In For A Rough Ryder

Elin Woods couldn’t tame the Tiger, but Celtic Manor Resort certainly did.

Last year trouser-dropping Eldrick and the rest of golf’s big boys descended into the stunning Usk Valley in South Wales for the world’s greatest tournament – the Ryder Cup. Captain Monty and his hand-picked line up of superstars took on the mighty Americans in the biggest clash since Tiger’s wife sliced a 9-iron through his bank balance in the divorce courts.

Following in the footsteps of greatness, I took on the colossal Twenty Ten Course in fighting mood…

Prince Amongst Wales of Courses

They say balance is a crucial component to any decent golf swing. That may be so, until you tackle Royal Porthcawl in mid-autumn.  Put simply, a Welsh beast of a course. Faced with 50mph winds, standing upright proved more challenging than walking tall amongst the French in our annual Wryter Cup battle.

On the first tee I found myself aiming directly into the choppy grey Bristol Channel.  Fearing that would be the last I saw of my shiny new Titleist, I watched in astonishment as howling gales spun the ball 45 degrees back into the heart of the fairway. And that’s when the problems began.