Druids Glenn Golf Resort, Wicklow

Few resort courses in Ireland carry the pedigree of Druids Glen. Opened in 1995 and designed by Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock, it quickly earned a reputation as one of the finest parkland layouts on the island, hosting the Irish Open 4 consecutive times between 1996 and 1999 — a run that brought Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, and other European Tour stars to the County Wicklow countryside. The course has drawn comparisons to Augusta National for its immaculate presentation and sweeping, manicured terrain, a likeness that earned it the nickname "the Augusta of Europe."

The setting on the Druids Glen estate, sheltered by the Wicklow Mountains and threaded through mature woodland and ornamental water features, gives the course a genuine grandeur. The par-3 12th, played over water to a green framed by stone walls and ancient trees, is among the most photographed holes in Irish golf.

Visiting golfers arrive expecting a polished resort experience and get something more: a course with genuine tournament history and a sense of occasion that few resort properties anywhere can match. The nearby village of Newcastle and the broader Wicklow coast add a pleasantly unhurried Irish character to the stay.