Doral GR&S- Blue Monster & McLean Courses
Miami, FL
The Blue Monster #18
Associated Press, 3/12
Golf Magazine, 3/10
FloridaGolf.com, 4/04
Blue Monster: 1961, Dick Wilson; 1997 redesign, Ray Floyd
Gold 7125, 74.5, 130, 72
Blue 6701, 72.2, 125, 72
White 6281, 69.7, 118, 72
Gold Course: 1968, Robert VonHagge; 1995 redesign by Floyd
Fees: ~$275 Wknd, mandatory caddies if walking
Blue Monster: #41 Golf Magazine's 2000 Top 100 You Can Play
Doral's surprisingly good pool area is just a 6-iron away from the 1st tee
Donald Trump: $200M plan for Doral
March 8, 2012
Associated Press
DORAL, Fla. -- Donald Trump has monster plans for his purchase of the Doral Golf Resort.
Trump, who bought the famous golf resort outside Miami for $150 million, said Thursday he plans to invest more than $200 million to revamp the Blue Monster championship course and make it the ultimate golf destination.
"It's a tremendous location, 800 acres right smack in the middle of Miami, and we look to make this one of the great places anywhere in the world for golf," Trump said Thursday. "It needs a lot of work. It's a little bit tired, and that's OK. And we're going to do something special."
The sale is expected to close June 1.
Doral has held a PGA Tour event since 1962 and it was elevated to a World Golf Championship in 2007. It is hosting a 74-man field this week that includes the top 50 players in the world ranking.
Trump said the course would be shut down after the 2013 tournament, and Gil Hanse would renovate what is now called the TPC Blue Monster.
Hanse was selected Wednesday to design the course in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics.
Trump is likely to change the name of the Doral course, but won't decide until the project is finished.
"When we have spent the money, and when it's at the highest level of luxury and highest level of golf ... then we are going to make the decision," he said. "But it will be in some form 'Doral.' "
Trump already has Trump International in West Palm Beach, which once hosted the LPGA Tour Championship. He also has courses in New York, Washington and along the coast in California. This is what happens when a developer has a passion for golf.
"I have friends that are very successful people and they love to garden," he said. "And I like to garden, too, I guess, in a much bigger way."
The sale includes three other golf courses, but not the White Course across the street, which was offered at a steep price because it still can be developed. Trump said the Red and Gold courses, which are adjacent to the Blue Monster, will be upgraded, and he has contemplated combining them into one great course instead of two ordinary ones.
Still, he said that would not match what Hanse has in store for the Blue Monster.
Among the ideas is to turn the par-3 15th into an island green, and clear out the left side of the 16th fairway to make it a par-4 that can be reached off the tee, with water down the left side.
He also will upgrade the small driving range and build a clubhouse worthy of the resort.
Hanse said he would try to keep the intentions of Dick Wilson, the original designer of the Blue Monster.
"It would not be accurate to call it a restoration," Hanse said. "It's a renovation because we think we are obviously making some significant changes to golf holes."
Trump said he turns down 10 offers for every golf course he buys, and he has big plans for Doral.
"Doral can be the absolute best," he said. "We are going to do this really right. I view it as a business, but it's not my main business. But more importantly, I will spend much more money on fixing Doral than somebody else because somebody else is looking for a return on investment. I'm not. I'm looking to make an amazing place, and the return will come. So I think it's a good thing for golf."
The Resort Story: Doral Golf Resort and Spa
By Jason Scott Deegan,
Senior Contributor, FloridaGolf.com, 4/04
MIAMI, FL - When Doral Resort and Spa Director of Golf Michael Miraglia tries to sell the virtues of the resort, he always points out one key fact. "I always say when you pull through those gates, you never need to leave," said Miraglia. "There's a world-class spa and golf. (Miami) South Beach is nice, but you don't need to go there."
"Doral is the ultimate vacation destination. We have every amenity you need. We meet all the criteria for any vacationer, whether you are a couple on a honeymoon or a group of 12 guys who just want to play golf. This is an amazing place."
