they want to play in The Ryder Cup.

“By their good play and each wanting to outdo each other’s achievements, they are actually bringing out the best in each other and, as Captain, that is exactly what I want to see.”

Spectators wishing to witness at first hand which 12 players eventually form Captain Montgomerie’s Team during Ryder Cup week itself are reminded that they can still do so as the second ballot is still open until mid April.

Spectators also have the opportunity to immediately buy Practice Day Tickets for Tuesday September 28, Wednesday September 29 and Thursday September 30, in addition to applying for Match Day Tickets through the ballot, both of which can be accessed through the Official Ryder Cup Website, www.rydercup.com/tickets

Practice Day Tickets for Tuesday (September 28) and Wednesday (September 29) cost £30 each – on these two days there is also a special concession for Under 16’s with tickets priced at £15 – and for Thursday when the Opening Ceremony takes place, the price is £40 (concessions £20).

A limit of eight tickets per household is being applied to the purchase of Practice Day Tickets although Ryder Cup Europe will work with Golf Clubs and Societies to ensure, wherever possible, large group numbers can be accommodated especially when this includes Juniors. There will be a maximum of four tickets for any match day for each household.

Ryder Cup Europe’s second formal offer for a match destined to deliver one of the greatest weeks in the sporting history of Wales takes in Match Day Tickets for Friday (October 1) and Saturday (October 2) at £100 and for Sunday (October 3) at £130. There are several Season Ticket options ranging from £140 to £430 and spectators opting for a six day International Pavilion Ticket – costing £950 – will have access to an upgraded facility with a sports bar theme containing seating, television and food and drink purchase points.

There is a half price concession throughout the week including the International Pavilion – a ‘premium’ ticket being offered to the public for the first time – for the Disabled, and if he or she requires a Carer then that ticket can also be purchased at half price.

Successful candidates from the second public ticket ballot will be determined, as was the case in the first ballot, through a computerised random lottery draw to take place this Spring. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of the result by email.

Meanwhile, anyone wishing to secure admission to experience the atmosphere of golf’s greatest team event in the company of friends or colleagues can do so by purchasing Official Ryder Cup Hospitality packages for tables of ten or chalets of 30 or 50 people. Details of those packages can be purchased via www.rydercuphospitality.com







Thu, 01 Apr 2010 09:27:17 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=15
Carwyn Jones AM cut the ribbon on the 120-metre long, cable stayed bridge over the River Usk in the company of Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, and Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director.

The £2m twin-suspension bridge completes a £16m investment by The Celtic Manor Resort in building a new course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure, developments that were promised when one of sport’s biggest events was awarded to Wales back in 2001.

Primarily a footbridge for spectators, the bridge will also be able to carry golf buggies transporting players and officials as well as emergency vehicles, should the need arise, when The Ryder Cup is staged at Celtic Manor between 27th September and 3rd October, 2010.

Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We are proud to open this wonderful new bridge as the final major piece of construction for this year’s Ryder Cup.

“We have invested a lot of time and resources in creating not only The Twenty Ten Course, the first golf course in history to be purpose built for staging The Ryder Cup, but also the surrounding infrastructure.

“This bridge to the new practice ground is an important part of that commitment to provide the best possible playing conditions for the top golfers from Europe and America who will be gracing the event, as well as enhance the spectator experience at The 38th Ryder Cup.”

As with the construction of The Twenty Ten Course and its clubhouse, the new bridge was built by Welsh contractors, bringing further benefits to the economy of Wales. Port Talbot-based Andrew Scott Ltd was the main construction contractor and Rowecord Engineering of Newport provided the superstructure and all steelwork.

Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales, said: “The Ryder Cup is a huge event for Wales and I congratulate Sir Terry Matthews and the team at The Celtic Manor Resort on completing the final piece of the infrastructure required on-site to host such a high-profile event, which will be a superb showcase for Wales.”

The bridge was designed with close attention to the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the tidal River Usk. A six-metre exclusion zone on either side of the river bank protects otter holts and ensures the migrating patterns of salmon and shad fish are not affected.

As well as the Ryder Cup practice ground, the bridge also links to a huge TV compound housing the world’s sports broadcasters on the Caerleon side of the river. On the golf course side, a vast tented village of spectator attractions will occupy the existing Twenty Ten practice ground between the river and the first tee.

Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The installation of the bridge is a vital component of The 2010 Ryder Cup, facilitating ease of access to both sides of the River Usk. The bridge will also be able to carry emergency vehicles and with this opening another part of the infrastructure required to host The 2010 Ryder Cup is officially in place.

“The Celtic Manor Resort as host venue has continually demonstrated superb commitment and we congratulate them for making this happen in such good time and thank Sir Terry Matthews whose vision has led to the biennial contest being hosted in Wales for the first time.”

Caption:Taking the first walk across the bridge are, from left, Richard Hills, Europe's Ryder Cup Director; Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales; and Sir Terry Matthews, Celtic Manor Resort Chairman.





]]> A vast new bridge which will transport players and spectators to the practice ground during this year’s Ryder Cup has been officially opened by the First Minister of Wales.

Carwyn Jones AM cut the ribbon on the 120-metre long, cable stayed bridge over the River Usk in the company of Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, and Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director.

The £2m twin-suspension bridge completes a £16m investment by The Celtic Manor Resort in building a new course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure, developments that were promised when one of sport’s biggest events was awarded to Wales back in 2001.

Primarily a footbridge for spectators, the bridge will also be able to carry golf buggies transporting players and officials as well as emergency vehicles, should the need arise, when The Ryder Cup is staged at Celtic Manor between 27th September and 3rd October, 2010.

Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We are proud to open this wonderful new bridge as the final major piece of construction for this year’s Ryder Cup.

“We have invested a lot of time and resources in creating not only The Twenty Ten Course, the first golf course in history to be purpose built for staging The Ryder Cup, but also the surrounding infrastructure.

“This bridge to the new practice ground is an important part of that commitment to provide the best possible playing conditions for the top golfers from Europe and America who will be gracing the event, as well as enhance the spectator experience at The 38th Ryder Cup.”

As with the construction of The Twenty Ten Course and its clubhouse, the new bridge was built by Welsh contractors, bringing further benefits to the economy of Wales. Port Talbot-based Andrew Scott Ltd was the main construction contractor and Rowecord Engineering of Newport provided the superstructure and all steelwork.

Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales, said: “The Ryder Cup is a huge event for Wales and I congratulate Sir Terry Matthews and the team at The Celtic Manor Resort on completing the final piece of the infrastructure required on-site to host such a high-profile event, which will be a superb showcase for Wales.”

The bridge was designed with close attention to the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the tidal River Usk. A six-metre exclusion zone on either side of the river bank protects otter holts and ensures the migrating patterns of salmon and shad fish are not affected.

As well as the Ryder Cup practice ground, the bridge also links to a huge TV compound housing the world’s sports broadcasters on the Caerleon side of the river. On the golf course side, a vast tented village of spectator attractions will occupy the existing Twenty Ten practice ground between the river and the first tee.

Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The installation of the bridge is a vital component of The 2010 Ryder Cup, facilitating ease of access to both sides of the River Usk. The bridge will also be able to carry emergency vehicles and with this opening another part of the infrastructure required to host The 2010 Ryder Cup is officially in place.

