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Hole No. 1
Many of the PGA TOUR players will be able to reach this wide
flat green in two shots, and get off to a hot start. The two
left fairway bunkers have been removed, and the fairway has
been widened to 26 yards, that is 4 yards wider than in 1998.
However, with the new trees planted in both the left and the
right side roughs, an errant tee shot will be punished much
worse than in years past.
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Hole No. 2
This is another good birdie hole. Numerous past winners at the
Ford Championship have taken advantage of the two relatively
easy opening holes. You will see many of the pros teeing off
with an iron here. The fairway narrows to 24 yards between the
fairway bunkers, and the right fairway bunker now has three
grass islands, a trademark of the original Dick Wilson design.
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Hole No. 3
The further the drive on No. 3 the wider the fairway becomes;
therefore, expect to see the driver come out of the bag. A miss
to the right will find the lake, while a miss to the left will
find deep Bermuda rough or the tough fairway bunker. The shot
into this green is also new. A sharp slope off the left side
of the green will bring extremely difficult recovery shots.
This is the only hole at Doral with no greenside bunkers.
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Hole No. 4
The bunker short and left of the green and the one front right
have been removed. The left bunker has been shaped into two
deep bunkers. A ball can now bounce onto the green; however,
any slight miss to the right will be water-bound. Look for No.
4 to rank as the toughest of Doral's great par 3s.
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Hole No. 5
The second bunker down the right side of the fairway has been
changed into a Dick Wilson design. There is a vastly different
scene greenside, with a tremendous amount of new shape in all
five bunkers. The drive is now in a more narrow and defined
area. The second shot goes into a beautifully bunkered green
that will set up for a birdie if you drive it long and in the
fairway.
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Hole No. 6
The hole is now slightly narrower in the long driving zone.
The second bunker on the left side of the fairway has been moved
toward the fairway, leaving about 33 yards to drive the golf
ball. This hole always plays into the wind and at 422 yards
will play much longer. The bunkers by the green have also been
reshaped. The green is long and narrow which leaves a great
area for back left corner pin placements.
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Hole No. 7
The fairway bunkers have been changed to give more room for
the average golfer to drive the ball; however, the left fairway
bunker is more intimidating for the PGA TOUR player with the
addition of a steeper lip. The main change has been around the
green. The big round circular green has been cut about one fifth
in size. The left side of the green now slopes down to the left
and into a chipping area. Most of the left-hand bunker has been
removed leaving it far away from the green. |
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Hole No. 8
Numerous palm trees have been placed over the bunker on the
right side, and will punish any bailout to the right. On the
second shot, a gigantic bunker has been reduced into a classic
Dick Wilson double bunker. You can see the difference off the
tee as you look down the beautiful eighth fairway. Many of the
players will be going for the green in two, but it will require
a long accurate drive and is usually into the winter southwest
wind.
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Hole No. 9
The ninth hole is the shortest of the part 3s at Doral, but
almost always plays into the wind or into a crossing left-to-right
wind. The high steep-faced bunker on the left-hand side has
been grassed down, giving it an entirely different look. This
green has a lot of speed to it. A player above the pin will
have a tricky putt downwind and downgrain back at the water.
It is important for the player to leave the ball under the hole
so he can make an aggressive putt and maybe walk away with a
birdie.
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Hole No. 10
The tenth hole is a 551-yard par 5, but plays shorter. This
hole usually plays downwind, especially the second shot. The
two fairway bunkers on the right make the drive tighter, and
bring the water more into play. The further the drive, the narrower
the fairway becomes. A good drive on the tenth hole is the key.
Since the hole plays downwind, the long hitters will approach
the hole with a three, four or five iron.
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Hole No. 11
Better drivers on the PGA TOUR will definitely hit their driver
here and leave just a short pitch. One of the interesting things
on No. 11 is that the front area of the green was raised, and
has a beautiful new bunker in front of the green. Any pin placement
from the middle of this green forward will be partially hidden.
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Hole No. 12
This is one of the longest par 5s on the PGA TOUR. Similar to
No. 11, the front part the green has been raised. Front pin
locations will be hidden on the third shot, leaving players
with an unsure feeling. The fairway bunkers on the right stretch
125 to 200 yards from the green. The parallel bunker on the
left has long fingers coming down, giving it a very unusual
look. Don't expect to see many players hit this green in two.
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Hole No. 13
This is the longest par 3 at Doral, and at 245 yards one of
the longest par 3s on the PGA TOUR. In front of the green are
well-defined bunkers and now a slightly wider strip to bounce
the ball into the green. This hole will require all the skill
of the best players. There will not be one player who would
not take a 3 and happily march over to the 14th tee. The toughest
pin placement on the green is back left, because the back of
the green actually slopes away from the tee.
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Hole No. 14
The look at No. 14 is totally different with changes to this
green including the removal of both the front greenside bunker
and the bunker right of the green. There are now two bunkers
on the left side of the green, while the right side of the green
slopes toward the 15th tee. The width of the tee has been dramatically
reduced.
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Hole No. 15
Probably the most difficult part of the 15th is the width of
the green. It is very narrow and with the wind usually coming
from left-to-right, it is not an easy club selection. Even some
of the finest players will occasionally come up either short
or long at this hole. No. 15 is often a critical hole coming
down the stretch of the Ford Championship.
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Hole No. 16
A wider fairway will encourage the players to drive the ball
off the tee, which will bring the bunkers and palm trees into
play more often. The bunkers around the green are a classic
Dick Wilson design. The toughest pin placement on No. 16 will
be to the right. This is a very narrow area, and the green slopes
away from the players. Any shots missed long will bound over
this green, leaving an extremely difficult pitch back to the
green.
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Hole No. 17
It is 58 yards long, which could mean a three- or four-club
difference depending on where the pin is placed. Because this
hole will generally play into the wind or into a left-to-right
wind, the hole plays considerably longer than 419 yards. Remember,
you must add on at least 15 yards if the pin is placed in the
back. The back pin placement will require a shot over a deep
and intimidating bunker guarding the left side of the green.
Classic-styled bunkers guard this green all around.
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Hole No. 18
There are trees guarding the entire right side of this hole,
and driving the ball in the right rough leads to a terrifying
shot into a long narrow green. The green is bordered by water
all the way down the left side. Many balls hit left of the green
end up in the water. It takes courage for a player to strike
the ball down this fairway and then fire at the back left-hand
Sunday pin. Both shots must negotiate wind and water. The 18th
is a tremendous hole.
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