Manor made for classic matchplay

Philip Reid talks to the people behind the redesign of a course specifically designed for the 2010 Ryder Cup and offers his take on each hole at Celtic Manor.

AS YOU swing in off what is effectively a country lane marshalled on either side by clipped hedges, the first glimpse of the Twenty Ten Course down below is quintessentially Welsh. You can’t help but peer at this patchwork quilt of a course which has evolved deep in the valleys – some holes old, many of them new – and realise that quiet money talks really loudly. Terry Matthews, whose financial clout and vision brought the Ryder Cup to Celtic Manor, has won before a shot has been hit in anger.

For sure, this terrain – which once upon a time was occupied by Roman legions – has been transformed, making it fit to play host to the biennial shindig.

In looking back on his decision to bid for golf’s showcase team event, Matthews explained: “Persistence is the single most important pathway to success,” before adding: “But very close to that, you have to get your timing right and know when to act. It took 20 years of chipping away and learning about the people involved and the decision-making process.

“I think the European Tour and the PGA did a very professional job as they moved towards making the choice of Ryder Cup venue a tender-type process. When they eventually did, I thought, ‘this is it, this is our chance’. All we had to do then was put in the best bid. So we did.”

In fact, the Welsh bid – which was given preference over that of then-favourites Scotland – was awarded for its attention to detail and financial backing. “From scratch, we built a facility and a course for the Ryder Cup. Who else has ever done that?” asked Matthews, who was aware that the existing Wentwood Hills course and its lung-splitting climbs was not conducive to playing host to an event such as the Ryder Cup.

So it was that the Wales bid proposed creating a new course – the Twenty Ten Course – which took in a number of the Wentwood Hills holes (designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr) while creating new holes, with Ross McMurray of European Golf Design brought in to bring his creativity to the new layout. That process began in 1999 and didn’t finish until mid-2007 when the course that this week becomes the centre of the golfing world was officially opened.

McMurray knew he could not design a course for golf’s sake, that it had to take account of the huge travelling circus that accompanies the Ryder Cup.

“We looked at a lot of land parcels and options and eventually, after many different routing studies, came up with a scheme whereby nine new holes would be designed to fit in with nine retained holes (from Wentwood Hills),” recalled McMurray, who added: “The Twenty Ten Course wasn’t to be just a tournament course, it was a course for the Ryder Cup which brings a lot of different factors into the equation. Issues like locations for corporate hospitality, space for tented villages and media centres and spectator viewing became far more important. We were able to route the last three holes along the edge of a hillside, which allowed us to create huge viewing areas on the high side of these golf holes.”

Indeed, McMurray points to the siting of the first tee as a case in point in how other matters impacted on his choice of design. “I looked at positioning the first tee complex at the bottom of the hill, across the road, but in discussion with the Ryder Cup staging department, I realised that this would effectively cut off the tented village from one of the main access points, so I pushed the tees right over to the river and made it a right-to-left dogleg instead of a left-to-right.”

McMurray’s design concept was to “introduce plenty of variety in the way holes can be set up and played”. For instance, the fifth hole can be played at about 450 yards from the back tee or it can be made into a dramatic short par four where you have the opportunity to drive across the water. As he put it, “many holes offer gambling opportunities, I think it is a classic matchplay course”.

However, given that nine holes bore the hallmark of Trent Jones, there was a limitation on what McMurray could bring to the course’s evolvement. “If you are retaining holes from an existing course, you don’t have carte blanche to do whatever you want with the new holes. I couldn’t go crazy with the design of the new greens, for instance. It was important to ensure that the character of the new holes tied in to the retained holes without a noticeable clash of design styles.”

One area McMurray did change, though, was in toughening up some of the bunkering on the retained holes from the Wentwood Hills. “I was adamant they needed to be more penal. The bunkers on the new holes were made deeper and we rolled the grass down the faces further, partially to soften their visual impact on the landscape.”

Of course, Europe’s captain Colin Montgomerie has also had a say in how it is set up for the match. Monty proposed that a new back tee be installed on the 12th and that the green surrounds on the 11th be reshaped in order to toughen up pin positions on what is a short par five.

On the 11th, on Monty’s suggestion, a swale was scooped out to the left of the green to increase the chance of shots misdirected that way finding the lake or leaving a trickier tight lie. “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,” said Jim McKenzie, the director of golf courses at Celtic Manor.

With so much requirements placed on the finished project, McMurray conceded: “In terms of design, and even though we were building only nine holes, it was probably the most complicated project I have worked on and required a huge number of design revisions even during construction. Probably the biggest difficulty we had to overcome was the archaeology. While we had a good idea where the most sensitive historic areas were (parts of the site were designated as scheduled ancient monument), it wasn’t until the archaeologists had carried out their geographical tests backed up by excavations that we realised the full impact.”

Add to that another major issue in the handling of natural drainage into the valley and potential flooding from the River Usk and you get an idea of the challenge faced by McMurray and his team. “We solved some of these by taking all the excavated material from the 16th, 17th and 18th (holes) – about half a million cubic metres – and using it to build an earth bund along the river and to raise the flat valley floor.”

