Druids Glen is on the eastern side of Ireland, and just half an hour from the nation’s capital city of Dublin. The resort has two championship golf courses and has played host to some of the world’s best golfers. The 145-room hotel provides the accommodation, while the Health Club and Spa top your experience at the resort off perfectly.  

 

When it comes to golf, Druids Glen certainly has that covered. The resort has two championship golf courses – the Druids Glen Course and Druids Heath Course. The former, which has the same name as the resort, hosted the Irish Open on four occasions in the 1990s, while the Druids Heath Course has been a host of the Irish PGA Championship in its history. There is also a driving range and short game area for guests and members to practice on before taking to either of the championship courses.  

 

The Druids Glen Hotel offers a glorious range of 145 rooms and suites for its guests. There are Deluxe, Superior and Family Guestrooms which can be altered in terms of beds to suit all parties. The Executive Suites and the Presidential Suite offer the most luxurious stays at the Druids Glen Resort, and there is also an impressive range of gastronomy to enjoy during your time there.  

 

The Health Club and Spa at Druids Glen are the final piece to the resort’s puzzle. The Health Club has a heated swimming pool, along with a sauna, jacuzzi and steam room. There is also a fully equipped gym and a range of classes to get involved in including aqua aerobics and spin classes. The Spa at Druids Glen offers guests the opportunity to relax and unwind with a choice of massages and treatments, all given by certified professionals.  

 

 

Book your trip to Druids Glen with Golfbreaks now.  

  

Visit the Druids Glen website here.  

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage. 

The Druids Glen Resort is the home to not one, but two championship courses. The first, the Druids Glen Course, opened in 1995, with the Druids Heath layout being inaugurated eight years later.  

 

Druids Glen 

This parkland layout, designed by Pat Ruddy, only opened in 1995 yet within a year had hosted the Irish Open, the first of four successive and successful visits from the DP World Tour. Its champions included Colin Montgomerie (twice) and Sergio Garcia, the Spaniard's first title as a professional. The Seve Trophy was also held on the Druids Glen Course in 2002. 

 

The course has been described at the ‘Augusta of Europe’ in the past, and you can see why. The par 3 8th and 12th both have Augusta-like features, especially the latter. With a floral tribute to the stone altar that was discovered in the creation of this hole, and which gave the course its name, it is an unforgettable sight from all angles. It is a carbon-copy of the infamous 12th hole at Augusta National, where many world-class players have gotten into trouble.  

  

The next is even more dramatic and certainly more demanding. It measures over 480 yards and is played from an elevated tee. There is water right and the fairway angles towards it. The difficulty, especially on first viewing, is in choosing the right line from the tee. Too straight and your ball will disappear into the rhododendron bushes; too aggressive and it will find the stream. Even after the perfect tee shot, the approach is inevitably a long one and it is played across more water towards an uninvitingly narrow green. If it sounds hard, it really is! Completing this hole with the same ball you started with is an achievement for most club players. 

 

17 is a 200-yard par 3 with water and sand surrounding three sides of the green. Anything short, left or right of the putting surface will be in trouble. The closing hole on the Druids Glen Course measures 450 yards and plays uphill. Again, there is water in front of the green, so it might be better to treat it as a short par five and lay up with your second. This way a five should not be beyond your means, whereas six - and worse-comes very much into the equation by attacking a green fronted by water from 200 yards or so. 

 

Druids Heath 

Opened in 2003, and designed by Pat Ruddy, the Druids Heath Course at Druids Glen has also achieved championship status. The layout was the host venue for the Irish PGA Championship three years after its inauguration. From the back tees, this course is more than 7,400 yards long and only a Par 71. Luckily for us mere mortal, there is a range of teeing options to choose from. 

 

Like the Druids Glen Course, there are water hazards for you to avoid during a round on the Druids Heath. They come early as well, with the par 5 2nd green having a lake that sits in front of and to the left of the green. The 3rd is a long par 3, measuring 230 yards from the back tees, and also has water in front of the green. The front nine ends with four consecutive long par 4s, all at more than 440 from the tips. 

