Ancient Tombs And A 50-Year Member Waiting List: Are The Green Fees Fair At One Of India's Most Renowned Courses?

The inaugural DP World India Championship comes from one of the most renowned courses on the subcontinent, Delhi Golf Club.

There, some of the game's biggest names, including Rory McIlroy, take on the Lodhi Course, a layout that is steeped in history, having originally opened as a municipal course in the 1930s before becoming a corporate entity two decades later.

On the course, players can find evidence of the historic significance of the land it covers. For example, cultural landmarks, including the famous mausoleum Lal Bangla and the 14^th-century tomb Barakhamba, greet players as they make their way around.

The new DP World Tour event isn't the only prestigious tournament the course is known for, either. It has also hosted the Indian Open many times, including its inaugural edition in 1964.

In other words, the Lodhi Course is no ordinary layout, making it a venue high on the list of many golfers to play while in India.

Delhi Golf Club is also known for its exclusivity. Even though it us said to have around 4,000 members, there is reportedly a waiting list of around 50 years for new members.

That doesn’t mean options to play the course are heavily restricted, though. Indeed, it is also open to the public, with green fees varying between locals and foreigners. But are they fair?

The good news for golfers visiting India is that it has a very reasonable green fee - particularly when compared to other well-known public courses in the US and elsewhere.

For foreigners, playing 18 holes on a weekday will cost just $95, rising to $125 on a weekend. For those only wishing to play nine holes, it will cost just $50 on a weekday. There is also the option to buy 10 rounds of 18 holes on a weekday for $550.

That represents incredible value, particularly when compared with one of the most iconic public courses in the US, TPC Sawgrass, whose green fee was a minimum of $550 for one round between June and August this year, rising to a minimum of $750 between September and May.

Similarly, a round at another iconic public US course, Pebble Beach, costs $675 for resort guests, with an additional cart fee of $60 for non-resort guests.

It even compares well against Ryder Cup venue Bethpage Black, which is known for its affordable green fees. A round there will cost $140 on weekdays, rising to $160 on weekends for non-New York State residents, albeit with twilight fees set at just $88 and $100, respectively.

A round at the Lodhi Course is cheaper than the Old Course at St Andrews, too, with green fees between approximately $180 and $495 at the Home of Golf.

For Indian citizens, the Lodhi Course offers even better value for money, with a round of 18 holes ranging between approximately $70 and $95, with a 10-round package coming to about $480.

For those citizens fortunate enough to know a member, you can play 18 holes for around $20 or $30, depending on whether it’s during the week or at the weekend.

Delhi Golf Club Green Fees - Lodhi Course

Delhi Golf Club Location