Las Campanas (Sunrise)

The Club at Las Campanas is a pretty special place, offering world-class sporting facilities such as an equestrian centre, tennis club and two Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses, all of which are served by a rather grand, hacienda-style clubhouse.

Developed by the Lyle Anderson Company – the firm that created Desert Highlands, Desert Mountain and Superstition Mountain in Arizona – Las Campanas is located less than a half an hour drive from downtown Santa Fe, offering easy access for its members.

The Sunrise course is the older of the two 18-hole layouts here, opening in 1993 as the Golden Bear’s 100th career design, and it was followed seven years later by the slightly shorter Sunset course.

Both courses measure in excess of 7,500 yards from the back markers but an altitude of 7,000 feet above sea level must be taken into consideration here, making these layout play a good bit shorter than the scorecard might otherwise suggest.

Highlight holes include the 446-yard 3rd, a slightly left doglegged par four requiring an approach over two large bunkers to a raised green; the 426-yard 11th, a downhill par four played to a pond-protected green; and the 654-yard 15th, a tough par five with trees, water and sand defending par.