Top Golf Resorts

With the Ryder Cup taking place in Wales this year, now might be a good time to consider planning a golf weekend to coincide with the prestigious tournament.

Wales is popular as a golfing destination anyway, but with the arrival of the Ryder Cup, keen golfers may want to take the opportunity to plan a weekend getaway that allows them to attend the contest and fit in a round or two on the green themselves.

The Ryder Cup will be held at Newport’s Celtic Manor Resort between October 1st and 3rd and will see some of the best golfers in Europe and America battle it out for the trophy.

One of the best golf resorts in Europe, the site has much to offer players, including three courses, a clubhouse that has picked up numerous awards and a floodlit golf academy.

There are many other golf courses available if you decide to take a break from the professional action to take to the green yourself.

As well as the council-run Caerleon Golf Course - the first to be operated by a local authority in Wales - other facilities based in or close to Newport include the Llanwern Golf Club‎, the Parc Golf Club, the Newport Golf Club and the Tredegar Park Golf Course and Club, which can be seen from the Celtic Manor Resort.

A round or two at one - or more - of these courses is sure to make for the perfect golf weekend when combined with tickets to the Ryder Cup.

Of course, your golfing adventure does not necessarily need to be restricted to Newport.

Wales is home to some fantastic golf courses, so why not make a tour of the best ones in the county of Gwent - or even further afield?

Welsh golf courses that hold notable claims to fame include the West Monmouthshire Golf Club, which is home to the highest hole in Britain, as well as Pennard Golf Club in Southgate, which is said to have a particularly scenic hole in the form of the seventh.

For those who relish a good challenge, the 14th hole at Porthmadog Golf Club is thought to be one of the most daunting in Wales thanks to its hill-like terrain, while the second hole at the Vale Resort - otherwise known as the Wales National Course - is the longest par-five in the principality.

The same course is also famous for another one of its holes - the 16th, which takes the form of a 495-yard par-four with a 60-yard undulating green.

If you do decide to stick to Newport for the duration of your golf break, you will be able to find plenty to see and do during your stay aside from golf-related activities.

The city is rich in history and has the attractions to provide the evidence - Newport Cathedral dates back to the sixth century, while Tredegar House is thought to be a particularly fine example of a 17th century Charles II mansion.

Nearby Caerleon is home to an impressive Roman amphitheatre and the popular Newport Medieval Ship is a must-see if you happen to be in the city on one of the few days of the year that it is open to the public.

The Fourteen Locks Canal Visitor Centre outside Newport, the century-old Transporter Bridge and the Newport Museum and Art Gallery are also worth visiting on your golf weekend.

If you fancy getting up close and personal with the local wildlife, why not head to the Newport Wetlands Reserve?

Spanning a 438-hectare area between Uskmouth and Goldcliff, the reserve is home to creatures such as orchids, otters, butterflies and dragonflies, as well as several species of bird.

You could also head out of Newport to explore the rest of Gwent, which is a particularly scenic county thanks to the fact that it is nicely positioned between the edge of the Brecon Beacons and South Wales’s Valleys region.

Visitors will be able to see remote moorland in the north, wooded valleys in the south and a host of historic sights dating back to the Bronze Age.

No matter what you choose to do on your golf weekend in Wales, you’re sure to come away with some great memories - particularly if your favourite side wins the Ryder Cup at the end of it!

If you are looking for golf breaks in the UK then why not try golfing weekends in Wales. Head over to Visit Wales for advice and information on holidays in Wales including, things to do, attractions and accommodation for weekend golf breaks in Wales.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 19th, 2010 at 1:02 pm and is filed under UK Golf Resorts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.