Of course, Miraglia is paid to sing the praises of Doral, but he's right. With five golf courses, nine shops, spa and workout facility, a tennis center, a jogging trail, a modern pool complex and five restaurants to choose from, Doral has it all and more.
Doral's biggest selling point is its location - in south Florida in one of the most lively, entertaining cities in the country, if not the world. The complaint about most other golf resorts, like Pebble Beach in California and Pinehurst in North Carolina, is they are in the middle of nowhere, away from the real world. But Doral is the model of convenience.
Doral is 15 minutes from one of the world's best beaches, South Beach, which is lined with snazzy restaurants, elegant shops, and some of best collection of clubs and bars in the world. It might take three or four visits to Doral to play all of the resort's courses and then have time to experience the real Miami.
The resort is also just 15 minutes from the airport, as you'll soon find out from the constant blare of airplanes overhead. Although Miami's airport is so close, many travelers actually fly into the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International airport about 30 miles north because getting in and out is so much easier than at the hectic Miami airport.
Doral was the vision of Doris and Alfred Kaskel, who combined parts of their first names to form the Doral Hotel and Country Club on 2,400 acres of swampland west of the city, starting in 1959. The resort opened in 1962 with the Blue, Red and par-3 golf courses. As the resort's popularity grew, thanks in part to the PGA event that began in 1962, the Kaskels added a tennis center in 1970, hiring friend and tennis great Arthur Ashe as the Director of Tennis.
The Kaskels continued to stay ahead of the golf industry trends, adding a spa in 1987. In 1993, the KSL Recreation Corporation bought Doral and has invested nearly $30 million in upgrades, including redesigns or restoration projects on all five golf courses. KSL Recreation also owns and operates La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA West in California and the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Michigan, among more than $1.2 billion in other resort properties.
With KSL at the helm, Doral added the Blue Lagoon, complete with a water slide, and Camp Doral, a day camp for kids, to try and attract more families. Doral's newest project is building and selling the Villas at Doral.
As you can see, Doral is ever-changing and expanding to keep up with the competitive world of golfing destinations.
Outside of the game of golf, the spa might be Doral's crown jewel. It is just a short walk from any of the lodges, which house the resort's 693 guestrooms, through lush gardens of beautiful flowers and tropical flare. The 148,000-square-foot spa boasts both indoor and outdoor pools and an indoor track.
Inside, you can either relax in one of 52 treatment rooms or 48 guest suites with private whirlpools or get pumped up in the weight room, complete with stationary bikes, treadmills, stair-steppers and nautilus and free weights.
How does an aroma wrap, a European facial or full-body massage sound?
If golf or relaxation isn't your sport, but tennis is, there are both hard and clay courts near the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center.
Food is another resort specialty. The Windows on the Green is a giant outdoor patio, overlooking the famous Blue Monster golf course. You can bet many a debt has been settled while calculating scorecards over a tropical drink and a burger.
With a big screen TV and an intimate appeal, the Champions Sports Bar in the main clubhouse is a perfect spot to watch a game or catch Sunday's final round. The Atrium, located in the spa, features a healthier menu. The Terrazza Restaurant and Café, which is a cyber cafe, and the Bungalou's Bar & Grill in the Blue Lagoon pool complex complete Doral's dining options.
Good food isn't the only must on vacation. Sitting by the pool is another.
85,000 gallons and the other 125,000 gallons - are intertwined with a huge rock facade. The water slide winds through this mountainous formation, while a refreshing waterfall tumbles endlessly into one of the pools. Adults will appreciate the nearby hot tubs more than the water slide.
Kids will love Camp Doral, where they can learn to play golf and tennis, go fishing or play in the pool all day. A full-court, outdoor basketball court, an outdoor pool table and a video game room are also available.
