Red Hawk Golf Club Review
We played Red Hawk Golf Club located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It is a Ken Dye designed course with a desert links style feel. Check-in was a breeze and we headed to the range to warm-up. The range was plenty big and was plenty long enough. There is also a large putting green, as well as a smaller chipping green. These are both near the first hole. We played on a Sunday morning and it was fairly busy.
Pace of Play
The entire course was over-seeded and was in great condition. The only downside to the entire day was the pace of play. We played an excruciating 5 hour and 7 minute round. On the tee sheet, we were suppose to have a 3rd with us but the started allowed them to tee off earlier and we never saw them. The starter also allowed a 10:00 tee time 4-some to tee off before our 9:30 tee time. I am not sure why any starter would allow a 4-some to tee off before a 2-some but this one did.
We didn’t find this out until we complained about the pace of play to a marshal who said the group in front of us was on pace. Talk about a mishandling by the starter. In front of us was the 4-some and in front of them was a 3-some. Both were slow and no marshal ever had them pick up and move to the next hole.
When we circled around to the 7th hole, we could see that there were multiple groups on almost every hole. The worst thing about this was the marshal even told us he knew about it but did nothing to rectify the situation. This is why marshals are on my top 5 pet peeves list.
Holes 1-6
Other than the pace of play, the course was outstanding. The first hole is tees of slightly downhill and then back up hill slightly to the green. The course plays longer than most but you don’t have to hit driver on the first hole, unless maybe you are playing from the tips. Find a club that will keep you short of the left fairway bunker and aim it it. This should leave you about a 130-150 yard shot. Past the bunkers the fairway narrows greatly, which will be a theme on this course. Short left or long right are your two miss options.
Hole 2 is a longer par 4 and again the fairway narrows for longer hitters. Keep it just right of the fairway bunker on the left, anything just long right will just roll off the hill back to the left. Avoid the bunkers short right, and miss long if needed.
Hole 3 is the first and longest par 3 on the course. There is water along the right hand side of the hole, with a larger bunker short right next to the water. There is a large hill behind the green, so anything long should roll back to the green as long as you have some good golf karma.
Hole 4 is a very long par 4. Walk away from this hole with a par and be happy. Keep it in the fairway so you can have a shot at the green. Miss right or long on this one to have a chance to get up and down.
Hole 5 is the first par 5. The smart play is to make this a 3 shot hole as it plays 605 yards from the tips. Be short on the trap on the right on your first shot, then short of the trap on your second, which should leave you from 100 to 120 yards into the green. If you decide to try to go for it, miss left.
Hole 6 is the second shortest on the course, but has the most danger. Water runs all the way down the hole on the right hand-side, and 6 bunkers await you if you want to try to go long or close to the green. Aim at the far left bunker and be short to leave yourself 110-120 to the hole and away from all danger. Deep left is the only miss on this green.
Hole 7-12
Hole 7 is a beautiful par 3, with water on the left. This is a ridge that runs through the middle of the green, front left to back left in a c shape, so make sure you know where the pin is and don’t end up on the wrong side. Miss short right if anything.
Hole 8 is the second par 5 on the front, and is tough to reach in 2, but can be done. the fairway again narrows on a long tee shot so be accurate. If you lay up, lay up short of the bunker on the left. Miss long if anything on your approach into the green.
Hole 9 is a great finishing hole for the front. Keep the ball down the right hand-side as everything will want to roll left towards the water. Miss right if anything for an easier up and down.
Hole 10 starts off with a nice par 4. Keep from missing left as it drops off quite a bit. Miss long or just barely deep left.
Hole 11 is a par 5 that will leave you with a risk/reward shot if you can keep it in the fairway. Of course the smart play is to lay up short of the left bunker. If you decide to go for it in 2, just avoid the bunker on the right. On your approach, miss deep left if anything.
Hole 12 is the longest par 4 on the course. Keep it in the fairway to have a clean shot at the green. Just avoid the bunker short left and left to walk away with par.
Hole 13-18
Hole 13 is another par 3, very similar to the 7th hole. If you’re a decent bunker player, don’t be afraid of the bunker on the right side. The miss is short or right here.
Hole 14 is the shortest par 4 on the course, and can be reached with a good drive. My personal play is to hit it just right of the bunkers on the left. It plays slightly up hill so make sure you take a bit off the number you want left into the green if you aren’t pulling out the driver.
Hole 15 is the last par 5, and in my opinion the most likely and less risky to get there in 2. Hit the fairway and avoid the bunker on the right side of the fairway. The great thing about going for this green in 2 is that there is a lot of room just to the right and even long from the green. Just avoid the bunkers short and you will be fine. If you need to lay up, be short of the bunker on the right to leave yourself with 110-120 yards left. Miss right or long with your approach if necessary.
Hole 16 is a par 3 that plays slightly up hill. Miss long if necessary as the bunker short right is deeper than most, as mentioned before, the hole plays uphill.
Hole 18 is a long par 4 so a good drive is needed. Keep it right of the bunkers on the left. With your approach, miss short or long. The green has some undulations so make sure you miss near the pin.
Hole 18 is a very fun finishing hole that will take a good second shot. Keep your tee shot just right of the bunkers on the left. Very similar to the tee shot from 17. The approach is slightly down hill with water short right. There is a sand trap between the water and green so anything just short of the green will end up there. Miss just a little long if anything. The bunkers left and right aren’t much fun and will make for a difficult up and down.
We enjoyed Red Hawk, but the pace of play was excruciating. We will be back, but it will be a week day as we will look to avoid the 5 hour round on the weekend. If you’re in the area, check out some of the nearby course in Alamogordo(Desert Lakes), El Paso (Butterfield Trail and Painted Dunes), or Ruidoso (Inn of the Mountain Gods or Rainmakers).
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