Doral Blue Monster
One of the most famous resort courses in America, and one of the most feared finishes in the game. The Blue Monster earned its name in the Florida flatlands the hard way, through wind, water and a brutal eighteenth that has wrecked countless cards. Dick Wilson laid it out in 1962, Gil Hanse rebuilt it from the ground up in 2014, and in 2026 the professional game returns to Miami, putting the Monster back where it belongs, under the world's best.
Photo: Trump National Doral Miami via Google.
The verdict
The Blue Monster is South Florida golf at its boldest, a big, brawny resort course where water lurks on almost every hole and the wind decides the day. Dick Wilson opened it in 1962, and for decades it was a fixture of the PGA Tour, its closing hole one of the most respected in the country. In 2014 Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner rebuilt it entirely, every green reshaped, every bunker moved, restoring the bite that age had blunted and lengthening it to about 7,590 yards of par 72.
What makes the Monster so compelling is its honesty. There is little subtlety and nowhere to hide, just water, sand and wind laid out in front of you, asking whether you have the nerve and the swing to take it on. The course returns to the elite schedule in 2026 as host of a leading PGA Tour event, a reminder that for all the resort polish around it, the Blue Monster is a genuine championship test. For the travelling golfer it is a bucket list round in the heart of Miami, demanding, dramatic and hugely enjoyable.
Doral Blue Monster at a glance
- Founded
- 1962
- Designer
- Dick Wilson
- Type
- Resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,590 yds
- Green fee
- Around $600
The 1962 opening by Dick Wilson, the 2014 rebuild by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, par 72 and a length of about 7,590 yards verified June 2026 from the resort and tour previews. The Blue Monster returns to the PGA Tour schedule in 2026. The green fee is indicative, broadly in the region of 560 to 715 US dollars per round in peak season 2026 with a cart, plus a forecaddie fee. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Blue Monster gives you fair warning early, with water in play and generous but exposed fairways that leave you at the mercy of the wind. Hanse widened the strategic options in his rebuild, offering a safer route and a braver one on most holes, but the safer line nearly always lengthens or complicates the approach. The greens are large and firmly bunkered, and in the Florida breeze even a mid iron must be flighted with care to hold the surface.
Through the middle of the round the Monster keeps applying pressure, the lakes pressing closer and the bunkering, all rebuilt by Hanse, framing each shot with menace. There is real strategy beneath the brawn, with angles and risk to weigh on the par 5s and the longer par 4s, but the overriding sensation is of a course that never lets you relax. A good score has to be earned hole by hole, and protected against the one big number the water is always threatening.
It all builds to the eighteenth, the hole that gave the course its name, a long par 4 curving around a lake to a green guarded by water and sand, played into the prevailing wind. It has broken tournaments and humbled champions, and for the visitor it is the ultimate test of nerve to finish on, the water glinting on the left, the clubhouse beyond, no margin for a loose swing. Conquer the Monster's final hole and the round stays with you for years.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course at Trump National Doral, open to the public with priority and packages for resort guests; a returning PGA Tour venue, so plan around tournament dates |
| Green fee | Broadly in the region of 560 to 715 US dollars per round in peak season 2026 (indicative) including a cart, plus a forecaddie fee, with lower summer rates |
| Booking | Book online or through the resort, ideally as part of a stay and play package; winter is peak season in Miami and books up well ahead |
| On the day | Carts with forecaddies standard, a resort dress code, and an expansive clubhouse and spa complex at the heart of the property |
| Getting there | In the heart of Miami close to the airport, about twenty minutes from downtown and South Beach, an easy add on to a Florida golf or city trip |
| Best months | November to April for the dry season and cooler air; summers are hot, humid and prone to afternoon storms, with much lower rates |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Blue Monster is one of several courses at Trump National Doral, a large resort with its own hotel, spa and restaurants minutes from Miami International airport, so the natural trip is a stay and play on site. The location, unusually central for a golf resort, also puts downtown Miami, South Beach and the Florida Keys within easy reach.
For a luxury base, the resort itself is the obvious choice, with rooms and suites overlooking the courses, while the beach hotels of Miami and Fort Lauderdale offer a livelier alternative a short drive away. Florida's dense concentration of golf means the Monster pairs easily with Palm Beach and Orlando on a longer Sunshine State tour.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts across Miami and South Florida.
Play the Blue Monster and the best of Florida
We build Florida golf trips around the Blue Monster and the rest of Doral, with Palm Beach and Orlando within reach, secure the tee times that fill fastest in winter and sort a base on site or at the beach with the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Doral Blue Monster questions
Who designed the Blue Monster at Doral?
The Blue Monster was originally designed by Dick Wilson and opened in 1962. In 2014 it was rebuilt from the ground up by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, who reshaped every green and bunker and restored the strategic bite that had faded over the decades.
What is the par and length of the Blue Monster?
The Blue Monster is a par 72 that stretches to about 7,590 yards from the championship tees. Water on most holes, large firm greens and the constant South Florida wind make it play every bit as tough as its name suggests.
Does the PGA Tour play the Blue Monster?
The Blue Monster was a long time PGA Tour venue and returns to the schedule in 2026 as host of a leading event. The course has tested professionals for decades, with its closing hole among the most respected finishes in American golf.
How much does it cost to play the Blue Monster?
Indicative 2026 green fees are broadly in the region of 560 to 715 US dollars per round in peak winter season, including a cart, with a forecaddie fee added and much lower rates in summer. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Where is Trump National Doral and what is nearby?
Trump National Doral sits in the heart of Miami, just minutes from Miami International airport and about twenty minutes from downtown and South Beach. It pairs easily with Palm Beach and Orlando on a longer Florida golf trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.