1 Night, 2 Rounds
Carton House is a proper "tick-every-box" Ireland resort, two championship courses on one estate, five-star comfort, and you're still only around 30 minutes from Dublin. Set across 1,000 acres of County Kildare parkland, the Palladian mansion brings the history (Queen Victoria and Grace Kelly both visited), while the bedrooms keep things modern and uncluttered, which is exactly what you want after 18 holes.
You come for the golf, obviously, but the reason Carton House works for a long weekend is the variety. With the O'Meara and Montgomerie on-site, you can play two very different tests without ever leaving the resort, then swap spikes for the spa, a walk on the estate or a well-earned drink in the Cocktail Bar.
If you're putting a group together, it's an easy sell: quality courses, strong service and a setting that feels a world away from the city, even though you're close enough for dinner in Dublin if you fancy it. It's also a smart couples' option if one of you wants golf and the other wants proper downtime.
Who is this for?
Golfers who want two on-site championship courses with five-star comforts, spa downtime and easy Dublin access.
Who is it best for?
Groups, societies and couples planning a high-end Ireland break where you can play, eat well and switch off without complicated logistics.
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
Monty has gone back to his Scottish roots with his Carton House creation and has put together an inland links of sorts, with very clear inspiration being taken from the great seaside courses of yesteryear. The course has been sculptured with plenty of earth being moved to create mind boggling undulations that certainly add to the overall challenge.
Add to that countless deep pot bunkers, fescue rough that sways gently in the wind and a design that is intended to use the prevailing wind to challenge the player from the tee and you have a fantastic test of golf. Stretching to well over 7,000 yards from the tips, the Montgomerie Course at Carton House hosted the 2013 Irish Open won by England's Paul Casey.
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Colin Montgomerie |
| Opened for play | 2003 |
| Previously hosted | Irish Open (2005, 2006, 2013), Irish Senior Open (2010) |
| Blue | 7,301 yards | SSS 75 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,821 yards | SSS 74 |
| Green | 6,365 yards | SSS 72 |
| Red | 5,655 yards | SSS 71 |
Mark O’Meara’s design at Carton House is the original course on the resort. This course is vastly different to its younger sibling, something that will appear to visiting golfers because, as they say, “variety is the spice of life”. Thanks to Lady Emily Leinster, who is credited with adding a wide variety of non-native trees to the property in the middle of the 18th century, the O’Meara Course is a more parkland affair than the Montgomerie Course. Blue Cedars, Lebanese Cedars and Copper Beeches, as well as the native sycamores, firs and pines, skirt the fairways and demand accuracy from the tee.
Skirting gently undulating terrain along the banks of the River Rye, which comes into play frequently on the back nine, the O’Meara Course is a picturesque delight and the perfect foil for its more demanding sibling. Get the camera ready when approaching the 14th as this is the start of Carton House’s very own Amen Corner. Ending at the 16th, this stretch of the course is beautiful and treacherous in equal proportions.
Carton House has been recognised by the prestigious ‘Committed to Green Award'.
| Par | 73 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Mark O' Meara |
| Opened for play | 2002 |
| Previously hosted | Irish Amateur Open Championship (2005) |
| Blue | 7,165 yards | SSS 75 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,828 yards | SSS 74 |
| Green | 6,419 yards | SSS 72 |
| Red | 5,667 yards | SSS 73 |
The hotel offers 165 bedrooms, each designed to deliver comfort without fuss. Expect king-size beds, power showers, air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, WiFi and a sofa, everything you need after a day on the course. The rooms are spacious and contemporary, a deliberate counterpoint to the period grandeur elsewhere on the estate, and they work precisely because they prioritise rest and recovery over unnecessary decoration.
For special occasions or those wanting a bit more space, the 18 suites step things up. The Lady Emily Suite is the standout, with its own private sitting room and views directly over the golf courses. It's the kind of room that makes a milestone birthday or anniversary trip feel properly marked.
Beyond your room, the estate opens up. Guided walks, fishing and nature trails are all available if you want to explore the 1,100 acres, while the spa offers a quieter escape. The treatment rooms are purpose-built and serene, the kind of space where you can genuinely switch off. The Wellness Centre spans two floors and includes a gymnasium, sauna, steam room, hot tub and an 18-metre indoor pool, useful if you want to stretch out between rounds or simply prefer your downtime active.
Other activities include archery, horseback riding and bicycle hire, though in truth most guests are here for the golf and the chance to unwind properly. The estate setting means you can walk off a round, grab a treatment or simply sit with a coffee overlooking the parkland, and that variety is part of what makes Carton House work as a complete resort rather than just a place to sleep between tee times.
The dining at Carton House is a noticeable step up from typical resort fare, especially if you book an evening table rather than grabbing something between rounds. The Linden Tree Restaurant is the formal option, all cushioned walls, marble floors and leather seating, serving refined dishes that lean on local ingredients without making a song and dance about it. The menu changes seasonally, and the kitchen delivers consistently. Afternoon tea is also available if you're after something lighter mid-afternoon.
For drinks, the Cocktail Bar channels the glamour of the 1920s, vintage-styled and well-stocked, ideal for a post-round debrief or a nightcap. There are several other bars on-site too, so you're never short of somewhere to settle in with a pint or a glass of wine.
Carton House continues to be one of our customers' highest rated resorts across the UK and Ireland (see the list here), and the combination of two excellent courses, thoughtful service and genuine luxury makes it easy to see why. It's one of the most exquisite golfing destinations in Ireland for good reason.