“The Celtic Manor Resort as host venue has continually demonstrated superb commitment and we congratulate them for making this happen in such good time and thank Sir Terry Matthews whose vision has led to the biennial contest being hosted in Wales for the first time.”

Caption:Taking the first walk across the bridge are, from left, Richard Hills, Europe's Ryder Cup Director; Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales; and Sir Terry Matthews, Celtic Manor Resort Chairman.





Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:25:53 +00:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=16
The five-star resort in South Wales bucked the trend of economic recession by selling 20,000 more room nights to leisure visitors in 2009 than it did in 2008. It also saw revenues increase significantly across its golf, spa and restaurant outlets.

The massive upturn resulted from a combination of Celtic Manor’s increased international profile because of the Ryder Cup and a new leisure strategy to compensate for the global downturn in corporate and conference business.

Rounds on its flagship Twenty Ten Course by visiting golfers were almost doubled on the year before and 81 per cent of all the available visitor tee times were booked out.

Other comparisons from 2008 saw:

• An additional 22,000 rounds played on the three championship golf courses

• Golf visitor green fee income up by 58 per cent

• A 45 per cent increase in overseas visitors

• Overall room occupancy up by 8 per cent, despite the downturn in conference business

• Bar and restaurant revenue up by 26 per cent to record levels

• Spa revenue up by 18 per cent


Golf and leisure bookings already look strong again for 2010 and corporate and individual memberships for the Twenty Ten Club have grown as people join to receive Ryder Cup season tickets, a membership benefit which expires in March.

Celtic Manor vice-president of operations Ian Edwards said: “Things did not look great at the start of last year as we steeled ourselves for the inevitable shortfall in corporate business as the recession took hold.

“Having been voted the UK’s Top Conference Hotel in three of the last four years, this has always been a very important market to us. But the grim forecasts galvanized us to focus more of our energies on the leisure market and improving our appeal to families.

“The strategy has included offering a number of different packages to attract a range of markets including groups of golfers and families. This has brought our overall room occupancy up to record levels, while the golf courses, bars and restaurants have never been busier.”

As well as golf, leisure facilities at Celtic Manor have always included luxury spa, kids’ club and crèche, tennis courts and mountain biking and walking trails, not to mention the choice of five different restaurants to offer something for the whole family. A new family games room and the appointment of a guest activities manager increased the leisure offering still further in 2009, when special offers included three nights for the price of two during the school holidays.

Plans for 2010 include the improvement of bedrooms and many public areas in the Resort Hotel in readiness for The Ryder Cup. Flat screen TVs will be installed in every bedroom and the Olive Tree restaurant and Rooftop Garden barbecue terrace will both be expanded.

“We expect to welcome even more visitors in 2010 as the Ryder Cup draws ever closer,” added Mr Edwards.

“This is a very exciting time for the resort and it’s great to be going into this landmark year with the momentum of so much success in 2009 behind us.”



]]> The Celtic Manor Resort has announced a record year for leisure visitor numbers as it prepares for an even bigger upturn in 2010 when it hosts Wales’ first Ryder Cup.

The five-star resort in South Wales bucked the trend of economic recession by selling 20,000 more room nights to leisure visitors in 2009 than it did in 2008. It also saw revenues increase significantly across its golf, spa and restaurant outlets.

The massive upturn resulted from a combination of Celtic Manor’s increased international profile because of the Ryder Cup and a new leisure strategy to compensate for the global downturn in corporate and conference business.

Rounds on its flagship Twenty Ten Course by visiting golfers were almost doubled on the year before and 81 per cent of all the available visitor tee times were booked out.

Other comparisons from 2008 saw:

• An additional 22,000 rounds played on the three championship golf courses

• Golf visitor green fee income up by 58 per cent

• A 45 per cent increase in overseas visitors

• Overall room occupancy up by 8 per cent, despite the downturn in conference business

• Bar and restaurant revenue up by 26 per cent to record levels

• Spa revenue up by 18 per cent


Golf and leisure bookings already look strong again for 2010 and corporate and individual memberships for the Twenty Ten Club have grown as people join to receive Ryder Cup season tickets, a membership benefit which expires in March.

Celtic Manor vice-president of operations Ian Edwards said: “Things did not look great at the start of last year as we steeled ourselves for the inevitable shortfall in corporate business as the recession took hold.

“Having been voted the UK’s Top Conference Hotel in three of the last four years, this has always been a very important market to us. But the grim forecasts galvanized us to focus more of our energies on the leisure market and improving our appeal to families.

“The strategy has included offering a number of different packages to attract a range of markets including groups of golfers and families. This has brought our overall room occupancy up to record levels, while the golf courses, bars and restaurants have never been busier.”

As well as golf, leisure facilities at Celtic Manor have always included luxury spa, kids’ club and crèche, tennis courts and mountain biking and walking trails, not to mention the choice of five different restaurants to offer something for the whole family. A new family games room and the appointment of a guest activities manager increased the leisure offering still further in 2009, when special offers included three nights for the price of two during the school holidays.

Plans for 2010 include the improvement of bedrooms and many public areas in the Resort Hotel in readiness for The Ryder Cup. Flat screen TVs will be installed in every bedroom and the Olive Tree restaurant and Rooftop Garden barbecue terrace will both be expanded.

“We expect to welcome even more visitors in 2010 as the Ryder Cup draws ever closer,” added Mr Edwards.

“This is a very exciting time for the resort and it’s great to be going into this landmark year with the momentum of so much success in 2009 behind us.”



Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:13:07 +00:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=17  
Buffalo Communications, based near Washington DC, will leverage the Ryder Cup (October 1-3) to showcase the resort’s five-star facilities and services, including its three outstanding golf courses, and build on growing interest from overseas visitors.
 
A popular destination among golf tour operators and corporate incentive agents, Celtic Manor will also benefit from Buffalo’s connections and programme development with travel providers.
 
Nestled in the verdant Welsh hills, Celtic Manor features extensive amenities for golf, business and leisure travellers. Foremost are its three golf courses: 

The Twenty Ten – first in history designed and built specifically to host the Ryder Cup The Roman Road – Robert Trent Jones, Sr-designed home to the Celtic Manor Wales Open on the European Tour (2005-07) The Montgomerie – designed by the European 2010 Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie  Two lavish hotels, tranquil spas and state-of-the-art health clubs; five restaurants; a shooting school; a golf academy and miles of scenic trails for mountain biking and nature hikes are highlights at Celtic Manor.
 
With a convention centre, exhibition hall and an array of well-appointed suites, meeting rooms and large ballrooms, Celtic Manor hosts groups up to 1,500 for conferences, weddings and other special events.
 
“Celtic Manor offers something for every discerning traveller,” says Dylan Matthews, Chief Executive of Celtic Manor. “The Ryder Cup has really put us on the map as a golf destination, and players from all over the world are enjoying our Twenty Ten course and the resort’s other facilities.
 
“The Twenty Ten course remains open for visitor play throughout the summer of 2010, and we look forward to working with Buffalo Communications in welcoming even more golf travellers from North America as the Ryder Cup approaches.”
 
