Laid out in the foothills of the Jemez Mountains, the course at Cochiti Golf Club (formerly Pueblo de Cochiti) originated from the drawing board of Robert Trent Jones Jr. back in 1981.
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Laid out in the foothills of the Jemez Mountains, the course at Cochiti Golf Club (formerly Pueblo de Cochiti) originated from the drawing board of Robert Trent Jones Jr. back in 1981.
Cochiti
To the immediate west of the Rio Grande as it flows through New Mexico is the Bland Canyon, a comically-named landform. Its neighbor, the Cochiti Golf Club, is anything but bland. Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, the course travels across the high desert, using the otherworldly landscape as a distraction for wandering eyes. This is one of the earlier designs from the younger RTJ, having been drawn out during 1981.
Yardage is certainly not its primary source of defense; the course plays just more than 6,800 yards from its back tees, and the higher altitude means that you’ll get a little extra distance. That, however, brings several tee shots at the shorter par fours into question. Is it better to let it fly on holes such as Nos. 10 or 15, which measure less than 350 yards? Or is it wiser to leave more than a half-wedge in? Bunkers and irrigation ponds may help make the decision easier, or tougher, for you.
The course is approximately equidistant from Santa Fe and Albuquerque, making it one of the more sought-after public-access facilities in the state.