The DLF Golf & Country Club in New Delhi, India, is regarded as one of the most challenging golf courses in the world.
Designed by Gary Player and measuring 7,416 yards, not including some of the very back tees that are rarely or never used, it has hosted many tournaments on both the DP World Tour and Asian Tour.
Last week, it hosted the HERO Indian Open on the DP World Tour, won by England’s Alex Fitzpatrick.
From a field of 138 players, just 12 broke par over the four rounds, with the cut coming at four over par.
A remarkable statistic of the week was that no player completed 18 holes without making at least one bogey or worse. And the wind was not even blowing; that is one of the biggest challenges at DLF, so perhaps it was playing ‘easier’ than usual.
I doubt that any tournament this season, on any tour around the world, will match that statistic, even the toughest of Majors in tough conditions.
Last year, only three players broke par, with Eugenio Chacarra (Spain) winning on four under par. Only three of the holes played under par, and three of the four par-5s averaged over par.
The toughest hole on the course, the 14th, averaged 0.80 over par, measuring 535 yards and playing as a par four.
There were 410 double bogeys or worse all week on the course, including 41 on the 18th; that included champion Fitzpatrick in his final round. He looked like an exhausted and relieved man when he eventually holed for a seven and a two-shot victory, with no penalty shots. This is what DLF does to you, whether you are a DP World Tour champion or a mere amateur golfer.
A search online shows the golf course is widely regarded as the toughest on the DP World Tour calendar.
Its challenge comes from elevation changes, severe slopes, tight tree-lined fairways, deep bunkers, large, tricky greens, and local swirling wind.
On the DP World Tour, a review of 2025 included three holes at DLF among the top-10 toughest holes of the year: the 5th, 6th, and 14th.
This is the charm of golf at all levels; no two golf courses are the same, and every hole presents a unique challenge.
Tough though it is, I’m not sure players, pros, or amateurs would want to play DLF Golf & Country Club every day.
Rory McIlroy has never played it, but has expressed interest in doing so after hearing and seeing what it offers.
It must be a bucket-list golf course to play, but perhaps not too often!
Finally, my advice: if you get an invite or an opportunity to play DLF Golf & Country Club, accept without hesitation. It will be an experience of a lifetime, and you will neither forget nor regret it!
Source: Khaleej Times