FrazeThatPays

Talon is a pretty course that is also very conveniently located just north of the 101. It is a little pricey at $85 per person in June. In good shape mostly with one exception and a little soggy in most of the low spots. The back 9 is much more memorable than the front with driveable par 4 13th and the island green 17th standing out. Not overly long but the greens are tricky. Staff wasn't particularly friendly but it might have been the 107 degree heat. Clubhouse, restaurants, practice facilities, & clubhouse are all top notch. Would play here again but not at in season prices.

To say this course is scenic is an understatement. It is absolutely breathtaking. The course layout is very interesting and challenging with lots of dramatic elevation changes and strategically placed hazards so you shouldn't always hit driver. Greens were in good shape despite lack of recent rain. Hit it into the vineyards and you typically can still play, but you'll be hitting down the rows and dodging bees/wasps in warm weather. Walking this course would be a workout, especially the "Lombard Street" cart path between the 9th and 10th holes. It is a bit pricey but this is Wine Country in NoCal - nothing is cheap here.

Course is a fairly simple and relatively short layout. Lots of room off the tees, especially on the par 5’s. Quiet setting with about half the holes bordered by housing and half without. Greens were in good shape but the rest of the course was very wet, several fairways were mushy and every bunker was filled with water. Rough had been cut a few days ago but clippings left out and the grass underneath was turning yellow. Wet conditions on fairways and tee boxes are not the courses fault, but the condition of the bunkers and the left grass clippings reflect poor grounds keeping. We did have a weird exchange with a resident on the 14th fairway. He yelled at us from his back porch trying to sell us 2 hour blackjack lessons for $200 & I got the impression he was doing that to everybody. It was really strange. Clubhouse staff barely cracked a smile and we never saw a ranger once during our round. Maybe all these issues are because it’s summer and off season, but they could tighten thing up to improve things a bita round, maybe that’s all you get.

This isn’t the most picturesque course but it is a goodbye value and very playable. No real signature hole(s) but the course was in good condition. It does drain well, it poured last night and all the greens were firm and there were only a few spots of standing water. Greens were slow, sand was still a little wet, and the bermuda rough was up due to all the rain, putting a premium on hitting fairways and greens. The fairways are wide and greens mostly big so this is a good course for high handicappers, assuming you pick the right tees. As several reviewers have said, many of the tee boxes could use some work to level them, or at least set the tees on more level areas. If there is one real gripe, that would be it. The price was right and pace of play was right on at 4 hrs. Will play again for sure.

Nice layout and the property has cool history. I don’t know what the deal is with their bunkers, but about a third of them have clay dirt in the instead of sand. On the 2n, a par 3, the front pot bunker was filled with this dirt but the left bunker had more traditional white sand. I was in a few of these bunkers and didn’t need like them at all, but my real grips is the 2 types of sand across the course. I’ve never seen that before & hope they are in the middle of a renovation. It was almost impossible to play any type of greenside bunker shot out of the clay dirt bunkers. In addition, several of the tee boxes were packed so firm that we couldn’t get a tee in the ground. It visually resembles a links course with mounding and tall grasses. GPS on the carts, unlimited range balls, decent rates, and a friendly staff are plusses. The grille/restaurant on site is a Ruth’s Chris steakhouse, which is a little pricey, IMO. Not sure I’d come back with all the choices available on the MD/DE shore.

This is a 5 Star course all the way. Stunningly beautiful especially on 18 facing the clubhouse, fantastic conditions, fun & challenging layout (i.e.-island fairway, peninsula green par 3), clubhouse and grille are incredible, range & pro shop are full service. This one is a ‘must play’ course.

Great course layout, 6 tees to choose from, greens were lightning fast, fairways pristine, rough was deep due to recent rains, bunker sand was perfect consistency. There were a few things missing that I expect from a course charging this much. Firstly, there is no GPS on the carts. This helps speed play by not having to mess with an app on your phone or shoot distances with a range finder. Secondly, they do not offer unlimited range balls but instead give you a bag of 20. That’s just not enough to warm up with, IMO. They also don’t need offer senior discounts and their junior rates are 15 & under.
For a Nicklaus designed course charging >$100 a round, these 2 things are why I knocked it down a star.

This is a tough course in an absolutely amazing setting. The views and wildlife are spectacular, especially on the back 9. The course is in great condition and is a tough test. It has a good mix of gettable holes and longer brutes but 30 MPH winds with gusts to 40 MPH when I played made this much more difficult than normal. Lines off several tees are tough to gauge and there are a few blind landing areas to watch out for. Full price rates to the public are a little expensive so get a deal and make the drive. It is on the far wet side of the Vally of the Sun but absolutely worth the drive. This one is on my list of must play courses in Phoenix.

