Going for Golf

Druids Glen

An hour after leaving the merry madness that is Dublin Airport a man, or woman, may arrive amidst the tranquility that is Druids Glen in the heart of County Wicklow.

Wicklow is commonly referred to as ‘The Garden of Ireland’ and with good reason. Think trees, sweeping landscape and lots and lots of green things. If you are lucky, then you will see this beauty bathed in sunshine.

Don’t, however, bank on it – Ireland has 40 shades of green because it enjoys (endures?) 41 types of rainfall from the soft, refreshing stuff the tourist board likes to promote to the heavily hissing down, torrential stuff that drowns a hangover quicker than you can say “just one more, then”.

Taken in all its disguises, Druids Glen remains an outstanding delight. I’ve been decamping regularly to it for almost 15 years now and never, ever, have I been disappointed at what I have found. And what I have found is a pair of delight-ful golf courses backed up by a Marriott hotel that offers reassuringly comfortable sanctuary from whatever the perverse Irish weather gods have decided to throw in my direction.

Of the two courses – Druids Glen and Druids Heath – the Glen is the senior partner, a challenging, meandering track, designed by my old friend Pat Ruddy – Pat owns the nearby European Club – in partnership with Tom Craddock. The Glen is a glorious place overlooked by a clubhouse that was built in 1770, which was pretty far-sighted of them as the course itself only emerged in 1995.

Of course, this grand clubhouse originally was an aristocratic home set in the middle of an achingly beautiful estate that had been laid out for the enjoyment of one of those Englishmen who treated Ireland as their personal playground at the time and the local population as their serfs. The happy postscript to this rather bleak period is that this imposing clubhouse offers a suitably significant start to any day’s play at the Glen. This, be forewarned, is no pushover course. Stern enough to have staged four Irish Opens in the 90s, Druids Glen is a sparkling example of the architect’s genius when bending naturally thrilling land into a place to play golf.

Class seeps everywhere here. From the welcoming tones of the starter to the course itself, through an opening par four that is suitably sedate in its challenge before a player moves through to the meat of the challenge. This is no bash-it-and-find-it lay-out. Most holes offer a sublime challenge of risk/reward so that the accomplished golfer may take on the beast while the more sociable player may concentrate on the beauty. Best of all, there is no traffic hum.

At the heart of the resort is the 12th hole, a brilliant par three – 175 yards from an elevated tee and on to a sloping green that is guarded on one side by rough and on two by water. This is the Druids Glen for it was here while the land was being tailored to golf that a pre-Christian altar was unearthed on the hillside. A statue of a Druid now stands sternly on this spot overlooking what is going on.

And what is going on is unadulterated enjoyment. This happy state is soon sorted out when you stand on the 13th tee and face one of the toughest par fours in the game – long, with a confusing drive followed by a near-impossible second. Believe me, this hole is difficult and, as it happens, terrific fun.

Mind you, you don’t have to go far to find an equally hard par four because the final, uphill hole at the Glen is as tricky and deceptive as they come. Few will even attempt to reach the green in two although laying up – this raised-up green is guarded by a snaking burn – guarantees little. It may look like a wedge but I assure you it will probably be an eight-iron.

Compared to the Glen, Druids Heath is a pussycat but it is a pussycat that can roar all by itself. Gentler and at least a bit more accommodating to the mis-hit shot, this course is good enough to have staged the Irish PGA Championship in 2006. I love it. Or, as Mr Ruddy, puts it: “Druids Heath offers the player the opportunity to stride out in a place that is invigorating to both body and soul.”

Not for the first time, Pat is spot on. But then this is true of all of this outstanding golf facility. I love the place and so, I suspect, will you. Trust me, I’m a golf writer…