Druids Heath

MarcusP12

Hi guys….looking for opinions on druids heath, particularly from people who’ve played it recently with the upgrades…..what’s the course like? How is it holding up during the wetter months?

what I’m hearing is that it’s one of the few south Dublin/north Wicklow clubs where you might have a decent chance of getting membership so it has my interest….if anyone is already a member, what’s it like? Friendly? Stuffy?

thanks!

swededmonkey

The Heath has taken in all the Druids Glen members for the next year while its getting redeveloped. Don't know for sure what its like getting on the timesheet as a result but worth checking out before you commit.

Kiith

Only played it once, a few years back so not sure about any recent upgrades, but i really enjoyed it. Some really tough holes on the back 9.

Had a few people say it wasn't great, but i assumed it was just compared to Druids Glen.

willabur

I liked it alot, its completely different to next door. Its tough to score on it but conditioning etc was great as far as I can remember. It is about 3 or 4 years since I played there

Kevinmarkham

Can't help on the membership question - although I know it has grown in recent years - but I played it a few weeks ago and am hugely impressed by the upgrades. I disliked the course before as I always felt it was too difficult and it had been designed to be difficult... which I find detracts from any course. It was long, often unrewarding and the bunkering was overkill.

The back tees have now been removed, all of the bunkering has been changed and reduced by almost two thirds in number, and various other changes have been made to sight lines, gorse clearance and drainage. The grass on greens has been completely replaced, too.

I very much enjoyed my round... which I would never have said before... and I played in January!

Pics below are of the 13th (shot from 15th fairway) and the 18th.

FixdePitchmark

That looks class Kevin ..I love the hotel there. So must hit the course next time I'm down..How long will Druids Glen course be closed ?

Dtoffee

Good to hear they have made the course a bit more friendly for golfers as I had the option of joining a few years back and decided that it was far too tough and would probably put me off the game altogether. A friends son is currently a member there and says that getting a tee time is a problem as they have both clubs (Heath and Glen) using the course due to ongoing works on the Glen course.

The Heath are also looking at giving their members a clubhouse as to date they have used part of the hotel. Its a good course and challenging, but I would suggest playing the new layout and asking yourself if you think you can enjoyably play the course over the coming years or will it become too much like hard work (this is where age kicks in and I realised my limits !).

I would hasten slowly and look at all other local options, especially members owned courses for the extra security of tenure and any possible future subs price increase.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

swededmonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118676842#Comment_118676842

Around a year. The Glen members were able to play their last round there in early January

Xander10

Glad to here they have made some upgrades. Played it a couple of times years ago and hated it, it just seemed a boring long trek.

I heard the Glen members are using it this year and it also took on a heap of new members from closures of courses nearby, which you would imagine would put pressure on tee times for this year at least. But you would be best to get an opinion of a member if there is any out their on Boards.

Kevinmarkham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118676842#Comment_118676842

April 2023 is what I was told. Members will have access before that but visitors will have to wait a bit!

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118677931#Comment_118677931

Did I hear correctly, that the work been done on Druids, is with a view to try and host the Irish Open?

blue note

They probably are thinking about the Irish open. It's so annoying that they keep on giving it to parkland courses. From an Irish perspective, I actually think we overlook how good our parklands are. Whenever we talk about our top courses it's pretty much links, then parklands in the rankings. Courses like mount juliet and the k club are top courses. And even the really good member ones like carlow and tullamore are terrific courses. Well worth building a golf holiday around.

But from an international perspective, we're probably the second best country in the world by a distance for links golf. We're insane not to be putting all of our opens on links courses. There's probably a dozen courses well capable of holding one that haven't yet. It's crazy.

Kevinmarkham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118680852#Comment_118680852

Yep, very much the intention. Other courses are doing it, too: Co. Sligo pursued their upgrade programme with 'hosting the Irish Open' as a stated goal, and The Island would also be looking at that as a possibility following the Martin Ebert changes.

NedBagg

I remember playing the heath when it first opened .. it was the final of the old O2 4 ball competitions that ran for a number of years.. Ginal was there that year...toughest round of golf I ever played... couldn't reach some of the fairways on par 4s with my drives.. and I remember a 230yard par 3 into the wind!!!! Longest course I ever played.. .and it wasnt off the back stakes...I though D Glen was closing down to re-sod all their greens... played it just before it closed at xmas and the greens were horrendous..

Beaulieu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118685130#Comment_118685130

Thanks for the thumbs up👍️ for my home course Tullamore blue note. Its in great nick.

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118733910#Comment_118733910

It's well deserved. Great course and a great club. I dated a girl from the town for a number of years and used to play there a few times a year. I miss the club.

boccy23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118734051#Comment_118734051

Ah, the love life of a true golfer!