Desmond
✓26 Feb 2020
Accommodation lived up to expectation, very relaxed, comfortable and staff very welcoming and helpful
Christy
✓3 Nov 2018
Lovely hotel in beautiful location
Glenn
✓24 Oct 2018
Liam
✓4 Oct 2018
Excellent accomodation, food and service second to none. Would stay here again in a heartbeat.Had to pay a single room supplement despite the fact that there were several rooms capable of accomodating all three of us. That was our only disappointment anbout the hotel.
Trevor
✓27 Sep 2018
Great rooms and hotel is very good
June
✓12 Jan 2015
Many thanks to YGT for handling the booking for our golf holiday at Carton House. Everything went very smoothly and even the weather was very kind to us for our round of golf!
The hotel gave us a lovely room and we really enjoyed our breakfast too. Thanks for your efficiency...we also very much appreciated the golf balls that we received a few days later in the post.
We certainly hope to book another golf trip with you guys in
the near future.
Andy
✓2 Dec 2014
As you may know I have booked my annual Celts & Roses golf trips to Spain, England & Ireland and have always been impressed with yourgolftravel’s management of the details. You need to have a level of trust when travelling abroad that people will actually pick you up from appropriate flights & also return you on time & we’ve never been disappointed yet. With regards our trip to Carton House, the service from the YGT team was as excellent as ever.
The Montgomerie course is a really tough course for even mid handicappers & we could see why it’s been host to the Irish Open on several occasions. An ‘inland links course’, the Montgomerie was in superb condition, with multitudes of bunkers and fabulous greens where accurate shooting & putting confidence are absolutely key to a decent round.
We also played the O’Meara course that was more friendly to our group, reflected by better scoring. This was also in superb condition with magnificent views & scenery as per the Monty.
We stayed in the magnificent Carton House hotel so you literally walked out of the hotel onto the golf courses – it doesn’t get any more convenient! The hotel rooms, swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam room were all first class. In fact, it would be a great place to go without even playing golf as the extensive grounds were great for running, cycling or walking – very beautiful Irish scenery.
When in Ireland the welcome is always good & the 19th including the patio area was busy, but service via waitresses was good. Our group somehow managed to get roped into an ‘Ice-Bucket-Challenge’ & the staff were very accommodating of this request (by the way we raised €1,000 for a local ‘Saplings’ charity – so people were very generous).
Breakfast was very good too and the only downside for me was on the Friday evening when we had to wait until 10pm for dinner (booked for 8pm) so very late to eat. There were two weddings & clubhouse was full of people so we believed they couldn’t cope with all of this.
I found out the day after that some of the people’s food was cold & choice was not massive for even a set meal. For this reason alone I can only give a rating of 9/10 – but if it wasn’t for that factor for sure it was a 10/10 experience.
Would I recommend this place & your company to a friend? I already have!!
Trevor
✓2 Dec 2014
What a cracking week end we had at Carton House! Both golf courses were in superb shape. The Montgomerie is a monster and a real test of golf, with more sand on it than the sea side and the 15th and 16th holes on the O’Meara are 2 of the prettiest holes we have ever played.
The hotel facilities are excellent too and the 'apres golf' in Maynooth town is entertaining. Beer is a bit expensive but you’re on holiday so just enjoy it!
I couldn't recommend Carton House highly enough so big well
done to yourgolftravel.com for putting it together.
Seamus
✓2 Dec 2014
Everyone enjoyed their golf trip to Carton House and were very impressed with both the courses, and the accommodation. The two combined made this one of the best value for money trips I’ve ever been on.
Both golf courses are completely different but the standout holes for me were 14 through to 16 on the O’Meara course, with the approach shot on the 15th being truly stunning.
Yourgolftravel’s organisation of the weekend was second to none, with no problems at all throughout the trip. In fact, it took about minute to check in as everything was sorted before we arrived.
If I have any criticism of the weekend it would be slow
play, with the O’Meara taking 5 hours 15 minutes and the Montgomerie taking
5 and a half hours. I appreciate that the course was very busy but I
never saw a ranger in the two days we played. It’s only a small complaint and
in no way did it spoil our experience though and I would return to Carton House in
a heartbeat.
David
✓2 Dec 2014
I would be more than happy to review the trip but it would be unfair not to remark on the manner in which you arranged things. It was flawless and a credit to YGT and I will certainly be in touch for next year’s trip.
Both courses at Carton House were in excellent condition and a pleasure to play. The hotel was superb too, with members of staff who were friendly and accommodating to the extreme. The Coach House bar / restaurant was ideal and the food was good value and of a high standard too.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Carton House to anyone. It is a beautiful place and even if you have a bad day on the course you can make up for it by enjoying the hotel facilities which are second to none.
As for YGT, for years I have spent ages organising golf
trips for my society...never again! YGT is the way forward.
Desmond
✓26 Feb 2020
With all the rain in the weeks leading up to our visit late February fairways and greens were still in good condition, played easy as rough cut back and bunkers out of play
Phil
✓17 Apr 2019
Christy
✓3 Nov 2018
Course in good condition but not our favourite. It's defence is the bunkers. A lot of holes the same on it.
Christy
✓3 Nov 2018
Nice course with some lovely finishing holes
Glenn
✓24 Oct 2018
Glenn
✓24 Oct 2018
Liam
✓4 Oct 2018
Not being able to play the O'Meara course we played Montgomerie twice and we all agreed that the course was disappointing from an asthetic point of view.Certainly had too many bunkers for my standards of golf.
Trevor
✓27 Sep 2018
A beautiful course in beautiful condition
Anders
✓18 Sep 2018
Great course . A good start-course due to wide fairways. In good shape even after a dry summer.
