Hero World Challenge

Albany GC

WHEN SHOULD A PUTT BE GOOD?

READ MORE

WHEN SHOULD A PUTT BE GOOD?

READ MORE
SIGN UP
Courses
Guides
SUBSCRIBE
Guides

Best in State

The best golf courses in New Mexico

By Derek Duncan and Stephen Hennessey
June 27, 2023

New Mexico is a challenging state for our panelists to cover. It's georgraphically large, the population is relatively small, courses are spread out in all corners and it receives less through traffic than most other parts of the U.S. Nevertheless, the golf at the top end is beautiful and played through a unique variety of desert and mountain ecosystems, and a nice trip along the 70-mile Santa Fe-Albuquerque corridor will put some of the state's best courses within reach.

Below you'll find our 2023-'24 ranking of the Best Golf Courses in New Mexico.

We urge you to click through to each individual course page for bonus photography, drone footage and reviews from our course panelists. Plus, you can now leave your own ratings on the courses you’ve played … to make your case why your favorite should be ranked higher. 

1. (2) The Club At Las Campanas: Sunset
Courtesy of the club/LC Lambrecht
Private
1. (2) The Club At Las Campanas: Sunset
Santa Fe, NM
4.3
2 Panelists
The Sunset course at Las Campanas is located in the high desert of Santa Fe and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding Sangre de Cristo Mountain range along with other mountain ranges in the far distance. Jack Nicklaus did an excellent job of incorporating these features into his target lines off the tees. The course presents some blind shots but overall provides ample room off the tee.
View Course
2. (1) Paako Ridge Golf Club (1st/2nd)
Evan Schiller/evanschillerphotography.com
Public
2. (1) Paako Ridge Golf Club (1st/2nd)
Sandia Park, NM
Paako Ridge, Golf Digest's Best New Affordable Public Course of 2000, is quite long from the tips and regular tees. Yes, a golf ball carries farther at its 6,500-foot elevation, but Paako also plays long because both nines work up mountain foothills for several holes before playing downhill. The 496-yard par-4 seventh is the same shape and dimensions as the 10th at Augusta National and the back tees of the par-4 17th, atop a butte, affords perhaps the best vista in New Mexico. There are very wide and deep greens here, too, so a depth chart is a must.
View Course
3. (3) The Club At Las Campanas: Sunrise
Courtesy of the club/LC Lambrecht
Private
3. (3) The Club At Las Campanas: Sunrise
Santa Fe, NM
4.8
1 Panelists
The first of two Jack Nicklaus courses at Las Campanas—his 100th course in his portfolio—was built in 1993 and set within the foothills of Santa Fe sitting at about 7,000 feet above sea level with numerous elevation changes and a good mix of uphill and downhill holes. Most tee shots provide ample room off the tee but precision into the greens, and the par 5s are particularly challenging with narrow landing areas for second shots.
View Course
4. (4) Black Mesa Golf Club
Public
4. (4) Black Mesa Golf Club
Espanola, NM
4.6
6 Panelists
Black Mesa is back in our ranking of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses for the first time since 2014. Though located not far from the town of Española, there is no development on or near the vast, high desert property. The Baxter Spann design feels worlds away, flowing through a Martian landscape of buttes, sagebrush dotted ridges and dry arroyos. If the idea of hitting shots through canyons, along bluffs and over rock outcroppings to blind targets isn’t enticing enough, the weekday green fee of $79 should be.
View Course
5. (NR) Rainmakers Resort and Club
Courtesy of the club
Private
5. (NR) Rainmakers Resort and Club
Alto, NM
3.5
1 Panelists
The Robert Trent Jones II design is set at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet, providing incredible vistas with dramatic rock outcroppings and meandering arroyos. The Audubon-certified course features much wildlife including elk, bobcats, deer and sometimes black bear.
View Course
6. (7) Pinon Hills Golf Course
Photo: Courtesy of Robert Castellino/Pinon Hills Golf Course
Public
6. (7) Pinon Hills Golf Course
Farmington, NM
4.1
5 Panelists
View Course
7. (5) Twin Warriors Golf Club
Montana Pritchard
Public
7. (5) Twin Warriors Golf Club
Bernalillo, NM
3.7
7 Panelists
Twin Warriors Golf Club, ranked among Golf Digest's best courses in New Mexico, is on the grounds of the Santa Ana Pueblo and includes 20 cultural sites, including an ancient cave dwelling on the 15th hole. Set in the high desert, the course has beautiful native features including dry washes, eroded land, and a butte that is ever present on the course.
View Course
8. (9) Sandia Golf Club
Public
8. (9) Sandia Golf Club
Albuquerque, NM
3.8
6 Panelists
View Course
9. (6) Cochiti Golf Club
Public
9. (6) Cochiti Golf Club
Cochiti Lake, NM
3.5
6 Panelists
View Course
10. (8) Rockwind Community Links
Courtesy of Rockwind Community Links
Public
10. (8) Rockwind Community Links
Hobbs, NM
View Course

• • •

Explore Golf Digest's recently relaunched Places to Play community, where you can add star ratings and reviews for all the courses you play. We've collected tens of thousands of reviews from our course-ranking panelists to deliver a premium experience, which includes experts' opinions, bonus course photography and videos, plus much more. Check it out here!

Share story

Trending Now