Designer: Dick Wilson/Robert von Hagge (1962), Raymond Floyd (1996, Renovation), Jim McLean (2003, Redesign), Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner (2014, Renovation)
Location: Miami, Florida
History: The Resort at Doral was first opened in 1962 by real estate developer Alfred Kaskel, who created the name “Doral” by combining his name with his wife Doris’. The initial Resort had three courses – a Red, Green, and Blue Course and the Blue Course designed by Dick Wilson and Robert von Hagge was considered the best. This course immediately hosted the PGA Tour’s Doral Open that year which attracted a big name field and was won by Billy Casper. The course developed an infamous reputation for its difficulty and soon became known as “The Blue Monster.” The PGA Tour came here annually from 1962 until 2006 and numerous stars won the event including Tiger Woods (2x), Greg Norman (3x), and Jack Nicklaus (2x). With the advent of the FedEx Cup in 2007, Doral transitioned to host of the WGC Championship which was won twice by Tiger Woods until it moved to Mexico in 2016. Since 2022, Doral’s Blue Monster has hosted the LIV Tour. Stephen Ames holds the course record with a 61 (-11) in 2000.
The Resort has undergone numerous changes since it opened in 1962. The Blue Monster Course itself has been renovated several times since then, most recently by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner who dramatically altered the course in 2014. The Resort was also purchased by Donald Trump in 2012 and since then has been called Trump National Doral Golf Club. At one point, Doral had five championships courses but the closure of Greg Norman’s Great White Course in 2015 leaves four currently (Silver Fox, Blue Monster, Red Tiger, and Golden Palm). The Blue Course is still considered the crowned jewel at the Resort and currently holds the following accolades:
#82 Best Public Course in America – Golf Digest (2023)
#77 Best Public Course in America – Golf Magazine (2024)
#74 Best Resort Course in America – Golfweek (2024)
#27 Best Course in Florida – Golf Digest (2023)
#28 Best Course in Florida – Golf Magazine (2024)
#35 Best Course in Florida – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
#8 Best Public Course in Florida – Golfweek (2024)
Conditions: 9/10, The Blue Monster is one of the best conditioned public courses you’ll play, with firm Bermuda fairways, true-rolling greens, and sparkling white sand.
Value: 1/10, Public golf in South Florida is overpriced at baseline but Doral Blue Monster is especially egregious at well over $500 to play during peak season play. The course is good but not good enough to warrant one of the most expensive teetimes in America.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Black 72 7590 77.4 146
Gold 72 7034 75.0 140
Blue 72 6698 73.5 139
White 72 6334 71.7 139
Red 72 5463 72.9 138
Hole Descriptions: I am not necessarily anti-Florida golf, but I do think the flat, featureless terrain and residential and water-lined fairways do somewhat limit the ceiling of golf in Florida. Trump Doral is in many ways your typical Florida golf course with a dead flat property and ample water and bunkers but has several things going for it that make it among the absolute best options in South Florida. First of all, the history here is tremendous and playing a course where Jack and Tiger have won numerous times is always an awesome experience. Secondly, the conditioning is extremely strong and you’d be hard pressed to find many better conditioned public courses in America. Lastly, The Blue Monster lives up to its billing and is one of the most challenging courses I’ve ever played. The course is long, tight, usually windy, and absolutely filled with hazards, making it one of the best tests in the country. By all accounts, Gil Hanse’s renovation was a great success in 2014 and the course now seems like it is the best it’s ever been. Is it “one of the best courses in America” as its owner claims? I don’t think so but it is one of the best public courses in Florida and is worth a play if you’re willing to pay the outrageous greens fees.
The Blue Monster opens with a 528 yard par 5 that plays as a slight dogleg right with a tight fairway. Numerous palm trees and bunkers between 195 and 260 yards line the right while a hidden water hazard runs down the left the entire way. This fairway opens up a bit on the lay-up but then tightens again near the green with a large water hazard on the right. This green is very narrow, runs both back-to-front and left-to-right and is well-defended with water right and bunkers short and left.
