Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course Review
Painted Dunes
We played our second round in El Paso at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course. Painted Dunes is located just north of El Paso off highway 54. While they have 27 holes of golf, we only played 18 of them. Each 9 is named after a direction, North, East, and West. We were told East/West was the mist challenging and the obliged to let us play them.
Check in was straight forward and the couple workers in the pro shop were very nice. Painted Dunes does have a pretty nice range and a small chipping green to warm up, as well as a decent sized putting green. Since we had already played that morning at Butterfield Trail Golf Club, we decided to skip the range and go straight to the first tee box. Painted dunes is a typical desert course, with nice rolling fairways. While not in great condition, the fairways were good with the greens being in better shape. The green rolled pretty good and overall, Painted Dunes is a good value. There is also plenty of water on the course.
Before I go into the review, I have to tell you a quick story of one of the craziest things I have seen on a golf course. I have seen some pretty inebriated golfers in the past but this day took the cake. As played hole one, we didn’t see anyone in sight, but then found a wedge on hole 2. By hole 3 we were waiting on a two-some in front of us. They swung back and before they could ask I gave them back their wedge. The driver over the cart could barely talk.
We both hoped they would allow us to play through. As we finished hole 3, they were still on the tee box. Yes, after we hit our approaches and finished the hole they had not made it off the tee box. Luckily, by the end of hole 4 a marshal came by. If you have read my top 5 pet peeves, you know that I’m not a big fan of marshals. For once, they actually did their job and told them they needed to either pick up the pace or let us play through. They decided to pick up on hole 4 and move to hole 5.
By the tee box of hole 6 we were again waiting on them. This is when one of the strangest and craziest things happened. As we were waiting on them to hit their approach and they drove off, they started to drive through the middle of the desert. We were sure were they were going but they ended up coming back onto the course.
They then went up on the green, and made a turn, almost as if they were about to do donuts on the green but ended up driving off. They then drove through the desert to the next tee box and drove up and down the next tee box, getting stuck on the way down. As they got out of the cart we proceeded to hit our tee shots and call the pro shop. When a worker came, he was told someone needed a cart. Obviously there was a miscommunication, and we let him in on what happened. Luckily, that was the last we saw of them. One of the craziest things I have seen on the golf course.
Front 9 (west)
Now, back to the review! We started on West at Painted Dunes, which begins with a nice little par 5. Make sure to avoid the bunkers on your tee shot. This is not a hole to go for it in two in my opinion. The green is fairly small, with water on the left and not much room behind or right. I good lay up to a number you want into the green is the play. Hole 2 is a nice par 3, with water short left. There is plenty of room to miss so take dead aim.
Hole 3 is a straight forward par 4. There isn’t any trouble near the green so hit the fairway and take dead aim.
Hole 4 is another par 4 the bends slightly to the right, so avoid going left off the tee. Take note to where the pin is as this green has some undulation. It has two levels on each side and a low area between them. Make sure you aren’t on the opposite side of the green of the pin, or you will find yourself in three putt heaven.
Hole 5 is a shorter par 4, and driver isn’t needed off the tee, although there is plenty of room to hit one. There is a large bunker short right and another small bunker in the front. The miss is left here as there isn’t too much room long.
Hole 6 is a long par 4 that will need a good tee shot. The hole turns a little left, but the corner is a bit too far to try to cut it. There isn’t much trouble here other then long, so take aim and be short if anything.
Hole 7 is the longest par 3 on this set up, but there is plenty of room around the green to miss. Just avoid the small bunker just behind the right hand side of the green. Anything off the hill just long will bounce down and to the left onto the green.
Hole 8 is a shorter dog leg left par 4. Driver isn’t necessary, but if you decide to you will need to cut the corner a bit as you will run out of fairway quick. A hybrid or long iron here will do the trick off the tee. Avoid the bunkers deep left of the green and try to avoid to the right as well, as it slopes off quickly from the green. This is one of the few greens you need to hit, as it’s one of the tougher up and downs unless you leave it short or short left.
You finish the west course just as you started it with a par 5. This one is shorter than the first hole but the fairway narrows for the long drivers. This is another one that I preferred to lay up to a certain number as there is plenty of trouble near the green. Lay up towards the bunker on the right, just be short of it. If you decide to go for it in two, a little long is better than a little short.
Back 9 (east)
As you make the turn to the east course at Painted Dunes, you will pass by the clubhouse. The east course starts with a short par 4. Driver isn’t needed here so put it away. The smart play is to hit something just left of the fairway sand trap. This will leave a longer approach but you will have a flat lie. Avoid going short right with your approach. Just a bit long left or deep right behind the green are your misses.
Hole 2 is a longer par 3, but has a good size green. If anything, be short for the easiest up and down.
Hole 3 is the shortest par 5, and the most can have a shot at the green in two here. The hole bends slightly left so if you want a shot at the green keep it down the right hand side. Whether it is your approach or going for it in two, long is better than either of the bunker short left or short right. A little short is OK as well.
Hole 4 is another short par 4 that turns a bit right. Very similar to the first hole. Be short of the large hills to have yourself a flat lie into the green. Long left and long right are your misses into the green. Avoid the bunker short right at all costs.
Hole 5 is a long par 4 and a good drive is needed. There isn’t anything guarding this green so take dead aim.
Hole 6 is a another shorter par 5 that the driver isn’t needed. Keep it down the right hand-side to have a straight in approach. Just avoid the bunker to the left of the green, as anything to the right is a much easier up and down.
Hole 7 is the longest par 5 on the course. Turning a bit to the right, only the longest hitters will reach this green in two. There isn’t much trouble to make sure to hit the fairway and hit a good lay up down the left side. This will help you avoid the single bunker on the right. There is a little room around the green but get the number you want from your lay up and take dead aim.
Hole 8 is a nice shorter par 3, with water on the front and left-hand side. This may be the most important green to hit, with bunkers right and one long. Take your number you want to hit and commit, as anything else will leave you in trouble.
Hole 9, or 18 for us, is a mid-range par 4, which is a nice finishing hole. The fairway is more narrow than most so decent drive is needed and can land you with a good look at the green. Avoid the bunker deep right and short left. The left-hand side sits a but lower than the green, but not so much its a difficult up and down. Take note of the pin because the front slope away from the back. If the pin is in the back, long is better than short obviously and visa versa.
All in all, Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course has good layout of different holes that will take different strategies, one of the things that makes golf a bit more enjoyable. I will be back the next time I am in El Paso for another round!
Check out Butterfield Trail if you are in El Paso as well!
Check out our other course reviews!
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