Jyoti Randhawa, who grew up playing the par-71 Lodhi course, said it was only 50 per cent of what it can be, and blamed unseasonably cold weather.

“Frankly, I’m not very impressed with the way the course is right now,” he said.

“I have never seen the Delhi Golf Club look this yellow. It’s always green, lush, it’s always very picturesque.

“But unfortunately we’ve been very unlucky with the weather, and that’s the thing that’s most damaging the greens.

Fellow Indian Shiv Kapur also had some harsh words for the course, which was built on the site of tombs left over from the Lodhi Dynasty of the 17th century.

He felt it was in reasonable condition given the weather, but does not like changes that have been made. “No, I don’t actually. I approve of a couple of the changes but some of the bunkers that have been put in I’m not excited about,” he said.

In contrast, South African Ernie Els raved about the set-up, calling it a “classic.”

“I think it’s a wonderful golf course, an old-fashioned course,” said the world number four.