THE BLUE MONSTER RE-OPENS

By Torleif Sorenson on 12/19/13

H-T: Geoff Shackelford



The Blue Monster has re-opened.

Part of the re-branded Trump National Doral resort, this famous course re-opened last Saturday with a complete redesign by "retro-traditionalist" architect Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner. Among those fortunate few to have played the course is Bill Van Smith, who wrote about it for the Miami Herald. In his review, Van Smith quoted The Donald himself, who (predictably) offered the usual promotional praise. What is interesting is the review by WGC-Cadillac Championship executive director Eddie Carbone, who played the Blue Monster back in the 1990s. He compared the old and the new:

"I really liked it back then. Now I really, really, really like it. Actually, I was blown away."

Carbone also said that the humongous earth-moving was not only designed to affect golfers, but also to benefit spectators of the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Van Smith notes that one mound allows spectators to watch play on the 14th green, the 15th fairway, and at the tee at 16.

Among Hanse and Wagner's demands for golfers is the par-4 16th, which plays to 325 yards from the tips. The carry over the water at 16 is... 285 yards.

(Try driving THAT green!)

As with most of the highly-regarded, high-end resort courses in the United States, getting on the Blue Monster is expensive. $450, to be exact. Still, considering that Gil Hanse is the chief architect and that the course hosts an annual PGA Tour / WGC event, the Blue Monster may still be one of those "bucket list" courses — even if the trip will cost you a few house payments.


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Image via Trump National Doral