Euro masters shine a light on Indian golf

When the world's best players came to Delhi, the result was riveting golf that tested the masters

- Meraj Shah

For the opening round, Rory McIlroy—universally acknowledged as one of the longest and straightest drivers of the golf ball in history—arrived without a driver in the bag. You can't overstate the significance of that move. When the world's No. 2 player, and arguably the best driver of the ball ever, benches his most potent weapon, the golfing world stops and pays attention. He's never done that before—not as a professional, not as an amateur.

McIlroy wasn't the only one. Tommy Fleetwood, who went on to win the event, Viktor Hovland, Keita Nakajima—in fact, 42% of the field—chose to keep the driver out of play at Delhi Golf Club last week.

The phrase "championship layout", has become commonplace—a tag claimed by almost every course with manicured fairways, a marquee designer's signature, and a few photogenic holes. There's no shortage of such "modern championship" layouts today. The U.S. Open, often dubbed golf's toughest test, usually showcases the most punishing of that breed.

Then there's the original: Links golf. Undulating terrain, deep pot bunkers, and fickle weather—the way golf was meant to be played. The Open Championship still prides itself on being the true test of golf.

But the quirks of links golf are unique to the British Isles. Elsewhere—especially in calmer climates—golf has become more predictable. In this world of hallowed links and sprawling American monsters, the humble parkland course often gets overlooked.