Rich Katz, Managing Director of Buffalo, said: “The experience of Celtic Manor and its championship golf is exhilarating. We’re excited to partner with Celtic Manor to cement its ‘preferred-destination’ status and advance revenue goals – before, during and after the Ryder Cup.”
 
The resort will continue to work with London-based Four Communications for public relations in the UK and Europe as it seeks to maximise publicity in Ryder Cup year.
 
The resort was voted the UK’s Top Conference Hotel four of the last five years by readers of Conference & Incentive Travel magazine. World Travel Awards, Clubhouse Magazine, Golf Punk and other media also ranked Celtic Manor the top resort and golf destination in Wales and the UK, contributing to its selection as host of the 2005 EU Foreign Ministers Summit.
 
More recently, Celtic Manor played host to the 2009 PGA Magazine Ambassadors’ Program and the KPMG Golf Business Forum for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, at which Arnold Palmer was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
 
The resort beat rival bids from Scotland and England to bring the Ryder Cup to Wales for the first time in 2010. Since landing the award in 2001, it has invested £16 million to build the new Twenty Ten course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure.
 
The resort 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.

About Buffalo Communications
 
Vienna, Virginia-based Buffalo Communications is a global, golf-lifestyle public relations, branding and marketing-communications firm with clients operating in 40-plus countries. Buffalo employs its extensive, longstanding and strong network of media and industry contacts to raise awareness, popularity and revenues of clients.
 
For more information: 
www.buffalocommunications.com
www.twitter.com/buffalocomm
+ 1 703 761 1444

]]> The Celtic Manor Resort - host of golf’s 2010 Ryder Cup and Wales’ premier luxury retreat – has appointed a US public relations agency to create and implement a comprehensive publicity programme in North America.
 
Buffalo Communications, based near Washington DC, will leverage the Ryder Cup (October 1-3) to showcase the resort’s five-star facilities and services, including its three outstanding golf courses, and build on growing interest from overseas visitors.
 
A popular destination among golf tour operators and corporate incentive agents, Celtic Manor will also benefit from Buffalo’s connections and programme development with travel providers.
 
Nestled in the verdant Welsh hills, Celtic Manor features extensive amenities for golf, business and leisure travellers. Foremost are its three golf courses: 

The Twenty Ten – first in history designed and built specifically to host the Ryder Cup The Roman Road – Robert Trent Jones, Sr-designed home to the Celtic Manor Wales Open on the European Tour (2005-07) The Montgomerie – designed by the European 2010 Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie  Two lavish hotels, tranquil spas and state-of-the-art health clubs; five restaurants; a shooting school; a golf academy and miles of scenic trails for mountain biking and nature hikes are highlights at Celtic Manor.
 
With a convention centre, exhibition hall and an array of well-appointed suites, meeting rooms and large ballrooms, Celtic Manor hosts groups up to 1,500 for conferences, weddings and other special events.
 
“Celtic Manor offers something for every discerning traveller,” says Dylan Matthews, Chief Executive of Celtic Manor. “The Ryder Cup has really put us on the map as a golf destination, and players from all over the world are enjoying our Twenty Ten course and the resort’s other facilities.
 
“The Twenty Ten course remains open for visitor play throughout the summer of 2010, and we look forward to working with Buffalo Communications in welcoming even more golf travellers from North America as the Ryder Cup approaches.”
 
Rich Katz, Managing Director of Buffalo, said: “The experience of Celtic Manor and its championship golf is exhilarating. We’re excited to partner with Celtic Manor to cement its ‘preferred-destination’ status and advance revenue goals – before, during and after the Ryder Cup.”
 
The resort will continue to work with London-based Four Communications for public relations in the UK and Europe as it seeks to maximise publicity in Ryder Cup year.
 
The resort was voted the UK’s Top Conference Hotel four of the last five years by readers of Conference & Incentive Travel magazine. World Travel Awards, Clubhouse Magazine, Golf Punk and other media also ranked Celtic Manor the top resort and golf destination in Wales and the UK, contributing to its selection as host of the 2005 EU Foreign Ministers Summit.
 
More recently, Celtic Manor played host to the 2009 PGA Magazine Ambassadors’ Program and the KPMG Golf Business Forum for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, at which Arnold Palmer was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
 
The resort beat rival bids from Scotland and England to bring the Ryder Cup to Wales for the first time in 2010. Since landing the award in 2001, it has invested £16 million to build the new Twenty Ten course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure.
 
The resort 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.

About Buffalo Communications
 
Vienna, Virginia-based Buffalo Communications is a global, golf-lifestyle public relations, branding and marketing-communications firm with clients operating in 40-plus countries. Buffalo employs its extensive, longstanding and strong network of media and industry contacts to raise awareness, popularity and revenues of clients.
 
For more information: 
www.buffalocommunications.com
www.twitter.com/buffalocomm
+ 1 703 761 1444

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:33:38 +00:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=18
The five-star resort in South Wales, which will host golf’s prestigious Ryder Cup in 2010, has been voted the UK’s Best Conference Hotel by industry experts for the fourth time in the last five years.

Having picked up Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s Top UK Conference Hotel prize in 2005, 2007 and 2008, Celtic Manor has now collected the gold award in the same publication’s inaugural Hot List awards for 2009.
 
A record year for leisure business has helped the resort battle the economic downturn which has hit the corporate events industry, but this latest award shows that Celtic Manor’s reputation remains unaffected as the leading venue for hosting conferences in Great Britain.
 
With 400 bedrooms in two hotels, a large and versatile convention centre, three championship golf courses, five restaurants, two luxurious spas and health clubs as well as a host of other activities, The Celtic Manor Resort occupies a unique position in the marketplace.
 
The venue beat off some strong competition for the prize with London’s Riverbank Park Plaza taking the silver award and The Grove in Hertfordshire claiming bronze.
 
Explaining Celtic Manor’s success, the magazine commented: “Already established as one of the UK’s leading conference properties, it will strengthen these bonds still further when it hosts the Ryder Cup next year on its spanking new Twenty Ten course, designed and built for the biennial event.”
 
Celtic Manor Business Development Director Jill Manley said: “We are delighted to have once again been voted the UK’s favourite conference hotel.
 
“It is particularly satisfying that this accolade comes from the readers of Conference & Incentive Travel, many of whom are the executives who plan and arrange conventions for some of the biggest blue chip companies.
 
“The award is a reflection not only of the excellent facilities at The Celtic Manor Resort but also the dedication to customer service of our entire staff.”
 
The resort’s convention centre – one of the largest hotel facilities of its kind in Europe – houses the Caernarfon Suite which can seat 1,500 delegates for a keynote lecture or 800 dining guests for a gala dinner. An additional 31 syndicate and meeting rooms with break-out areas can cater for every event from a small meeting around a table to large presentations for hundreds of people.
 
The venue was also voted Wales’ Leading Hotel and Wales’ Leading Golf Resort at the 2009 World Travel Awards.
 



]]> The Celtic Manor Resort has emerged from a difficult year for the entire corporate business sector with another top award for the quality of its conference facilities and service.

The five-star resort in South Wales, which will host golf’s prestigious Ryder Cup in 2010, has been voted the UK’s Best Conference Hotel by industry experts for the fourth time in the last five years.

