Public

1 & 3 Course

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club

Sandia Park, NM, USA
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18 holesPar 727,579 yds75.6/137

About this course

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club sits in the high desert east of Albuquerque in Sandia Park, New Mexico, at an elevation exceeding 7,000 feet in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Designed by Ken Dye and opened in the late 1990s, the course takes advantage of dramatic elevation changes and natural terrain features characteristic of the region. The routing moves through pinyon and juniper-studded landscape with arroyos, rock outcroppings, and native grasses defining the playing corridors. The design incorporates significant elevation shifts from tee to green, with some holes playing downhill and offering expansive views across the Rio Grande Valley toward the Sandia Peak. The high-altitude setting affects ball flight, with shots traveling noticeably farther in the thin air—a factor players must account for in club selection. The course layout works with the natural contours rather than imposing heavily manufactured features, and the desert environment requires strategic course management around the native areas and waste bunkers. Paa-Ko Ridge operates as a daily-fee facility, providing public access to championship-length golf in a setting that contrasts with more traditional parkland designs found at lower elevations. The course has hosted regional amateur competitions and serves golfers seeking a mountain desert experience within reasonable proximity to Albuquerque. Conditioning focuses on maintaining playable surfaces in an arid climate where water conservation shapes maintenance practices.

Quick facts

Location
Sandia Park, NM, USA
Access
Public
Year built
2000
Designer
Ken Dye
Holes
18
Par
72
Length
7,579 yards
Difficulty
75.6/137

Getting there

Most arrivals to Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club begin at Albuquerque International Sunport, roughly thirty miles to the west. The drive east climbs steadily from the Rio Grande Valley into the high-desert foothills of the Sandia Mountains, trading the city's sprawl for piñon-dotted ridgelines and wide-open sky. As the road gains elevation along the Turquoise Trail - a scenic byway threading through old mining country - the air thins and the views stretch toward distant mesas, building anticipation for a course perched dramatically at 8,000 feet. The final turn onto the club's approach reveals a landscape where golf and wilderness meet without ceremony, the entrance understated against the grandeur of the terrain beyond.

FAQ

Common questions about 1 & 3 at Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club

Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.

1 & 3 was designed by Ken Dye.

Yes. 1 & 3 at Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.

Par at 1 & 3 is 72.

1 & 3 plays 7,579 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.

The slope rating at 1 & 3 is 137.

1 & 3 is a 18-hole course.

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