The best golf courses in New Mexico, USA

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club, designed by Ken Dye, is set on the east side of the Sandia Mountains at 6,500 feet elevation. This public course features 27 scenic, award-winning holes with dramatic elevation changes, panoramic vistas, and bentgrass greens. Routinely ranked as New Mexico’s top course, it offers a challenging desert mountain golf experience within a short drive from Albuquerque.

Black Mesa Golf Club, designed by Baxter Spann and opened in 2003, is a highly acclaimed public desert course north of Santa Fe. Routed through rugged sandstone ridges and valleys, it offers dramatic elevation changes and is consistently ranked among the best public layouts in America. The course rewards strong ball-striking and is known for panoramic views and quiet, natural surrounds.

Rainmakers Golf Club in Alto, designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., is carved into the high mountain terrain with arroyos and natural rock outcrops. It is repeatedly recognized as one of New Mexico's top private residential courses and offers breathtaking views of the southern Rockies and a challenging 18-hole layout for all skill levels.

Las Campanas (Sunset) is a Jack Nicklaus Signature course set amid Santa Fe’s high-desert landscape, opened in 2000. Renowned for its out-and-back routing, mountain vistas, and strategic design, this private course features bentgrass tees, fairways, and greens, and is consistently recognized among New Mexico’s top courses by Golf Digest.

Twin Warriors Golf Club is a championship Gary Panks Signature design routed through high desert landscape and sacred cultural sites in the Rio Grande Valley. Known for its strategic layout, natural beauty, and views of the Sandia Mountains, it has hosted multiple professional events and is renowned as one of New Mexico's best courses.

Las Campanas (Sunrise), designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1993, is the elder of two championship-caliber 18-hole layouts at The Club at Las Campanas. Routed through high-desert terrain with mountain vistas, the course is famed for its strategic bunkering and smooth bentgrass playing surfaces, consistently earning accolades as one of New Mexico's top private golf experiences.

Nestled in the scenic Sierra Blanca mountains, the Inn of the Mountain Gods Championship Golf Course offers a challenging Ted Robinson, Sr. design stretching 6,834 yards. Open since 1975, it features fast-breaking bentgrass greens and bluegrass fairways with an island fairway and stunning alpine views. The course is part of a premier New Mexico resort with extensive amenities and activities.

A Robert ‘Red’ Lawrence design opened in 1967, UNM’s Championship Course is one of the Southwest’s finest layouts, offering a classic parkland experience. Host to multiple NCAA Championships and PGA Tour Q-School, it combines rolling terrain, tree-lined fairways, and stunning views of Albuquerque. The course is renowned for its challenge, conditioning, and value.

Pinon Hills Golf Course, designed by Ken Dye, is one of America's best municipal courses, offering a championship-caliber layout amid high-desert scenery. The course boasts a diverse routing, dramatic elevation changes, and outstanding value. Pinon Hills regularly receives national awards and is regarded as a bucket-list play for avid public golfers seeking challenge and scenery.

Sandia Golf Club is a Scott Miller-designed championship course that opened in 2005 and is part of the Sandia Resort & Casino. Stretching up to 7,772 yards, it is the longest course in New Mexico and offers a blend of lush fairways, rugged desert surroundings, and panoramic views of the Sandia Mountains, catering to golfers of all skill levels.

Taos Country Club, designed by Jep Wille, is a high desert golf course offering 18 holes framed by panoramic mountain views. The layout integrates New Mexico's distinctive sagebrush landscape and natural arroyos for a truly memorable experience. The course is known for its gently rolling terrain, challenging arroyos, and spectacular mountain panoramas, making it one of the state's top-rated public golf courses.

Opened in 2015 and designed by Andy Staples, Rockwind Community Links in Hobbs, New Mexico, is an award-winning public facility with an 18-hole championship course inspired by the Scottish Muirfield routing. It features a 9-hole par-3 course, extensive practice areas, and scenic native desert surrounds, making it a standout municipal destination.

Red Hawk Golf Club in Las Cruces, New Mexico is a public 18-hole course designed by Ken Dye, set at the base of the Organ Mountains. The layout features a blend of links and prairie dune characteristics across 100 acres, with significant water hazards and beautiful desert vistas, offering a unique high-desert golf experience for all levels.

Cochiti Golf Club is a scenic 18-hole public course designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., situated between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Known for its tranquil atmosphere, beautiful views, and blend of challenge and playability, it features Bentgrass fairways, a diverse mix of holes, and is a consistent favorite among New Mexico golfers.

Albuquerque Country Club is New Mexico’s oldest and most prestigious private course, originally founded in 1914 and redesigned by John Van Kleek in 1928. Set in a parkland environment near the Rio Grande, the 18-hole course features tree-lined fairways, subtle elevation changes, and contoured greens. The Club is known for its ambiance, classic course feel, and full array of facilities.