Photo: Wikimedia CommonsCarton House (Montgomerie Course)
Maynooth, Co. Kildare · Designed by Colin Montgomerie / Mark O'Meara · Est. 2003
Carton House was the ancestral seat of the FitzGeralds, Dukes of Leinster, and its 1,100-acre walled demesne near Maynooth is one of the great Georgian estates in Ireland. Today, as a Fairmont-managed resort, it holds two championship courses that could hardly be more different. The O'Meara — designed by 1998 Masters and Open champion Mark O'Meara, opened in 2002 — is a classic parkland that winds along the River Rye through the mature estate. The Montgomerie, by Colin Montgomerie with Stan Eby, opened in 2003 and is the opposite: a fast, firm, links-style inland course with revetted pot bunkers and barely a tree in play.
It was the Montgomerie that put Carton House on the map, hosting the Irish Open in 2005 and again in 2006, when Thomas Bjørn won by a single shot from Paul Casey. It stretches to around 7,300 yards and is one of the toughest inland tests in Ireland when the wind gets up.
Carton House is only about half an hour from Dublin and Dublin Airport, which makes its two contrasting championship courses, and the five-star hotel in the old manor, one of the most convenient destination-golf stays on the east coast.
Holes worth knowing
- 1The Montgomerie course — a treeless, links-style inland layout with deep revetted bunkers that hosted the 2005 and 2006 Irish Opens. In a wind it is one of the sternest inland tests in Ireland.
Highlights
- Two championship courses: Montgomerie (links-style) and O'Meara (parkland)
- Irish Open host 2005 & 2006 (Thomas Bjørn won 2006)
- Fairmont resort on the FitzGeralds' Georgian estate, 30 min from Dublin
Good to know
- →Two very different courses on one estate: play the Montgomerie (links-style championship) and the O'Meara (river parkland) over two days.
- →Carton House is about 30 minutes from Dublin and the airport — one of the most convenient destination-golf stays on the east coast, and pairs well with the K Club nearby.
- →The 1,100-acre demesne and the Georgian manor (now the hotel) are worth exploring; the FitzGerald estate is among the finest in Ireland.
- →Maynooth, with its university and St Patrick's College, is on the doorstep for food and an evening out.
Visitor Information
Getting There
Common questions
Has Carton House hosted the Irish Open?
Yes — the Montgomerie course hosted the Irish Open in 2005 and again in 2006, when Thomas Bjørn won by a single shot from Paul Casey. It is a links-style inland course that stretches to around 7,300 yards and is one of the toughest inland tests in Ireland in a wind.
What are the two courses at Carton House?
The Montgomerie, by Colin Montgomerie (with Stan Eby), is a fast, firm, treeless links-style course with revetted pot bunkers. The O'Meara, by 1998 Masters and Open champion Mark O'Meara, is a classic parkland winding along the River Rye through the estate. They could hardly be more different.
What is the history of the Carton House estate?
Carton House was the ancestral seat of the FitzGeralds, Dukes of Leinster, and its 1,100-acre walled demesne near Maynooth is one of the great Georgian estates in Ireland. The Georgian manor is now the five-star hotel at the centre of the Fairmont-managed resort.
Where is Carton House and what is nearby?
It is at Maynooth in County Kildare, about 30 minutes from Dublin and Dublin Airport — one of the most convenient destination-golf stays on the east coast, and it pairs well with the K Club nearby. Maynooth, with its university and St Patrick's College, is on the doorstep.
Where to Stay
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