Public

North Course

Painted Dunes Golf Club

El Paso, TX, USA
sae253616
9 holesPar 363,460 yds36.1/128

About this course

The North Course at Painted Dunes Golf Club in El Paso was designed by Jeff Brauer and Ken Dye, opening in the late 1990s as part of a 36-hole municipal facility that serves the far west Texas community. The course occupies desert terrain characteristic of the Franklin Mountains region, where the Chihuahuan Desert landscape provides a stark, arid setting with minimal vegetation beyond native scrub and scattered desert plants. The routing works across relatively flat to gently rolling ground, though the site's natural contours and strategically placed mounding create visual interest and playing angles typical of desert golf in this part of the Southwest. Brauer, known for accessible public course designs across Texas and the Great Plains, collaborated with Dye to produce a layout that balances playability for everyday golfers with enough strategic variety to maintain interest. Wide fairways accommodate the wind that frequently sweeps across this exposed terrain, while large, undulating greens require careful approach work. Bunkers are positioned to frame landing areas and greenside complexes, their light-colored sand contrasting with the darker desert floor. Water features appear sparingly, as befits the climate and municipal budget constraints. Painted Dunes serves as an important public golf resource for El Paso, a city where golf options reflect both the challenges and opportunities of desert course maintenance. The North Course, alongside its companion South layout, provides straightforward golf in an environment where heat, wind, and water conservation shape both design philosophy and playing conditions throughout much of the year.

Quick facts

Location
El Paso, TX, USA
Access
Public
Year built
1991
Designer(s)
Jeff Brauer, Ken Dye
Holes
9
Par
36
Length
3,460 yards
Difficulty
36.1/128

Getting there

Most visitors to Painted Dunes Golf Club arrive through El Paso International Airport, a straightforward fifteen-minute drive east into the high desert foothills where the Franklin Mountains begin their dramatic rise. The route follows Interstate 10 briefly before turning north into terrain that feels suddenly remote - creosote and ocotillo giving way to sculpted arroyos and the kind of wide-open sky that defines the Chihuahuan Desert. As the road climbs gently toward the club, the city recedes behind you, replaced by sweeping views of raw, painterly geology and the quiet sense that you've crossed into something both ancient and entirely apart.

FAQ

Common questions about North at Painted Dunes Golf Club

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

North was designed by Jeff Brauer and Ken Dye.

Yes. North at Painted Dunes Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.

Par at North is 36.

North plays 3,460 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.

The slope rating at North is 128.

North is a 9-hole course.

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