The Roman Road Course at Celtic Manor is a smart, testing parkland layout set in the Usk Valley, with plenty of visual drama and a proper championship feel. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr, it's a course where accuracy and sensible positioning usually beat all-out aggression, although the back tees will still ask you to carry it a fair way.
Based within the Celtic Manor Resort just outside Newport and an easy drive from Cardiff, it's a handy option for a UK break that still feels like an event. The resort has hosted the Wales Open on the European Tour, so you're very much in "big stage" territory while still having tees that make it enjoyable for everyday club golfers.
On the course you'll work your way through mature woodland, with streams, a lake and well-placed trouble shaping your decisions from the tee. Fairways look inviting and you can certainly let driver go, but trees tighten the key landing areas and the rough is quick to punish a loose one.
The real defence is the greens. They're large and noticeably contoured, and when they're running true you'll need good distance control to avoid leaving awkward chips and testing putts. Get your approach play right and you'll have makeable looks, miss to the wrong level and two-putting becomes a job.
If you're planning a multi-round trip, Roman Road pairs brilliantly with the Twenty Ten and Montgomerie courses. Include Celtic Manor on your next golf break and we'll help build the right mix of rounds and resort comforts.
Who is this for?
Golfers who want a high-quality UK resort break with strong on-site facilities, easy access from the M4 corridor and more than one course to mix and match.
Who is it best for?
Mixed groups if you choose tees sensibly, and mid-to-low handicappers who enjoy tree-lined strategy, quick greens and a European Tour-hosting resort as the backdrop.
