The Hero Indian Open once again puts one of the most feared holes on the DP World Tour calendar back in the spotlight. The par-4 17th at the DLF Golf & Country Club in New Delhi once again figures as a key point in the fight for victory, a final test before the finish that can make a difference in the closing hours of the final round on Sunday, when, generally, everything is still up for grabs.
The statistics back it up. In last year’s edition of the tournament, the 17th hole was the second most difficult on the course, only surpassed by the demanding 14th. It is not an isolated case: in two of the last three editions it has been among the three toughest. Its difficulty is not just local. Throughout the entire 2025 season of the DP World Tour, this hole was the fifth most difficult on the circuit, playing more than half a shot over par according to the Fortinet Threat Score.
On paper, its 414 yards do not appear overly intimidating. However, the design of Gary Player hides a strategic and visual trap that makes life difficult even for the very best professionals. The course, divided into two very different halves — water on the front nine and an old quarry on the back nine — finds in the 17th one of its most spectacular and demanding points.
The key lies in the second shot. From the fairway, players face a blind shot to a green raised about 12 metres, equivalent to a four- or five-storey building. Seeing the flag is, in many cases, impossible. club selection and confidence in the shot become an almost act of faith. In addition, the wind usually blows from the left with constant variations, making distance calculation even more difficult.
The Italian Edoardo Molinari, a three-time winner on the circuit, sums it up clearly: “The second shot is very difficult. The wind changes between headwind and tailwind, and it is very hard to judge the distance. If you miss the green, you often pay dearly. It is one of the toughest shots of the year”.
Adding to that complexity is a front bunker and a wide but shallow green, with steep falls that penalise any mistake. The pin position, especially on the right-hand side next to a waterfall, adds an extra element of intimidation.
The numbers reflect that demand: in 2025 there were only 23 birdies, compared with 127 bogeys and 46 double bogeys or worse. Even the tournament winner, the Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, struggled on this hole, where he carded a double bogey in the second round and a bogey in the final round. In an event where every shot counts, surviving the 17th unscathed can be half the title. Mastering it, on the other hand, can swing wide open the door to victory at the Hero Indian Open.
