The Wales Open at Celtic Manor earlier this month may have been a walk in the park for some of Europe's top golfers but rest assured when the Ryder Cup comes to town in 2010 it may not be so gentle.

The resort near Newport has really put Wales on the map when it comes to golf and while the Principality is keen to show off its showpiece course ahead of 2010, Wales has much to offer the golfer.

And no course more so than Radyr. On the outskirts of Cardiff this 100-year-old plus course is a real hidden gem.

With its magnificent views overlooking the city of Cardiff and the Bristol Channel beyond, Radyr, opened in 1902, has one of the most idyllic settings of any golf club in South Wales. Nestling in rural heathland its gentle undulations provide a course which is a delight to the eye, yet which offers the sternest of challenges to golfers of all standards.

At 6,053 yards the layout of the course today has changed little from the original finalised by Colt of Sunningdale in 1915. Its greatest feature is the fact that every hole provides a separate and very different challenge and any golfer who has visions of taking it apart' is very quickly disillusioned. Wayward shots are invariably punished and the magnificent but testing greens will reward only the smoothest of putting strokes.

Greenmeadow Golf and Country Club Golf is a course between Newport and Cardiff.

The 18-hole parkland course is a par 70 that measures more than 6,000 yards, with many tree lined undulating fairways, scenic water hazards and many strategically positioned bunkers.

A buggy would be advisable but a stern test for any standard of player.

St Pierre, just a stone's throw from the Severn Bridge, once hosted the Solheim Cup, and having played it it's not hard to see why.

A stunning layout awaits with a number of signature' holes, the 200-yard plus par 3 18th no exception.

Golf in South Wales, only one-and-a-half hours from Southampton, is close enough to go for the day or a short break but is far enough to feel you have made the effort to experience something new.

Contacts Radyr: Telephone: 029 2084 2408. Website: www.radyrgolf.co.uk Greenmeadow: 01633 869321. Website: www.greenmeadowgolf.co.uk. E-mail: info@greenmeadowgolf.com Marriott St Pierre: Telephone: 0870 4007224. Website: www.marriott.co.uk and navigate to St Pierre.

Greens of Southern Wales: A one-stop shop for golf in the Principality, putting together packages to suit any pocket. Telephone: 0870 600 6088 or check out their website at www.greensofsouthernwales.com