The Blue Monster Course at Doral Golf Resort - Miami

After years of watching the PGA big boys play the Blue Monster on TV, you'll hit the tee thinking those big-boy thoughts, ready to swing like there's no tomorrow. Don't. Taming the pride of Miami golf is more about playing smart than playing long.

Forget flexing your biceps off the tee; save them for muscling long irons out of the thick rough that'll swallow shots that go only a few feet wayward. If you miss the green, you're facing a tricky chip out of the nasty stuff. Your ball settles in and sinks to the bottom like quicksand. Then there's the wind, which comes swirling in off the Atlantic and can make for a three- or even four-club difference.

Doral Golf Resort & Spa recently gave the Blue Monster a $1.5 million renovation, redoing all the bunkers and regrassing the greens. As of late 2006 they were in excellent condition, though still very firm, which will play a big part in the March 2007 WGC-CA Championship here.