The famed golf course is getting a new neighbor, The Blue at Doral, a resort hotel condominium

By Beverly Bidney

For passionate golfers – (are there any other kind?) – a few truths are understood. Golfers don’t really play against each other; they play against themselves. Needless to say, they also play against the course. In the case of the formidable Blue Monster, golfers will undoubtedly be intimidated, but isn’t that the fun of the game?

Anyone who has played the infamous Blue Monster, at the Doral Resort in Miami, knows it is a course with character that brings out the competitive streak in golfers at every level. From beginners to PGA Tour professionals, the course is a force to be reckoned with.

For the last 40 years, the Blue Monster has hosted the prestigious PGA Tour and is home to the 2007 World Golf Championship. It is on this course that the professionals confirm the famous advertising tagline “These Guys Are Good.” Conquering the Blue Monster is a feather in any golfer’s cap.

Now, golfers can stop dreaming about life on the Blue Monster and actually live it. Instead of enduring driving time on the roads to get to the course, owners can have more driving time on the links by living right on the golf course. The Blue at Doral, the first and only luxury resort hotel condominium to be developed along the fairways of the legendary course, is under construction. Located along the 12th and 13th fairways, The Blue will comprise 15 Old Florida style manor houses, each housing 16 elegantly appointed and fully furnished residences. Each of the 240 five-star suites will feature a veranda overlooking the Blue Monster, making it an ideal location to view the PGA golfers at work, or better phrased, at play.

“We offer the ultimate golf resort lifestyle,” said Jerry Kaufman, of Blueview Golf Villas, LLC, developers of The Blue at Doral. “Our exclusive location assures owners will get to know all five golf courses at Doral.”

Owners of the condo hotel units will receive a Blue View Sport Membership to the Doral Resort & Spa providing complimentary tennis privileges and access to Blue Lagoon water-park, special member pricing at all five signature restaurants and lounges as well as at the award-winning spa and fitness center. And, of course, all the play time they can imagine.

The Blue at Doral will also feature its own full-service clubhouse complete with fitness center and restaurant. The luxurious pool area will boast private cabanas, wireless Internet access, poolside massage and fine poolside dining. A multilingual concierge, private butler service and in-room chef are just a few of the amenities offered at The Blue.

A day for an owner of a unit at The Blue could include a morning on the links, followed by an afternoon at the spa and a dip in the pool. But as the Blue Monster is often formidable – after all, it is the granddaddy of all challenging courses – there is reason to live right on the course so one can get the most tee time as possible. In fact, some of the game’s most esteemed players have come up winners on the course, but many more have come up short. A golf course that tests a golfer’s game is a course golfers want to return to over and over again.

“The history of the blue monster is impressive. You don’t get to play on a PGA style course that often. For an amateur, it’s quite challenging,” said John Cassarino, 38, of Davie, Florida, who recently bought at The Blue after looking at vacation homes on the beach and out of state. He ultimately decided on The Blue so he could live right on the golf course and tee off first thing in the morning, without even getting into his car. The Cassarino family plans to use their unit often. “The Blue gives you a real country club feeling. I’m a golfer and The Blue seemed to fit with what we’re looking for; my wife will enjoy the spa and my children will love the Blue Lagoon water attraction.”

The course, which was designed by Dick Wilson and later restored by Raymond Floyd, features long fairways, undulating greens, a deep Bermuda rough and a daunting assortment of water hazards and sand traps. At 7,125 yards from the tournament tees, and with a series of strategically placed bunkers, both length and finesse are needed to score well on this historic course. The infamous 18th hole, with its signature fountain, has been widely photographed and is one of the most recognized finishing holes in the game.

The Blue Monster recently re-opened after an extensive four-month renovation which included refinements intended to enhance the overall golf experience on the course. Details of the “face-lift” included re-grassing all 18 greens with TifEagle Bermuda, which will provide more consistent turf conditions year-round and create firmer and faster putting conditions. Extensive landscaping, a complete bunker makeover and new golf cart pathways were also completed on the Blue Monster.

For dedicated golfers, The Blue at Doral is indeed a dream come true.

“The hotel rental program is great,” said Eric Strong, 36, of Los Angeles, CA., who bought a one-bedroom unit as a vacation home for his family. “You can enjoy the benefits of a vacation home and know there is always someone there to take care of it. You own The Blue, it is yours and you build the equity in it.”

Located nearby at the Doral Resort is the Jim McLean School of Golf, which has been called the undisputed number one golf school in the world. Recognized as one of the top three instructors in the world, McLean is committed to top-notch golf instruction. The school offers a range of golf lessons, classes and clinics including a one-on-one day with Jim himself. McLean knows a good thing when he sees one; he recently purchased a unit at The Blue himself.

“The opportunity to have a second home in Doral is ideal and convenient,” said McLean. “I can enjoy the suite myself and be next door to my golf school; offer it to friends and family who visit; or have the opportunity to enter into a rental management program to allow visitors of Doral and my golf school an additional lodging option with deluxe accommodations. So it’s a win-win situation all around.”

The Blue is located just one mile from Miami International Airport, only minutes from trendy South Beach, and elegant Coral Gables and twelve miles from downtown Miami.

“I’m looking forward to just having a place you want to keep going back to,” said Strong. “I’ve traveled all around the world but I’ll never tire of Miami.”
Prices at The Blue range from the $400,000s to $1.5 million Exclusive marketing is being handled by the Global Marketing Group. For additional information about The Blue call 305.597.8500 or visit www.bluedoralmiami.com.