City: Albuquerque, NM

Category: Golf

Telephone: (505) 884-7505

Address: 7001 Osuna Road NE

Description: Intermediate and advanced golfers enjoy the varied terrain and challenges of Arroyo del Oso’s 27 holes, with expansive greens, gently rolling fairways with a hillier back nine, mature ponderosa pines, water hazards, hardpan, and sand traps. The 18-hole championship course designed by Arthur Jack Snyder opened in 1965. Oso means “bear,” and this course is likely to bring out your inner bear, as well as every golf club in your bag! It plays 6,545 yards for men, or 6,936 yards from the longest tees, for par 72. The par-73 women’s tees yardage is 6,015. There are two water hazards on the course. The signature hole is number 17, which is a long, uphill-haul par 4, stretching 405 yards from the back tee, with bunkers front, right, and left, and out of bounds on the right. Players are, however, rewarded with terrific views of the Sandias to the east. There are also a couple of long par 3s on the course, which push you over 190 yards from the back tees. Dam 9, an additional 9 holes added in 1987, is a 3,300-yard par-36 course, designed by Richard M Phelps. It zigzags across Bear Canyon Arroyo, with hilly fairways and rolling greens, and it also features two water hazards. Arroyo del Oso has a driving range, practice putting and chipping greens, a pro shop, cart rentals, and a café with indoor and covered outdoor seating. Golf lessons are available. The Dam 9 course doesn’t take tee-time reservations. For the 18-hole course, options for tee-time bookings vary by day of the week and time of year. For weekdays bookings are accepted for play between noon and 3 p.m. only, between April and November. For all other weekday hours and for the rest of the year, it’s a case of first come, first served. For weekends and holidays year-round, reservations for tee times may be made from 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning.