New Mexico has a wide variety of diversions for an unforgettable vacation. Canyon de Chelly and Mesa Verde offer world class hiking and fascinating archaeological sites. Albuquerque and Santa Fe offer a wild “old west” experience while seamlessly offering all the creature comforts of the modern world. To delight of travelers everywhere, the golf has also become world-class and wonderfully affordable for all budgets. In this new series, we look at the three best courses in the state - all by Master Architect Ken Dye of Finger Dye Spann in Houston, as well as some other local favorites.

Ken Dye and his marvelous Paa-ko Ridge Golf Course are now the gold standard in New Mexico, a state rapidly becoming rich in world-class hidden gems of golf. Paa-ko Ridge serenely meanders its way up, down, and around the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Blood of Christ). Every hole at Paa-ko is fantastic and the course builds to a symphonic crescendo. The finishing stretch of 14 - 18 is world class. Two radically different par threes (one 240, but open in front to a large green, the other all cary over water) sandwich a brilliant reachable but deadly par five with a green surrounded left right and BACK by water. The green runs away from the player, so if you come in hot, its ok...you get a bath! Two epic par fours finish the course like two climactic chapters in a book you could not put down.

The course is about 6,500 feet above sea level so the yardages play 10 percent shorter. The desert rule is in effect, meaning that the native areas bordering holes are played as a lateral hazard. Players can drop a ball within two club lengths to the nearest point of grass relief no nearer the hole with the one stroke penalty. Wildlife is abundant around the golf course including deer, foxes, roadrunners and rabbits. Like most desert courses, missing the fairways is penal, but the fairways at Paa-ko Ridge are a little more wide and inviting then their sister courses in Arizona. The clubhouse is a gorgeous adobe building which blends harmoniously with the environment and history of the site.

We'll get into some specifics on the holes later this week. Until then, has anyone heard from Rebel Blogger? He left for some Arizona Golf, but we haven't heard from him in days. Rebel, tell us...how is Arizona treating you?

The gorgeous par 3 16th at Paa-Ko Ridge.

PAA-KO RIDGE GOLF CLUB
1 Clubhouse Drive
Sandia Park, NM
505.281.6000
www.paakoridge.com

Architect: Ken Dye
Par - 72
EQ – 10/12
Diff. 7/12
Conditioning – Four and ½ stars
Cost - $82 peak, $45 reduced
Value – Five Stars

Tees Yards Rating Slope

Back 7562 75.2 138
Tournament 7195 73.1 134
Regulation 6707 70.8 130
Senior 6210 68.6 122
Forward 5702 71.8 134

Checkout:
http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/blogs/jay.flemma/2005/04/14/arizona_golf_new_mexico_golf_architect_k