Corporate operations from America and abroad often descend upon Doral for its entertainment and meeting space all conveniently located side by side. The resort offers more than 100,000 square feet of flexible conference rooms and two grand ballrooms, which can each accommodate up to 1,000 people.
To avoid the commotion and the prices of the peak season, Doral can be a perfect treat during the off-season, during the summer months from June to early September. The rooms in the lodges are spacious and comfortable with balconies or patios, some overlooking the Blue Monster.
The one complaint of guests is the tax and gratuity fees placed on nearly every resort service, from phone calls to food. There's an 18 percent gratuity tax fixed into every meal ticket and a resort tax on every night's stay to pay for the little luxuries, like getting the newspaper delivered to your door every morning.
Sally and Ted Robinson, who recently visited from England, had nothing but a pleasant experience during their stay.
"I was very impressed with the facilities," Sally said. "The food was superb and I loved the swimming pool complex."
"There are lots of helpful staff, even during the quiet time," Ted added. "The whole setup is nice. I would recommend it to friends. Everything is so convenient. Everything is at hand. You just wouldn't need to rent a car. You could just taxi to and from the airport or to the beach."
The Jim McLean Signature Course at Doral
Miami, FL Green Fees: $125-$250
Even good teachers know when to take advice. When Doral turned over the task of reworking its off-campus Silver course to swing guru Jim McLean, he went straight to his pal, legendary architect Tom Fazio.
McLean's goal was to create a layout that could compete with Doral's fabled Blue Monster. Mission accomplished. Existing real estate and boundary issues handcuffed the design team, so the effect is occasionally claustrophobic. But as a test of golf, this blows the Blue Monster away. Still, run-up possibilities to the subtly contoured greens make it playable for most.
You'll surely remember the "Bermuda Triangle," with two beefy par-4s that bracket the island-green par-3 14th. But the opening trio of par 4s, ranging in length from 418 to 446 from the tips, might be Florida's toughest start.
Bottom line: There's a new monster at Doral.
Doral's Blue Monster still has some bite for the average golfer
By Shane Sharp,
Contributor, FloridaGolf.com, April 14, 2004
DORAL, Fla. -- If the Blue Monster is such an ogre, why was it recently slain by a 5-foot-6 Australian with a swing NBC analyst Johnny Miller likened to that of a 15-handicapper? Could it be that yesterday's monster is today's sleeping beauty?
As Craig Parry and other members of the field at the 2004 Ford Championship will attest, the Blue Course at the Doral Golf Resort and Spahas lost some of its teeth. Once revered as one of the most tumultuous tracks on Tour, the Dick Wilson original/Ray Floyd revamp now serves as the first of three warm-ups for the ultimate stop on the Sunshine state swing, The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.
"I could see how those guys would play well here. It was challenging but it was fair," said a member of a foursome of Japanese tourists walking off the 18th green. "The par 3s were long and hard but the par 4s were playable."
The exception being the 467-yard par-4 18th hole.
The famed two-shotter hasn't lost any of its bite, especially after the Tour tees were pushed back 24 yards. Parry's shot heard round Doral - a frozen rope of a 6-iron from 176 yards that found the cup for an eagle and a stunning first-hole playoff victory over Scott Verplank in early March - was the exception, not the rule on a hole that has played as the Tour's most difficult to date.
"Five is not necessarily a bad score there, four is a very good score and three is like stealing one," PGA Tour veteran Joe Durant told USA Today after the first round of the tournament back in March. "It's a very demanding tee shot. There's not much room to bail out."
Turns out Durant didn't need any help. He was one of the few players to birdie 18 and went on to finish 15-under par, good enough for third place. All told, only six players who made the two-day cut finished over par. Traveling golfers, watching the tournament from comforts of home, no doubt began to lick their collective chops when the final leader board was posted.
Not so fast, dragon slayers.
The big ole course that hosted its first PGA event back in 1962 still possesses the fire to toast the average weekend warrior. The new-look Gold tees tip out at 7,288 yards with seven par 4s playing over 400 yards. And with two par 3s carding over 235 yards, playing the Blue's four one-shotters at even par is a feat worth memorializing.
