THE AMERICANS are coming. But while Wales will have to wait until the year 2010 for their Ryder Cup team to arrive in the Principality, little time is being wasted in making the most of a golden opportunity. The award of one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures in the golfing calendar to the Celtic Manor resort on the outskirts of Newport is now being used to galvanise both the sport of golf and the business of tourism in the country. The hype surrounding the Ryder Cup has gathered a momentum greater than any downhill putt on the razor-sharp greens at Augusta. And that's manna from heaven when you are trying to play catch-up with the golfing pedigree of your neighbours. Scotland is steeped in the greatest traditions of the game it gave birth to, England plays host to a directory of the most famous golfing venues in the world while Ireland has established itself as a haven for those seeking stunning courses matched by the country's unique 'craic.' The green stuff turns to the black stuff as tales of birdies that got away are washed down by the free flowing Guiness. The K club near Dublin will be the next to benefit from the decision to take the Ryder Cup on its travels, away from the Belfry which has provided the back-cloth to some of the Cup's most dramatic and emotional scenes. In 2006 Ireland will stage the event, with Wales next on the itinerary when the Ryder Cup returns from America four years later. The creation on the Celtic Manor resort in South Wales and its remarkable Wentwood Hills course has made that possible. The par 72 course only opened in 1999 - one of three at the hotel complex - and was designed by legendary architect Robert Trent Jones Jnr. It already hosts the Wales Open. Starting at the top of the wooded slopes of the Usk valley, it sweeps down to the valley floor and threads its way round two great expanses of water before climbing back through the hills in a quite remarkable series of holes. Ironically it is that tough ascent to the finish, which would have to be tackled twice on each day under the format of the Ryder Cup, which threatened its chance of winning the highly competitive race for the 2010 decision. However seven new holes are being built which might relax the muscles but will leave the golfing tension cranked up every bit as high. So with Celtic Manor at the centre of a hugely raised profile for the sport in Wales, the task started to spread the word that there is much more quality golf to be found among the valleys and mountains and along the coast. The launch of the Greens of Southern Wales brought together 30 different clubs under one umbrella with the aim of making it much easier for golfers to book a visit to a region not only boasting a high-class portfolio of venues but plenty of other holiday attractions as well. One call and a range of accommodation, courses and prices could be tailored to meet the demands of groups of friends, families or societies making the trip into South Wales. It is a blueprint which, if successful, could be adopted for both North and Mid-Wales, providing both regions with a major infusion to tourism and golf in their areas. The aim has to been to devise as wide a mix as possible from star-studded luxury resorts, to mid-range hotels that offer excellent value for money or charming bed and breakfast accommodation. And the courses, too, represent the full range of golfing challenges. Resorts like Vale of Glamorgan and St Pierre, links tests with magnificent views over the southern bays like Southerndown and Pyle and Kenfig or higher up the hills you can find Monmouth, Radyr or Rhondda, which sits some 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Fairways to Heaven is another group of hotels and six courses offering a mixture of packages, based on the area between Merthyr Tydfill and Llantrisant. Packages under both schemes can be as little as £90 for two nights accommodation and two rounds of golf. And with another course due to open at Llanelli this summer, golf in the region is riding high on the crest of the tidal wave of interest created by the Ryder Cup. * The Greens of Southern Wales can be contacted by: info@greensofsouthernwales.com or call 0870 600 6088 or visit www.greensofsouthernwales.com for more details. The courses are: Alice Springs, Celtic Manor, Dewstow, Marriott St Pierre, Monmouth, Peterstone Lakes, Raglan Park, The Rolls of Monmouth, Shirenewton, Wernddu, Woodlake, Brynhill (Barry), Cottrell Park, Creigiau, Pyle and Kenfig, Radyr, Southerndown, St Mellons, Vale Hotel, Wenvoe Castle, Whitchurch (Cardiff), Aberdare, Bryn Meadows, Morlais Castle, West Monmouthshire, Llantrisant & Pontyclun, Rhondda, Mountain Ash, Cradoc and Gower. * Fairways to Heaven can be contacted at fairways@valleystourism.com Or call 01443 665050. The courses are: Rhondda, Aberdare, Mountain Ash, Morlais Castle, Bryn Meadows and Llantrisant. * We stayed at the Heritage Park Hotel, Trehafod, nr Pontypridd. Call 01443 687057 or visit www.heritageparkhotel.co.uk for further details. | 
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