The Blue Monster at Doral was long seen as one of the toughest courses on the PGA Tour; a course with a handful of the most feared holes in golf and one that provided a supreme test of golf to the world’s best players.

However since 2007, the Monster has ranked outside of the 30 most difficult courses on tour

Gil Hanse, who is also designing the course to be used at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, was tasked with refortifying the TPC Blue Monster, which had become less terrifying with age. Doral hasn’t ranked among the top 30 in course difficulty on the PGA Tour since 2007. Each of the past six WGC-Cadillac champions were at least 16 shots under par for the tournament, too.

That level of admiration didn’t stop Donald Trump blowing it to pieces though after buying the famous Miami resort in early 2012.

“They are saying that the course is in the best shape in 25 years,” said Trump last year. “It’s a little ironic, because we blow it up on Monday.”

While dynamite wasn’t required in the end, the changes to the course, in large part, have been explosive. This is no simple renovation…the Blue Monster takes a very different form these days!

While certain parts of the course have remained largely untouched – take the iconic and devilishly difficult 18th as a prime example – plenty of it has been almost completely redone by Gil Hanse, one of the most prominent golf course architects in the world and the man chosen to build the course for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Along with Trump himself – Hanse insisted “The Donald” didn’t micromanage too much and let him do his thing without too much interference – Hanse has changed a handful of holes beyond recognition, all the while keeping the most celebrated parts of the course intact so that visitors and people viewing on TV still recognise it as Doral.

The changes come early as the par 5 1st – ranked among the easiest holes on the PGA Tour for many a year – has been lengthened with more protection also added just short of the green. Considering this hole has surrendered 43 eagles over the past two years alone (and only 12 bogies!) this is hardly a surprising change.

A few other subtle changes await the players until the 9th which has been totally reformed. Some 30 yards longer compared to last year, this intimidating par 3 now has water all the way up the right hand side of the hole rather than the left as it used to, giving the players a totally different look from the tee. Since the WGC Cadillac Championship made Doral its permanent home in 2007, winners of the event have had a grand total of ZERO bogies on this hole…that could be about to change!


Signature Moments from the Blue Monster’s past…


While the front nine changes are sure to have some affect on the player’s strategy, it is the back nine where the most dramatic changes have appeared with an alarming (for the players at least!) amount of water introduced where there was once dry land.

It seems The Blue Monster has become…well…bluer!

That is also the case at the once insipid par 3 15th where there is now an almost island green…if that makes any sense!? Now slightly shorter and featuring a peninsula-style green, the 15th could well produce some Sunday fireworks a la the 17th at Sawgrass.

The 16th, once only driveable for a select few, is now much more tempting for the average hitter in a world class field. The trees down the left hand side have all been removed with a large lake cutting into the hole in their place.

A dramatic series of bunkers further protect the front edge of the green meaning those who take it on in one – ranging from 280 to 320 yards from the tee depending on the tee position of the day this is much more doable for many in the field – really have to commit to the shot.

Expect a great range of strategies from the tee here this week with some players taking as little as a 5 iron to lay up into safety while others draw “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd as they pull driver from the bag and go for broke.

Every blade of grass has also been replaced with Bermuda grass and the new greens, while devilishly slopey in places, are manicured to perfection. Gil Hanse insists many of the changes to the layout won’t be at all visible from the comfort of our armchairs but with a focus on spectator enjoyment and with the addition of some massive new grandstands on signature holes, the WGC Cadillac Championship should be fun to watch.

Rory

Rory

The resident golf geek at Your Golf Travel. Have been lucky enough to have travelled far and wide playing golf and if I’m not writing about it at work, you will probably find me hacking it around my local course. Owner of 2 holes in one and some of the most crooked drives you have ever seen!

What's in my bag?
Srixon ZX5 Driver
Srixon ZX7 irons
Srixon ZX 2 iron
Cleveland RTX Zipcore 52 & 56
Cleveland Fullface 60
Odyssey O Works Red #7 putter

www.yourgolftravel.com/ygt-rory

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