City: Albuquerque, NM

Category: Golf

Telephone: (505) 265-5636

Address: 1800 Girard SE

Description: A 9-hole course that’s won accolades from the National Golf Federation, Puerto del Sol is a par-35 course tucked into a residential area near the airport, with a lovely grassy park feel and mature trees. There are three tee positions; the course measures 3,030 yards from the back tees and 2,525 yards from the forward tees. The easy-to-walk course is a winner with beginner players and seniors, who appreciate the generous greens, wide and fairly straight fairways bordered with trees, and the mainly flat terrain. Bunkers are the only hazards; you won’t find any water features here. One of the trickiest holes is the par-4 hole 5. If you don’t get your ducks in a row approaching the sharp dogleg with out of bounds on either side, you’re in trouble! The longest hole, 8, is a par 5 at 478 yards. Of the two rolling fairways, the sloping hole 6 with bunkers poses a challenge. Due to the close proximity to the airport, players must allow landing aircraft to pass before teeing off at holes 1 and 9. This is the city’s only golf course with a lighted driving range; the 80-tee range is open from Memorial Day to mid-September. There is also a putting green and chipping green, a pro shop, electric cart rentals, and a snack bar. Note the bronze statue by Reynaldo Rivera near the clubhouse. The statue portrays the late Jack Hardwick, a highly acclaimed teacher and head golf professional at the Puerto del Sol course from 1978 to 1994. There are no reservations for tee times at this course; play is purely on a first-come, first-served basis, but waits are typically brief.