TPC Blue Monster has been the home of the CA Championship since 1962.
Mar. 9, 2010
The TOUR hits its next Florida stop this week for the World Golf Championships-CA Championship at TPC Blue Monster in Doral, Fla. Learn more about this venue.
| How to play TPC Blue Monster |
| Steven Voguit, the PGA TOUR Academy's head instructor at World Golf Village, analyzes this week's course. |
| The PGA TOUR's search for tropical paradise has finally been deemed a success. This week's 2010 World Golf Championship-CA Championship will be played at the TPC Blue Monster, located at the Doral Golf and Spa Resort in Miami, Fla. The weather for the week is expected to be near perfect, with temperatures around 80 degrees and a slight chance of thunderstorms. The only weather condition that could play a role this week is the wind -- but it's not expected to blow harder than 15 mph during the tournament. |
| The TPC Blue Monster at Doral has hosted over 40 professional events where many of golf's greats have shared the honor of defeating the "Monster." The Blue Monster was originally designed by Dick Wilson in 1961, who made excellent use of water hazards and bunkering. Then, it was later redesigned by the PGA TOUR, with one key theme -- distance. The TPC Blue Monster now plays at a demanding 7,266 yards. |
| When distance is a factor, we know players will struggle to hit greens in regulation, thus placing emphasis on the short game. Defending champion Phil Mickelson is known for his abilities around the green. One shot he has mastered better than anyone is the lob shot. |
| For those of us at home who want to master the lob shot like Phil, we need to first understand the lie necessary for success. A lob shot requires a fluffy lie, where the club head will easily slide underneath the ball. Once we have determined we have the correct lie, take the following steps to make it happen: |
• 1) Open the club face slightly
• 2) Play the ball slightly forward in your stance
• 3) Make a LONG and LAZY swing, very similar to that of a green side bunker shot and watch the ball pop up high and land softly on the green |
|
| Fast facts |
| Course Superintendent |
Thomas B. Trammell |
| Original architect |
Dick Wilson (1961) |
| Redesign |
PGA TOUR/Doral, 2006 |
| Par value |
72 |
| Number of TOUR events as host venue |
49 (including 2010) |
| Course ranking |
Ranked 39 (out of 51) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2009 |
| Yardage history |
7,266 (2004-present) |
| |
7,125 (1998-2003) |
| |
6,939 (1962-1998) |
| Grass |
Bermudagrass (tees, fairways, greens, rough) |
| Tournament Stimpmeter |
11.8 ft |
| Sand bunkers |
110 |
| Water hazards |
11 |
| Course tour |
Click here |
|
| Course record |
|
Player
Stephen Ames* |
Year
2000 |
Round
2nd |
Finish
8th |
|
| Holes-in-one |
| There have been nine aces recorded at TPC Blue Monster |
| Tag Ridings |
15 |
2005 |
| Bob Tway |
15 |
1998 |
| John Nelson |
9 |
1997 |
| Glen Day |
9 |
1996 |
| Dave Rummells |
15 |
1993 |
| Brian Tennyson |
4 |
1989 |
| Eric Batten |
9 |
1983 |
| Forrest Fezler |
4 |
1983 |
| Gary Koch |
4 |
1983 |
|
| 2009 Rankings |
| Most Difficult Hole |
 |
The par-4 467-yard 18th In 2004, this infamous par 4 was ranked the most difficult finishing hole on the PGA TOUR. Since it usually plays into the wind or into a left-to-right crosswind, the drive is extremely tough. The fairway narrows to only 25 yards at the end of the lake but widens beyond it, so longer drives have a bigger target. Driving the ball into the right rough leads to a terrifying second shot to a long, narrow green whose entire left side is bordered by water. Smashing a drive down this fairway and then firing at the back-left Sunday pin requires real courage.
2009: 0 eagles, 11 birdies, 181 pars, 91 bogeys, 30 double bogeys, 4 other. |
| Easiest hole |
 |
The par-5 529-yard 1st Many TOUR players will reach the wide, flat green on this par 5 in two and get off to a hot start. But the trees planted in both roughs will punish an errant tee shot.
