The Celtic Manor Resort has secured golf’s most esteemed international sustainability accreditation for the second time within a year.
Having won GEO (Golf Environment Organisation) Certification for its Twenty Ten Course in January, Celtic Manor has now been awarded the industry leading environmental benchmark for its two other championship courses, Roman Road and The Montgomerie, along with its original clubhouse.
Sustainability has been at the forefront of Celtic Manor’s golf operations since planning, building and opening its first Roman Road golf course in 1995, complete with a reservoir to make irrigation of the course self-sustaining.
More recently, the 2010 Ryder Cup venue has stepped up its sustainability practices with the appointment of a dedicated Environment and Ecology Stewardship Manager and the introduction of an electric golf buggy fleet across all three golf courses, cutting CO2 emissions from 89 tonnes to just 8.3 tonnes per year.
Carol Kerrey, Director, Certification and Credibility at GEO, said: “It is a real honour to recognise Celtic Manor Resort’s Twenty Ten, Roman Road and The Montgomerie Courses for achieving GEO Certified status. For all three courses to reach this milestone within just 12 months is an exceptional accomplishment and a testament to their dedication to sustainable golf.
“Their collective achievements — fostering nature through habitat protection and biodiversity, conserving Resources responsibly through efficient systems and renewable energy, and strengthening community through meaningful local engagement — demonstrate strong alignment with the global standard. This recognition reflects not only what they have accomplished so far, but their continued commitment to leading the way in sustainable golf.”
Efforts to protect habitats and encourage biodiversity have included sowing wildflower areas and installing bug hotels, bird and bat boxes, and even beehives for around 500,000 bees. Five lakes on the golf courses support growing populations of fish, frogs, toads and newts and the team were thrilled to witness the first sighting of an otter on the waters of the Twenty Ten Course last month.
Jim McKenzie, Celtic Manor Resort’s Director of Golf Courses and Estates, said: “Golf often gets a bad press for its impact on the environment but we have always had a good story to tell about our sustainable practices here at Celtic Manor and the measures we have taken to protect natural habitats and the landscapes around us.
“Our sustainable journey started with the planning of the very first golf course in the early 1990s and we began to win formal recognition of our commitment when the Green Drive initiative was launched for the 2010 Ryder Cup. We have made more huge strides in the last two years led by our Environment and Ecology Stewardship Manager, Gary Connell, and we are delighted to have won a second GEO Certification in 2025, bringing all three of our golf courses in line with industry-standard best practices and demonstrating our commitment to making sustainability of central importance to our golf operations.”
The Roman Road Course at Celtic Manor
Celtic Manor is one of a very select number of golf venues to win two separate GEO Certifications, necessitated by the fact that it has two golf clubhouses which form an important part of the assessment. As well as the ecology work on the golf courses, the venue was praised by assessors for its sustainability strategy that links golf operations with resort-wide environmental goals — ensuring unified action across golf, hospitality, and events. It was also commended for supporting local organisations, generating employment opportunities, and advancing charitable initiatives.
As well as the two GEO Certifications, the resort has also won further sustainability recognition this year as one of seven Celtic Collection hotels to be accredited with the Green Dragon Level 4 Environmental Standard.
