Blue Monster, 2007 World Golf Championships Venue And One Of Five Championship Courses On Property At Doral Golf Resort & Spa, To Undergo A Series Of Refinements Designed To Enhance The Golf Experience At One Of The World’s Premier Golf Destinations
DORAL, Fla. (May 31, 2006) – Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort, one of the world’s premier golf destinations, today announced that renovations are underway on the famed Blue Monster Golf Course. A 2007 World Golf Championships venue, the Blue Course, which is one of five championship golf courses on property at Doral, will be closed throughout May, June, July and August, with a scheduled re-opening on September 1, 2006.
"The Blue Monster stands among the best golf courses in the world. As such, it requires constant refining to maintain playing conditions year-round, which will continually enhance the experience for amateurs, as well as the world’s best players who will compete here at the 2007 World Golf Championships-CA Championship," said Darrin Helfrick, General Manager of Golf, Doral Golf Resort & Spa.
Highlighting the refinements being made to the Blue Monster include the re-grassing of all 18 greens, as well as the practice putting green, with TifEagle Bermuda. Additionally, the Blue Monster will undergo a complete bunker renovation to all bunkers on the course.
Other improvements planned for the Blue Monster include a cart path replacement project. All of the cart paths will be replaced with new concrete to help improve overall course management. Also, special 12′ wide paths, with extra re-enforcement, will be added to a few strategic areas of the course to help in World Golf Championships tournament set-up.
Adds Helfrick, "This renovation project is designed to re-fresh the golf course, while keeping the design features unchanged. This will enhance the course on many levels, while allowing us to maintain the character and competitiveness that is the signature of the Blue Monster."
The 693-room Doral Resort, which is managed by Marriott International and is officially named the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, A Marriott Resort, joined Marriott’s first-class portfolio of 60 resorts worldwide in August of 2004. In managing the golf business operations at Doral, Marriott International enlisted its in-house golf management arm, Marriott Golf, the world’s largest resort golf management company, and the first in-house golf management team ever established by a lodging company. Currently, Marriott Golf oversees more than 150,000 rounds of golf per year on Doral’s five championship golf courses, managing more than 500 corporate and group outings per year.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with nearly 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 66 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 143,000 employees at 2005 year-end. In fiscal year 2005, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $11.6 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.
Contact:
Michele Kruchkowski / Ari Edelman
Mastro Communications, Inc.
732-469-5700
mkruchkowski@mastrocomm.com / aedelman@mastrocomm.com