The par 5 1st was lengthened significantly by Hanse
A lay-up down the right offers the best angle into 1
The 2nd hole is one of several shorter par fours at the Blue Monster and plays straightaway at 348 yards. This fairway is again pretty tight and the golfer will be forced to make a choice off this tee, with well-placed bunkers down the left at 150 yards and a large right crossbunker at 220 yards. Those who carry the danger will be left a short pitch into an elevated back left-to-front right sloped green defended by deep bunkers on all sides.
The risk/reward par 4 2nd
The approach at 2
After two (relatively) straightforward and easier holes, the Blue Monster ramps up the difficulty on the 3rd hole, an intimidating 361 yard dogleg right par 4. This is a traditional Cape hole featuring another narrow fairway lined by water down the right the entire way and a pair of left crossbunkers between 200 and 240 yards. You can certainly cut some of the corner here, but doing so incurs great risk with the hazard down the right. This approach is a tough one to a green that juts over the hazard and slopes toward the water.
The Cape par 4 3rd
The challenging approach at 3
At 159 yards, the 4th hole is the first par 3 you’ll encounter at the Blue Monster. An intimidating hole playing over water the entire way to a peninsular green, this putting surface is small and plays gently back-to-front with several tiers. A pair of devastating bunkers just left is probably a common destination and leaves a very scary up-and-down. I played PGA National’s Champion Course on the same trip and felt this par 3 was tougher than any on the Bear Trap stretch.
The par 3 4th
The 5th hole is a 354 yard dogleg left par 4 featuring another very tight fairway that turns left around 215 yards. Large, well-placed bunkers line both sides of the dogleg and I’d recommend longer hitters try to carry these. This green is on the flatter side but is again elevated and defended by bunkers short, left, and right.
The par 4 5th
The approach at 5
The 6th hole is a 382 yard straightaway par 4 featuring yet another narrow fairway that snakes around bunkers on either side between 190 and 280 yards. This diagonal green is fairly flat and lined by bunkers short and long.
The par 4 6th
The approach at 6
At 420 yards, the 7th hole is the longest par 4 on the course and the number 1 handicap. This straightaway hole features a more generous fairway lined by water down the right the entire way and bunkers down the left between 200 and 260 yards. The difficulty on this hole comes on the approach, where most golfers will have long iron or hybrid into a wavy, back-to-front sloped green defended by water right and a bunker left.
The par 4 7th
A closer look at the 7th green
The 8th hole is a fun risk/reward short dogleg left par 5 that plays at 469 yards. This hole begins with a straight teeshot to a wider fairway lined by a pair of right bunkers at 180 and 210 yards and a small creek down the left. At about 230 yards, a large water hazard encroaches down the left and plays along this side the rest of the way. The fairway begins to turn left as well at this point, with water down the right as well in the lay-up area. Those trying to reach this right-to-left sloped green in two face an exhilarating shot with water down the left and a trio of deep bunkers short of the putting surface.
The short par 5 8th
The approach at 8 gives you numerous things to consider
The Blue Monster closes its front 9 with a difficult and pretty 180 yard par 3. This one-shotter plays somewhat like an island green, with a carry over water to a large, almost Biarritz-like putting surface lined by water right and a bunker left. Par is a good score here as it is on most holes on this course.
The look and feel of the 9th reminds me of a MacRaynor design
The 10th hole is another dogleg left par 5 at 509 yards. This is one of the toughest teeshots you’ll find anywhere, with OB down the right the entire way and a significant forced carry over water to a tight fairway that bends left. Those who bail out down the right will likely find one of two well-placed right bunkers at 220 and 260 yards. While the water continues down the left, this lay-up is a bit easier as the fairway opens a bit in the final 200 yards. There are, however, a pair of bunkers well-short of the green as well as bunkers defending this back-to-front sloped putting surface long, left, and right. This is a hole where low handicappers might score well on, but higher handicappers likely won’t finish.
