IN 2010 the Celtic Manor resort in south Wales took its place in sporting history as the venue for golf’s Ryder Cup competition.

The bi-annual shootout between Europe and the United States of America is one of the world’s biggest sporting events and attracts a global TV audience.

Later, Stourbridge Golf Club’s PGA professional Mark Male delivers his verdict on the Twenty Ten course which was created specifically to host the Ryder Cup - but what can visitors expect from the rest of the resort?

Celtic Manor sits in the Usk Valley on the outskirts of the town of Newport and the area has good transport links from the rest of the UK and beyond.

On arrival concierge staff are on hand to take care of luggage and valet parking is another service which instantly makes guests at the resort hotel feel they have arrived in the lap of luxury.

The spectacular atrium lobby provides a stunning backdrop to the vast range of facilities at the hotel which include six restaurants, numerous bars, stunning spa and swimming facilities plus leisure activities like clay pigeon shooting, woodland walks and mountain bike trails.

From check-in onwards the hotel provides exceptional levels of service that match the outstanding facilities.

Staff are friendly, efficient and are clearly keen to ensure guests receive a personal service to get the most from their stay.

Celtic Manor offers a variety of options for dining including Le Patio in The Manor, a short distance from the resort hotel.

Le Patio offers a comfortable dining environment in smaller rooms ideal for private gatherings like conference and wedding parties or in a larger conservatory style room.

As with the rest of the resort, the service is excellent and the extensive menu would satisfy any palate.

The food was outstanding, everything was prepared to perfection and there were options for every taste, the poached pear in warm chocolate desert being a particular highlight.

The resort is set in around 1,400 acres and the hotel provides frequent courtesy busses for guests.

Attention to detail is a feature which runs through every aspect of the resort and it is clear the objective is to make every guest feel they are in an environment geared up for provide maximum convenience and enjoyment.

Surprisingly, the cost of a stay at Celtic Manor can be within the reach of most budgets, deals including accommodation and two rounds of golf can start at under £100.

Good value deals give amateur golfers the chance to play fairways walked by the greatest players in the world.

Most people will never play football at Wembley or take on the fences at Aintree but Celtic Manor makes it possible for any golfer to experience the same challenges and the luxuries as a top Ryder Cup pro.

As I holed out in front of the clubhouse on the 2010 course, just for a moment, I joined the ranks of McDowell, Montgomerie and Woods.

Stourbridge PGA golf professional Mark Male reviews the Roman Road and Ryder Cup 2010 courses at Celtic Manor

Roman Road course

This is a challenging golf course, not from its length (which is sufficient), but from the raised undulating fast greens, which makes it very tricky to chip and putt.

Bunkers were exceptional, placed in very strategic but fair positions which give the holes character as well as being visually pleasing.

The fact I remember every hole proves each one offers its own experience.

For me the two signature holes were the 10th and 14th. The 10th hole was downhill at 428 yards and required a tee shot down the left side of the fairway between 220-270, trees are a hazard, if you go too far left and there is a bunker on the right side of the fairway, so the hole calls for length and precision.

This then will leave you a long to medium iron shot (over a ravine which cuts the fairway in two) into a very quick triple tiered green.

The only real bail out is if you finish in one of the front bunkers, anywhere else could leave an almost impossible up and down depending on the pin position.

I played the 14th hole into the wind, which made it a bit tougher. A sharp dogleg 397 yards with water coming into play both for the tee shot as well as the second shot.

Twenty Ten course

Having watched every minute of the Ryder Cup on TV, what I saw was a venue designed to provide a true test of golf for the best players in the world, this was a course I was looking forward to experiencing.

As soon as we arrived at the clubhouse I felt this was something very special. The clubhouse and locker rooms were out of this world; many lockers had their Ryder Cup player’s name on.

There is no doubt about it this is a long golf course - so it came as no surprise when I stood on the first tee seeing it measured up as a 465 yards par four.

The water on the course really does provide a hazard for nearly every shot, both mentally as well as physically.

It is hard to nominate a signature hole because there are at least eight that are worthy.

The amount of rain during the Ryder Cup would have caused the crowd to churn up the course but unbelievably there were no traces of this as the green staff had already re-turfed all of these areas.

As we played, great memories of the holes from TV became reality along with those of great players that had graced the course with their presence and skill.

So we are playing the 18th - blind drive then, as you walk down the fairway, you are greeted with the beautiful clubhouse, raised green, water, large bunkers - what more could you ask for.

Attention to detail plus first class and friendly service make for an overall experience to remember. Well done Celtic Manor.

For more information including their latest offers, visit www.celtic-manor.com