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Doral Golf Resort and Spa
Course Par Value:   72
Course Yardage:   7266

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The PGA TOUR has stopped at many golf courses throughout the years, but few have earned the level of respect from professional golfers like the Blue Course at Doral Golf Resort and Spa. In 1996, Raymond Floyd took over the task of restoring the course to its former stature. Then during the summer of 1999, Jim McLean restored the bunkers to the original Dick Wilson design. The goal for both Floyd and McLean was to put the bite back in the Blue Monster and to make it one of the finest courses on the PGA TOUR. There is definitely a total commitment to provide a great venue. Many of the top players in the world compete each year at the Ford Championship, not only because of the strong field of players that it attracts but also because of the many challenges the course offers. The following hole-by-hole descriptions detail the layout of this beast golf course, lovingly referred to as, the Blue Monster.

Water continues to be the most feared hazard on The Blue Monster. But what makes the Blue Monster such a great course is what Ben Crenshaw describes as a straightforward playability in all conditions. "To play well here, a player has to have all the shots," he says. "It's critical to be able to work the ball here."

Nothing has changed, in that sense, with Raymond Floyd's restoration. "Dick Wilson designed a golf course with great balance," says Floyd. "There are as many holes where you have to play a draw as a fade. There are long par 4s and short par 4s. There are long par 3s and short par 3s. There are par 5s you can reach in two shots, and the 12th is just about unreachable -- even by Tiger Woods or John Daly."

Renovation Highlights: In 1996, greens and bunkers recreated to original shapes and dimensions. The grass was cut tighter around greens to create runoff affect, promote chipping and bring water hazards into play. Tees were enlarged. The golf course was lengthened. New drainage and computerized irrigation systems were installed, as well as new cart paths. Jim McLean re-designed the bunkers in the summer of 1999. Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

  • Yardage: Gold: 7,125 Blue Tees: 6,701 White: 6,281 Red: 5,392
  • Par: 72
  • Course Rating: 72.2
  • Slope Rating: 125
  • Primary Grasses: Greens: Tifdwarf Bermudagrass Fairways: 419 Hybrid Bermudagrass
  • Average Green Size: 6,900 square feet
  • Green Cut: 1/8 inch
  • Tee Cut: 5/8 inch
  • Rough Cut: 2 inches (resort play), 4 inches (tournament)
  • Sand Bunkers: 117
  • Water Hazards: 12 holes affected by water
  • Course Designers: Dick Wilson (1962), restored by Raymond Floyd and Ted McAnlis (1996).

Contacts:

  • General Manager: Frank Garahan
  • Director of Instruction: Jim McLean
  • Director of Golf Operations: Darrin Helfrick

 

 
 
