Trump Doral Blue Monster is now open for public play...

[jeffwarne]

Let's see you have your choice of courses designed by...

Gil Hanse
Greg Norman
Ray Floyd
Jim McClean

Wow, just wow.

Its McLean

And the Floyd Blue is NLE (and had been for years)
Care to elaborate?

[Greg Tallman]

Let's see you have your choice of courses designed by...

Gil Hanse
Greg Norman
Ray Floyd
Jim McLean

Wow, just wow.

Its McLean

And the Floyd Blue is NLE (and had been for years)
Care to elaborate?

THE GOLD COURSE
YARDAGE: 6609 I SLOPE /RATING 72.2/135
PGA TOUR legend Raymond Floyd recently redesigned this Doral golf course to follow a traditional Florida layout, incorporating gently contoured greens, strategic bunkering and water surrounding 16 holes. The course features narrow, tree-lined fairways and finishes with a dramatic par-4 island green on the 18th hole. This course hosted the 1999 PGA Qualifying School finals.

Elaborate? Think it speaks for itself.  

[jeffwarne]

Let's see you have your choice of courses designed by...

Gil Hanse
Greg Norman
Ray Floyd
Jim McLean

Wow, just wow.

Its McLean

And the Floyd Blue is NLE (and had been for years)
Care to elaborate?

THE GOLD COURSE
YARDAGE: 6609 I SLOPE /RATING 72.2/135
PGA TOUR legend Raymond Floyd recently redesigned this Doral golf course to follow a traditional Florida layout, incorporating gently contoured greens, strategic bunkering and water surrounding 16 holes. The course features narrow, tree-lined fairways and finishes with a dramatic par-4 island green on the 18th hole. This course hosted the 1999 PGA Qualifying School finals.

Elaborate? Think it speaks for itself.  

If the resort had 3 Hanse courses would that be ok?

[Steve Lapper]

Let's see you have your choice of courses designed by...

Gil Hanse
Greg Norman
Ray Floyd
Jim McLean

Wow, just wow.

Its McLean

And the Floyd Blue is NLE (and had been for years)
Care to elaborate?

THE GOLD COURSE
YARDAGE: 6609 I SLOPE /RATING 72.2/135
PGA TOUR legend Raymond Floyd recently redesigned this Doral golf course to follow a traditional Florida layout, incorporating gently contoured greens, strategic bunkering and water surrounding 16 holes. The course features narrow, tree-lined fairways and finishes with a dramatic par-4 island green on the 18th hole. This course hosted the 1999 PGA Qualifying School finals.

Elaborate? Think it speaks for itself. 

If the resort had 3 Hanse courses would that be ok?

I believe it will, though Jim Wagner and a certain well-known sort from our midst had a hand in assisting Gil on both the Red and the Gold.

[Jason Walker]

Let's see you have your choice of courses designed by...

Gil Hanse
Greg Norman
Ray Floyd
Jim McLean

Wow, just wow.

Its McLean

And the Floyd Blue is NLE (and had been for years)
Care to elaborate?

THE GOLD COURSE
YARDAGE: 6609 I SLOPE /RATING 72.2/135
PGA TOUR legend Raymond Floyd recently redesigned this Doral golf course to follow a traditional Florida layout, incorporating gently contoured greens, strategic bunkering and water surrounding 16 holes. The course features narrow, tree-lined fairways and finishes with a dramatic par-4 island green on the 18th hole. This course hosted the 1999 PGA Qualifying School finals.

Elaborate? Think it speaks for itself.  

If the resort had 3 Hanse courses would that be ok?

Luckily, wonky golf architecture aficionados are not the target market.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Can we stop the moronic whining about the cost per round and discuss the merits of the golf course.

I didn't hear anybody whining about the cost per round of Tom Doak's Sebonack, so why the whining about Doral ?

Oh, that's right, the Donald is involved

[Tyler Kearns]

I think #2 is awfully close to the $450 mark.

