Among the terrors in this fright flick: England\u2019s Matthew Jordan putting up a slope only for the ball to . . . take a 90-degree turn and roll back toward him (\u201cMakes you look silly,\u201d a commentator says); Andreas Halvorsen of Norway chunking a greenside bunker shot . . . into the rough. And Troy Merritt playing left-handed off a cart path from where he . . . chips his ball into a bush. Those are just the PG-13 scenes; the NC-17 clips aren\u2019t suitable for this site. <\/p>\n
This gruesome medley of shots, among many other lowlights, all occurred at the 2025 Hero Indian Open at Delhi Land & Finance Country Club, more commonly known as [cue dissonant violin chords] . . . DLF. <\/p>\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/hero1.jpg\")
\n There\u2019s a fairway out there somewhere. <\/p>\n
getty images <\/p>\n
DLF, which has played host to the Indian Open since 2017, is a sharp-fanged beast that feeds on uncommitted swings and uncertain reads. The original parkland design, by Arnold Palmer, debuted in 1999 complete with 15,000 newly planted trees and 195 floodlights, which allowed for golf under the stars on all 18 holes. By 2015, though, the course had a new look and more fearsome feel, thanks to a Gary Player redo that included nine new holes and a retooling of nine of Palmer\u2019s holes. The Player course, which stretches north of 7,600 yards, has two lakes, craggy rock formations, fairways choked by trees and bushes and bunkers that resemble the Great Pit of Carkoon. And then you get to the greens, which are about as easy to handle as the banks on a Nascar track. As one course review site noted of DLF<\/a>, \u201cThe average handicap golfer will need to bring a sense of humour and an arsenal of golf balls.\u201d<\/p>\n The pros, too. The DP World Tour is back at DLF this week for the latest playing of the Indian Open, and, after a first round in which 14 players failed to break 80, familiar refrains (shrieks?) could be heard emanating from the press center. <\/p>\n \u201cMight be the hardest course this year,\u201d said German pro Freddy Schott, who had to take two drops Thursday, both of which led to bogeys. \u201cYour game has to be so good overall, there\u2019s not a thing which can leak.\u201d<\/p>\n And that was your first-round leader talking! Schott erased his leaky swings with a stunning eight birdies to take the solo lead at six under.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a course that you need to be patient,\u201d added Eugenio Chacarra after a nifty five-under 67. \u201cI just think it\u2019s a real golf course. You hit every club in the bag, you can\u2019t really have a weakness \u2014\u00a0you need to hit it good from the tee, you need to have a good approach, the landing areas are small. You need to putt good, the greens are firm and fast and it\u2019s hard to read them.\u201d<\/p>\n A real golf course.<\/p>\n The pros on the other end of the \u2019board weren\u2019t as chatty, but their cards spoke volumes. Shubhan Jaglan of India shot a back-nine 49 that included a double, two triples and a quad. Amardeep Malik, also of India, made four triples and signed for an 89.<\/p>\n getty images <\/p>\n Akshay Bhatia<\/a>, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this month, hit his opening tee shot, on the par-4 10th, out of bounds and made a double. Five holes later, on the par-4 15th, Bhatia accidentally played the wrong ball with his second shot, leading to a two-shot penalty and a triple-bogey 8. Bhatia bounced back with a front-nine 33 but still finished with a welcome-to-DLF 77. \u201cGlad I didn\u2019t shoot 80,\u201d he said with a nervous laugh.<\/p>\n In 2025, three of DLF\u2019s holes ranked among the 10 toughest holes on the DP World Tour: the 414-yard par-4 14th, which had a scoring average of 4.54; the 535-yard par-4 (yes, par-4!) 17th (4.51); and the 446-yard par-4 6th (4.44). Of the 17th, the droll English pro, Eddie Pepperel, tweeted in 2018<\/a>, \u201cThe great thing about the 17th hole in India is that it has 15,000 rocks and 15 fans. Most great 17th holes have 15 rocks, and 15,000 fans.\u201d<\/p>\n In the first round Thursday, 14 was playing harder still, to a stroke average of 4.93. Twenty-five players made double or worse. <\/p>\n You might be asking yourself, What was Gary Player\u2019s end game here? In an era when playability and user-friendliness have become fashionable, what was the motivation for building such a shin-kicking test? On Thursday afternoon, I dropped Player\u2019s office a line to see if he might talk me through his design strategy. Player was traveling, but one of his representatives did send me a written response from the Black Knight on his \u201ckey design philosophies\u201d at DLF.<\/p>\n \u201cOur design intent was to create a captivating and memorable golf course that would achieve world-class standards,\u201d Player wrote. \u201cWhile the course presents a meaningful challenge, it has been exceptionally well-received by the golfing community.\u201d<\/p>\n He went on: \u201cThe course features an immense amount of variety and strategic interest, highlighted by iconic revetted bunkers, a dramatic rock quarry, a large lake, compelling contouring, and breathtaking vistas. What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that the entire landscape began as flat ground. To transform that blank canvas into 18 holes of championship golf is truly extraordinary. The experience is intentionally thought-provoking, offering a wide range of shot values that challenge players to think strategically throughout the round. Every hole offers something unique, continually engaging the player\u2019s attention from the first tee to the final green.\u201d<\/p>\n Oh, they\u2019ll get your attention alright. They might keep you up at night, too. <\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/hero3.jpg\")
\n Thursday was not Amardeep Malik\u2019s day at DLF.<\/p>\n