‘The greens were incredibly tough, but so pure – a pleasure to three-putt on!’

The Twenty Ten has been on my bucket list for a while and it didn’t disappoint. Plotted in a scenic valley by the River Usk, with water glistening in the autumn sun, it was a very picturesque setting. But the holes were tough for a 15 handicapper like myself; a serious challenge.

We played off the yellow tees which made the course a more manageable 6,570 yards and the greens were incredibly tough, but absolutely pure. A pleasure to three-putt on! My favourite had to be the 15th, though I didn’t have the bottle to go for the green through the trees. I played safe and still had the trickiest pitch ever over a brook and onto a plateaued green. It’s a sensational hole. The course as a whole was in magnificent condition for September. It was impeccable.

Although Celtic Manor is difficult to miss off the M4, it’s not immediately obvious where you park for each course and, sure enough, we parked in the wrong place… and had to get redirected to the Twenty Ten clubhouse parking area. So that could be improved.

I couldn’t fault the food and enjoyed a very tasty burger and fries which fuelled me perfectly for the long round ahead. We ate in the grill in the evening and again the menu was varied and the food hearty. With Covid restrictions in place, I felt they did a cracking job.

Looking at the Twenty Ten green fee alone, for me, the course doesn’t justify its £163-a-round price tag, especially if you’re a family man on a budget. However, we paid £184pp for a one-night dinner, B&B and tworound package, which was much better value.