"Two of the most difficult par 3s in South Florida, hands down," says Doral' s director of golf operations, Desi Howe, an expertly coifed, deeply tanned fellow who could only be a Miami area golf pro.
Par 3s and 18th hole considered, Blue can still be worth the price of admission ($250 in season for those scoring at home) for a cadre of other experiences:
-- The par 5s. Easily the best collection of three-shotters in Miami/Dade, led by the 563-yard 8th -- a classic risk/reward hole with the resort and 18th hole fountain as a backdrop. For sheer aesthetics the 12th is tough to top. The 603-yard rambler features about every type of tree known to Doral and a unique bunkering technique that includes small grass islands amid a sea of sand.
-- History. Blue has continuously hosted a PGA Tour event since 1962 and has seen its fair share of drama. Except for Parry's heroics on the 18th, most of it seems to have either began at or occurred on the par-4 16th. In 1980, Floyd chipped in for birdie from 23-feet to defeat Jack Nicklaus in the then Doral Eastern Open's first playoff. In 1986, No. 16 was the first of a four hole playoff that saw Andy Bean defeat Hubert Green.
-- Conditioning. Blue is Doral's baby and they treat it as such. Catching the course before the Ford hits town is a treat, what with the fairways stripped up with rye grass and the greens overseeded with poa triv. Post tournament, Blue fades to Bermuda grass quite seamlessly.
The Verdict
There are two schools of thought on the Blue Monster. The first one says it is a classically designed golf course that is fair, challenging and straightforward. The hole variety is about as good as it gets for South Florida, and a handful of holes approach greatness (see eight, No. 12 and No. 18). The other school of thought says the Blue Monster isn't all that different from your typical South Florida layout -- it's flat, lacking any real scenery, and because of its parkland style layout, other golfers are visible at all times.
The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Strategically, the Blue Course doesn't rate up there with Pinehurst No. 2 or Harbour Town. In terms of scenery, it lags well behind the Pebble Beaches and Troon Norths of the world. Yet, the fees for all the aforementioned courses are about the same. The overall experience on the Blue is also tainted by the legions of airplanes taking off and landing at nearby Miami International. Bottom line -- if you want to experience a bit of golf history, play where the pros play and aren't concerned about value, then by all means -- do the Blue.
Where to Eat
Windows on the Green, situated just off the main lobby, is Doral's upscale eatery. And God forbid the Blue Monster be out of view during supper - the beast of the east is in plain view from almost every table. The aforementioned Champions Sports Bar and Grill serves above average bar food at above average prices. The back patio is THE place to be around sunset. For the Starbucks addicted (you know who you are), Terrazza Restaurant and Café is the place to get your java/high speed internet fix.
Fast Fact
Doral's Blue Monster is home to the Ford Championship.
Stay and Play
If you're not on a golf package, you're just not doing your homework. As of this writing, Doral offers three levels of packages: The Blue Monster, Championship and the Golf Escape, which includes some spa action.
Doral Silver #1
Fat Guy Research:
Best Bar, Miami South Beach: Golf Digest likes the Rusty Pelican, and says enjoy the sunset views.
My buddy Scott was a first-timer in South Beach a few years ago, and called it "the biggest collection of the most ridiculously beautiful people you'll ever see." World-class clubs abound and stay open til dawn. Scott lost most of a night at Mango's (900 Ocean Dr). Highly recommended. E!'s Wild On loves Level nightclub, my buddy Jeff liked The Clevelander Bar. ESPN.com said of The Clevelander, "Best place to see and be seen. Old school. Classy. Iconic. It's a trendy staple on one of America's trendiest of streets. For more than seven decades, the Clevelander has been serving up locals and visitors from around the world." Travel Channel rates Opium as Miami's best club: no sign, a line a couple hundred beautiful people long, and a tough velvet rope sell, but the '20's opium den/European hedonism atmosphere is worth the effort. OR, go all-VIP at Pearl, do electric cocktails at Wish, break out of the club mold at local's fave Automatic Slim's, groove on the beach-vibe at beautiful world famous Nikki Beach bar, or Paris Hilton hangs at Metro Kitchen & Bar. ESPN.com's Best Place To Lounge Around goes to Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita Restaurant and Lounge (www.doloreslolita.com). "Dolores. Lolita. Call her whichever you want but just be sure to check out this lounge scene for plenty of drinking, dancing, and an eclectic mix of international dishes. We'll go with Lolita Restaurant and Lounge."
