Carton House Ireland

My trip to Carton House was just a stunning experience from beginning to end. Situated near Maynouth, close to Dublin, this golf resort boasts two golf courses. The highly acclaimed (and former home to the Irish Open), the Montgomerie is a terrific challenge. It has a linksy feel with a huge emphasis on Bunkering. The first sets you off across the River Rye and the Eighteenth returns you to the Hotel alongside the river.

In between are some great holes, with the 4th, 5th 12 and 14th all springing to mind. The main strength of the course is the greens. They are immaculate - and the best I have putted on.

The Eighteenth Green on the Montgomerie.

The O'Meara course is the less written about, but I thought the course was brilliant, especially the back nine. It really uses the River Rye well (unlike its sister course the Monty) and the finishing stretch (15 16 and 17 are just brilliant. The greens were in good shape, despite being less attended to than the Monty.

All in all a must for your Irish Golf Break

US Masters Result!!

As you will see from my previous post, I fancied Zach Johnson for the Masters and had a small bet on the young American and found my self £200 better off!!! Thanks Mr Johnson, what a result. It was a terrific final day, with the world's best golfers rising to the topof the leaderboard. My only comment was that the course played too tough.

We have enough events (US Open and US PGA) where they make par the target finishing score. The Masters has nver been about that..... 13 seemed to be taken out of Eagle range which meant less gambling (although Tiger and Padraig obliged on the final day!!).

On my recent golfing travels I played 2 UK courses.

Wychwood Park, not a bad track but a couple of internal out of bounds which were peculiar. But an interesting course none the less, very good finishing Par 5 up the hill protected by a pond on the right. Well worth a knock. The Hotel is basic......enough said!!


I also played Merrist Wood in Surrey , a really good layout, but they were doing a lot of work on the course and to be frank the greens were a disgrace....... It has a good Amen Corner 9 - 13 with some lovely holes. Beware the Gyppo Camp along the 12th apparently they are known to hop on from time to time!!!