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Update on my ongoing New Mexico golf trip

zaphod

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2007
2,160
0
Flew into Albuquerque Wedesday night 3/14 .
PAA KO (45 minutes east of ABQ) Started playing golf at Paa Ko golf course Thursday late morning. Its me and my very patient (non golfer) wife. Paa Ko was in excellent shape. The greens fast and multi-tiered and large. The fairways are in excellent shape. Narrow enough you need game but not to a point of being overly difficult. It got windy mid afrternoon. Many elevation changes and the altitude did increase my length and reduce some of the effects of side spin.Its high enough altitude (7,500 ft) that a Wisconsin boy like me can get winded walking up some of the uphills. 27 holes open witrh the new back 9 having a links feel. Very fun course at reasonable prices and very little play at this time of year.

Towa golf resort ( 9 miles south of Espanola) 27 holes of golf on a Indian reservation Casino Resort Complex. The first three holes of the open 18 were very average but the rest were spectacular. Lower altitude perhaps 5,500 feet but landscape is full of Buttes and boulders. Pinion 9 is Hale Irwin design and worth the trip. Generous greens less severe then PaaKo
but still challeging. All 4 par 3 holes are a pleasure to play as huge elevation changes with distances of 155 yds(island green) to the other three at apprx 215-230 yards each. I parred all 4 which really pumped me up.:laugh:

Black Mesa (Espanola NM) Showed up for my noon tee time at 10:30 to hit range balls. Sure glad I did as the shanks had entered my game such that I almost left after hitting a pyramid of range balls. My woods and hybrids were great but I could not hit an iron to save my life. 5 iron down to SW were are shanks left and right not 4 feet above ground. Hit 5 balls into next pyramid and discovered my right sholder was too high on backswing causing me to be steep. Hit three more 5 irons good and decided to go out. Scored a 81 from tee box one back from tips. Tips are at 7,700 yds here and scary. Very happy wth score 43 out and 38 in with those shanks in memory. This course has very hard fairways (almost impossible to take divot) and multi-tiered greens. You are routed through boulders and Buttes such that other holes are out of view and you get the feeling of isolation. Wow it was great scenery, and good for the soul.

BTW it has been near record highs (77 degrees) with low wind for this time of year. The people we have met great hosts and food good.

Will play another day at Black Mesa Sunday and then PaaKo Monday morning and fly out Monday afternnon.

Will finish review and follow with pictures.

Jeff4i----I'm jealous you live in an state with new exciting courses being built annually. New Mexico is a great site for a golf vacation.:laugh: Thanks again for your reviews
 

sssmokin

Retired and loving it
Supporting Member
Jul 2, 2006
3,213
793
Central Wisconsin
Country
United States United States
Great review. Sounds like you're getting a lot of golf in. Rain is predicted for Warbirdlover and my Kentucky trip, but we hope to get as much golf in between raindrops as we can. :)
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
Thanks for the report, Zaphod. Sounds like good golf.

Are you going to see the Grand Canyon? If you have a chance, it's really worth it. In fact, I would say that it's not to be missed.
 

JEFF4i

She lives!
Supporting Member
Jul 3, 2006
13,545
95
Hehehe, glad you're having fun, I love my state.

PM me for cell phone number if you want to play on Thursday.
 

JEFF4i

She lives!
Supporting Member
Jul 3, 2006
13,545
95
Whoah whoah whoah, I'm taken, :p

Looks like already left, I should have gotten on, except I was trying to go crazy on my Spring Break, hehehe.

Anywho, glad to hear you had a great time, hopefully will encourage more people to come out here. I love this state.
 

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