For sipping cocktails with the beautiful people at the swanky Art Deco Hotel bars, Metro.us says, "There are plenty of fabulous bars for sundown cocktails on South Beach, from the new W Hotel (www.wsouthbeach.com) through to classics like the Delano (www.delano-hotel.com). But for a great sunset view, you’ll need to be on the west side of the strip: Hit the Mondrian where you can watch the sun set over mainland Miami from its glamorous “indoor-outdoor” Sunset Lounge, designed by world-famous designer Marcel Wanders (www.mondrian-miami.com)."
To catch the game, ESPN digs Mr. Moes Restaurant and Bar (www.mrmoes.com). "This ain't Abe Lincoln's log cabin. Not in the heart of the Grove. Plenty of sports-watching opps here, with lots of halftime entertainment ... oh, and they serve Moose Juice, too!" MSN.com named Le Tub as one of the Top 10 burger joints in the country. Don't let the pool tables, fishing nets, and license plates distract you from the burgers at this tropical, modern-day sailor's joint where most patrons come by boat. Beer is more than a chaser here, it's part of the main course. When South Florida nights turn chilly, this is an ideal destination thanks to an old wood-burning stove. Serious lounge lizards of every age and persuasion come to hang at Le Tub.
Eqsquire digs the bar at Jimbo's. You're having: An icy Presidente with the smoked fish and Tabasco. Read the brochures and you'd think Miami has a mineral purity to it: gold beaches, platinum towers, quartz hotels, turquoise seas. Bull. The earthy funk of mildew and swamp, the acetylene heat of the subtropical sun, the rifle cracks of thunderstorms and the thundercracks of rifles: That's Miami. Mineral? Nah: animal. There are iguanas in the trees. Alligators in the swimming pools. It's not a city; it's a hallucination. But the hallucination has faded. Maybe it's a surplus of seriousness, maybe a lack of imagination, but these days only a chemical boost can bring the Technicolor dreamworld flooding back. Thank God, then, for Jimbo's. Tucked among mangrove trees beside a lagoon on an island in the middle of Biscayne Bay, it's not just in Miami but of it. Shrimp boats pull in at the dock. Herons poke around the garbage bins. Locals set up grills out front. And in the shack that is the bar itself, cans of beer chill in barrels while the day's catch cures to bronzed perfection in the smoker.
Jimbo's
Sure, you'll eat that fish with your fingers. But Jimbo's is quiet and friendly, and it fits the land so right, it's easy to forget that the platinum city exists at all. Sip your beer and listen. That's not the wind in the trees; it's the iguanas. (Duck Lake Road, Virginia Key; 305-361-7026).
For Gentlemen's clubs, Tootsie's Cabaret was ranked as #3 in North American by reader reviews at the Ultimate Strip Club List. Comedy Central's Insomniac Dave Attell named Miami Velvet (www.miamivelvet.com, BYOB) as "Best Intro To Swinging" in the country.
