Top Secret - The Reveal

I'm on my way to Ireland. The prize is an overnight stay at Carton House. It was European Golf Resort of the Year in 2008 and located just 14 miles west of Dublin City Centre. Carton is home to a stylish hotel, a luxurious spa and leisure suite and two of Ireland's finest championship golf courses.

The O'Meara Course

The O'Meara Course, designed by two-time major winner Mark O'Meara, is a classic parkland experience which meanders through acres of glorious pastures, ancient woodland and skirts the banks of the River Rye. It hosted the 2005 Irish Amateur Championship in 2005. The Montgomerie Course, designed by 2010 Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie, is a 7,300 yard "links style" journey across sweeping firm fairways cavernous bunkers and impeccable greens. It has hosted some of the world's finest golfers at the 2005 and 2006 Irish Opens and the 2010 Irish Seniors Open.

The Montgomerie Course



The competition was run by Golf Monthly in conjunction with Footjoy, the number one manufacturer of golf shoes in the world. The trip involves an overnight stay, a round on the Thursday afternoon (flight times permitting) and a clinic by three time major winner Padraig Harrington on the Friday morning. There will just be time for a round of golf in the afternoon before returning home. It is a huge prize and testament to Golf Monthly's place as the leading golf magazine. As the magazine celebrates its centenary this year, it continues to grow and develop to follow the sport as it spreads globally and is still fresh and vibrant.

It may not be too late to join the fun. They run a thriving forum too and it is well worth getting involved. There is a thread to ask Padraig a question at a filmed Q&A session and the selected questions will win a prize. Why not join and post your question to the man. http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk//showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=general&Number=396815&page=0&fpart=1 Even if you don't win, the forum is the place to go for talking about anything golf related. The kind folk at the magazine also organise some forum member only events and so it is well worth checking out (there is a link on the side of my blog page)

As you can imagine I am thrilled that prize winner (and Royal Ascot member) Mike Stannard kindly asked me to accompany him as his guest. I am really excited and just hope my golf game doesn't desert me as the two courses do look a trifle fearsome. Maybe a drop of the black stuff will help. Not so much when in Rome, but when in Dublin. It would be rude not to partake of at least one pint. All we need now is some decent weather. Roll on the 21st