Having picked up Conference & Incentive Travel magazine’s Top UK Conference Hotel prize in 2005, 2007 and 2008, Celtic Manor has now collected the gold award in the same publication’s inaugural Hot List awards for 2009.
 
A record year for leisure business has helped the resort battle the economic downturn which has hit the corporate events industry, but this latest award shows that Celtic Manor’s reputation remains unaffected as the leading venue for hosting conferences in Great Britain.
 
With 400 bedrooms in two hotels, a large and versatile convention centre, three championship golf courses, five restaurants, two luxurious spas and health clubs as well as a host of other activities, The Celtic Manor Resort occupies a unique position in the marketplace.
 
The venue beat off some strong competition for the prize with London’s Riverbank Park Plaza taking the silver award and The Grove in Hertfordshire claiming bronze.
 
Explaining Celtic Manor’s success, the magazine commented: “Already established as one of the UK’s leading conference properties, it will strengthen these bonds still further when it hosts the Ryder Cup next year on its spanking new Twenty Ten course, designed and built for the biennial event.”
 
Celtic Manor Business Development Director Jill Manley said: “We are delighted to have once again been voted the UK’s favourite conference hotel.
 
“It is particularly satisfying that this accolade comes from the readers of Conference & Incentive Travel, many of whom are the executives who plan and arrange conventions for some of the biggest blue chip companies.
 
“The award is a reflection not only of the excellent facilities at The Celtic Manor Resort but also the dedication to customer service of our entire staff.”
 
The resort’s convention centre – one of the largest hotel facilities of its kind in Europe – houses the Caernarfon Suite which can seat 1,500 delegates for a keynote lecture or 800 dining guests for a gala dinner. An additional 31 syndicate and meeting rooms with break-out areas can cater for every event from a small meeting around a table to large presentations for hundreds of people.
 
The venue was also voted Wales’ Leading Hotel and Wales’ Leading Golf Resort at the 2009 World Travel Awards.
 



Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:56:30 +00:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=19 The Celtic Manor Resort is celebrating the launch of its new French bistro with a Beaujolais Nouveau evening on Thursday November 19.
 
Every couple dining on the evening which celebrates the arrival of the new 2009 Beaujolais wine from France will receive a complimentary half-litre carafe of Beaujolais Nouveau to accompany their meal.
 
Toasting the new wine, a time-honoured tradition in France which has now spread across the globe, offers the perfect occasion to celebrate the restyling of the oldest restaurant at The Celtic Manor Resort.
 
The Patio Restaurant has stood since the original Celtic Manor Hotel opened with just 17 bedrooms in 1982 and diners in the conservatory restaurant have included Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey.
 
Now part of the Manor House Hotel at the luxury resort in South Wales, Le Patio has just been relaunched as a French bistro with a menu dominated by rustic French dishes.
 
Starters on the current menu include escargots a la Bourguignonne and moules marinières, main courses feature coq au vin, salade nicoise and steak-frites, while crème caramel and tarte tatin are among the desserts.
 
“We are really excited about launching this new bistro,” said Le Patio’s French head chef, Mickael Le Cuziat.
 
“The menu is full of authentic French bistro dishes and Le Patio’s ambience in a beautiful conservatory complements the food perfectly.”
 
Le Cuziat trained in his native Brittany before joining Celtic Manor in 1997 and becoming The Patio’s head chef in 2006. Breton influences are evident in his menu including the popular crêpes flambées which always provide a dramatic flourish at dessert.
 
Le Patio is one of five restaurants at The Celtic Manor Resort which include the fine-dining Crown at Celtic Manor, a partnership with the Michelin-starred Crown at Whitebrook.
 
The new bistro is open for dinner every night except Sunday and diners from Monday to Thursday can take advantage of a 20% discount on their food bill until the end of November, an offer which also applies to the Beaujolais Nouveau Evening on November 19. 

To book for this event or dinner on another date at Le Patio, please contact the Reservations team on 01633 410262.

More on Le Patio





]]>
The Celtic Manor Resort is celebrating the launch of its new French bistro with a Beaujolais Nouveau evening on Thursday November 19.
 
Every couple dining on the evening which celebrates the arrival of the new 2009 Beaujolais wine from France will receive a complimentary half-litre carafe of Beaujolais Nouveau to accompany their meal.
 
Toasting the new wine, a time-honoured tradition in France which has now spread across the globe, offers the perfect occasion to celebrate the restyling of the oldest restaurant at The Celtic Manor Resort.
 
The Patio Restaurant has stood since the original Celtic Manor Hotel opened with just 17 bedrooms in 1982 and diners in the conservatory restaurant have included Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey.
 
Now part of the Manor House Hotel at the luxury resort in South Wales, Le Patio has just been relaunched as a French bistro with a menu dominated by rustic French dishes.
 
Starters on the current menu include escargots a la Bourguignonne and moules marinières, main courses feature coq au vin, salade nicoise and steak-frites, while crème caramel and tarte tatin are among the desserts.
 
“We are really excited about launching this new bistro,” said Le Patio’s French head chef, Mickael Le Cuziat.
 
“The menu is full of authentic French bistro dishes and Le Patio’s ambience in a beautiful conservatory complements the food perfectly.”
 
Le Cuziat trained in his native Brittany before joining Celtic Manor in 1997 and becoming The Patio’s head chef in 2006. Breton influences are evident in his menu including the popular crêpes flambées which always provide a dramatic flourish at dessert.
 
Le Patio is one of five restaurants at The Celtic Manor Resort which include the fine-dining Crown at Celtic Manor, a partnership with the Michelin-starred Crown at Whitebrook.
 
The new bistro is open for dinner every night except Sunday and diners from Monday to Thursday can take advantage of a 20% discount on their food bill until the end of November, an offer which also applies to the Beaujolais Nouveau Evening on November 19. 

To book for this event or dinner on another date at Le Patio, please contact the Reservations team on 01633 410262.

More on Le Patio





Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:56:52 +00:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=20 Michelin-starred chef James Sommerin will cook up fine-dining on a grand scale when he leads a team of chefs at The Celtic Manor Resort preparing a banquet to celebrate a year to go until The 2010 Ryder Cup.
 
Sommerin, Executive Head Chef at The Crown restaurants at Celtic Manor and Whitebrook, will be cooking for rival Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, celebrities and Ryder Cup officials among a total of 660 guests at the gala dinner.
 
He will lead a team of no fewer than 30 chefs from Celtic Manor and The Crown at Whitebrook as he seeks to provide a fine-dining experience for the vast audience. The Year To Go Dinner takes place in the opulent Caernarfon Ballroom at The Celtic Manor Resort on Monday October 12 and entertainment includes singing from Bryn Terfel.
 
For Sommerin, who won a coveted Michelin Star at The Crown at Whitebrook in 2007 and retained it in 2008 and 2009, the dinner will be a different sort of challenge.
 
He said: “I’ve cooked for some prestigious occasions and some important people in the past but this is the first time I’ve cooked for so many people.
 
“Fortunately, I’ve got a highly talented team of chefs working with me and The Celtic Manor Resort is very experienced in catering for events of this size.
 
“But I want this to be fine-dining on a grand scale. I want the guests to finish the evening feeling wowed by the quality of the food.”
 
