Doral Tutors Come To You

Once a crocodile infested swamp a mile from Miami International Airport and twelve miles from downtown Miami, the city of Doral is now a thriving hub for business, commerce and culture. Recently voted the “Best City” in Florida for business startups, it is home to the headquarters of several Fortune 500 companies and government entities including Sears, Walmart, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and the Miami Herald newspaper, the second largest daily in southern Florida. Forbes.com named Doral the second-best city in America for cultural amenities, friendly business environment and highly educated workforce.

Originally the dream of a Polish immigrant, the most famous landmark in Doral is the Doral Hotel and Country Club, now the Trump National Doral Miami, having been sold to the former real estate magnate and current President of the United States in 2012. Opened in 1962, Doral Country Club occupied 2,400 acres previously inhabited by swampland. The club and hotel were the brainstorm of Doris and Alfred Kaskel, hence the name Doral, an amalgam of the couple’s first names. Kaskel immigrated from Poland in 1921 and soon became a mainstay in New York real estate circles before turning his attention to Florida. With only $49,000 he purchased the future Doral property which is now worth at least $200 million. At the time, locals dubbed the purchase “Kaskel’s folly” because the land was right on the flight path of the International Airport. Nevertheless, Kaskel built five golf courses as well as the hotel. The area soon grew with the addition of a large residential presence, Doral Estates and Doral Park, built by the Kaskel’s grandson. It wasn’t, however, until 2002 that the area finally incorporated into the city of Doral.

For 45 seasons, from 1962 to 2007, Doral hosted one of the most prestigious PGA tournaments in the nation. The list of champions from the tournament usually held in March reads like a who’s who of legendary golfers, including Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods, who won the final two renewals of the event in 2006 and 2007. In recent years, the course, known as the “Blue Monster,” has played host to the World Golf Championships, but in 2016 the PGA moved the tournament from Doral to Mexico City. The new owner lamented that it was another example of American jobs leaving for Mexico.

Along with Key Biscayne and Coral Gables, Doral is one of the most sought after suburbs of sprawling Miami. Just minutes from the airport and a short drive to the acclaimed downtown night life, Doral boasts a safe and quiet environment, excellent schools with a 94 percent high school graduation rate and a resort like atmosphere where a round of golf is not only an enjoyable pastime but also a tradition. Of course, it will cost between $250 and $450 to play the “Blue Monster” depending on time of year.