TRAVEL: Irish masterpiece

Since so many Irish links have a maturity beyond their modest years it should come as little surprise the same is true of an inland beauty, Druids Glen.

This parkland layout only opened in 1995 yet within a year had hosted the Irish Open, the first of four successive and highly successful visits from the European Tour. Its champions included Colin Montgomerie (twice) and Sergio Garcia.

Since then the Seve Trophy has visited this gorgeous corner of Co Wicklow, which is located around an hour’s drive due south from Dublin.

In many ways, Druids Glen was a trailblazer in terms of Irish golf.

Nowadays, there are many modern, inland golf courses across the Irish Sea, but in the early 1990s it was the likes of Druids Glen that introduced a new concept.

Suddenly, the Irish had venues to match any in Europe and the culmination of this golfing boom brought the Ryder Cup to the country in 2006 – something that would have been simply unthinkable little more than a decade earlier.

What Druids Glen and a few fortunate others had in their favour was the advantage of a fine natural setting.

While it is now possible, thanks to modern agronomy techniques, to create a top-class tournament course on almost any site, the reason this is such a special course is undoubtedly its mature surroundings.

While certain sections of the course are evidently of recent vintage, other parts could have been there for scores of years.
It helps that the august Woodstock House, which dates back to 1770, provides a most distinctive clubhouse, not to mention one that ensures an exceptional experience to the golfer without even stepping on a fairway.

From its first-floor bar you can see the 18th green, and gain a flavour of a course which represents the ultimate in inland golf.

It was created by Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock, who also worked together at Ballyliffin and can be considered the ‘dream team’ of Irish golf architecture.

Within half an hour of here is The European, Ruddy’s modern links masterpiece that he continues to shape, and Druids Glen exemplifies the contrast between two styles of course.

While the former is concerned with gigantic dunes, deep bunkers and imposing carries, Druids Glen is an altogether gentler and softer experience.

That is not to say it is easy – far from it – but the pristine and verdant fairways that are often flanked by colourful
flora and fauna make a round here a particularly pleasant experience.

As you might expect, water is also prominent, especially around the course’s very own Amen Corner of the 12th and 13th.

In benign conditions, good scoring up to this point is by no means impossible but Ruddy’s trademark disregard for the overly ambitious or thoughtless golfer is clearly apparent. In this, Druids Glen does have much in common with the European.

Put simply, if you play within your limitations and think about your modus operandi on each hole then you will find generous targets from both tee and fairway alike. But the moment you abandon such caution and try to attack then you should be prepared for the consequences.

Much like wild animals, Ruddy’s courses only rarely attack without provocation.

Take the stretch of holes that begins at the 3rd, following an opening hole played enticingly downhill and a subtle par three into a walled garden where clubbing is awkward to judge as a clear view from the tee is not forthcoming.

At only 339 yards, the uphill tee shot is merely a positional one and if you are prepared to play the dogleg then a fairway wood or hybrid will leave an approach of no more than 150 yards. The temptation is to be more aggressive and cut the corner yet the most likely result is trouble and an approach that simply becomes more awkward.

The 5th is a par five and the sage advice from former Ryder Cup player Eamonn Darcy is as follows: “Although it may be reachable in two for the big hitters, the reward is seldom worth the risk,” he says. “Lay up and trust your wedge.”

With the fairway narrowing to at the top of the hill, driver off the tee is extremely risky and the green is designed to receive a short iron rather than a wood.

The next stand-out hole is the short 8th, played in seclusion over a lake to a sloping green. Suddenly, you can begin to see why Druids Glen has been described as the ‘Augusta of Europe’.

After a return to more open, stately-home-style parkland holes around the turn, what is undoubtedly the highlight of the round comes at the 12th and 13th.

The former is a par three from an elevated tee to a green fronted by water. With a floral tribute to the stone altar that was discovered in the creation of this hole it is an unforgettable sight from all angles.

Yet in purely golfing terms, the next is even more dramatic and certainly more demanding.

It is over 470 yards and is played from an elevated tee. There is water right and the fairway angles towards it. There is more water at the 15th, although there is a wide fairway, and the same is true at 17.

Into the wind, this is a fearsome par three and at over 200 yards will challenge the nerve of all but the best.

Played to an island green, the landing area is larger than it appears – so long as you make the carry. It sets up an extremely demanding finish because the uphill 18th measures 450 yards and should be treated as a short par five by
laying up with your second.

This way a five should not be beyond your means, whereas six – and worse – comes into the equation by attacking a green fronted by water.

It really is a breathtaking finale to a course which is conditioned and presented to an exceptionally high degree.

Factfile
Druids Glen Golf Resort
Newtonmountkennedy
Co Wicklow, Ireland
Tel: 00 353 1287 3600
Email: info@druidsglen.ie
www.druidsglen.ie

Green fees
Druids Glen £150* Heath £110*
*Discounts for hotel residents

Druids Glen is only half the attraction at the Druids Glen Marriott Hotel & Country Club. The newer Druids Heath course is another championship course. designed by Pat Ruddy with views to the Irish Sea and of Wicklow’s Sugarloaf Mountains. It is built beside the five-star Marriott hotel which offers all the amentities and class you would expect of such a venue.