Just got back from a trip to NM that included Black Mesa, Paa-Ko, and UNM's Championship Course.
This time around conditions were just brutal. Damn near freezing and hurricane strength winds (up to 66 MPH!!!).
Anyway, I had the most fun on the UNM course this time around. Sure Black Mesa and Paa-Ko would normally be fun, but with these kinds of conditions ... a title too much in my opinion. Very difficult to unforgiving.
I read that a Robert "Red" Lawrence designed the course back in '66 and I guess I've just never heard of the fellow.
As I look into this a little more, it appears he worked as a design assistant at Merion for or with Flynn? before moving on his own to design The Cascades, Desert Forest GC, etc.
I guess I'm wondering why we haven't seen or heard much about Mr. Lawrence on GCA?
I thought his design at UNM was very fun to play. Very well balanced nines with interesting use of the land (e.g. some great camouflage in the form of channels / gulleys fronting greens that are very deceptive from the fairway, plateau greens with some blindness from green side bunkers like on the 18th, etc).
Is it just that his portfolio doesn't run deep? Or that several of his courses don't really deserve the attention?