I played Santa Ana a couple of weeks ago and it was in very good condition. The greens were rolling pretty true and were pretty smooth with minimal ball marks. I played the Cheena & Tamaya nines (the other nine is the Star). Most people say these are the 2 better nines but some would disagree. This course takes a lot of strategy as you can hit a great shot and go thru the dog leg or mi sh-t by a few yards and end up a bunker or the desert. I like it because you have to pay attention and play to your misses. The bar is a treat as it has window that is about 5 feet high by 20 feet wide offering a great view of the Sandia Mountain range. This is the (older) sister course to Twin Warriors and has a little more of a muni feel while Twin feels a little more high end with the Hyatt Tamaya being right on site. Definitely worth playing if you are in the area.

I played Twin last week and it was in pretty good condition. I love this track as it offers a lot of challenging holes. It is also very picturesque as it winds around the high desert with beautiful views in all directions. The greens were in good shape but still a little shaggy, probably rolling around a 9 on the stimp. The fairways were thick and lush. The rough was moderate and if they let it grow this course is can be extremely tough. This course is very exposed and if the wind blows it is really tough. They have brand new carts with a high tech infotainment system, however it took a bit of work to figure it out. Once I got the hang of it, it was fun to play music when I wanted and get golf course info when I needed it. My only complaint is the bunkers are very inconsistent, some have lots of sand and some not much. Also, the sand they use often has a fair amount of rocks in it. The course overall is worth playing and probably in my top 3 in NM.

I played Sandia last week and it was in very good condition. The greens were rolling at 11+ and pretty true. The fairways were pretty consistent and grew in nicely. They got a bit of rain this week and I bet it really thickened up the grass in both fairways and rough. They redid the bunkers a year or two ago and they are really nice. I always enjoy playing this course as it is fun but can be challenging, especially from the gold tees which are ~7100+ yards. I would say Sandia is a definitely must play if you are in the area.

I played here on 3/31 and it has really greened up nicely. The greens were pretty slow but in pretty good shape considering they aerated about 2 weeks ago. It is always a fun course to play as you can, and usually need to, hit driver on all par 4s and par 5s with mostly elevated tee boxes. In fact, on the par 3 #8 hole I have had to hit driver a couple of times when it played 260+ into a head wind. The big greens, with a fair amount of undulation, can be tough especially with some tough pin placements. I really enjoy playing here, it is one of my favorites. Oh, and another thing, they have some of the best prices on shirts you will find. I just bought a Cutter Buck shirt for $36, and it wasn't even on sale!

I played PaaKo on 3/23, the second time this year. The course was in pretty good condition for NM spring. The greens rolled pretty good but were a little inconsistent as to be expected this time of year. The big news is that the course was sold recently so things are in a state of flux. No liquor can be sold until the state approves the transfer of the liquor license. The rates usually go up to peak in mid-April but at this time they don't know what that will be. One of the best things about PaaKo was that they used to offer a play 3 times for the price of 2 card, well they are not offering that anymore. Rumor has it that the new owner/s may try to make it a high end resort type course with some new facilities on property for overnight stay catering mostly to out of towners. Time will tell so play it soon!

I played Sandia on 3/24 and it was in pretty good condition for NM spring. It seems as though late March or early April is when the grass really comes to life and turns green. Sandia probably has the best bunker conditions around. They put in some good quality sand a year or two ago. Definitely worth playing.

I played PaaKo on Friday and it was in decent shape. The course is pretty brown as the grass still seems to be dormant. The greens rolled pretty well and there weren't to many ball marks as they had only been open a week. They have not watered a lot thru the winter probably due to the fact that they are close to the mountains and it is a little colder than Albuquerque, and mother nature has not been a big help in this dry NM winter we have had. PaaKo always amazes me how quick they can get the course into great shape so we'll see how it changes in the next 2-3 weeks. Typically they change to peak rate in mid-April and if conditions don't improve significantly by then it won't be worth what they charge.

I played MB on Friday and I really enjoyed the course. I have an OB Sports card because of the course I play here in NM which gave me a discount rate of ~$131 (also included a 15% discount due to recently aerated greens). The greens had been aerated about a week prior and they were a little bumpy. I would say they were not too bad considering it had been just a week and they were pretty fast. I had trouble pitching on a few holes due to pretty tight lies in the fairway. There really is only one hole that is along the ocean (#3), however, there are a few that have ocean views. I think the course is nice overall and I would recommend it.

I played UNM South (as we locals call it), and it was in very good condition. The greens have healed up nicely and are very close to perfect. The were probably rolling around a 10. They have very big greens with a bit of undulation so GIRs doesn't always mean par, one can easily 3 putt or even 4 putt here. I like this course as tee boxes are elevated and most everything is right out in front of you and you can give it a go. However, for whatever reason, it plays pretty tough. The wind came up a little and from the blues (2 boxes up from the Tips) on the #8 par 3, I had to hit driver, and I usually average about 280 off the tee. I think it played 280+ to the back pin and I was fortunate to hit a good one to about 15 feet. This course is always fun to play and it was in very good condition, and a good value at $66 with a cart for locals ($75 for non-residents). It is 5 minutes from the airport so if you are in town give it a go!

I played Twin on 3/25/17 and it was in good shape for NM spring golf. The greens rolled pretty well and were ~9 on the stimp. Rough is starting to thicken and was a little tough around 2+ inches. Fairways are coming in but still a little patchy. In NM we get a little wind and that can make for a tough course. This is one of my favorite courses in the area as it winds around the NM desert with great views and no houses ANYWHERE nearby. They have a very nice range, large putting green and 2 different short game areas, one of the better practice facilities in NM. It is !15 minutes north of ABQ and worth the drive. They have a fabulous resort there, the Hyatt Tamaya if it is in your price point. The snack bar is pretty pricey, as we say, "Home of the $11 hot dog", foot long and probably pretty good but... Overall a great facility.

So, I played on Saturday, 4/1/17. The course was in very good shape for NM spring golf. The greens rolled pretty true at about 9-10 on the stimp. The rough was ~1.5 inches and not too tough. The course itself doesn't play too long but accuracy is a must. I would say it isn't too tight but driver isn't always the right choice off the tee. There are only 3 holes where water is in play, 9 from the tee, 10 on the approach, & 18 off the tee. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. The price for locals (not sure for non-locals) is one of the best around especially since they offer a senior rate for those over 55. I think they are planning to aerate around 4/15. The grill is awesome, maybe a little on the greasy side but the green chile is some of the best and I know NM green chile pretty well. I get the breakfast sandwich on Texas toast and my buddies like the green chile cheese burger. Definitely worth playing and eating.

I played Twin a week ago and it was in very good condition. The greens have healed up well and they were rolling nicely. Twin is a great track, one of the best in the area, and I highly recommend playing there.