DESTINATIONGOLF . TRAVEL
topdressing ( 180 tonnes sand ), new rootzone mix , a stateof-the-art soil surfactant programme and over-seeding with Krystal Blue Links creeping bent grass will have that effect !
Advances in golf – particularly modern technology and equipment – have changed the game .
Since Druids Glen opened in 1995 , the advances in equipment technology have transformed the game . As a result , making changes to the course is complicated , particularly in the context of wanting to preserve the character and specific challenges of the course as it was designed . After all , while strong players are hitting the ball significantly further , higher handicap players continue to play very much like they have always played .
Tee positions , bunker positions and other factors have therefore all been considered , together with course length , and changes to the Glen will address new irrigation , new tee boxes , new greens and a rebunkering programme .
So what about all these ambitions and these changes ? What will golfers experience ?
There will be plenty that ’ s different but a couple of things stand out , namely the 4th and the 17th .
The design team assessed all aspects of the courses and identified three core elements after a detailed study of both the resort and the Irish golf market .
Nature and time have had a detrimental effect on the course .
The par four 4th will see the shape of the hole and the green location changed . Many golfers who play this hole may not even be aware that there is a lake down to the right of the green , next to the old perimeter wall . This is where a new green will be located . The fairway will be reconstructed to align with the new green and by removing overgrown areas to the right-hand side it will help to create a grand amphitheatre of golf that would see the 5th tee box move to the existing 4th green , thus presenting a similar effect to that of the 11th green and 12th tee box at Augusta .
Twenty five years ago , the transplanting of semi mature trees on the course was undertaken to a degree never before seen on this side of the Atlantic . Those trees are now fully mature specimens , often encroaching into core playing areas and making the course a little claustrophobic in places . This woodland will now be thinned to restore the playing test to what was originally intended . The plan is to manage the woodland to honour the design strategy while also maintaining the natural beauty .
As an example , on Druids Heath , the tree management programme has thus far seen 90 % of the trees within the golf corridor up-lifted to buggy height . This will help with both presentation and the enjoyability of playing the course .
Technological advances have emerged in agronomy over the past few decades which can be used to the resort ’ sadvantage .
This will see perfect playing surfaces produced such as those now seen on the Heath ’ s greens . A combination of
There ’ s no question that the par threes at Druids Glen are the best set of parkland one-shotters in the country . Despite that reputation , they are going to be improved further . The intention is for the 8th and 17th to have larger greens and tee boxes , in order to give better protection to tees , greater variety of shots for all levels of golfer and to offer more pin positions for tournaments and regular play . The famous water-laced 17th green is to become bigger … even if the ‘ island ’ itself will become smaller with the removal
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