Golf Tips 
Travel Desert West Welcome To Enchanted Golf
Travel Desert West Welcome To Enchanted Golf
Welcome To Enchanted GolfNew Mexico |
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Golf’s newest darling—as far as course developments are concerned—is the state of New Mexico. As Indian gaming continues to explode in popularity, so, too, has the new cluster of golf courses built on or near several Indian reservations throughout the aptly dubbed “Enchanted State.” Aside from casinos and hotels, there are scarce real-estate developments on these reservations (for now), thus providing the golfer with unencumbered views of spectacular desert and mountain landscapes. Course designers are chomping at the bit to work here, hoping to be selected to design future courses on what they consider to be an “open canvas” for their imagination.The way things are going, these craftsmen will soon get their chance. As a result, most layouts are true works of art, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have chops. Places such as Santa Ana Golf Club and the Championship Course at the University of New Mexico have already hosted prestigious tournaments, specifically for the Nationwide Tour and NCAA, respectively. Furthermore, the popularity of New Mexico golf isn’t limited to the reservation courses. Off-reservation venues such as Pinon Hills are attracting players from as near as Albuquerque to as far as Tokyo, Japan, eager to challenge these enchanted links. When To Go Most of New Mexico retains a summertime destination label, as cold winter months can sometimes bring a few inches of snow to the Albuquerque area. Summers are beautiful, usually in the upper 80s, and so, too, in the Four Corners/Farmington region. Fall days can go either way, so pack for the chilly temps and/or occasional warm days. How To Get There Albuquerque is your best bet for air travel—you’ll be surprised at the deals to this Southwest city. Once upon a time, the famous Route 66 swerved through New Mexico en route from Chicago to California, but today commuter travel is reserved for major interstates such as Route 25 and 40, both of which intersect in the middle of town. Best Places To Play
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When architect Baxter Spann’s Black Mesa Golf Club (located just north of Santa Fe) debuted a few years back, it immediately shot to the top of the Best Course in New Mexico lists. Each visually breathtaking hole, carved out of desert sandstone with awesome views of Black Mesa, is both a treat for the senses and a challenge to your game. If you like your courses wild, untamed and full of twists and turns, rises and falls, then Black Mesa Golf Club shouldn’t be missed. Open year-round.
Paa-Ko is an 18-hole (with nine more holes under construction) golf course designed by award-winning architect Ken Dye. The course is situated on the east side of the Sandia Mountains, at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 7,000 feet. Put it this way: It’s extraordinarily beautiful and fun to play. Open March through November. 
Accuracy is very important to playing well at Pinon Hills, requiring careful tee shots over the varying fairway terrain. Putting well also requires a deft touch, as Pinon’s greens are known for their multi-tiered challenges. Yet the best part of Pinon Hills has nothing to do with the course, rather it’s the down-to-earth green fees that hover in the $20 range. At that price, you should be happy just to play the front nine. Open year-round.
Flanked below the majestic Sierra Blanca Peak, the Ted Robinson-designed Championship Course features a dazzling array of elevation changes, an island fairway and tricky-yet-fair greens. The tall pine trees that encompass the golf present an ambience that’s both peaceful and engaging. Open year-round.