Hole Par Yards  
1 5 529 Many of the PGA TOUR players will be able to reach this wide flat green in two shots, and get off to a hot start. The two left fairway bunkers have been removed, and the fairway has been widened to 26 yards, that is 4 yards wider than in 1998. However, with the new trees planted in both the left and the right side roughs, an errant tee shot will be punished much worse than in years past.
2 4 376 This is another good birdie hole. Numerous past winners at the Ford Championship have taken advantage of the two relatively easy opening holes. You will see many of the pros teeing off with an iron here. The fairway narrows to 24 yards between the fairway bunkers, and the right fairway bunker now has three grass islands, a trademark of the original Dick Wilson design.
3 4 409 Time to get serious. The third hole may now be the most difficult driving hole on the Blue Monster. One fairway bunker has been removed, but the short driving zone has been narrowed considerably to 25 yards. The further the drive on No. 3 the wider the fairway becomes; therefore, expect to see the driver come out of the bag. A miss to the right will find the lake, while a miss to the left will find deep Bermuda rough or the tough fairway bunker. The shot into this green is also new. A sharp slope off the left side of the green will bring extremely difficult recovery shots. This is the only hole at Doral with no greenside bunkers.
4 3 236 Always a pivotal hole in the tournament, this is the hardest par 3 on the golf course even though the 13th hole is 10 yards longer. The bunker short and left of the green and the one front right have been removed. The left bunker has been shaped into two deep bunkers. A ball can now bounce onto the green; however, any slight miss to the right will be water-bound. Look for No. 4 to rank as the toughest of Doral's great par 3s.
5 4 394 This hole has undergone a huge change. The gigantic bunker on the left side is now four small bunkers pitched into the hillside. Still, these four bunkers take up less space than the single original bunker. The short fairway bunker to the right has been removed and is replaced by a totally reshaped bunker, much farther down the fairway. The second bunker down the right side of the fairway has been changed into a Dick Wilson design. There is a vastly different scene greenside, with a tremendous amount of new shape in all five bunkers. The drive is now in a more narrow and defined area. The second shot goes into a beautifully bunkered green that will set up for a birdie if you drive it long and in the fairway.
6 4 442 The sixth hole has also undergone through major renovations. The short right bunker has been removed, leaving a very wide area to drive the ball from 225 yard and back, obviously not a factor for the PGA TOUR players. The hole is now slightly narrower in the long driving zone. The second bunker on the left side of the fairway has been moved toward the fairway, leaving about 33 yards to drive the golf ball. This hole always plays into the wind and at 422 yards will play much longer. The bunkers by the green have also been reshaped. The green is long and narrow which leaves a great area for back left corner pin placements.
7 4 428 The PGA TOUR players will find an all new seventh hole. Off the tee, five palm trees have been added at the hand corner of the dogleg. A drive right or through the fairway could end up behind the palm trees. There is great definition off the tee, and it will give the player a clear picture to hit a draw. The fairway bunkers have been changed to give more room for the average golfer to drive the ball; however, the left fairway bunker is more intimidating for the PGA TOUR player with the addition of a steeper lip. The main change has been around the green. The big round circular green has been cut about one fifth in size. The left side of the green now slopes down to the left and into a chipping area. Most of the left-hand bunker has been removed leaving it far away from the green. Other greenside bunkers have been reshaped in Dick Wilson style.
8 5 528 A player stepping on the eighth tee will see a totally different view. The lake that was hidden by two big bunkers can now be seen and is in play for the longer hitters. The two big bunkers are now gone, and the area has been flattened down. The driving zone has been pushed more to the left, bringing the water more into play. Numerous palm trees have been placed over the bunker on the right side, and will punish any bailout to the right. On the second shot, a gigantic bunker has been reduced into a classic Dick Wilson double bunker. You can see the difference off the tee as you look down the beautiful eighth fairway. Many of the players will be going for the green in two, but it will require a long accurate drive and is usually into the winter southwest wind.
9 3 169 The ninth hole is the shortest of the part 3s at Doral, but almost always plays into the wind or into a crossing left-to-right wind. The high steep-faced bunker on the left-hand side has been grassed down, giving it an entirely different look. This green has a lot of speed to it. A player above the pin will have a tricky putt downwind and downgrain back at the water. It is important for the player to leave the ball under the hole so he can make an aggressive putt and maybe walk away with a birdie.
10 5 551 The tenth hole is a 551-yard par 5, but plays shorter. This hole usually plays downwind, especially the second shot. The two fairway bunkers on the right make the drive tighter, and bring the water more into play. The further the drive, the narrower the fairway becomes. A good drive on the tenth hole is the key. Since the hole plays downwind, the long hitters will approach the hole with a three, four or five iron. The clump bushes and trees down the left have all been removed and leave a beautiful coastline look. The green is tucked in close to the water; any shot pulled to the left will be headed for the lake. The green has a lot of slope to it and is very narrow in the back. The back left pin will be the most difficult to get to. Expect to see many birdies and few eagles on this hole.
