New Mexico has over 100 golf courses to play and most are public courses with good value offers.
The desert mountain courses have outstanding vistas and the tranquility will make up for any bad day on the course.
Choosing the 10 best golf courses in New Mexico is a difficult undertaking.
This task has been eased with a collaboration with TheGrint, our favorite mobile app that helps golfers track their handicap and stats. They have collected golf course reviews from millions of real golf rounds from real golfers.
Ranking in order 1 to 10
- Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club | 1-9 / 10-18
- Sandia Golf Club
- Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort
- Cochiti Golf Course
- Championship Golf Course at University of New Mexico | Championship
- The Links at Sierra Blanca | Sierra Blanca
- Twin Warriors Golf Club
- Red Hawk Golf Club
- Sonoma Ranch Golf Course
- New Mexico State University Golf Club
1. Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club | 1-9 / 10-18
- Site Link
- Location: Sandia Park, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,912 meters off the Tips and 5,215 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tees options available.
Signature Hole – The 242-meter par 3 8th is the signature hole and whilst the mountain backdrops and the trees and bunkers surrounding the green are very impressive, this is a tough par 3 off the tips.
Play from a tee that suits your game and holds good memories.
Paa-Ko Ridge is an award-winning public course with 27 holes at the facility.
The course rolls through gentle slopes and undulating fairways that are guarded by trees throughout.
Only a few holes feature water.
The magnificent shape-variety of bunkering is a feature and can destroy a scorecard especially around the green complexes.
Beautiful smooth, fast greens await.
2. Sandia Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,941 meters off the Tips and 5,943 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 458-meter par 4 18th is the signature hole and what a finishing hole!
Plays downhill off the tee and the left side of the fairway offers plenty of role.
The approach shot is a nervy 140-150 meter shot to the green complex that has water left and over the back, and 2 bunkers on the right.
At over 7000-meters off the tips, this is the longest course in New Mexico, yet fun and enjoyable if played from the correct tees for your game.
The course winds through the rugged high desert and offers stunning views throughout.
Outside the fairway, a groomed-desert area awaits, and should the player hit the ball outside this line then he will play from the desert itself.
The good news is that both these areas are fairly open and often offer a shot to the green.
Learn to play from desert lies!
3. Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort
- Site Link
- Location: Mescalero, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,587 meters off the Tips and 5,810 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 324-meter par 4 10th is my choice of signature hole and offers risk and reward for the bold player.
It features an island fairway 155-meters off the tee and about 130-meters for the 2nd shot to the green.
The bold golfer can hit the big dog and try to carry the water to the green.
Give it horns!
This resort-course is set amongst tall pine trees with the majestic Sierra Blanca Peak overlooking the course.
It has an island fairway, double doglegs, risk and reward opportunities, and the greens are tricky and fast.
A course for the strategist, but can be enjoyed by all skill levels.
4. Cochiti Golf Course
- Site Link
- Location: Cochiti Lake, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,231 meters off the Tips and 5,339 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The picturesque 165-meter par 3 4th is the signature hole.
Club selection is vital to hit the difficult green and take a 2-putt par.
This public course lies in the foothills of the Jemez Mountains and is a destination to “get away from the noise”.
It is a good and challenging layout that can be fun for all skill levels.
Rolling, wide fairways that are protected by trees and bunkers, offer incredible views of the landscape.
Water is featured prominently and fits the design perfectly, whilst adding excitement to the challenge.
5. Championship Golf Course at University of New Mexico | Championship
- Site Link
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,912 meters off the Tips and 5,513 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
5 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 256-meter off the tips monster par 3 8th is the signature hole.
It plays uphill to the green complex that requires skill to read the subtle breaks on the green.
Make 3 and run!
This public course is constantly highly rated in New Mexico.
The long undulating fairways that offer slopes both left and right, require precision to hit the green complexes in regulation.
Hazards abound and the water, sand traps, sagebrush, and loose desert sand, will test all skill levels.
