11 Best Golf Courses in New Mexico

New Mexico is dramatic. From its spectacular mountains with piney ridges to desert valleys dotted with silver-green sagebrush, it is something to experience. Luckily, if you are a golfer, designers here have utilized the natural beauty of the land to create venues for you to both test your skills and be awed by your surroundings. Read below about the 11 best golf courses in New Mexico and start planning for which one you will visit first.

Taos Country Club

Stunning views surround you at the Taos Country Club. Whether you are out on the 18-hole, Jep Willie designed course; at the top-notch practice facilities; or grabbing a meal at the clubhouse, your backdrop will be the western range of the Rocky Mountains and beautiful Taos Mountain. From the back tees, yardage is 7,302 with a rating slope of 73.6/129. The Taos Country Club is semi-private, both open to the public and offering membership benefits. In-season rates (May 1 to October 15) are $60-$86 and in the off-season (October 16 to April 30) rates are $50-$55. Cart rental is $20, no matter the time of year. The practice areas are excellent, with a driving range featuring five course-like target greens and a17,000 square foot putting green with a bunker to hone your sand shots. In the clubhouse you will find a full pro shop and the Terrace Bar and Grill.

The Desert Flower Hotel is less than two miles from the course, located in historic Ranchos de Taos. This boutique lodging seeks to blend art, community, culture, and comfort, offering seven uniquely designed rooms and a kitchen serving delicious breakfasts made with fresh ingredients.

Paako Ridge Golf Club

Paako Ridge Golf Club is located on the east side of the Sandia Mountains, a 20-minute drive outside of Albuquerque or an hour from Santa Fe. This multiple award-winning high desert course was designed by Ken Dye. It has 27 holes, a maximum yardage of 7,711, and a rating/slope of 76.6/149. It is open seasonally, from April 30 to October 19 in 2025.

The club has membership options and is also open to the public. The public 18-hole rate is $225 plus tax or $325 plus tax for unlimited holes for the day. Both options include unlimited use of the practice facilities, a golf cart with GPS, and complimentary bottles of water. In the clubhouse, you will find the Grill at Paako Ridge, serving American, bar, and pub fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

For accommodations, consider the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque. Here, you can unwind in the pool and hot tub surrounded by eclectic works of art.

University of New Mexico Championship Course

Located near Albuquerque's international airport, this university course is fully open to the public. Designed by Red Lawrence, it opened in 1967 and has hosted multiple NCAA Division I Championship Tourneys. Boasting a length of 7,555 from the back markers, wide undulating fairways, and desert scrub swallowing up errant shots, focus and skill is needed to put your ball on the green. The course rating/slope is 75.2/134 from the tips, however there are six tee boxes so you can tailor your round for your ability. Open all year, green fees for 18-holes range from $65-$75 if you are walking, to $85-$112 if you opt for a cart. Facilities include a driving range, two putting greens, chipping and approach green with bunker, and full-service pro shop. The clubhouse also contains the Lobo Grill, serving breakfast and lunch fare along with having a full bar.

Being right in Albuquerque, accommodations are plentiful. But, if you want a spot close to the golf course where you can unwind after a long day on the links, check out Hotel Zazz. Its heated pool, on site spa, and cool vibe makes for a great basecamp for your New Mexico adventure.

Pinon Hills Golf Course

In the Four Corners region of New Mexico, in the town of Farmington, you will find Pinon Hills Golf Course. Rated by Golfweek Magazine as one of the best municipal courses in the United States, this Ken Dye design does not disappoint. Covering 7,198 yards with a rating/slope of 73.9/139, your round will be challenging and fun. The course is also very accessible, open year-round with rates of $48-$70, depending on the day of the week and residency, and including cart fees and tax. Amenities include a pro shop, a driving range, and The Grill on the Hill, offering a full breakfast and lunch menu.

For accommodations, take advantage of the Stay and Play Package, a collaboration with Homes2 Suites by Hilton. The hotel is in the heart of Farmington, close to shopping and restaurants, and offers free breakfast, a fitness center, and an indoor pool. The Four Corners Regional Airport provides access to the area

Twin Warriors Golf Club

This Gary Panks Signature Design winds in and around twenty ancient cultural sites, between ridges, through arroyos, and has incredible views of the Sandia Mountains and the sacred butte Tuyuna or “Snakehead.” Near Santa Ana Pueblo, and with 18 holes over 7,736 yards and a rating/slope or 75.4/140, this public course is as challenging as it is spectacular. The clubhouse has a full pro shop and the Atush Grill, where you can eat in or have them pack takeaway food for your round. Green fees are $42-$66, which includes use of the driving range. Two short game practice areas and a large putting green are also available. The club is open seven days a week March through October.

Stay at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa, located just a five-minute stroll from the golf course. With multiple dining options and the Tamaya Mist Spa and Salon, it is the perfect spot to relax after a day on the links.

Sandia Golf Club

Part of the Sandia Resort and Casino in Albuquerque, this Scott Miller-designed course is the longest in New Mexico, at 7,752 yards. Set in the high desert with dramatic views of the Sandia Mountains, golfers of all skill levels are sure to enjoy the gorgeous layout. The most difficult rating/slope is 76.1/ 142. The clubhouse contains a full golf shop and full-service restaurant and grill with a large, covered dining patio providing spectacular views. The practice facilities are also impressive, with a two-tiered, all-grass driving range, 10,000 square foot putting green, and a short game area with bunkers. Green fee pricing is “dynamic” and changes daily, but in general, a round costs around $75, including shared cart rental.

