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“I have a preference for narrow courses”

Horses for courses, in golf, this English expression is often used for players whose game suits certain courses particularly well. Darius van Driel also knows exactly which courses fit his style of play and which do not. But every now and then, he still manages to surprise himself.

 

“When I won the Kenya Open in 2024, it was at Muthaiga Golf Club, a relatively narrow course with a layout that suits me. A year later, I missed the cut there, so maybe that theory doesn’t fully apply to that course after all, haha. Of course, many more factors play a role in having a successful week. This year in Kenya we played at altitude. That means your ball travels about ten percent farther, but with the heat it can be 6 to 8 percent. So you constantly have to adjust.

 

I prefer narrow courses. For example, I’ve played very well at Rinkven in Belgium for several years and achieved top results there. Courses in Africa also tend to suit me, often narrow courses where you need to position your ball well to attack the flag. Unfortunately, we don’t play those very often on the DP World Tour.

Darius van Driel at Rinkven in Belgium

 

Desert courses, on the other hand, don’t suit me at all. When I first played the Dubai Desert Classic on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, I didn’t like it at all. That course just isn’t for me. I remember thinking I would have to play extremely well to ever finish in the top 25 there.

 

This year I finished tenth, but during the first three rounds I didn’t really know what I was doing. Maybe it was because I played with Rory on the final day. That was a great experience. For him, it’s definitely a good course. He doesn’t just hit the ball far, but also high, which helps on firm greens.

 

I’ve also played the Qatar Open six times, and it was never a success. That’s why I skipped it this year. When you have that choice, I make it. It’s better not to spend energy on it.

 

If I know a course, I try to play at least nine holes before the tournament. You want to have, as I call it, some holes in your legs. On a new course, I play all eighteen. I pay close attention to how firm the greens are, make notes on the lines of the greens, check the rough and bunkers, and plan from the tee which line I want to take with my drive. I also spend a lot of time figuring out where you can afford to miss around the greens. That’s at least as important as finding the perfect landing spot. Didn’t Ben Hogan once say: ‘Golf is a game of misses. The player who misses the best wins.’”

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