Pat Ruddy's heathland companion to the famous Druids Glen — open, exposed, and completely different in character. Where Druids Glen winds through mature woodland, Druids Heath plays through gorse-lined corridors and heather rough in an open landscape. The same designer, the same resort, a wholly different challenge.
Handicap certificate recommended. On-site at Druids Glen Resort — shared hotel, clubhouse and facilities with the main Druids Glen championship course.
On-site 5-star resort — golf packages include both courses.
Check availability →Championship parkland · Same resort, Irish Open host.
View course →6th-century settlement and lakes — 20 min from the resort.
Find out more →Druids Heath occupies the same resort grounds as the famous Druids Glen Golf Course — one of the four-time Irish Open host venues — but plays in an entirely different register. While Druids Glen winds through mature woodland with a parkland intimacy, Druids Heath unfolds across open heathland. Gorse lines the corridors. Heather frames the rough. The wind is rarely absent. The result is a course that feels genuinely different from anything else at the resort — and from most other courses in Wicklow.
Pat Ruddy — who also designed the main Druids Glen layout — created Druids Heath with the heathland courses of Surrey and Berkshire in mind: open, exposed, and dependent on accurate shot-making rather than power. The layout is par 71, which in itself signals the design emphasis — precision over length. Miss the fairway here and you're in gorse; miss by more and you're searching for your ball in heather.
For visiting golfers, Druids Heath is most often played as a warm-up or wind-down round alongside the main Druids Glen championship course. Playing both in a single visit — Druids Heath in the afternoon to settle in, Druids Glen the following morning — is one of the best two-day golf itineraries in Wicklow. Green fees from approximately €65 on weekday shoulder season, higher in peak summer.
| Season | Weekday | Weekend | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak (Jun–Aug) | From €80 | From €90 | Advance booking recommended |
| Shoulder (Apr–May, Sep–Oct) | From €65 | From €75 | Best value season |
| Winter (Nov–Mar) | From €45 | From €55 | Excellent value |
Rates are indicative — confirm current green fees directly with Druids Glen Resort. Two-round packages playing Druids Heath and Druids Glen are available.
Druids Glen (the championship course) is a wooded parkland course that has hosted four Irish Opens — tree-lined, sheltered, and technically demanding through mature woodland. Druids Heath is Pat Ruddy's heathland design on the same resort grounds — open, exposed, with gorse and heather rough. They are entirely different experiences. Druids Glen is the prestige round; Druids Heath is the underrated gem.
Most visiting golfers play Druids Heath first — it is a good course in its own right and serves as an ideal warm-up for the championship course the following day. The conventional itinerary for a Druids Glen resort visit is: check in on Friday, play Druids Heath on Friday afternoon, play Druids Glen on Saturday morning. It is a very satisfying two-day sequence.
Yes — significantly so. The heathland character means that accuracy off the tee is paramount. Gorse-lined corridors punish wayward shots, heather rough is demanding to play from, and the course changes character completely when the wind is up. At par 71 with the emphasis on precision, it is not a course to underestimate.
Yes — the Druids Glen Hotel & Spa is a 5-star property on the resort grounds, with direct access to both courses. Golf and stay packages are available. See our Golf + Stay page for resort package details and booking links.
A handicap certificate is recommended but not always strictly required for Druids Heath (unlike the main Druids Glen course). However, this is resort policy at management's discretion — confirm when booking. International visitors should bring their home handicap documentation.
The flagship course — Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock's championship layout. Wicklow's most celebrated course and a must-play for serious golfers.
Druids Glen Hotel & Spa packages combining both courses with accommodation. Two nights, two courses — one of Wicklow's best golf breaks.
Peter McEvoy's design at the Powerscourt Estate — 20 minutes north. Great Sugar Loaf backdrop, top-ten Leinster ranking.