6. The Links at Sierra Blanca | Sierra Blanca
- Site Link
- Location: Ruidoso, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,176 meters off the Tips and 5,357 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The short 110-meter par 3 8th is my choice of signature hole.
Although short in distance, the hole plays over water.
To hit the green requires a perfect tee shot or a wet ball!
The links course was developed on land that previously was an airport.
The mounding is terrific and a feature.
The layout meanders through tree-lined fairways and a creek that cuts across the course on the back 9.
The tall trees surround some green complexes and ensure that the approach is played from the fairway.
The doglegs require accuracy off the tee,
7. Twin Warriors Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Bernalillo, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,071 meters off the Tips and 5,928 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – Twin Warriors course has 5 par 3s and all of them are signature holes.
From having to play delicately over the water tee shots, to avoiding dry washes and factoring the wind, make 3 on all and the scorecard will look good.
This high desert layout is routed around ancient cultural sites and is a great test of golf and temperament.
Bring the A-game and enjoy the elevated tees and greens, large fairway bunkers, dry washes, and mounds.
Trees and spectacular vistas of the Sandia Mountains complete what should be a round to remember.
8. Red Hawk Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,559 meters off the Tips and 5,768 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The long par 3 3rd hole is my choice of signature hole.
Not all golfers enjoy a short hole of 221-meters, but this fits in well on the layout.
A small run-up area to the green sits on the right, but water lurks for the pushed shot.
A links-type feel will greet the player on the 1st tee and the layout gives notice of the challenge ahead from the get-go on this high desert landscape.
Gentle rolling terrain and 8 of the holes play around 5 small lakes.
The open nature of the course lends itself to the wind which can play 4 to 5 clubs longer at times.
9. Sonoma Ranch Golf Course
- Site Link
- Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,424 meters off the Tips and 5,565 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 533-meter par 5 18th is the signature hole and a great hole to finish the round.
It is long, with a blind drive that is followed by a daunting 2nd.
Risk and reward are on offer for the bold player who attacks this green for 2.
Beware the hidden lake on the left which will also test the conservative play when approaching the green.
WOW!
A course and setting to be enjoyed by all skill levels.
For the accomplished golfer playing from the tips requires accuracy off the tee and precision on approach shots.
The rolling fairways are generous and the multiple sand traps and water hazards increase the challenge.
Sonoma Ranch is well known for its difficult undulating greens and stunning mountain backdrops.
For the mid-to-high handicap play from the forward tees to enhance the enjoyment this track offers.
10. New Mexico State University Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,607 meters off the Tips and 4,856 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
7 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 146-meter par 3 6th is the signature hole and plays downhill to a green protected by a pond that wraps around the green and 2 green-side bunkers.
Pull the right club!
The public course is highly rated and is amongst the top College courses in the USA.
The course differs from the mainly desert-style courses in the region and is more a parkland-style with tall trees framing the fairways.
Uphill and downhill holes, OB, ponds, and desert sand await the misdirected shots.
Enjoy this challenging layout.
Other Courses Outside the Top 10
1. Arroyo Del Osa Golf Course | Championship
- Site Link
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
PLAYER RATING
Set in Bear Canyon Arroyo, it features 3 water holes, large greens, and rolling fairways using the natural topography.
The facility has added an additional 9 holes named “The Dam”, with a 36 par rating.
2. University of New Mexico North Course | UNM
- Site Link
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
PLAYER RATING
The first course in the USA to break the 6399-meter(7000 yds) barrier.
It now plays as a 9- hole track which incorporates the initial front 9 layout.
The course is used for other sporting events and the area is known as “Albuquerque Central Park”.
3. Desert Greens Golf Course
- Site Link
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico.
PLAYER RATING
This public parkland golf course situated on the westside of Albuquerque, with rolling hills and stunning views of the Sandia Mountains, is a great place to play.
Final Thoughts
If desert mountain-style golf designs are your favorite courses to play, then New Mexico has got them in numbers.
Not all the courses follow this trend and there are sufficient alternatives to make your trip worthwhile.
The scenery will blow you away and the state is known as the “Land of Enchantment”.
Related Articles
Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