 

Water comes back into play on 13, where most will have a long iron into the green over the hazard. After the short par 3 14th, there is some respite, with a par 5 that is less than 500 yards and provides a good birdie opportunity. From there, though, the pain begins again, with the last three holes of the Druids Heath Course all being long par 4s. Choose your teeing option wisely ahead of a round on this brute of a golf course.  

The Druids Glen Hotel has almost 150 rooms and suites on offer to its guests. Each offering comes with a TV, Wi-Fi, tea and coffee making facilities and L’Occitane toiletries for guests to enjoy and to feel comfortable during a stay at the resort.  

 

The Deluxe Guestroom can come equipped with either a king-sized bed or two double beds. The Superior Guestroom has the same choices of beds, but also comes with a Juliet balcony or vaulted ceilings. There are also a range of Family Guestrooms which come with two double beds that can sleep two adults and two children. 

 

There are two types of suites at the Druids Glen Hotel – the Executive Suites and the Presidential Suite. The former come in a three-room set-up, with a living area, bedroom, and bathroom. The Presidential Suite at Druids Glen offers the utmost luxury and has views of the golf course from its private balcony.  

 

Both Hugo’s Restaurant and the Garden Rooms hold AA rosettes, with the former providing a top-notch culinary experience. The Garden Rooms overlook the 13th hole on the Druids Glen Course, while the Clubhouse Bar and Restaurant offers a casual menu for golfers and families alike. 

The Druids Glen Health Club is the perfect place for guests and members of the resort to exercise. There is a newly refurbished gym with a wide range of equipment, along with a heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and more. There is an array of classes, including aqua aerobics, circuit training, boxfits and spin classes available as well. The Health Club also has a walking and running trail, measuring around four kilometres.  

 

The Spa at Druids Glen offers guests with the perfect relaxation space. It has won several awards over the last decade for its services and treatments. There are seven treatment rooms, with a choice of massages, facials, and body treatments to enjoy from a team of therapists.  

Where is Druids Glen?  
Druids Glen is located on the eastern coast of Ireland, near the town of Wicklow. The Irish capital city of Dublin is 35 miles to the north of the resort.  

What is the nearest airport and station to Druids Glen?  
Dublin Airport – the busiest airport in the country – is just under an hour’s drive from Druids Glen, with the airport situated to the north of Ireland’s capital city. Aer Lingues, Ryanair and TUI Airways have bases at Dublin, an airport which saw more than 27 million passengers come through its doors in 2022.  

 

In terms of trains, the nearest station to Druids Glen is Kilcoole, which is just three miles away from the resort. Kilcoole station is located on the Irish coastline, on the train line between Dublin Connolly and Rosslare Europort.  

What golf facilities does Druids Glen offer?  
The practice facilities at Druids Glen are adjacent to the first hole of the Druids Heath Course. There is a sheltered and floodlit driving range, along with a world class short game area for those who desire to practice their chipping and putting.  

 

Woodstock House, dating back to 1770, provides a distinctive clubhouse, not to mention one that ensures an exceptional experience for the golfer without even stepping on a fairway. From its first-floor bar you can see the final green, flanked by water, and gain a flavour of a course designed to represent the ultimate in inland golf. 

Does Druids Glen offer golf lessons?  
The Druids Glen Academy provides coaching and tuition. Resident Golf Professional Patrick Geraghty is the man to see when it comes to teaching, with lessons available both on the range and out on the course so you can learn about course management.  

What are the green fees at Druids Glen?  
The price of a green fee at Druids Glen changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. There are also stay & play packages available at the resort.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Druids Glen, visit their website here. 

What accommodation is on offer at Druids Glen?  
There is plenty of glorious accommodation on offer at Druids Glen. The 145-room Druids Glen Hotel has a range of Deluxe and Superior Guestrooms, along with Family Guestrooms. There are also Executive and Presidential Suites for those wanting a truly luxurious and comfortable stay on the east coast of Ireland.  

What other resorts are nearby?  
Druids Glen is one of several venues in and around the Irish capital of Dublin that have a place on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Resorts. Carton House and The K Club, both in the top ten on our list, are within an hour’s drive from Druids Glen. The Portmarnock Resort, Mount Wolseley and The Heritage are slightly further afield.  

  

Book your trip to Druids Glen with Golfbreaks now.  

  

Visit the Druids Glen website here.  

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.