The Celtic Manor Resort has been praised for its strong commitment to sustainability and community engagement after securing golf’s leading environmental certification for its Twenty Ten Course.
The renowned golf course has championed sustainability as a key priority since it was designed and built to stage the 2010 Ryder Cup while protecting habitats for dormice, otters, badgers and other indigenous wildlife and plant species.
After stepping up its sustainability practices with the appointment of a dedicated Environment and Ecology Stewardship Manager, the Twenty Ten Course has now won GEO (Golf Environment Organisation) Certification, the international benchmark for sustainable golf course operation.
Accredited GEO verifier Dino Minoli said: “Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten Course exemplifies a strong commitment to sustainability and community engagement, setting a benchmark for sustainable golf through initiatives like the Ryder Cup Green Drive and the GEO Sustainable Golf Pledge.
“The resort has earned prestigious awards for its exemplary management practices while actively engaging in habitat protection and conservation projects, including beehives, bug hotels, bird boxes, and wildflower areas. It also safeguards significant wild grasslands, wetlands and woodlands to support wildlife and promote biodiversity.
“Additionally, it has implemented advanced rainwater harvesting, electrified its vehicle fleet, achieved zero waste in landfills, and sources 100% of its energy from REGO-backed renewable tariffs. Celtic Manor supports the local economy through jobs, procurement, and charitable initiatives and actively participates in local community projects, showcasing its leadership in sustainability.”
Under the guidance of Director of Golf Courses and Estates Jim McKenzie, Gary Connell has led on the latest initiatives having assumed the new role of Environment and Ecology Stewardship Manager following stints as Head Greenkeeper on all three golf courses at the Celtic Manor Resort.
He said: “This is the first time we have applied for the accreditation and we are delighted to win the GEO Certification because sustainability has always been key to how we operate and maintain our golf courses and clubhouses at Celtic Manor. For instance, we have invested over £5m in sustainable irrigation systems that conserve 60,000 cubic metres of water annually and eliminate the need for mains water by using a closed-loop system.
“I was thrilled to take on this new environment and ecology role because wildlife and nature has always been a passion of mine since I was a child. We’ve always supported a broad range of insects, birds and other fauna on the golf course but it’s been really exciting to work closely with local wildlife groups to create new wildflower areas, add more bird and bat boxes, introduce bug hotels and even our own beehives close to the golf course. All these projects give nature a helping hand and increase the biodiversity of the site.”
Only the seventh golf course in Wales to attain the award, Celtic Manor will now be aiming for a unique double as it aims to repeat the GEO Certification for its Roman Road and Montgomerie courses, collectively known as the Championship courses.
“We are an unusual site because we have two golf clubhouses,” added Connell. “Clubhouse operations including energy consumption and waste management are also assessed as part of the accreditation process so it’s a real team effort with the clubhouse staff and the resort’s sustainability team. We will be making a separate application for the other two courses and the Celtic Manor Golf Club and hopefully gaining another GEO Certification in the near future.”