This course is situated in the McDowell mountain foothills with beautiful views to the west across the Phoenix valley. Got a $5 discount for my son who is 16 and free warm up range balls which was a nice surprise based off of prior reviews here. Teed off right on time and finished on pace in 4 hrs 15 minutes. Saw rangers 3 times and they seemed to be keeping play moving. The course was in good but not great shape - greens were very firm, fairways in decent shape but maybe a little ragged on the edges, there were a few muddy spots, and the sand in the bunkers was thin and not quite the best. The course is tight in some spots and sits side hill with several holes featuring severe doglegs that can be tough to find the lines off the tee the first time you play. Expect a few pin placements where you’ll have little to no chance of getting close due to the severity of the slopes on some greens. It isn’t particularly long with several drivable par 4’s and manageable par 3’s. Cart and bag drop staff was efficient but not overly friendly. It was an absolutely beautiful March day in Phoenix for golf, too.

Twin Warriors is located west of Bernalillo, about 25 minutes north of Albuquerque and is part of the Hyatt Regency Tamaya property. It is an absolutely beautiful course in a fantastic setting. It is, in my opinion, one of the top courses in the Albuquerque area along with Paa-Ko, Sandia Golf Club, and UNM South.
Layout is challenging with several arroyos filling in for where you might find water elsewhere (i.e.-#10). Hit your ball in one of those & you can forget it. Out of towners beware, I've seen some pretty impressive rattlesnakes in & around the course, especially along the cliffs lining holes 15 & 16.
Practice facility is expansive with separate driving range, large putting green, & short game areas (2).
Course conditions are typically top notch, but the views of the Rio Grande River valley and Sandia Peak from some of the tee boxes (i.e.-#8) will take your breath away. When they grow the rough up for US Open qualifying, it can make the course play longer and especially brutal if you miss the fairway.
I've never found the staff to be particularly friendly compared to other courses in the area.
The on course grill is OK but the course is a short walk to the Hyatt Regency Tamaya & all of it's amenities, including bar, restaurant, & grill. Definitely head there after your round if you have the time & money.
Definitely a 'must play' course in the Albuquerque area.

Just so you know . . . I haven't tried them but they look like they are a blast.

Course is in great shape for the fall & winter season.

I've been playing Cochiti once every year or so for the past 20 years. I love this course as it is incredibly scenic, peaceful, fun, & challenging. At times on a typical day you feel like you are the only people out there. The layout, while not overly long at their elevation above sea level, offers a wide variety of holes. Short part 3's, long par 3's, driveable par 4's, long par 5's, etc.
The bar & grill is serviceable if not spectacular. No GPS on the carts and very likely you will NOT have cell service to use a GPS app. Sprinkler heads with yardages on them are hard to find so bring your range finder!
My rating for Value for the Money is due to a pet peeve - they make you pay separate for range balls. Whenever you are playing any course with greens fees over $50, I just feel like range balls to warm up should be included.
The conditions and weather were fantastic for this round, close to the best I've seen them in quite a few years. Fall is an absolutely great time for golf in central & southern NM. Pace of Play was OK (4hrs, 45min); we waited a few times on the front 9, but we were a twosome behind a threesome.
Even saw my first tarantula crossing the 14th fairway!

Plays between overseeding and start of the season. Course in the shape I expected, greens were shaggy & slow, fairways & rough were also a little long. Cart path only so pace reflected that. Layout has some spectacular views w/ 2 very short par 3's with elevated tees on the slope of Camelback Mtn worth the price for the views alone. The short yardage of the course Ian made up for with water & bunkering in the short par 4's. I hit 4 iron off the tee a few times leaving 100 yards or less in.
Biggest gripe was the ranger. We what brief waits in every shot on the front, stopped to hit the restrooms at the turn, & then had the ranger waiting for USB on the 10th tee telling us we were behind pace. We promptly caught up on the next hole. That ticked me off. If I'd been paying peak season rates I would have given the pro shop an earful.
While I recommend it as a 'play it once while in PHX' course, I wouldn't pay peak season rates. It is worth $80 - $90 or so, IMHO.

First off, this is my home course. Just to get that out of the way.
Sandia is easily one of the best courses in Albuquerque. The course is a fun challenge in good shape with spectacular views. Even at NM's elevation above sea level, playing from the tips is brutal. There are only a few small spots on 1 or 2 greens that they struggle with but it rarely affects play. New silica sand in the bunkers makes a big difference, easier greenside but tougher from the fairway bunkers in my opinion. Reasonable rates (most juniors are free w/ paying adult and especially if you are a member of the Champion's Club), convenient location with easy access, friendly staff all around (pro shop, grill, on course), new GPS carts, excellent practice areas, and FANTASTIC food (seriously, have lunch at the grill, you won't regret it). Pace of play is typically pretty good unless you get too many out of town resort guests on the course. Highly recommended.

Sparky Special online at $44 is a steal! Course is in good condition, greens in good shape. Par 70 layout is quirky (i.e. - back to back par 3''s w/ no par 5 on the front) but very challenging. Would be brutal from the tips. A few Dye trademarks like railroad tie bordered waste bunkers & lots of mounds hiding flags. One of the best values in Phoenix where rounds $100 and up are typical.