IMO, outside of the Open and a few other venues (e.g. The Irish, when they are playing a links, which is not that often) the Euro PGAT plays on medicore courses with absolutely no charisma. Have any of you Europhiles actually watched stops like the Lower Slobovian Open, where the only "spectators" are a few sun-burnt Brits who look like they lost their way en route to the local fish and chip shop, over a course designed by the Interior Minister's brother in law? Or even this past weekend's Welsh Open at Celtic Manor. Makes you feel real good, GCA-wise, about watching the 2010 Ryder Cup, doesn't it?
Take off those rose-colo(u)red glasses and smell the coffee, as the esteemed Mr. Ward is wont to say......
Rich is, as ever, correct. Celtic Manor? Here's a list of European Tour venues this year (removing Majors and WGC events):
Sheshan International GC , Shanghai, China
Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong
Huntingdale GC, Melbourne, Australia
Leopard Creek GC, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Pearl Valley Golf Estates, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa
Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, Johannesburg, South Africa
Amata Spring Country Club, Bangkok, Thailand
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Doha GC, Doha, Qatar
Emirates GC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Saujana Golf and Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Vines Resort & Country Club , Perth, Western Australia, Australia
New Kuta GC, Bali, Indonesia
Porto Santo Golfe, Portugal
Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
Oitavos Dunes, Cascais, Portugal
Beijing CBD International GC, Beijing, China
Pinx GC, Jeju Island, South Korea
PGA Golf Catalunya, Girona, Spain
Royal Park I Roveri, Torino, Italy
Co Louth GC, Baltray, Drogheda, Ireland
Wentworth Club, Surrey, England
The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales
Aa Saint Omer GC, Lumbres, France
Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
Le Golf National, Paris, France
Loch Lomond GC, Glasgow, Scotland
Barsebäck G & CC, Malmö, Sweden
Prosper Golf Resort, Čeladná, Czech Republic
Kennemer G&CC, Zandvoort, Netherlands
The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland
Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans, Switzerland
Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof, Cologne, Germany
Fontana GC, Vienna, Austria
Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche GC, Paris, France
Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland
Oceânico Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, Portugal
Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, Castellón, Spain
Finca Cortesin GC, Casares, Spain
Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong
Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
There are some gems and watching the Irish Open at Baltray was as good as televised golf outside the Majors and Ryder Cup but there's a lot of very dull golf courses here.