The four-course gourmet menu, based on Sommerin’s dishes as a finalist in this summer’s Great British Menu on BBC 2, certainly reflects his aspirations.
 
The starter is poached and roast chicken with a liquid pea ravioli while the main course features sirloin of beef, braised brisket and smoked butternut squash. A dessert of autumn berry trifle is followed by a selection of Welsh cheeses.
 
As well as his accolades at The Crown at Whitebrook, Sommerin also helped The Crown at Celtic Manor to achieve three AA rosettes within a year of its opening, and continues to grow the reputation of both restaurants in the vibrant Gwent culinary scene.
 
During the dinner, Ryder Cup captains Montgomerie and Pavin will be quizzed by Radio 2 broadcaster Chris Evans who will also compere chats with Sir Terry Matthews, owner of The Celtic Manor Resort, and George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour.
 
Other guests at the VIP dinner include past Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer and Tony Jacklin, French rugby legend Jean Pierre Rives, Dutch soccer great Ruud Gullit and officials from Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA of America.
 
The 2010 Ryder Cup takes place from October 1-3 at The Celtic Manor Resort and will be the biggest sporting event ever staged in Wales.   





]]>
Michelin-starred chef James Sommerin will cook up fine-dining on a grand scale when he leads a team of chefs at The Celtic Manor Resort preparing a banquet to celebrate a year to go until The 2010 Ryder Cup.
 
Sommerin, Executive Head Chef at The Crown restaurants at Celtic Manor and Whitebrook, will be cooking for rival Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, celebrities and Ryder Cup officials among a total of 660 guests at the gala dinner.
 
He will lead a team of no fewer than 30 chefs from Celtic Manor and The Crown at Whitebrook as he seeks to provide a fine-dining experience for the vast audience. The Year To Go Dinner takes place in the opulent Caernarfon Ballroom at The Celtic Manor Resort on Monday October 12 and entertainment includes singing from Bryn Terfel.
 
For Sommerin, who won a coveted Michelin Star at The Crown at Whitebrook in 2007 and retained it in 2008 and 2009, the dinner will be a different sort of challenge.
 
He said: “I’ve cooked for some prestigious occasions and some important people in the past but this is the first time I’ve cooked for so many people.
 
“Fortunately, I’ve got a highly talented team of chefs working with me and The Celtic Manor Resort is very experienced in catering for events of this size.
 
“But I want this to be fine-dining on a grand scale. I want the guests to finish the evening feeling wowed by the quality of the food.”
 
The four-course gourmet menu, based on Sommerin’s dishes as a finalist in this summer’s Great British Menu on BBC 2, certainly reflects his aspirations.
 
The starter is poached and roast chicken with a liquid pea ravioli while the main course features sirloin of beef, braised brisket and smoked butternut squash. A dessert of autumn berry trifle is followed by a selection of Welsh cheeses.
 
As well as his accolades at The Crown at Whitebrook, Sommerin also helped The Crown at Celtic Manor to achieve three AA rosettes within a year of its opening, and continues to grow the reputation of both restaurants in the vibrant Gwent culinary scene.
 
During the dinner, Ryder Cup captains Montgomerie and Pavin will be quizzed by Radio 2 broadcaster Chris Evans who will also compere chats with Sir Terry Matthews, owner of The Celtic Manor Resort, and George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour.
 
Other guests at the VIP dinner include past Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer and Tony Jacklin, French rugby legend Jean Pierre Rives, Dutch soccer great Ruud Gullit and officials from Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA of America.
 
The 2010 Ryder Cup takes place from October 1-3 at The Celtic Manor Resort and will be the biggest sporting event ever staged in Wales.   





Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:21:51 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=21  
Captained by Peter McEvoy (former successful Walker Cup captain), the team will compete against former Ryder and Solheim Cup players over two days at the SFG Challenge Tour final on October 27th-28th.
 
But first the finalists from the 2009 SFG Challenge Tour must negotiate the one-day qualifying school played on The Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor on Monday October 26th to make the final team.
 
The 2009 SFG Challenge Tour, sponsored by Srixon, provided an opportunity for golfers with a handicap of under 10 to qualify for the SFG team.
 
Forty events across the UK provided 84 finalists but with just 10 final places available, there is sure to be fierce competition to play against the professionals in a format that mirrors the Ryder Cup and will be played on The Twenty Ten Course that will host golf’s most prestigious event in October 2010.  
 
Chief Executive of SingleFigureGolfer.com Paul Heming commented: “We’ve tried to make qualifying as pressurised as possible. To play on the Ryder Cup course a year before the official event against the former stars is a priceless opportunity.”
 
Dylan Matthews, Chief Executive of The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We’re looking forward to hosting these very talented professional and amateur golfers over three days of intense competition. We are always looking to stage new and different events at The Celtic Manor Resort and it will be fun to see how the former Ryder Cup stars handle the course a year before the next generation arrive to do battle in Wales.”  
 
Taking on the amateurs will be a professional team including Gordon Brand junior, Paul Way, Philip Walton, Peter Baker and Steve Richardson.
 
Forty regional events and over 5,000 golfers have taken part throughout the UK as they attempted to make SFG qualifying school.
 
McEvoy, co- founder of Single Figure Golfer, is seeking revenge over the pros who narrowly defeated Team SFG in the demonstration event last year.
 
Welcoming the addition of the qualifying school, he said: “This year will identify players who can handle the pressure and that is what golf at this level is all about.”
 
Full details on  www.singlefiguregolfer.co.uk





]]> Talented single figure golfers are to compete at The Celtic Manor Resort to win a place on an amateur team to take on Ryder Cup stars.
 
Captained by Peter McEvoy (former successful Walker Cup captain), the team will compete against former Ryder and Solheim Cup players over two days at the SFG Challenge Tour final on October 27th-28th.
 
But first the finalists from the 2009 SFG Challenge Tour must negotiate the one-day qualifying school played on The Montgomerie Course at Celtic Manor on Monday October 26th to make the final team.
 
The 2009 SFG Challenge Tour, sponsored by Srixon, provided an opportunity for golfers with a handicap of under 10 to qualify for the SFG team.
 
Forty events across the UK provided 84 finalists but with just 10 final places available, there is sure to be fierce competition to play against the professionals in a format that mirrors the Ryder Cup and will be played on The Twenty Ten Course that will host golf’s most prestigious event in October 2010.  
 
Chief Executive of SingleFigureGolfer.com Paul Heming commented: “We’ve tried to make qualifying as pressurised as possible. To play on the Ryder Cup course a year before the official event against the former stars is a priceless opportunity.”
 
Dylan Matthews, Chief Executive of The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We’re looking forward to hosting these very talented professional and amateur golfers over three days of intense competition. We are always looking to stage new and different events at The Celtic Manor Resort and it will be fun to see how the former Ryder Cup stars handle the course a year before the next generation arrive to do battle in Wales.”  
 
Taking on the amateurs will be a professional team including Gordon Brand junior, Paul Way, Philip Walton, Peter Baker and Steve Richardson.
 
Forty regional events and over 5,000 golfers have taken part throughout the UK as they attempted to make SFG qualifying school.
 
McEvoy, co- founder of Single Figure Golfer, is seeking revenge over the pros who narrowly defeated Team SFG in the demonstration event last year.
 
