Sierra Del Rio Course Review – Albuquerque Trip
A very good friend and myself decided to take a quick 3 day trip to Albuquerque. We decided to play one on the way up to Albuquerque and since we had to stop by Sonoma Ranch to pick up his range finder, we decided we would play Sierra Del Rio in Elephant Butte. Designed by Dick Phelps, this is a true diamond in the rough as their motto suggests. We were really surprised with the course overall, from the conditions to the fun of the design. At a rate of just $30 for twilight, this is a place we would definitely come back to if we are in the area.
Clubhouse, Range and Putting Green
Sierra Del Rio has a very nice clubhouse and restaurant. They also have a very large patio deck that we would have loved to stay and have a couple drinks on had we not needed to get on the road after the round. The range was good and the putting green was excellent. They also had a small chipping green behind the putting green, which also has 3 different bunkers for practice as well. After warming up it was time to head to the first tee!
Holes 1-9
Hole 1 is a straightforward par 4 to start your round. Try to keep it up the left hand side for the best angle into the green. The miss is just long or deep right into the green. Avoid the bunker left. The one short right is easier to get out of.
Hole 2 is a beautiful par 3 with water to the right. Anything long here will bounce forward and will go pretty far. With three bunkers left, and 2 right by the water there isn’t much room for error here.
Hole 3 is a neat par 5, where longer hitter won’t need driver off the tee. Keep it left of the bunker with the tee shot. If you decide to go for it, keep it down the left as anything right will be gone. For those of us wanting to play the smart play, lay up just right or over the fairway bunker that’s short right. With your approach, do not miss right. Deep or short left are your two best miss options.
Hole 4 is a short but narrow uphill par 4. Hit your best club and make sure you keep it in the fairway. Right is the only good miss on your approach but take dead aim as this is a hole you can birdie.
Hole 5 is a nice downhill par 3. Short left is the best option for a miss. You do not want to be right on this hole. The front bunker is fine, but the back bunker will not be your friend.
Hole 6 is a long par 4 with a downhill tee shot. Avoid the bunker on the left, keeping your tee shot just short of the bunker on the right. Short or just long are the best misses here. This may be a long hole but you can make a good score on it if played well.
Hole 7 is another downhill par 4. Keep your tee shot just short and left of the fairway bunker on the right. Deep left or just long are your miss options here. The bunker on the right can be very penal.
Hole 8 is another par 4 that drop offs about 2/3 of the way down the fairway. I long drive can catch this hill and be within 80 yards of the green. Short left and just long are the two best miss options.
Hole 9 is nice par 5, that will take 2 good shots to make it in 2. Avoid the bunker on the left with your tee shot. When going for it in 2, just short right of the green is a perfect place end up. If you decide to lay up, stay down the right hand side for the best approach angle. Short right is the only miss going into this green, so make sure you are dialed in.
Hole 10-18
Hole 10 is a fun par 5, with a chance to cut the water and get there in 2. Keep it down the left hand side with your tee shot if you plan to go for the green in 2. The right side is better if you have no intentions of getting there in 2. There isn’t much room for error when going for it in 2, but aim for the left hand side of the green as the land sticks out further there. If you are laying up, aim for the left edge of the right bunker. Short on your approach from your layup is the only miss option into this green.
Hole 11 is a long par 3, that will cross over a creek that ends up running down the left. Short or deep left are the 2 best misses into this green.
Hole 12 is a par 4 that can be scored well on. Just avoid the fairway bunkers on the right hand side. With your approach, just make sure you can make it over the bunkers in the front, as just long is the better miss.
Hole 13 is a shorter par 4 and driver isn’t need off the tee. Stay short of the further fairway bunker on the right. The green is protected pretty well by bunker, but the two misses are left and right of the bunker in the back of the green.
Hole 14 is an uphill par 5. The tee shot is a tough one as you will need to thread the needle between the fairway bunkers. If you do this you can get there in 2, just keep it left of the tree next to the green. If laying up, hit it down the left hand side, as to avoid having the tree in your way with your approach shot. Just avoid the bunkers on the right and back and you will walk away with a good score.
Hole 15 is a fun par 4 with a downhill tee shot. Driver isn’t need and the best shot is a draw starting the the left edge of the bunker drawing back just a bit left. With your approach, the right hand side is the best option as it drops off severely on the left hand side.
Hole 16 is the toughest par 4 in my opinion. Longer hitters may run out of room in the fairway with a driver, but most people will be fine. The further left in the fairway the shorter the approach, but stay out of the ravine. Short is the best miss into this green and will be easy to get up and down from.
Hole 17 is a nice par 3 over water. Short left is the only good miss here. Just long is fine but don’t go over the hills behind the green.
Hole 18 is a long par 4 with a narrow fairway. The far bunker on the left isn’t the worse place to be considering how narrow this fairway is. Do not be right on your approach as most balls will bounce into the hazard. Just long or just short are your only options so make a committed swing.
Over all Sierra Del Rio is a great golf course. Like any course there are areas of high traffic and need of some TLC. The last 3 finishing holes are tough and can mess up a scorecard pretty quick. I look forward to the next time I am able to play Sierra Del Rio Championship Golf Course.
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