Fun and games at Celtic manor

[AliB]

Good day at Wales Open but CM need to sharpen up a bit before 2010!
Car-park was a quagmire (and that was going in) and the whole course is quite low-lying and liable to get v. muddy.
The catering was pretty minimal so just as well we had our sarnies. Coffee was like dish-water - beer was okay and cheaper than the coffee but only availabe in 'tented village' which looked more like a summer fete in Ambridge than big golf event.
Still, we enjoyed the golf - mainly followed clarke, Karlsson and Hanson (nearly had an ace) - also Harrington, Dougherty, Monty (who had a good day)and Dredge (who didn't).
Best fun was prob Havret , Efors, Ilonen. Edfors went for green on second shot of par 5 where everyone else laid up. Went Ob with 3-wood so tried again with driver - need I say more? Apparently he then broke the rake in a neighbouring bunker in temper. Mind you, played a great shot from the rough to get down for 6!
Lasting impression? - those who ended up in greenside bunkers ALL got up and down, i.e. I need a bunker lesson or 2 (and in what way are these hazards for the pros?)
Stayed from 8.30 to 6, including a demo from Harrington (the 'big name' of teh tournament - except he missed the cut!) so got our money's worth.
I think a tight course but not especially scenic aprt from new eighteenth - stunning from behnd the green (well, it would be, wouldn't it!)
Now have to summon up some energy to play tomorrow
And so to bed ...

AliB

 

[theeaglehunter]

Glad you had a good day. As for harrington missing the cut I could see that happening from day 1. The orginisation sounds a million miles away from the bmw at wentworth that was superb. I'm sure the course will be better prepared for the ryder cup, the commentators were saying today about how a car park and decent tented village had all been planned for the other side of the river usk if that makes any sense as having not been there I am not sure where it runs in relation to the course. The course know they have a lot more to do before being able to efficiently handle the vast spectacle of the ryder cup but at least they recognise this, so improvements are inevitable.

What did Harringtons demo actually consist of? I wonder how much he got paid for doing it as well.

 

[viscount17]

Ali, if they followed the same pattern as the bmw the bunkers are rolled then just the top raked - no way you could plug in that.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Glad you had a good day Ali.
It certainly opens your eyes seeing these guys up close doesn't it?
Your description of the course collates with my impression of it from TV pictures. ie prone to flooding and quite an uninspiring course in general.
Other than the holes involving water, there didn't seem much to distinguish one hole from another.
Will this be the layout that they will be playing in 2010? I heard Ewan Murray talking about it being a composite course.

 

[HTL]

Did you see Dredge snapping his 3 wood over his back, What an idiot!

 

[vig]

Very childish, you can tell that he doesn't pay for them. I'm glad he didn't make cut after that. He had a look on his face after he snapped the shaft that made me want to slap him about.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I haven't seen it, does anybody have a link to where I can watch it- I tried youtube but to no avail.

 

[AliB]

Will this be the layout that they will be playing in 2010? I heard Ewan Murray talking about it being a composite course.

Yep - this is 'the' course, though hopefully the infrastructure will be better (or the yanks will go straight home!) I think it was originally called Wentworth Hills and we saw the same event there a couple of years ago. They may have taken out some holes which were previously at the start (site of new car-park, maybe?) and added three nice new ones at the end. Apparently locals prefer the 'old' course Roman Roads(?) which is higher and drier. Certainly not a patch on Wentworth for looks (very few trees)
Next stop Loch Lomond for us - hope it measures up, though main worry is the weather!
AliB

 

[vig]

Eagle

I don't think it warrents air space on you tube, It was nothing clever just blew it with a shot put the club across the back of his shoulders tried a couple of times before the graphite shaft snapped. Wouldn't it be a pity if he got splinters of graphite in his neck/shoulders

 

[theeaglehunter]

so he tried to snap it a couple of times befoe it actually broke and didn't manage to do it. What a lemon.

 

[The_Squire]

AliB,

I am a member at The Celtic Manor although not of the 2010 course and I have been up today to watch the final day and totally agree with you on all the points you have made about the infrastructure of the parking and hospitality.

I have spoken to a few other members and they think the same and so there will be a lot of feed back to the resort management, and from experience I know that they will listen so hopefully by the time the big one comes around it should be a lot better.

I enjoyed the golf and followed Dougherty and Larazzabal (what a character he is ). Don't they hit the ball differently to us.

The original course was The Wentood Hills and they have kept some of the holes from that and some of the others from that course have been used on the new Montgomerie course.

 

[AliB]

Hi Squire
Good to get the member's view.
Also watched Dougherty who was playing pretty well Friday. I was more impressed than I expected and he was also quite animated - most of the players looked like they were at a funeral.
suspect we'll give 2010 itself a miss - even with improved services think it will be just too busy.(tempting though, when it's so close!)
cheers
AliB