Doral Blue Monster--Miami, FL
The Blue Monster at Doral was designed by Dick Wilson and annually host a PGA Tour event. Given the nature of
Florida golf courses, typically flat with lots of water, the nature of courses PGA events are played on, penal and
overly "fair", I was not too excited to play Doral. And when I saw the price tag, I was seriously considering bagging
the whole idea. But I opted for a twilight round at a reduced price and gave it a shot. Boy, was I glad I did.
The bottom-line is that I really enjoyed myself and I liked the course. It is Florida golf and the course is flattish, but
there are some contours, pushed up greens, and great use of angles which make for great risk/reward decisions.
And these risk/reward decisions lots of times involved water, which I am not a huge fan of. But, still, I liked the
course.
For starters, the maintenance knocked my socks off. Now, maybe I got lucky and played it close enough to the Tour
event to catch it in prime condition. But, regardless, when I was there it was in GREAT shape!
Also, I really liked the bunkering at the course. It was pleasant to the eye...
and made for some great decisions regarding which angles to take to the green.
Without question, my favorite hole was the 14th. Which was a split fairway hole, with a huge oasis bunker in the
middle of it, that called for a decision off the tee to play up the left side or the right. My understanding, per my
caddy, was that the right side was the easier fairway to hit. But the left, gave a better attack angle to the green.
Cool stuff!!
And make no mistake about it, I think the PGA Tour history of the course adds a certain something to the experience
at Doral.
The Blue Monster at Doral was designed by Dick Wilson and annually host a PGA Tour event. Given the nature of
Florida golf courses, typically flat with lots of water, the nature of courses PGA events are played on, penal and
overly "fair", I was not too excited to play Doral. And when I saw the price tag, I was seriously considering bagging
the whole idea. But I opted for a twilight round at a reduced price and gave it a shot. Boy, was I glad I did.
The bottom-line is that I really enjoyed myself and I liked the course. It is Florida golf and the course is flattish, but
there are some contours, pushed up greens, and great use of angles which make for great risk/reward decisions.
And these risk/reward decisions lots of times involved water, which I am not a huge fan of. But, still, I liked the
course.
For starters, the maintenance knocked my socks off. Now, maybe I got lucky and played it close enough to the Tour
event to catch it in prime condition. But, regardless, when I was there it was in GREAT shape!
Also, I really liked the bunkering at the course. It was pleasant to the eye...
and made for some great decisions regarding which angles to take to the green.
Without question, my favorite hole was the 14th. Which was a split fairway hole, with a huge oasis bunker in the
middle of it, that called for a decision off the tee to play up the left side or the right. My understanding, per my
caddy, was that the right side was the easier fairway to hit. But the left, gave a better attack angle to the green.
Cool stuff!!
And make no mistake about it, I think the PGA Tour history of the course adds a certain something to the experience
at Doral.