So, can all of this assist Montgomerie’s men in their attempts to regain the trophy? “I do believe we have an advantage with the course and home advantage. I believe the course will suit us, with the home crowd, a home venue, and I honestly believe that will give Europe the edge,” said Pádraig Harrington.

Graeme McDowell, winner of the Wales Open here in June, has a similar view. “Playing in front of the home fans this time round, it’s going to be great.”

The Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor

Front Nine

1st- 465 yards, par 4

A challenging opening drive, with a cluster of bunkers on the elbow of the dogleg. Skirting with the bunkers gives the best angle of approach into the green which is guarded by three bunkers while there is a swale to the right and back of the green.

2nd - 610 yards, par 5

This is a good hole which runs along the River Usk, but one which offers a birdie opportunity if the player manages to find the fairway off the tee. It is a straightforward hole with bunkers left and right all the way down the fairway while there is a swale to the right of the green to gather any misguided approach shots.

3rd - 189 yards, par 3

With a tee shot for the most part entirely over water from tee to green, the first challenge is to find the putting surface – but the challenge is accentuated by a run-off over the back. Pin placement here is crucial with a plateau on the left of the green an especially difficult location as it brings the water more into play.

4th - 461 yards, par 4

A relatively straightforward tee-shot – despite the presence of two strategically placed bunkers at 290-310 yards off the tee – should make this a real second-shot hole. The biggest danger is the contouring of the green.

5th - 433 yards, par 4

A very good hole with again the main onus on the approach. Players will probably hit three-wood or rescue off the tee to the dogleg for an approach over a water hazard to a narrow green. Shot control on the approach is key here, with anything short falling back towards the hazard while there is a severe run-off over the back.

6th - 422 yards, par 4

This hole has water in play all the way down the right, while there are two well-positioned bunkers down the left should a player err on the side of caution. The green is protected by two bunkers to the left and another deep sand trap at the back.

7th - 213 yards, par 3

A strong short hole, the priority here is to miss the huge bunker that runs down the length of the green on the left. In contrast, there is a deep pot bunker to the right of the green which could also prove troublesome. There is a run-off area over the back which would leave a difficult up-and-down for any player going long.

8th - 439 yards, par 4

A tough hole with fairway bunkers left and right in play off the tee. The toughest pin placement is on the right – where a deep bunker guards the approach – while Colin Montgomerie requested that a run-off (now known as Monty’s Incline) be created to the right of the green which would leave a delicate up-and-down.

9th - 580 yards, par 5

The forward tee is expected to be used every day as players will be able to go for the green in two. Nevertheless, players will have to be careful with their drives as there are two bunkers strategically placed down the right. Players going for the green in two must avoid the large bunker to the right while water comes into play for any pulled approach shots.

Back Nine

10th - 210 yards, par 3

The pin position on this hole is vital. The green slopes back to front and also right to left, while the challenge is accentuated by a swirling wind in this part of the course. Club selection is very important, as the green is surrounded by four bunkers.

11th - 562 yards, par 5

This hole is definitely on in two, although it is important to find a fairway which twists and narrows at around the 300 yards mark off the tee with water in play down the left. The hole yielded seven eagles during the Wales Open earlier this season and most players will fancy their chances of reaching the green in two, although there are also bunkers left and right to contend with.

12th - 458 yards, par 4

A really strong hole which should produce great matchplay: the second shot here players uphill, so there can be the tendency for approach shots to come up short which brings the lake into play. The smallish green is protected by water and three bunkers – so it deserves tremendous respect.

13th - 189 yards, par 3

This is a dangerous par three, with the tee shot over water. Distance control is vitally important, as there are two bunkers over the back of the green. Anyone finding the sand traps at the back will face a difficult downhill recovery shot with the water again back in play.

14th - 485 yards, par 4

Colin Montgomerie rates this as the best hole on the course, and with good reason. It was ranked the toughest hole during the Wales Open in 2009 (and second toughest this year) and demands a great drive followed by an accurate approach to a long green guarded on the right by two bunkers and with water in play on the left.

15th - 377 yards, par 4

A wonderfully conceived hole, it should make for superb matchplay. Some players will fancy their chances of driving the green – cutting across the trees and overgrown area down the right – but it is a gamble as there is a creek to the left of the green which is also protected by a number of deep bunkers.

16th - 499 yards, par 4

With the prevailing wind into their faces, this hole marks the start of a tough run-in. Ranked as the toughest hole in this year’s Wales Open, the green is tucked into a little hillside in the Usk Valley and players must avoid two well-placed fairway bunkers off the tee before hitting an approach to a well-protected green which is angled left to right and can be difficult to hold.

17th - 211 yards, par 3

A severe slope left to right on the green means that club selection is important, particularly if the wind is up. The long green has a number of deep bunkers short and right as protection and a lone pot bunker on the left.

18th - 575 yards, par 5

The forward tee will be in play to tempt players go for the green in two on this finishing hole where the green is protected by two large bunkers on either side. The water which cuts across the front of the green – some 15 yards short of the putting surface – is also very much in play.