11 4 363 The large bunker in the center of the fairway was totally redesigned to the Dick Wilson concept of giving the golfer three distinct options off the tee. Most of the PGA TOUR players lay up with a 4 or 5 off the tee. However, the first fairway bunker on the left has now been removed. A player can now choose to drive the ball up to 240 yards down the left-hand side. The right fairway bunker has also been removed, and the fairway down the right side widened from 9 to 21 yards. Better drivers on the PGA TOUR will definitely hit their driver here and leave just a short pitch. One of the interesting things on No. 11 is that the front area of the green was raised, and has a beautiful new bunker in front of the green. Any pin placement from the middle of this green forward will be partially hidden.
12 5 603 This is one of the longest par 5s on the PGA TOUR. Similar to No. 11, the front part the green has been raised. Front pin locations will be hidden on the third shot, leaving players with an unsure feeling. The fairway bunkers on the right stretch 125 to 200 yards from the green. The parallel bunker on the left has long fingers coming down, giving it a very unusual look. Don't expect to see many players hit this green in two. The 12th hole has a totally new design, and may now be one of the most beautiful holes here at Doral.
13 3 245 This is the longest par 3 at Doral, and at 245 yards one of the longest par 3s on the PGA TOUR. In front of the green are well-defined bunkers and now a slightly wider strip to bounce the ball into the green. This hole will require all the skill of the best players. There will not be one player who would not take a 3 and happily march over to the 14th tee. The toughest pin placement on the green is back left, because the back of the green actually slopes away from the tee.
14 4 443 This hole is 443 yards, but plays much shorter because it plays downwind. The large fairway bunker on the right-hand side has been divided into two bunkers. A new bunker has been placed over the left bunker about 315 yards from the back tee. This bunker will make the longer hitters more aware of placing the ball in the fairway. The look at No. 14 is totally different with changes to this green including the removal of both the front greenside bunker and the bunker right of the green. There are now two bunkers on the left side of the green, while the right side of the green slopes toward the 15th tee. The width of the tee has been dramatically reduced.
15 3 175 The front bunker that guards the entire length of the 15th green has been grassed down. It has a step-over spot that is reminiscent of courses in Scotland and Ireland. Being grassed down has also dramatically changed the back bunker. Probably the most difficult part of the 15th is the width of the green. It is very narrow and with the wind usually coming from left-to-right, it is not an easy club selection. Even some of the finest players will occasionally come up either short or long at this hole. No. 15 is often a critical hole coming down the stretch of the Ford Championship.
16 4 372 The scene of many dramatic events in tournament history, the once hidden fairway is now visible and it is clear to see how the hole shapes right-to-left. Fairway bunkers down the right side have been reduced in size. The left fairway bunker now includes four islands and has been completely grassed down. A wider fairway will encourage the players to drive the ball off the tee, which will bring the bunkers and palm trees into play more often. The bunkers around the green are a classic Dick Wilson design. The toughest pin placement on No. 16 will be to the right. This is a very narrow area, and the green slopes away from the players. Any shots missed long will bound over this green, leaving an extremely difficult pitch back to the green.
17 4 419 This is the setup hole to the famous 18th hole at the Blue Monster. It is a slight dogleg right to an elevated green. The most interesting thing about No. 17 is the length of the green. It is 58 yards long, which could mean a three- or four-club difference depending on where the pin is placed. Because this hole will generally play into the wind or into a left-to-right wind, the hole plays considerably longer than 419 yards. Remember, you must add on at least 15 yards if the pin is placed in the back. The back pin placement will require a shot over a deep and intimidating bunker guarding the left side of the green. Classic-styled bunkers guard this green all around.
18 4 443 This is one of the most famous and recognizable holes in the world. Recently it was ranked by Golf Magazine as one of the top 500 holes in the world, and has often been ranked the most difficult finishing hole on the PGA TOUR. Since this hole generally plays into the wind or into a left-to-right crosswind, the drive becomes extra tough. However, the longer you drive the ball, the wider the target. The narrowest part of the fairway is at the end of the water and is only 25 yards wide so the lake is definitely in play. There are trees guarding the entire right side of this hole, and driving the ball in the right rough leads to a terrifying shot into a long narrow green. The green is bordered by water all the way down the left side. Many balls hit left of the green end up in the water. It takes courage for a player to strike the ball down this fairway and then fire at the back left-hand Sunday pin. Both shots must negotiate wind and water. The 18th is a tremendous hole.