Welcoming the addition of the qualifying school, he said: “This year will identify players who can handle the pressure and that is what golf at this level is all about.”
 
Full details on  www.singlefiguregolfer.co.uk





Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:10:36 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=22  
Father and daughter were joined on the first tee - where else? - of the purpose-built Twenty Ten Course by many more of the key participants in The 2010 Ryder Cup to celebrate the countdown to next year’s event.
 
For Holly, obviously, next year will be her first Ryder Cup, although she’s hardly in a position to appreciate the importance of the occasion! For everyone else in Wales, however, the magnitude of welcoming the world’s biggest team golf event to our shores is well understood and it will be a first for all of us: From the residents of host city, Newport, to the green keepers at The Celtic Manor Resort, from the hoteliers across Wales who are preparing to provide a warm Welsh welcome for the tens of thousands of visitors attending the tournament, to the volunteers, guides and marshals who will help out on and around the course, October 2010 will be a monumental milestone and will put Wales very firmly in the global spotlight.

It will be the first time Wales has hosted an event with this level of global profile and the excitement is mounting.
 
Celtic Manor’s Director of Golf Courses, Jim McKenzie, said: “I’ve had the privilege of working on some large European Tour events here at Celtic Manor and at Wentworth Club but The Ryder Cup is going to be the highlight of my professional career.

“I’ve been to all of the Ryder Cups over the last decade or so and had a good look behind the scenes as a fact-finding exercise at the last few, but this will be very much a first for me in terms of preparing a golf course for a tournament of this stature.

“It’s only once every four years that a venue on this side of the Atlantic gets to host The Ryder Cup so it’s a rare privilege and an honour. The eyes of the world will be upon us and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little bit nervous about the whole thing, but I’d be in the wrong job if I wasn’t looking forward to the challenge.

“Next year is the culmination of a lot of hard work put in by a lot of people over the 16 years I’ve been working at The Celtic Manor Resort. And, of course, the drive and determination of our owner, Sir Terry Matthews, whose vision made the whole thing possible in the first place.”

While McKenzie is still working with Colin Montgomerie on the course set-up and some minor tweaks the European Captain has recommended for the tournament, The Celtic Manor Resort puts the last major piece of construction into place this autumn with the completion of a £2m bridge over the River Usk to transport players and spectators to the new Ryder Cup practice ground.

Remarking on the importance to Wales of this event, Andrew Davies AM, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, said: “The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s largest sporting events, and hosting it will give Wales a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote itself on the word stage. As well as the economic activity surrounding the event itself, it will raise Wales’ profile globally and help attract investment in the future.
 
Elaborating on the notion of “Our First Ryder Cup” Mr Davies explained: “The extent to which this is an important first for Wales cannot be overstated. We are to be host nation for one of the world’s most exciting sporting occasions and association with the event gives us the opportunity to develop some new marketing material that will help us raise the profile of Wales – both as a place to do business and as a place to visit.

“Through our marketing and brand activity, we need to use the opportunity to enhance Wales’ external reputation and to build a sense of occasion within Wales. “Our First Ryder Cup” is one way of showing how the event will touch lots of people throughout Wales and will help to build a sense of anticipation. The personal stories we develop will form part of website content and wider communication over the coming months.”

The nation won the right to host the event back in 2001 and since then both the private and public sector have been working to ensure that the whole of Wales benefits from hosting one of the largest sporting events in the world. The arrival in Wales of The 2010 Ryder Cup in a year’s time represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Wales on the map.

Anticipating the next 12 months, Chairman of Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd. John Jermine said: "Since winning the bid Wales has become a recognised international golfing destination and these next 12 months will help us build our reputation for great golf and hospitality attracting new visitors to Wales for years to come. We look forward to showing all of our guests "Golf as it Should be" that will guarantee them golfing memories to be treasured."
 
Explaining the on-going work to stage the event, Ryder Cup Director, Richard Hills, said: “We continue to be extremely impressed by the huge commitment being made by everyone at The Celtic Manor Resort. Sir Terry’s vision gave birth to a dream and seeing that dream move towards reality is a joy for all involved. There is only one year to go now and we know that all of Wales will have good reason to feel very proud when The 2010 Ryder Cup begins on October 1 next year.”

Councillor Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, added: "The next 12 months promise to be among the most memorable in Newport's modern history and a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise our profile on a global stage and get people feeling good about the city.

“Hosting an event on the scale of the Ryder Cup is something many people thought could never happen in a town or city like Newport. The fact that we are now just a year away from hosting one of the world's most prestigious sporting events is something that should give everyone connected with Newport, a huge amount of pride in our city.”

"I’ve been to all of the Ryder Cups over the last decade or so and had a good look behind the scenes as a fact-finding exercise at the last few, but this will be very much a first for me in terms of preparing a golf course for a tournament of this stature.
"It’s only once every four years that a venue on this side of the Atlantic gets to host The Ryder Cup so it’s a rare privilege and an honour. The eyes of the world will be upon us and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little bit nervous about the whole thing, but I’d be in the wrong job if I wasn’t looking forward to the challenge.
"Next year is the culmination of a lot of hard work put in by a lot of people over the 16 years I’ve been working at The Celtic Manor Resort. And, of course, the drive and determination of our owner, Sir Terry Matthews, whose vision made the whole thing possible in the first place."

While McKenzie is still working with Colin Montgomerie on the course set-up and some minor tweaks the European Captain has recommended for the tournament, The Celtic Manor Resort puts the last major piece of construction into place this autumn with the completion of a £2m bridge over the River Usk to transport players and spectators to the new Ryder Cup practice ground.

Remarking on the importance to Wales of this event, Andrew Davies AM, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, said: "The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s largest sporting events, and hosting it will give Wales a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote itself on the word stage. As well as the economic activity surrounding the event itself, it will raise Wales’ profile globally and help attract investment in the future.

Elaborating on the notion of "Our First Ryder Cup" Mr Davies explained: "The extent to which this is an important first for Wales cannot be overstated. We are to be host nation for one of the world’s most exciting sporting occasions and association with the event gives us the opportunity to develop some new marketing material that will help us raise the profile of Wales – both as a place to do business and as a place to visit.

"Through our marketing and brand activity, we need to use the opportunity to enhance Wales’ external reputation and to build a sense of occasion within Wales. "Our First Ryder Cup" is one way of showing how the event will touch lots of people throughout Wales and will help to build a sense of anticipation. The personal stories we develop will form part of website content and wider communication over the coming months."

The nation won the right to host the event back in 2001 and since then both the private and public sector have been working to ensure that the whole of Wales benefits from hosting one of the largest sporting events in the world. The arrival in Wales of The 2010 Ryder Cup in a year’s time represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Wales on the map.

Anticipating the next 12 months, Chairman of Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd. John Jermine said: "Since winning the bid Wales has become a recognised international golfing destination and these next 12 months will help us build our reputation for great golf and hospitality attracting new visitors to Wales for years to come. We look forward to showing all of our guests "Golf as it Should be" that will guarantee them golfing memories to be treasured."

