Texas Outside’s Reviews and Ratings of New Mexico’s Best Golf Courses | Texas Outside 2019
New Mexico Golf Course Reviews & Ratings
Angel Fire Resort Golf Course
Angel Fire
Texas Outside Review – Rated 8.8
Angel Fire Resort Golf Course is at an altitude of 8700′ so one would think that you can hit the ball higher and farther and take you game to new heights – not the case for me. But I did have a lot of fun on this very scenic course with jaw dropping views from every hole, excellent conditions, some fun holes, and two nines that are very different from each other. A must play if you’re in the area!
Black Mesa Golf Club
La Mesilla (near Santa Fe)
Texas Outside Review – Rated 10 
- Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #8
- Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” – 35
th
- Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses – #44
- Golf Week’s “Top Courses in the United States” – #50
- Golf Digest’s “Best New Affordable Golf Courses” – #1
Wow, from our perspective it just doesn’t get much better – stunning scenery and vistas, excellent conditions, challenging, a blast to play, unique and unusual holes, an excellent value, and lots of variety. It’s no wonder that some of the accolades include:
A must play – add it to your bucket list. Our first perfect 10.
Championship Course At The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque
Texas Outside Review – Rated 8.9
The Championship Course at the University of New Mexico has a long history of college tournaments hosting the William H. Tucker Invitational over 34 years. Over the years many of the pros like Phil Mickelson, Tim Herron, and Tiger have played this fantastic course.
Architect Robert Lawrence utilized the naturally hilly terrain to create wide rolling, sloping fairways with many elevation changes and vistas of downtown Albuquerque. Long and tough from the tournament tees, the course offers five sets of tee markers to challenge and enhance the enjoyment of any golfer. Although not a true desert course, the holes meander through desert-like terrain that serves as home to a variety of wildlife including rabbits, roadrunners, coyotes, owls and hawks.
Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #8
Cochiti Golf Club
Cochiti Lake
Texas Outside Review – Rated 8.8
Who would think that in the middle of a dry desert thanks to a three year drought in New Mexico, you would find a lush green golfing oasis? Cochiti Golf Club is that oasis and it’s in great condition with a little bit of everything – good scenery, water holes, elevation changes, dog legs, forced carries, risk reward opportunities, and some memorable holes. Robert Trent Jones Jr did a fantastic job of carving an excellent layout out of some rugged desert terrain.
Inn of the Mountain Gods Golf Course
Mescalero
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9.1
Wow, the Inn of the Mountain Gods Golf Course has it all – scenic beauty with towering pines, holes with mountains as the backdrop, a beautiful mountain lake that comes into play on several holes, dramatic elevation changes, challenging greens, and near perfect conditions.
Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #10
Isleta Eagle Golf Club
Albuquerque
Review of the Arroyo Nine – Rated 9.3
Review of the Lakes Nine – Rated 8.8
Review of the Mesa Nine – Rated 9.0 
Isleta Eagle Golf Club is home to 3 nines that should fit the preferences of every golfer. You’ll find a little bit of everything when you play Isleta – elevation changes, great views of the Rio Grande Bosque, water, bunkers, thick roughs, rolling contoured fairways, and challenging greens. And all of that includes very good conditions and one of the most affordable rates in town.
Each nine has it’s own unique personality and characteristics: the Arroyo Nine was our favorite with 6 outstanding holes; the Lakes Nine has water on several holes; and the Mesa Nine has plenty of forced carries.
A four star Golf Digest rated course. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, across the street, has some good stay and play packages that can save you some money.
Li’l Rock at Rockwind Community Links
Hobbs
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9
Li’l Rock is a 9 hole par 3 course that is part of Rockwind Community Links. This course is designed for play for all levels of golfers with an emphasis on family, kids, and beginning golfers. It’s also a perfect course to practice your short game and chipping shots. Part of what makes this 9 fun and great for practice is that there are no designated tee boxes (tee it up where you want to practice the shot or where you feel comfortable hitting from), it has some hazards, dog legs, and a slightly elevated tee box. The conditions are perfect and rate is close to free.
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe
Santa Fe
Texas Outside Review – Rated 8.7
Owned and operated by the City of Santa Fe, Marty Sanchez was a very pleasant surprise – excellent condition, outstanding greens, very reasonable rates, scenic with the surrounding mountains, friendly service, and some very fun holes.
Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club
Albuquerque
Review of the 1st to 9th Nine – Rated 9.8
Review of 10th to 18th Nine – Rated 10
Review of 19th to 27th Nine – Rated 9.8 
Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Course has to be what’s it like to play in Golfer’s Heaven! 27 holes that are in near perfect condition plus beautiful scenic vistas, demanding but fair, a blast to play, first class service and facilities, and unique and memorable holes – all at a reasonable price. Paa-Ko Ridge is situated on the east side of the Sandia Mountains, at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 7,000 feet, and as such it plays up and down the foothills through ponderosa, pinon, and juniper plus some huge beautiful homes on one of the nines. The layout of the course features landing areas and greens separated by arroyos, native vegetation, and rock outcroppings; lots of elevation changes; blind shots; intimidating forced carries; treacherous bunkers; and challenging green complexes. No wonder we rated one nine a perfect 10 and Golf Digest rates it #20 in “Americans Greatest Courses” and Golfweek Golfweek’s rated it #1 “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019
Pinon Hills Golf Course
Farmington
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9.3 
Pinon Hills Golf Course is a Ken Dye designed desert course that leverages the natural terrain of rolling hills, natural area, arroyos, mesas, and more. You’ll encounter forced carries, elevation changes, rolling and contoured fairways, huge bunkers, and very challenging green complexes. Ranked by both Golfweek and Golf Digest as a top rated course in New Mexico and as one of the best Municipal Courses in the US, this is an affordable, demanding, and fun course – a must play!
Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #3
Rainmakers Golf Club
Alto
Texas Outside Review – 9.7
Wow, Wow, Wow and that was only the first three holes we played plus the upscale clubhouse facilities and excellent service on this exclusive private golf club just outside of Ruidoso. The front nine is close to a perfect 10 – fun, challenging, scenic, and an excellent layout! The back is equally good and a tad easier giving you an opportunity to score.
Red Hawk Golf Course
Las Cruces
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9.3
Rated #10 by Golf Digest as one of the Best in New Mexico, Red Hawk was chiseled out the desert and turned into a fantastic 18 hole golf course with some fun holes, excellent conditions, huge treacherous bunkers, wide sweeping fairways, and great rates – a another must play if you’re around La Cruces.
Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #4
Rockwind Community Links
Hobbs
Texas Outside Review – 9.1
Recognized by Golfweek as the #2 “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019, Rockwind Community Links is an excellent course that you need to play several times to start to master where to place the ball. Designed by Andy Staples and owned and operated by the City of Hobbs, Rockwind Community Links is designed for play for scratch or beginner golfers as well as families and kids – thanks to 5 tee boxes and yardages ranging from 7100 to 4100 yards. Conditions are excellent, the greens are challenging, and the rates are very reasonable for such a quality golf course.
Some of the other accolades for Rockwind Community Links include: #7 on Golf Digest’s 2018 and 2017 Best in State Courses; Golf Digest’s Top Ten New Courses in North America; and Golf Inc.’s list of the Top 5 New Golf Developments in the World.
Sandia Golf Club
Albuquerque
Texas Outside Review – Rated 8.9
Sandia Golf Club is the most upscale, meticulously maintained, and enjoyable courses to play on the Santa Fe Golf Trail and it is well deserving of it’s stable of awards and accolades, some of which include: Golf Digest’s “Best Places To Play” and GolfWeek’s “Top 100 Golf Resorts.”
The fairways are lush and plush, the bent grass greens are perfect, the bunkers are some of the best we had to get out of on the Santa Fe Trail, and the rates are a steal. Sandia Golf Club is a resort course that is fair but demanding with illusions, lots of downhill and uphill shots, some excellent risk reward opportunities, plenty of forced carries, and challenging greens plus water, arroyos, waste areas, and steep and deep bunkers – all of which can add a few strokes to your round.
Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #6
Santa Ana Golf Club
Santa Ana Pueblo
Review of the Star Course – Rated 8.5
Review of the Cheena Course – Rated 9.3
Review of the Tamaya Course – Rated 8.8
Located north of Albuquerque and woven through the desert along the Rio Grande, Santa Ana Golf Club is surrounded by the grandeur of the Jemez Mountains to the west, the Sangre de Cristos to the north, and the Sandia Mountains immediately east. From every hole you’ll have a spectacular view of the 10,000-foot Sandia Peak. Native grasses, subtle mounding, and eight crystal-blue lakes will come into play during your round.
Each of the three nines at Santa Ana Golf Club is just a little different from the other nine – the Star Course has some fun holes in particular the Star 5th hole; Cheena was our favorite thanks to four great finishing holes that are fun, interesting, and demanding; and Tamaya is probably the easiest, prettiest, and most traditional of the nines.
The Links at Sierra Blanca
Ruidoso
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9.0
Surrounded by the Sierra Blanca Mountains, the Links at Sierra Blanca is a true Scottish links style layout on the front nine – wide sweeping and contoured fairways framed by towering berms on both sides. The back nine is more of a mountain links style layout with elevation changes plus towering pine trees and berm lined fairways.
The Lodge Resort Golf Course
Cloudcroft
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9.1
This nine hole course was built in 1899, just 12 years after golf was introduced in the United States. The Lodge Resort Golf Course is a true mountain course with dramatic downhill and uphill shots (elevation changes of over 150 feet), tight twisting tree lined fairways, and cool crisp mountain air. Plus elk and deer grazing on the perfect fairways early evenings.
Towa Golf Club
Pojoaque Pueblo
Website
Review of the Boulder Course – Rated 9.0
Review of the Pinon Course – Rated 8.7
Review of the Valley Course – Rated 8.8
Located in the dramatic scenery of Northern New Mexico’s Pojoaque Valley (near Santa Fe), Towa’s three nine-hole courses will challenge you with dramatic elevation changes, forced carries, blind shots, and scenery of such extraordinary beauty it threatens to distract the most focused golfer.
Each of the nines is unique with it’s own personality and characteristics:
- Boulder is fantastic as it plays through some unusual and fascinating boulder formations and New Mexico’s only island green
- Pinon is requires some good course management skills
- Valley is the shortest but requires accuracy and some target golf
Twin Warriors
Santa Ana Pueblo
Texas Outside Review – Rated 9.3 
Twin Warriors Golf Club is eighteen holes of high desert, championship golf routed in and around 20 ancient cultural sites of previous Native American habitation and activity. The course has beautiful grassy knolls and ridges dotted with Juniper and Pinon Pine. Treacherous dry washes known as arroyos and eroded land features, along with the sacred butte known as Tuyuna or “Snakehead” complete a picture framed by spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains.
Once you take your eyes off the spectacular views you’ll face forced carries off of every tee box, elevation changes, some treacherous bunkers, and some very fun and unique holes plus excellent conditions and a very good value.
Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play in New Mexico” in 2019 – #7