For a good pub to catch the coverage of the British Open, T&L Golf likes CHURCHILL'S (5501 Northeast Second Avenue; 305-757-1807, www.churchillspub.com). Don't let the locale throw you—Churchill's is bona fide Brit. Managing partner Mike Toms recommends starting with their traditional English breakfast, but he also offers authentic Indian Curry. Official opening time is eleven, but Toms will open early on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. to welcome golf fans, who can watch the Open on a fifteen-foot pull-down screen that makes Ian Woosnam big as life. 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily
Where To Grub, Miami: Furyk, Sluman, and my buddy Jeff say brave the line for the stone crabs and hash browns at Joe's Stone Crab (227 Biscayne Blvd, 305-673-0365). Golf Digest recommends the River Oyster Bar (www.therivermiami.com) across the causeway. Playboy likes the beef at The Forge (432 Art Godfrey Rd, Miami Beach). Kitschy in outrageous Miami Beach style, go for the 1 lb. "supersteak" with a red from one of the world's great wine lists. Or bring your inner-freak to feast on the aphrodisiac menu at sexy Tantra. Amtrak's Arrive Magazine digs ultra-hip B.E.D. ("Beverage, Entertainment, Dining", 929 Washington Ave). Even the most buttoned-up patrons can't resist the urge to plop down on king-sized mattresses (the sheets are changed between meals), losing their inhibitions with heady champagnes. The Washington Post touts Versailles (3555 SW 8th St, Little Havana), famous for people watching and good food, open late/early. South Beach's David's Cafe (1058 Collins Ave) is open 24/7 for cafe con leche and munchies. Jeff Sluman recommends Sullivan's or LG's for steaks. David Toms likes In-N-Out Burger, order a Double-Double and fries.
Where To Stay, Miami: The art deco hotels of Miami are famous for their oppulence. A-list celebs crash and hang at digs like the Raleigh, Sagamore, and Loews' hotels. The Washington Post digs the legendary Biltmore Hotel (1200 Anastasia Ave, www.biltmorehotel.com , $279 & up), serving the likes of Al Capone and Judy Garland since 1926. AAA digs the old-school style at Fountainbleu Hilton, featuring the pool from both Goldfinger and Scarface, and the Lobby Bar is a former Rat Pack haunt. If you can't afford to stay at one of these joints, at least take an Art Deco Architecture Tour (Art Deco Welcome Center, www.mdpl.org), drink at the swanky hotel bars, and sneak into the Art Deco pools.
For you Scarface fanatics, the chain saw scene was filmed at 728 Ocean Drive (a Mapquest search reveals the nearest modern-day hotels being the Beacon or the Colony). OR, try high-end boutique hotels such as Tides, Marlin, or Kent. For hip DJs and a stylin' rooftop lounge hit Townhouse Hotel. Travel Channel digs the art deco curves and Top 10 pools at Raleigh Hotel or The Hotel. T&L Golf says hit Biscayne Blvd for the glorious ruin of seedier motels like New Deal, Mardi Gras, Vagabond, Sinbad, Starburst & South Pacific.
Best Pool, Miami: See Fat Guy's East Coast Pool Bar Golf Trail
Further Diversions, Miami: NBA Miami Heat games are a great spot to check out the dressed-to-the-tens Miami mega-hotties. Per Superbowl.com, Parrot Jungle Island on Watson Island in Miami has been a hit with thousands of visitors since it opened in 2003. The $47 million theme park is conveniently located in the heart of Miami between downtown and South Beach. To keep your golf widow entertained while you hit the links, Metro.us says, "There are plenty of shopping opportunities for fashionistas here. You’ll find designer boutiques one block from the beach along Collins Avenue including Armani, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and Intermix. There’s more fashion on Washington Avenue and at the Lincoln Road Mall at 16th Street for quirky home and vintage stores."
Movies To Rent Before You Go: Besides Scarface, one of the first things that jumps to mind when I think Miami is the hilarious Robin Williams/Nathan Lane farce The Birdcage, with a great turn by Hank Azaria as a gay Puerto Rican houseboy. Take a stroll past The Carlyle (13th & Ocean Dr), which doubled as The Birdcage club in the movie, now an upscale apartment building.
What To Read Before You Go: Horny? Miami by Jeff Stratton. Self-explanatory. Or anything by Elmore Leonard.