The intimidating teeshot at 10
The approach at 10
At 310 yards, the 11th hole is one of two awesome short par fours on the back 9 and may be my favorite hole on the course. This clever hole plays straightaway and is reachable for longer hitters but gives the golfer plenty of options with beautiful bunkering throughout. There’s a tight slab of fairway down the left for the first 230 yards and a large, penal bunker runs down the center of this hole, dividing the two sides of the fairway. Those who want to take this midline bunker out of play will contend with additional crossbunkers down the right at 225 yards and left at 250 yards. This green is also extremely well-defended with bunkers on all sides and several interesting plateaus on its surface.
The 11th is a standout short par 4 and a blueprint for how to design interesting holes on flat terrain
The approach at 11
The 12th hole is the final and longest par 5 at the Blue Monster at 557 yards. A true three-shotter for almost everybody, this hole demands accuracy with a narrow fairway lined by OB right the entire way and a hidden water hazard creeping in down the left around 275 yards. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid a pair of right bunkers at 210 and 260 yards. This second shot is also fairly tough, as a pair of long, large bunkers pinch this narrow fairway for much of the lay-up area. Bunkers defend this punchbowl green in all directions and dictate an aerial approach.
The par 5 12th
The hazard-filled approach at 12
The 13th hole is the longest par 3 on the course at 197 yards. Playing along the edge of the property with OB right, this difficult hole plays slightly uphill towards a back-to-front sloped green surrounded by bunkers on its corners.
The long par 3 13th
The 14th hole is another one of the more challenging holes on the course as a 398 yard dogleg left par 4. Again featuring OB down the right the entire way, this hole bends to the left at around 235 yards with bunkers on either side of the fairway and tall trees down the left. Anything to the left will be blocked out or find a small creek down this side. This approach plays to an elevated, left-to-right sloped, two-tier green lined by bunkers short, right, and long. The small bunker long is actually a fortunate spot to land, as most balls over the green tumble into the water. Par is a great score here.
The par 4 14th
At 126 yards, the par 3 15th hole is the shortest at the Blue Monster but requires a carry the entire way over water to a large green that juts out into the hazard. If you’re looking to bail out, the only option is a right bunker, as water lines this back-to-front sloped green short, left, and long.
The dramatic par 3 15th
Architect Gil Hanse altered the 16th hole more than any other during his renovation, removing trees down the left, shortening the hole, and expanding the water down the left. Now 280 yards, this is a true risk/reward, reachable par 4 that provides the golfer plenty of options with a carry over the water the entire way required to reach the green but a wide fairway down the right to lay-up. Like the 11th, this fairway bunkering is both strategic and gorgeous with a large wastebunker running between 170 and 240 yards down the left and additional bunkers on the right at 210 and 250 yards. Those who lay-up down the right will face an awkward pitch into an angled green defended by bunkers short and long. This putting surface features a significant false front and overall contains lots of movement.
The stunning par 4 16th
The approach at 16
Doral’s final two holes play back towards the clubhouse and usually into the wind as longer par fours. The 17th hole is the easier of the two, running straightaway at 370 yards with a more generous fairway lined by bunkers beginning at 195 yards. The fairway progressively tightens as you get further and a pond creeps in down the right around 270 yards. This back-to-front sloped narrow green spans nearly 60 yards in length and is lined by bunkers on the left and water to the right.
The par 4 17th
The Blue Monster’s closer is one of Florida’s most famous holes and has been the scene of much drama over the course’s tournament history. From the White Tees, this par 4 plays 386 yards with a tight fairway lined by water down the left and thick trees on the right. There are bunkers down the right as well beginning around 250 yards. This dramatic approach plays out over the water on the left to a wide green lined by water short and left and a pair of bunkers long.
The Blue Monster’s notorious 18th
The approach at 18 with Doral’s beautiful clubhouse at sunset
Looking back from behind the 18th green
General Comments: Doral is an upscale Resort with numerous amenities but is probably best known for its golf. The practice facilities are strong and include a full range, large practice green, and Performance Center currently run by Rick Smith. The customer service here is excellent and pace of play was average when I played.
Verdict: As far as “typical” Florida golf goes, Trump Doral’s Blue Monster is about as good as it gets with excellent conditioning, a very testing layout, and an impressive tournament history. If you can afford the outrageous teetime, this is one of the best public options in South Florida.