$420 (plus $55 caddie fee) as of October 2013

TK

[Howard Riefs]

High praise thus far for the updated course....


Golfweek
“Inside look at Doral's changes for players, fans”
By Brad Klein
“…they achieved what might be the hardest thing to do in golf design – a complete renovation in place, one that makes the course look totally new and upgraded, and yet one that occupies basically the same routing in place.”
http://golfweek.com/news/2014/feb/11/doral-changes-pga-tour-wgc-cadillac-championship/

Golf World
“High Marks for New Doral”
By Geoff Shackelford
“Trump National Doral is more sophisticated, interesting and even subtle, living up to Trump’s notorious hype.”
http://www.golfworldmonday.com/golfworldmonday/20140210?pg=12&pm=1&u1=texterity&linkImageSrc=/golfworldmonday/20140210/data/imgpages/tn/0012_amqokh.gif/#pg12

Golf.com
“A Meaner Monster: Donald Trump teams with architect Gil Hanse to make Doral scarier than ever”
By Joe Passov
“In all, liquid peril looms on 14 holes, up from six. Water, water, everywhere. Why so much? To modernize and toughen up a track that dates to the JFK administration. Mission accomplished. With newly sharpened teeth, this Monster is scarier than ever.”
http://blogs.golf.com/trips/2014/02/a-meaner-monster-trump-teams-with-hanse-to-make-doral-scarier-than-ever.html

Golf Channel
“Trump National Doral Blue Monster course reopening”
http://www.golfchannel.com/news/travel-insider/new-and-improved-blue-monster-trump-doral-resort/

Miami Herald
“Donald Trump raves about revamped Blue Monster golf course in Doral “
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/07/3918236/donald-trump-raves-about-revamped.html

[jeffwarne]

On Sirius XM Monday I heard Geoff S suggest the PGA Championship should be played in March during Olympic years to avoid conflict.
This would not be the first time the PGA was played in the spring.
He suggested Doral as his first choice for 2020.

[John Kavanaugh]

On Sirius XM Monday I heard Geoff S suggest the PGA Championship should be played in March during Olympic years to avoid conflict.
This would not be the first time the PGA was played in the spring.
He suggested Doral as his first choice for 2020.

Speaking of conflict.

[Patrick_Mucci]

I'd wager he drops it by at least $50-100 post WGC Tourney.

Steve,

That's a good point and proof that timing is everything.

[Patrick_Mucci]

What are the tournament dates ?

[Josh Tarble]

What are the tournament dates ?

March 6 -9 on their website.


I also wouldn't be surprised if the fee was abnormally high to limit play a little before the tournament.

[Howard Riefs]

A few more clips from Golf Channel's "Morning Drive."

"Talking change: Analyzing the renovations at Doral"
http://www.golfchannel.com/media/morning-drive-renovations-doral/

"Doral changes cater to the premium player"
http://www.golfchannel.com/media/morning-drive-dollars-and-cents-doral/

[BCowan]

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/morning-drive-dollars-and-cents-doral/

I find this hilarious.  Some of the Top 100 guest fees are $100-$150.  They talk as though $450+ green fees are championship tracks fees.  Comparing to #2 and PB is hardly the norm.  There isn't a track I would pay more than $150!  Even if i had Trumpster like Cash, out of principle.  People wonder why there is a disconnect. 

[jeffwarne]

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/morning-drive-dollars-and-cents-doral/

I find this hilarious.  Some of the Top 100 guest fees are $100-$150.  They talk as though $450+ green fees are championship tracks fees.  Comparing to #2 and PB is hardly the norm.  There isn't a track I would pay more than $150!  Even if i had Trumpster like Cash, out of principle.  People wonder why there is a disconnect.  

Bcowan,
It's not a question of what YOU would pay.
It's what someone from the northeast would pay for a tour venue where it's 80 degrees while there's 2 feet of snow on the ground where they are from.
The Doral crowd isn't flying to Orlando, driving 1 and 1/2 hours, and going out to dinner in Bartow.  (though that may sound pretty good to you and I)
Would you pay $150 to pay Pinehurst today ?(even though the rate's probably double that)-cause it's under a foot of ice and snow right now.

