Twin Warriors, New Mexico
The signature par three fourth hole at Twin Warriors in New Mexico.
I’ve driven through New Mexico many times. With its vast mountain skylines and diverse topography, it has always proven to be a beautiful trek. Interstate 40 has always been my friend, especially when coming from the east. Here, you observe the beautiful Sandia Mountains and feel your vehicle heading in an upward direction; the range’s peak is a staggering 10,678 feet above sea level. Surprisingly so for a man from Minnesota, this summit is insanely high.
On this particular stroll through the Enchantment State, I wasn’t just cruising through. I had a purpose for this visit; I was location scouting. My third fiction novel—at this point, unfinished and operating under the working title of Destined to Fail—takes place in the area, and so I wanted to see it for myself. I lived in Dallas then, so I hopped in the car for a nine-hour ride out west. I went on a long walk, toured the university, and feasted on some of the delectable New Mexican cuisines (shoutout to El Patio de Albuquerque). It was a great scouting session.
When googling the best places to tee it up in the Albuquerque area, one track that was continually featured on lists was Twin Warriors Golf Club. Golf Digest names it the fifth-best course in New Mexico; GolfWeek has it in the same slot for public offerings in the state. The date of my visit was November 2020, and so I was informed by my online searches that the state had a COVID stay-at-home order in effect. That mandate extended to golf courses, and I seemed to be out of luck. I called a few courses listed, and only one answered: Twin Warriors. I was informed that the stay-at-home order didn’t apply to the Santa Ana Pueblo Reservation. I immediately liked them. The staff was extraordinarily kind and told me a little about the property. The 2001 design has hosted many events, most recently the 2023 PGA Professional Championship. It was once featured on Golf Digest’s Top 100 Public Golf Courses in the United States. I was lucky to tee it up here!
The golf course is played at a high elevation. Even though I teed it up from nearly 7300 yards, Twin Warriors played more like 6700. It is always a treat to play a course that high up; your golf ball flies about 10 percent further as a result. As a flatlander, it is immensely amusing to walk up to your second shot and realize you’ve struck the ball significantly further than you believe. Desert golf is often enjoyed this way. Like all other golf courses of its kind, you need to hit the ball straight at Twin Warriors. Otherwise, you’ll have many sandy or uneven lies. Those sage bushes can swallow a golf ball, too. The fairways are wide and have a lot of undulations. The greens aren’t the most memorable part of Twin Warriors and are relatively tame. I respected the lack of blind tee shots for the uninformed; this is no-frills golf and I appreciate that. Desert courses oftentimes have the golfer scratching his or her head, wondering where to hit the golf ball. Twin Warriors does a fine job with its routing.
The fourth, a par three with a forced carry over a water hazard featuring a boatload of rocks and a small waterfall, is the most critically acclaimed hole at Twin Warriors. Many call it the signature hole. I loved it; it is in the upper echelon of my favorite par threes in the southwestern United States. Six and seven are fun, interesting back-to-back par fours. Beyond the former’s green is an almost orange-looking desert hill, adding to the aesthetic appeal of the front nine; the latter is a downhill, almost 500-yard two-shotter with plenty of hazards and speed slots. Par feels like a gift here. I did not mind making bogey one bit.
On the back nine, I loved two holes in particular: 11 and 16. 11 is a drivable par four where you can choose how much to bite off based on your line to the green. High-risk, high-reward holes like this get me. On the 12th, I caught up to two Albuquerque locals who allowed me to play the last seven holes with them. They gave me great insight into the local golf scene; apparently, Paako Ridge and Black Mesa are the only two options superior to Twin Warriors. One of the two golfers suggested that Sandia and the University of New Mexico championship course were on the same level as TW. 16 is a tumbling downhill par five with a beautiful canyon on the left, amazing views of the Sandia Mountains ahead, and treacherous fairway bunkers on the right. The 584-yard length might scare some, but the elevation drop coupled with the New Mexico air aided me in easily reaching the green in two shots. It is the best par five on the course.
I could not help but notice the amount of mule deer. In my years of golf travels, only Spyglass Hill in Monterey, California had more on its grounds. As sunset approached, these creatures came out in hoards.
Overall, I enjoyed the course very much but found it hard to distinguish a lot of the holes. There’s a hard line to draw between the actual golf holes themselves and the stunning views that behold them. Make no mistake though, views here are spectacular. The contrast of the green and brownish-orange colors is well thought out, and the mountains in the distance make for an attractive landscape around the design. At the time of this post, Twin Warriors is the only Gary Panks-designed course I’ve played, and I do not know much about his repertoire. I’d be interested to see more.
The state of golf in New Mexico is stronger than most realize. Paako Ridge is regarded as one of the best public courses in the nation. I've been lucky enough to play Black Mesa and Rainmakers, two solid tracks, as well. Twin Warriors has its moments and is built in a spectacular setting, so I can’t help but recommend it if you’re in the area. Destined to Fail might have been the reason for this visit, but playing Twin Warriors was fun and worth every penny. If you’re on a golf trip to the area, adding this course to your list is a no-brainer. Otherwise, your journey is destined to fail.