With the KPMG Women’s Irish Open now just a week away, final preparations are underway at Carton House before the top players of the Ladies European Tour take on the O’Meara Course and Carton House Director of Golf Liam McCool says anticipation is reaching fever-pitch levels amongst the membership at the County Kildare venue and he expects the course to be very well showcased on television.
“The way the cameras are going to be located, they will mainly cover the last eight or nine holes and that’s where the course really stands out,” McCool said. “You’re down in that valley, down by the water along the River Rye and alongside the little cottage and it’s just stunning. And at the end of the day, that’s where you want the action to happen.”
As always with events of this magnitude, the club management and membership need to buy in and be fully on board and McGinn says that Carton House are no different.
“I think at this stage, we have maybe 340 volunteers all signed up,” he explained, “and more than 100 of those are members but there will be more than that that’ll take part as we have so many residents that are members and are already on site as it is.
“It’s actually quite detailed when you look at it, but I suppose one of the main priorities will be managing traffic down around 14, 15 and 16 and making sure there are good systems in place because those holes are our ‘Amen Corner’ and we’re expecting a lot of crowds to make their way down there.
“And with a two-tee start in operation, we need to transport players and caddies down to the 10th and back from the ninth, so we’ll have 12 or 14 drivers detailed just to ferry around and get everybody out onto and back in from the course.”
Over 31,000 spectators poured through the gates of Dromoland Castle in County Clare last year and Carton House’s location should make it an even more attractive destination in terms of travelling support.
“We’d like to think we’ll get 40,000 and more if we get any sort of decent weather,” McCool said. “And obviously if there’s a local in the mix then probably more because that really does pull people in.”
Making the spectator experience as friendly and as welcoming as possible is something that is high on the agenda and Carton House have pulled out all the stops to ensure that that’s the case with the spectator village occupying prime real-estate close to the practice facilities.
“When we had the Irish Open here back in 2013, the Tented Village was down by the water and the boat house, but this time we’ve got it set up in front of the house itself, and when you’re in front of the Tented Village, you can look over the road at the Driving Range and the putting green is nearby as well,” McCool explains.
“So everything is very central. It’s great to be able to watch the players practise while you’re not out on the course watching the tournament itself, so I think that will add to the whole buzz and the atmosphere of the event.”
This year’s event promises to be a fun-filled adventure for all the family, with kids’ face painting and a kids’ zone being offered in the spectator village and once again, free car parking is available and all under-16s gain entry free of charge.
To register for tickets for the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, which is being held on the O’Meara Course at Carton House, please click here.