Doral wasn't cheap before, and the golf course is better now.
TPC Scottsdale is $300 and there are dozens of options in Scotsdale-but it's much less convenient for the NE weekend crowd.

Supply and demand
simple

[BCowan]

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/morning-drive-dollars-and-cents-doral/

I find this hilarious.  Some of the Top 100 guest fees are $100-$150.  They talk as though $450+ green fees are championship tracks fees.  Comparing to #2 and PB is hardly the norm.  There isn't a track I would pay more than $150!  Even if i had Trumpster like Cash, out of principle.  People wonder why there is a disconnect.  

Bcowan,
It's not a question of what YOU would pay.
It's what someone from the northeast would pay for a tour venue where it's 80 degrees while there's 2 feet of snow on the ground where they are from.
The Doral crowd isn't flying to Orlando, driving 1 and 1/2 hours, and going out to dinner in Bartow.  (though that may sound pretty good to you and I)
Would you pay $150 to pay Pinehurst today ?(even though the rate's probably double that)-cause it's under a foot of ice and snow right now.

Doral wasn't cheap before, and the golf course is better now.
TPC Scottsdale is $300 and there are dozens of options in Scotsdale-but it's much less convenient for the NE weekend crowd.

Supply and demand
simple

Yes, i would pay $150 for #2, that is what i payed when I played it.  I went to McLean school for lessons, no desire to play Doral.  How about the Biltmore?  I don't like S. Florida.  Flat, too much water.  Enjoy the beach and the night life!  Supply of fiat and loose demand yeah it is a little more simple than that.  Pinehurst is $225 on Thanksgiving.  West Palm Beach muni looks nice.  

[jeffwarne]

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/morning-drive-dollars-and-cents-doral/

I find this hilarious.  Some of the Top 100 guest fees are $100-$150.  They talk as though $450+ green fees are championship tracks fees.  Comparing to #2 and PB is hardly the norm.  There isn't a track I would pay more than $150!  Even if i had Trumpster like Cash, out of principle.  People wonder why there is a disconnect.  

Bcowan,
It's not a question of what YOU would pay.
It's what someone from the northeast would pay for a tour venue where it's 80 degrees while there's 2 feet of snow on the ground where they are from.
The Doral crowd isn't flying to Orlando, driving 1 and 1/2 hours, and going out to dinner in Bartow.  (though that may sound pretty good to you and I)
Would you pay $150 to pay Pinehurst today ?(even though the rate's probably double that)-cause it's under a foot of ice and snow right now.

Doral wasn't cheap before, and the golf course is better now.
TPC Scottsdale is $300 and there are dozens of options in Scotsdale-but it's much less convenient for the NE weekend crowd.

Supply and demand
simple

Yes, i would pay $150 for #2, that is what i payed when I played it.  I went to McLean school for lessons, not desire to play Doral.  How about the Biltmore?  I don't like S. Florida.  Flat, too much water.  Enjoy the beach and the night life!  Supply of fiat and loose demand yeah it is a little more simple than that.  Pinehurst is $225 on Thanksgiving.  West Palm Beach muni looks nice.  

You are missing the point-It's not Thanksgiving. It's February in a brutal winter-Pinehurst is snowed in.
Doral is packed right now
they'll spend more on dinner

[BCowan]

Oh, i get it.  We will see how long the madness lasts

[jeffwarne]

They are closing this summer I think, but no doubt in the off season the price will be lower, though they do a brisk business in the summer with the south American crowd.
I taught there for 10 years and while I agree with some of your thoughts re South Florida, people will pay for a well known course in a guaranteed good weather location-particulalry if there are other distractions available.
They are about to do a major redo on the hotel so no doubt that will go up too.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jeff,

The proximity to the international airport is an asset for foreign golfers wanting hotel, golf and probably casino access as well.

Five courses also add to the lure of balmy weather