Boasting a population of over 850,000 people, Gurgaon, India, is located in the national capital region of India. Located 20 miles southwest of New Delhi, Gurgaon has become a leading financial and industrial hub with the third highest per capita income in India. In 1999, DLF Golf and Country Club opened its doors and became the first Arnold Palmer Signature course in the country. The course was also the first to offer night golf and the first professional golf academy in the country. Since its opening, the course has held the Johnnie Walker Classic, Asia’s premier event. Six editions of the Women’s Indian Open, three editions of the Avantha Masters and the Indian Open have all been held at the course.
Last spring, the golf course went under a series of improvements that included a new reception plaza, golf shop and golf pavilion. The design was envisioned to include extensive amounts of stone as a natural material that fits with the beautiful landscape, conveying the image of legacy and luxury. Jeff Fossum, AIA, principal and general manager for Z Design Group, based in Boulder, CO, was the architect who worked on the project. “This is the largest real estate developer in India and they saw this as their flagship project,” said Fossum. “While they completed it last year, they have been working on it for quite a while -- getting approvals and design changes. They were working to get it just the way they wanted it. They probably started the project about eight years ago or so, but just recently got really serious about the new clubhouse facility.”