The Sandia Resort and Casino will cater to your every want or need when you are done golfing for the day. With a plethora of restaurants and bars, the relaxing Green Reed Spa, and an outdoor concert amphitheater holding over 4,000 guests, you will not lack for options.

Cochiti Golf Club

This course, situated between Albuquerque and Santa Fe in the town of Cochiti Lake, is consistently ranked one of the best public courses in New Mexico. The 18-hole Robert Trent Jones design boasts 6,817 yards with a rating/slope of 71.7/121. Green fees are reasonable, costing $48-$58 without cart and $60-$70 with cart included. The clubhouse has a full pro shop and the Stone Kiva Bar and Grill, where you can grab a quick breakfast before your round or a burger and beer after the 18th hole. For practice facilities there is a putting green, chipping area, and driving range. Cochiti Golf Club is open all year.

For a unique and relaxing place to stay, try Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort. Featuring spring-fed thermal soaking pools in a tranquil environment, any aches you developed on the course will soon melt away. The resort also offers dining at the Blue Heron Restaurant, yoga, and a full-service spa.

Rockwind Community Links

Set in southeastern New Mexico, in the town of Hobbs, this 18-hole links style track was modeled after Scotland’s famous Muirfield course, home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Five sets of tees are provided, with yardage running 7,100 from the tips. The Andy Staples design favors precise shot placement to best access the undulating, bunker-protected greens. The course has a rating of 73.3 with a 130 slope. Being a municipal course, rates are reasonable at $30 for non-residents with $16 added on if you desire to ride in a cart. Facilities include a practice range and short game practice area. In the clubhouse you will find an impressive golf shop, for your equipment needs; and The Grill, where you can dine indoors, on the patio, or just grab-and-go and head to the first tee. The course is open all year.

Rockwind Community Links offers a Stay & Play promotion, where you not only receive a lodging discount, but also $31 green fees including cart. The list of participating hotels and specific discounts are found on the course’s website. Getting to Hobbs can be a challenge. It is a nearly five-hour drive from Albuquerque and almost four hours from El Paso. If you are flying, your best plan of action is coming into Midland (Texas) International Air & Space Port, which is only an hour and a half drive to Hobbs.

Sonoma Ranch Golf Course

Located in Las Cruces, this 18-hole public course was designed by Cal Olsen and features rolling fairways strewn with bunkers, water hazards, and undulating bent grass greens. Five tee boxes offer golfers of all skill levels a challenging and fun round. From the blacks the course measures 6,944 yards and has a rating/slope of 73.6/144. Rates are $30-$55 for 18-holes and $20 cart rental. For practice facilities the club has a full 350-yard driving range, chipping area, and putting green. In the clubhouse you will find a pro shop and the popular Sunset Grill. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a full bar, and sixteen draft beers on tap, you will not have to worry about where to satisfy your after-round hunger and thirst. The course is open year-round, but being in southern New Mexico, summers can be quite hot, so plan accordingly.

Stay at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, where you can soak in the outdoor pool and hot tub, hit the fitness center, or partake in yoga on the lawn and get those muscles loosened up for your next round of golf.

Inn of the Mountain Gods Championship Golf Course

Part of the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino, this golf course’s layout lives up to its dramatic name. The Ted Robinson design runs though pine forests and around Mescalero Lake, all under the watchful gaze of 11,981-foot Sierra Blanca Peak. The signature hole has to be par four number 10, featuring a floating fairway in Mescalero Lake, which is about a 180-yard carry, or try and reach the green in one, at 280 yards. Fortunately the clubhouse has a full pro shop so you can stock up on extra balls. Yardage is 7,212 from the back tees and the rating/slope is 72.6/132. For practice facilities the course offers a putting green, pitching green, and driving range. Pricing is dynamic, so can vary depending on a multitude of factors, but plan on the rate being in the $85-$135 range. Golfing is available year-round (weather permitting).

The resort hotel has many amenities for you to enjoy while you are not golfing. Sample the many bars and restaurants, try your luck in the casino, or rejuvenate at the full-service spa. If you would rather keep your activities outside, there is fishing, horseback riding, ziplining, and many other options available. To get to the resort it is about a three-hour drive from Albuquerque, two hours from El Paso, or one hour from the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport.

Black Mesa Golf Club

Intertwined amongst the arroyos, ridgelines, and desert valleys, 30 minutes north of Santa Fe in the Espanola Valley, Black Mesa Golf Club will awaken your senses with its natural wonder. The 18-hole course was designed by Baxter Spann, covering 7,307 yards with a rating/slope of 141/73.9 from the tips. Green fees for this public course are $60-$80 depending on the day. At the clubhouse you will find a full pro shop and the facilities include a driving range, two putting greens and a short game practice area. The course is open year-round, weather permitting.

Black Mesa Golf Club is part of the Santa Claran Casino Resort, offering 122 rooms and multiple options for food and drink. It is a great jumping off point to explore northern New Mexico.

The 11 best golf courses in New Mexico offer a wonderful opportunity to experience the unique natural beauty of the region. With stunning layouts, first-rate facilities, and temperate weather, it is easy to see why New Mexico holds a special place in golfers’ hearts. The adage that “golf is a good walk spoiled” does not seem to hold true here, even as you watch your ball slice over a copse of desert willow towards the snowcapped mountain range in the distance, you will still be smiling.