Explaining the on-going work to stage the event, Ryder Cup Director, Richard Hills, said: "We continue to be extremely impressed by the huge commitment being made by everyone at The Celtic Manor Resort. Sir Terry’s vision gave birth to a dream and seeing that dream move towards reality is a joy for all involved. There is only one year to go now and we know that all of Wales will have good reason to feel very proud when The 2010 Ryder Cup begins on October 1 next year."
Councillor Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, added: "The next 12 months promise to be among the most memorable in Newport's modern history and a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise our profile on a global stage and get people feeling good about the city.

"Hosting an event on the scale of the Ryder Cup is something many people thought could never happen in a town or city like Newport. The fact that we are now just a year away from hosting one of the world's most prestigious sporting events is something that should give everyone connected with Newport, a huge amount of pride in our city."


 



]]> Holly Jones is a girl with a lot to look forward to as she approaches her first birthday later this month. Meanwhile, her father, Gareth Rees Jones, Marketing Director at The Celtic Manor Resort, joins many others in Wales, considering another first and reflecting where we’ll all be exactly a year from now – on 1st October 2010 – when The Ryder Cup is played in Wales for the very first time.
 
Father and daughter were joined on the first tee - where else? - of the purpose-built Twenty Ten Course by many more of the key participants in The 2010 Ryder Cup to celebrate the countdown to next year’s event.
 
For Holly, obviously, next year will be her first Ryder Cup, although she’s hardly in a position to appreciate the importance of the occasion! For everyone else in Wales, however, the magnitude of welcoming the world’s biggest team golf event to our shores is well understood and it will be a first for all of us: From the residents of host city, Newport, to the green keepers at The Celtic Manor Resort, from the hoteliers across Wales who are preparing to provide a warm Welsh welcome for the tens of thousands of visitors attending the tournament, to the volunteers, guides and marshals who will help out on and around the course, October 2010 will be a monumental milestone and will put Wales very firmly in the global spotlight.

It will be the first time Wales has hosted an event with this level of global profile and the excitement is mounting.
 
Celtic Manor’s Director of Golf Courses, Jim McKenzie, said: “I’ve had the privilege of working on some large European Tour events here at Celtic Manor and at Wentworth Club but The Ryder Cup is going to be the highlight of my professional career.

“I’ve been to all of the Ryder Cups over the last decade or so and had a good look behind the scenes as a fact-finding exercise at the last few, but this will be very much a first for me in terms of preparing a golf course for a tournament of this stature.

“It’s only once every four years that a venue on this side of the Atlantic gets to host The Ryder Cup so it’s a rare privilege and an honour. The eyes of the world will be upon us and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little bit nervous about the whole thing, but I’d be in the wrong job if I wasn’t looking forward to the challenge.

“Next year is the culmination of a lot of hard work put in by a lot of people over the 16 years I’ve been working at The Celtic Manor Resort. And, of course, the drive and determination of our owner, Sir Terry Matthews, whose vision made the whole thing possible in the first place.”

While McKenzie is still working with Colin Montgomerie on the course set-up and some minor tweaks the European Captain has recommended for the tournament, The Celtic Manor Resort puts the last major piece of construction into place this autumn with the completion of a £2m bridge over the River Usk to transport players and spectators to the new Ryder Cup practice ground.

Remarking on the importance to Wales of this event, Andrew Davies AM, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, said: “The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s largest sporting events, and hosting it will give Wales a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote itself on the word stage. As well as the economic activity surrounding the event itself, it will raise Wales’ profile globally and help attract investment in the future.
 
Elaborating on the notion of “Our First Ryder Cup” Mr Davies explained: “The extent to which this is an important first for Wales cannot be overstated. We are to be host nation for one of the world’s most exciting sporting occasions and association with the event gives us the opportunity to develop some new marketing material that will help us raise the profile of Wales – both as a place to do business and as a place to visit.

“Through our marketing and brand activity, we need to use the opportunity to enhance Wales’ external reputation and to build a sense of occasion within Wales. “Our First Ryder Cup” is one way of showing how the event will touch lots of people throughout Wales and will help to build a sense of anticipation. The personal stories we develop will form part of website content and wider communication over the coming months.”

The nation won the right to host the event back in 2001 and since then both the private and public sector have been working to ensure that the whole of Wales benefits from hosting one of the largest sporting events in the world. The arrival in Wales of The 2010 Ryder Cup in a year’s time represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Wales on the map.

Anticipating the next 12 months, Chairman of Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd. John Jermine said: "Since winning the bid Wales has become a recognised international golfing destination and these next 12 months will help us build our reputation for great golf and hospitality attracting new visitors to Wales for years to come. We look forward to showing all of our guests "Golf as it Should be" that will guarantee them golfing memories to be treasured."
 
Explaining the on-going work to stage the event, Ryder Cup Director, Richard Hills, said: “We continue to be extremely impressed by the huge commitment being made by everyone at The Celtic Manor Resort. Sir Terry’s vision gave birth to a dream and seeing that dream move towards reality is a joy for all involved. There is only one year to go now and we know that all of Wales will have good reason to feel very proud when The 2010 Ryder Cup begins on October 1 next year.”

Councillor Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, added: "The next 12 months promise to be among the most memorable in Newport's modern history and a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise our profile on a global stage and get people feeling good about the city.

“Hosting an event on the scale of the Ryder Cup is something many people thought could never happen in a town or city like Newport. The fact that we are now just a year away from hosting one of the world's most prestigious sporting events is something that should give everyone connected with Newport, a huge amount of pride in our city.”

"I’ve been to all of the Ryder Cups over the last decade or so and had a good look behind the scenes as a fact-finding exercise at the last few, but this will be very much a first for me in terms of preparing a golf course for a tournament of this stature.
"It’s only once every four years that a venue on this side of the Atlantic gets to host The Ryder Cup so it’s a rare privilege and an honour. The eyes of the world will be upon us and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little bit nervous about the whole thing, but I’d be in the wrong job if I wasn’t looking forward to the challenge.
"Next year is the culmination of a lot of hard work put in by a lot of people over the 16 years I’ve been working at The Celtic Manor Resort. And, of course, the drive and determination of our owner, Sir Terry Matthews, whose vision made the whole thing possible in the first place."

While McKenzie is still working with Colin Montgomerie on the course set-up and some minor tweaks the European Captain has recommended for the tournament, The Celtic Manor Resort puts the last major piece of construction into place this autumn with the completion of a £2m bridge over the River Usk to transport players and spectators to the new Ryder Cup practice ground.

Remarking on the importance to Wales of this event, Andrew Davies AM, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, said: "The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s largest sporting events, and hosting it will give Wales a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to promote itself on the word stage. As well as the economic activity surrounding the event itself, it will raise Wales’ profile globally and help attract investment in the future.

Elaborating on the notion of "Our First Ryder Cup" Mr Davies explained: "The extent to which this is an important first for Wales cannot be overstated. We are to be host nation for one of the world’s most exciting sporting occasions and association with the event gives us the opportunity to develop some new marketing material that will help us raise the profile of Wales – both as a place to do business and as a place to visit.

"Through our marketing and brand activity, we need to use the opportunity to enhance Wales’ external reputation and to build a sense of occasion within Wales. "Our First Ryder Cup" is one way of showing how the event will touch lots of people throughout Wales and will help to build a sense of anticipation. The personal stories we develop will form part of website content and wider communication over the coming months."