2009: 25 eagles, 213 birdies, 72 pars, 6 bogeys, 1 double bogeys and 0 others. |
|
|
| TPC Blue Monster |
2009 rankings | Last 26 years |
| 1 |
5 |
529 |
4.196 |
18 |
4.395 |
18 |
| 2 |
4 |
376 |
3.795 |
14 |
3.917 |
12 |
| 3 |
4 |
438 |
4.183 |
4 |
4.188 |
4 |
| 4 |
3 |
236 |
3.356 |
2 |
3.244 |
3 |
| 5 |
4 |
394 |
3.817 |
13 |
3.892 |
13 |
| 6 |
4 |
442 |
4.136 |
5 |
4.088 |
5 |
| 7 |
4 |
428 |
3.89 |
11 |
3.963 |
11 |
| 8 |
5 |
560 |
4.833 |
12 |
4.772 |
16 |
| 9 |
3 |
169 |
3.047 |
7 |
2.982 |
8 |
| 10 |
5 |
551 |
4.546 |
17 |
4.719 |
17 |
| 11 |
4 |
402 |
3.946 |
10 |
3.968 |
10 |
| 12 |
5 |
603 |
4.584 |
16 |
4.796 |
15 |
| 13 |
3 |
245 |
3.252 |
3 |
3.245 |
2 |
| 14 |
4 |
460 |
4.003 |
9 |
4.016 |
7 |
| 15 |
3 |
175 |
3.016 |
8 |
2.969 |
9 |
| 16 |
4 |
372 |
3.773 |
15 |
3.852 |
14 |
| 17 |
4 |
419 |
4.063 |
6 |
4.043 |
6 |
| 18 |
4 |
467 |
4.479 |
1 |
4.315 |
1 |
|
| Course origins |
| Golfers will find no more challenging or spectacular a golf course anywhere than the famous TPC Blue Monster, which was restored in 1996 by golf great Raymond Floyd to the challenging level of the original design by Dick Wilson and Robert von Hagge. Virtually every great name in golf has had a moment of glorious personal triumph on this world-class track. |
| In 2003, the TPC Blue Monster sharpened its teeth as the legendary Doral course was lengthened, with 166 yards being strategically added to five of the 18 holes, bringing the tournament tee length to 7,291 yards. Hole No. 3 was lengthened to 29 yards, which forces most players to use a driver or 3 wood to play the hole effectively. The new yardage puts the left fairway bunker at 287 yards off the tee. |
| Hole No. 8 was lengthened to 35 yards, and the bunker is now approximately 290 yards off the tee -- out of reach for the average player to bypass. It will also leave most players with around 260 yards to the green. Hole No. 11 has been lengthened by 40 yards, creating a 400 yard, par 4. A fairway has been added on the right side of the middle bunker, giving players a strategic option (depending on hole location), and the left bunker has been reduced to make the left fairway more attractive for players who must now choose between equally challenging sides of the fairway. |
| Hole No. 14 had 30 yards added, putting the bunker at almost 290 yards -- requiring players to play the hole honestly. Hole No. 18 now plays 467 yards. The average player will now be hitting into the green from 177 yards (instead of 145). In addition, the beach bunker has been converted to rough, putting a premium on accuracy. |
| --Source: Golf Course Superintendents Assocation of America |
|
| Tournament course history |
| TPC Blue Monster |
Doral, Fla. |
1962-2006, 2007-present |
| Valderrama GC |
Andalucia, Spain |
1999-2000 |
| Mount Juliet Estate |
Kilkenny, Ireland |
2002, 2004 |
| Capital City Club |
Woodstock, Ga. |
2003 |
| Harding Park GC |
San Francisco, Calif. |
2005 |
| The Grove |
Hertfordshire, England |
2006 |
|
|
| This week's Kodak Challenge hole |
HOLE: The par-5, 560-yard 8th at Doral Golf Resort and Spa
LAST YEAR: The 16th played to a stroke average of 4.833, with players recording 3 eagles, 69 birdies, 225 pars, 18 bogeys and 2 double bogeys
DESCRIPTION: On this par 5, the lake is very much in play for longer hitters. Numerous palm trees beyond the bunker on the right punish any bailout to that side. Many players go for the green in two, but to do so requires a long, accurate drive usually into the winter wind from the southwest.(Click here for Doral Golf Resort tour) |
|
| LINKS Magazine |
| Learn more about golf in the Sunshine State. |
 |
• Showdown in Florida: Doral's TPC Blue Monster vs. Bay Hill (click here)
• Destination: Miami (click here)
• Top 20 second courses at golf resorts (click here)
• Archive: Destinations on the PGA TOUR (click here) |
|
PGATOUR.com is part of Turner - SI Digital, part of the Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network