South Wales resort hosts international match for rehabilitating servicemen

Off By Ed Hanna

The Celtic Manor Resort will play host to a prestigious international golf match for injured servicemen next month.

A team of 10 military personnel from the UK’s Battle Back golf team will take on their Australian counterparts from the Soldier On Foundation over three days of competition for the Clyde Pearce Cup from August 14-16.

The Ryder Cup-style match represents the pinnacle for players on the Battle Back golf programme which aims to assist the rehabilitation of injured servicemen through playing the game of golf.

It is the second time Celtic Manor has hosted the prestigious fixture after the home side defeated their Australian counterparts 15-5 in 2016.

Battle Back Golf Chairman Zeno Gomes said: “Golf is such an important part of the rehabilitation process for these injured soldiers.

“Some of our players are double amputees but it’s amazing to see how they have adapted to their injuries and the level of golf they are able to play. The handicap system in golf means they can compete with other players at all levels.

“The amount of confidence they get from selection and competing in matches like this is brilliant to see. Golf is also a great way of escaping the pressures of everyday life and an opportunity for these guys to forget about their problems for four to five hours on the golf course.

“Being part of a team is a way of life when you’re in the military so competitions like the Clyde Pearce Cup are a great way of giving these players back that sense of team camaraderie. We see plenty of that out on the golf course and there is also a very friendly spirit between the two teams.”

Battle Back will defend the trophy they retained in November at Noosa Springs on Australia’s Gold Coast but the match was the tightest ever with the UK team prevailing by a single point and another fierce contest is expected this month.

The visiting golfers from both sides will warm up with a round on the Roman Road Course with Celtic Manor members on Monday August 13 before playing separate rounds of fourballs, greensomes and singles matches over the Twenty Ten and Montgomerie layouts to decide the winning team.

Celtic Manor Resort Director of Golf, Spa and Leisure Will Hewitt said: “We are delighted to be hosting this year’s Clyde Pearce Cup and look forward to welcoming the players from Battle Back and Soldier On. It is an honour for us to welcome such special guests who have made such sacrifices in their lives, in the service of their countries.

“We know from our previous association with this and other events that injury and disability can be overcome on the golf course with some incredible results. I’m sure we will see some wonderful golf played on our Twenty Ten and Montgomerie courses over the three days of competition.”

About The Celtic Manor Resort:

Host venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup and the 2014 NATO Summit, the five-star Celtic Manor Resort is set in more than 2,000 acres of panoramic parkland at the gateway to Wales. With three hotels – a 330-room luxury Resort Hotel, an historic 19th century Manor House with 70 rooms and the 148-room Coldra Court – a large convention centre, two exceptional spas, two state-of-the-art health clubs, fishing, adventure golf, treetop high ropes course, tennis courts, mountain biking and walking trails, the Celtic Manor Resort provides a complete experience for business, leisure and golf travellers. A choice of eight restaurants includes the fine-dining Epicure Experience by Richard Davies, Steak on Six, Cen with MasterChef finalist Larkin Cen, and the Newbridge on Usk, a separate country inn with six bedrooms. In 2014, the Resort opened 10 new Hunter Lodges to offer a luxurious self-catering option to guests.

For five of the last six years, the Resort has been voted the UK’s Best Hotel by the Meetings & Incentive Travel Awards and was named Europe’s Best Golf Hotel at the 2015 World Golf Awards. The Resort offers the challenge of three 18-hole championship golf courses, including the Twenty Ten Course, the first course in history to be designed and built specifically to host The Ryder Cup. In 2016, a joint venture partnership with the Welsh Government was announced to begin construction on a new Wales International Convention Centre for 4,000 delegates on the Celtic Manor Resort site.

1982 Original Celtic Manor Hotel (now the Manor House) opens with 17 bedrooms
1999 Resort Hotel opens with further 333 bedrooms, including 32 suite bedrooms
2005 Stages EU Foreign Ministers Summit
2010 Stages the Ryder Cup
2011 Voted Europe’s Golf Resort of the Year by the International Association of Golf
Tour Operators
Named Sport Venue of the Year at the Sport Industry Awards
Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards
2012 Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards
Voted Best in UK for Golf and Spa, Spa Traveller Awards
2013 Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards
Voted Best UK Hotel Spa, Spa Traveller Awards
2014 Hosts NATO Summit
Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards
Judged UK Independent Golf Resort of the Year, GOLFAs Awards
Voted Best UK Hotel Spa and Best for Golf and Spa, Spa Traveller Awards
2015 Chief Executive Ian Edwards named Hotelier of the Year at European Hospitality Awards
Voted Europe’s Best Golf Hotel, World Golf Awards
Named Ultimate Golf Resort, 59Club Awards
Voted Best UK Hotel Spa, Best UK Spa Manager and Best UK Spa for Groups,
Spa Traveller Awards
2016 Acquires Hilton Newport and rebrands as Coldra Court Hotel by Celtic Manor
Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards
Named Ultimate Golf Resort, 59Club Awards
2017 Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards
Resort Head Chef Simon Crockford wins National Chef of Wales title
Best Newc0mer, World of Leading Golf Awards
2018 Voted Best UK Hotel, M&IT Industry Awards