The nation won the right to host the event back in 2001 and since then both the private and public sector have been working to ensure that the whole of Wales benefits from hosting one of the largest sporting events in the world. The arrival in Wales of The 2010 Ryder Cup in a year’s time represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put Wales on the map.

Anticipating the next 12 months, Chairman of Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd. John Jermine said: "Since winning the bid Wales has become a recognised international golfing destination and these next 12 months will help us build our reputation for great golf and hospitality attracting new visitors to Wales for years to come. We look forward to showing all of our guests "Golf as it Should be" that will guarantee them golfing memories to be treasured."

Explaining the on-going work to stage the event, Ryder Cup Director, Richard Hills, said: "We continue to be extremely impressed by the huge commitment being made by everyone at The Celtic Manor Resort. Sir Terry’s vision gave birth to a dream and seeing that dream move towards reality is a joy for all involved. There is only one year to go now and we know that all of Wales will have good reason to feel very proud when The 2010 Ryder Cup begins on October 1 next year."
Councillor Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, added: "The next 12 months promise to be among the most memorable in Newport's modern history and a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise our profile on a global stage and get people feeling good about the city.

"Hosting an event on the scale of the Ryder Cup is something many people thought could never happen in a town or city like Newport. The fact that we are now just a year away from hosting one of the world's most prestigious sporting events is something that should give everyone connected with Newport, a huge amount of pride in our city."


 



Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:38:57 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=23 The Celtic Manor Resort is putting the finishing touches to a vast new bridge over the River Usk as the final major piece of construction for next year’s Ryder Cup.
 
The 120-metre long, 14-foot wide, cable stayed bridge will transport players and spectators to a new practice ground for The Ryder Cup which tees off a year from now on October 1, 2010.
 
The £2m twin-suspension bridge completes a £16m investment by The Celtic Manor Resort in building a new course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure, developments that were promised when one of sport’s biggest events was awarded to Wales back in 2001.
 
Primarily a footbridge for spectators, the bridge will also be able to carry golf buggies transporting players and officials as well as emergency vehicles, should the need arise.
 
Following three months of underground, foundation piling reaching a depth of 90ft, one of two masts stretching 85ft into the sky has already been hoisted into place and half of the decking has been craned into position under the support of thick steel cables.
 
A second mast on the Caerleon side of the river will be hoisted this week and the two sides of the bridge are expected to join next Monday, October 5.
 
Reinforcement, surfacing, abutment works and landscaping, as well as work on two miles of access roads, will continue until December.   
 
Russell Phillips, Vice-President of Facilities and Development at The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We are delighted that the new bridge is slotting into place ahead of schedule.
 
“The existing Twenty Ten Course practice ground would have been ample for The Ryder Cup but this area will all be taken up by a huge tented village during the tournament, such are the massive infrastructure requirements of the event.
 
“As well as the new practice ground, which includes a driving range and chipping and putting greens for the players, land on the other side of the river from the golf course will also house a large TV compound for the world’s sports broadcasters.”
 
As with the construction of The Twenty Ten Course, which opened in 2007 as the first in history to be purpose built for The Ryder Cup, and its clubhouse, the new bridge project has been overseen by Welsh contractors.
 
Port Talbot-based Andrew Scott Ltd is the main construction contractor and Rowecord Engineering of Newport has provided the superstructure and all steelwork.
 
The bridge has been designed with close attention to the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the tidal River Usk. A six-metre exclusion zone on either side of the river bank protects otter holts and ensures the migrating patterns of salmon and shad fish are not affected.
 
Phillips added: “We investigated smaller structures and even temporary bridges but the environmental agencies were most concerned that the River Usk and its banks should not be touched by the construction.
 
“We’ve more than met their recommendations in the design and building of this bridge.”
 
Edward Kitson, the Ryder Cup Match Director for Ryder Cup Europe, said: “The installation of the bridge is a vital component of The 2010 Ryder Cup, facilitating ease of access to both sides of the River Usk. The bridge will also be able to carry emergency vehicles and with this another part of the infrastructure required to host The 2010 Ryder Cup is slotting into place.
 
“We thank The Celtic Manor Resort for making this happen in such good time which is another demonstration of the superb commitment made by Sir Terry Matthews whose vision led to the biennial match being hosted in Wales for the first time.”
 



]]>
The Celtic Manor Resort is putting the finishing touches to a vast new bridge over the River Usk as the final major piece of construction for next year’s Ryder Cup.
 
The 120-metre long, 14-foot wide, cable stayed bridge will transport players and spectators to a new practice ground for The Ryder Cup which tees off a year from now on October 1, 2010.
 
The £2m twin-suspension bridge completes a £16m investment by The Celtic Manor Resort in building a new course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure, developments that were promised when one of sport’s biggest events was awarded to Wales back in 2001.
 
Primarily a footbridge for spectators, the bridge will also be able to carry golf buggies transporting players and officials as well as emergency vehicles, should the need arise.
 
Following three months of underground, foundation piling reaching a depth of 90ft, one of two masts stretching 85ft into the sky has already been hoisted into place and half of the decking has been craned into position under the support of thick steel cables.
 
A second mast on the Caerleon side of the river will be hoisted this week and the two sides of the bridge are expected to join next Monday, October 5.
 
Reinforcement, surfacing, abutment works and landscaping, as well as work on two miles of access roads, will continue until December.   
 
Russell Phillips, Vice-President of Facilities and Development at The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “We are delighted that the new bridge is slotting into place ahead of schedule.
 
“The existing Twenty Ten Course practice ground would have been ample for The Ryder Cup but this area will all be taken up by a huge tented village during the tournament, such are the massive infrastructure requirements of the event.
 
“As well as the new practice ground, which includes a driving range and chipping and putting greens for the players, land on the other side of the river from the golf course will also house a large TV compound for the world’s sports broadcasters.”
 
As with the construction of The Twenty Ten Course, which opened in 2007 as the first in history to be purpose built for The Ryder Cup, and its clubhouse, the new bridge project has been overseen by Welsh contractors.
 
Port Talbot-based Andrew Scott Ltd is the main construction contractor and Rowecord Engineering of Newport has provided the superstructure and all steelwork.
 
The bridge has been designed with close attention to the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the tidal River Usk. A six-metre exclusion zone on either side of the river bank protects otter holts and ensures the migrating patterns of salmon and shad fish are not affected.
 
Phillips added: “We investigated smaller structures and even temporary bridges but the environmental agencies were most concerned that the River Usk and its banks should not be touched by the construction.
 
“We’ve more than met their recommendations in the design and building of this bridge.”
 
Edward Kitson, the Ryder Cup Match Director for Ryder Cup Europe, said: “The installation of the bridge is a vital component of The 2010 Ryder Cup, facilitating ease of access to both sides of the River Usk. The bridge will also be able to carry emergency vehicles and with this another part of the infrastructure required to host The 2010 Ryder Cup is slotting into place.
 
“We thank The Celtic Manor Resort for making this happen in such good time which is another demonstration of the superb commitment made by Sir Terry Matthews whose vision led to the biennial match being hosted in Wales for the first time.”
 



Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:50:42 +01:00 http://www.celtic-manor.com/viewNews.aspx?ni=24