DLF Golf & Country Club: India's tour-standard test
The dramatic Gary Player championship course near Delhi that hosts the DP World Tour's Hero Indian Open — water, quarry rock and floodlit night golf. The course, access, season and getting there.
DLF Golf & Country Club is Indian golf's showpiece — a dramatic, tour-standard championship course on the edge of Delhi that has become the country's window on the world game. Its Gary Player Signature Course, rebuilt and reopened in 2015 with lakes, an island green and the bold rock walls of a former quarry, hosts the Hero Indian Open on the DP World Tour, and its adjoining Arnold Palmer nine was the first floodlit night-golf course in India.
It's a private club rather than a public resort, so access takes a little planning. Here's the course, how visitors can play it, the season, and how to get there from Delhi.
Where
Gurugram (Gurgaon), Haryana — on the edge of Delhi, India
Course
Gary Player Signature Course (par 72), reopened 2015; plus a floodlit Arnold Palmer nine
Nearest airport
Indira Gandhi International (DEL) ~30–45 min
Best time
Oct–Mar (cool, dry); very hot Apr–Jun; monsoon Jul–Sep
Access
Private members' club — visitors usually play as a guest or via a golf-tour package
Gary Player Design (rebuilt from an original Arnold Palmer layout) · 2015 (redesign; club established 1999) · 18 holes · Championship · par 72
Host of the DP World Tour's Hero Indian Open; one of Asia's most dramatic courses
The championship course is unlike anything else in Indian golf. Gary Player's team rebuilt it on the bones of the original Arnold Palmer layout, adding new land and reopening in 2015 as a bold, modern test: two big lakes, an island-green par 3, severe contouring, and a run of closing holes framed by the sheer rock walls of a former quarry. It's routinely described as one of the most dramatic — and demanding — courses in professional golf, which is why the DP World Tour's Hero Indian Open is staged here.
Alongside it, the original Arnold Palmer course is fully floodlit — the first course in India to offer night golf — so you can play into the cool of a Delhi evening. Together they make DLF a genuine tour-standard experience beside a major world capital.
How to play DLF (access)
DLF Golf & Country Club is a private members' and residential club, not a public resort, so access takes a little planning. Overseas and visiting golfers generally play as the guest of a member, or through a golf-tour operator that packages a round here as part of a wider India itinerary; some visitor tee times may be available by direct arrangement, typically on weekdays and at a premium green fee. The honest advice is to contact the club (or a reputable golf-travel company) well in advance rather than expecting to book online like a public course.
When to go
North India has a clear golf season. October to March is the time to come — cool, dry and comfortable, which is also when the Hero Indian Open is typically staged. April to June is brutally hot on the plains around Delhi, and the monsoon (roughly July to September) brings heat, humidity and rain. Plan for the winter window and you'll get the course, and the city, at their best.
Getting there
DLF is in Gurugram (Gurgaon), the corporate hub on Delhi's south-western edge, and it's close to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) — roughly 30 to 45 minutes by road depending on traffic. Gurugram has an abundance of international hotels, so it's easy to base yourself nearby, with the sights of Delhi a short trip away.
How to play it (Indian golf)
DLF is the marquee stop on a growing Indian golf scene. In Delhi itself, the historic Delhi Golf Club is a wonderful parkland course threaded with Lodhi-era tombs and monuments and a long-time host of past Indian Opens; the Jack Nicklaus-designed Classic Golf & Country Club is also near the capital. Further afield, Kalhaar Blues & Greens near Ahmedabad and Oxford Golf Resort near Pune have both been rated among the country's best. Pair DLF with Delhi Golf Club for a two-course capital trip.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
DLF's best season is cool and dry, but the sun is strong and the course is a big walk-or-ride — pack sun and hydration kit:
It's a private members' and residential club rather than a public resort, so it isn't freely bookable. Overseas and visiting golfers usually play as the guest of a member or through a golf-tour operator that packages a round; some visitor tee times may be available by direct arrangement, typically on weekdays at a premium green fee. Contact the club or a reputable golf-travel company well ahead.
Who designed the DLF championship course?
Gary Player Design rebuilt it on the bones of an original Arnold Palmer layout, adding land and reopening in 2015 as the Gary Player Signature Course — a dramatic championship test with lakes, an island green and a former quarry's rock walls framing the closing holes.
What tournament is played at DLF?
The Hero Indian Open, a DP World Tour event, is staged at DLF. Recent winners include Keita Nakajima (2024) and Eugenio Chacarra (2025). It's the reason the course is set up to a genuine tour standard.
Does DLF have night golf?
Yes — the original Arnold Palmer course at DLF is fully floodlit, making it the first course in India to offer night golf. It lets you play into the cool of a Delhi evening, which is a real advantage around the shoulders of the hot season.
When is the best time to play golf near Delhi?
October to March — cool, dry and comfortable, and when the Hero Indian Open is typically played. April to June is extremely hot on the North Indian plains, and July to September brings the monsoon, so aim for the winter window.
