Opening Golf to the World
The G4D Open
Roman Road: A historic path to The G4D Open
05 May 26
5 mins
The G4D Open represents a significant milestone in the global golfing calendar, showcasing elite skill and the evolving inclusivity at the world’s premier venues.
As the Championship prepares to arrive at the Celtic Manor Resort for the first of three years, the focus settles on the Roman Road, a course that blends ancient history with modern standards of accessibility. Opened in 1995, it was quickly recognised as one of the finest inland lay-outs in the country, setting the architectural and competitive standard for the world class resort that exists today.Navigating a historic layout
The course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr, earns its name from the Via Julia, an ancient Roman highway that once led to the nearby fortress of Caerleon. This historical weight is felt throughout the round as the highway still crosses the fairways today.
The Roman Road offers a diverse examination of a golfer's game, characterised by a distinct transition between styles. The opening and closing holes feature inviting, open fairways that roll around the main Resort Hotel and Lodge Clubhouse.
However, the challenge intensifies as the layout gives way to tighter, more technical holes threaded through woodland, navigating winding streams and changes in elevation. The course's principal defences are its big bunkers and tricky, sloping greens, which demand both power off the tee and precision on the approach.
This is particularly evident on the technical middle section, where players must navigate the woodland tests with thoughtful strategy to find the right angles into the greens.
Enhancing inclusivity for The G4D Open
In preparation for its role as host of The G4D Open, the Roman Road has undergone a rigorous assessment and enhancement programme to ensure it meets the highest standards of accessibility. Following a specialized evaluation last summer, the course received the endorsement of EDGA, identifying it as a venue well-suited for all categories of golfers with a disability. A significant advantage for the course was its existing maintenance infrastructure; many of the fairway bunkers are already raked using ride-on equipment, meaning the access required for maintenance vehicles is largely similar to the requirements for G4D competition.
To further refine the experience, the resort has implemented several key adaptations since being announced as the host venue. A major greenside redevelopment programme has seen sand swaps and structural modifications to both greenside and practice bunkers to make entry and exit more manageable. In some instances, bunkers that were identified as inaccessible have been filled in completely to improve the flow of play for all competitors.
Accessibility works have been specifically concentrated on the fairway bunkers of the 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, and 17th holes, ensuring these critical points of the back nine are fully inclusive. For the course’s pot bunkers, where permanent modification is restricted by the surrounding ground detail, the resort is utilising temporary ramps to ensure every hazard remains a fair and accessible strategic test.