Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club

« **on:** June 04, 2003, 06:23:01 AM »

Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club - Designed by Ken Dye
http://www.paakoridge.comPaa-Ko, which means "root of the cottonwood tree", takes its name from the nearby ruins of an Anasazi pueblo which was occupied intermittently from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. The site, and archaeological treasure, was excavated in the 1930's. Multi-room dwellings, kivas, corrals and a wealth of artifacts now owned and preserved by the University of New Mexico are an awe-inspiring chapter of the Paa-Ko story.

In a similar fashion to the Black Mesa hole tour ( http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/YaBB.cgi?board=GD1&action=display&num=1052830077&start=0 ), I'm going to show some pictures of the course. Some others will hopefully join in and share some of their in-depth knowledge of the course.

The ride to the course from Albuquerque airport, was rather pleasant, as was the ride up to Santa Fe afterwards. Paa-Ko is located on the east side of the Sandia Mountains at 6,500 feet. The home communities are separate from the course. I only spotted one home. #23 on the Golfweek Modern list.

All photographs were taken by Robert Reck of Albuquerque. Don't try these at home, as Robert took these images over a period of over 6 months with a 4x5 frame camera.
http://www.robertreck.com

#1 - A nice opener, don't forget to allow for the altitude.

#2 - Good use of the arroyo and native areas for a hazzard on this short par 4.

#3 - Continue your gradual climb up the mountains on this 5 par.

Keep clearing your calendars for this September. I'll be listing some lodging options soon.

« **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2003, 08:00:07 AM »

Interesting, their use or need for aiming poles. How far is it out to the arroyo through the fairway on 2?

http://www.paakoridge.com/livecam/index.asp

above should show you what Paa-Ko looks like today

I've had my eye on it since I knew I'd someday be going out to visit Adam at Pinion

Take the tour on the website if you have broadband. VEry nice web site!

« **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2003, 08:10:46 AM »

Dick,

Not sure if you were being TIC (no smilies provided to indicate so), but those aren't aiming poles, but 150-yard markers. Or is that what you call them, kinda like beer-drinking on the course is called Aiming Fluid?

« **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2003, 08:24:42 AM »

Scott, after pondering TIC for a while...

I guess I am used to the other Dye barber poles like I remember at Kiawah Ocean, which were for aim, not distance. They somewhat ruin the experience, although I can see the need on the semi blind shots to fairways at Ocean, for those that only play once. It appears there are no real blind shots on Paa-Ko. It is a bit scary for us flatlanders to conjure the distances of the two long par 3s there. I hope ball go really far up there in the altitudes of NM!

« **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2003, 08:33:25 AM »

TIC = Tongue-in-Cheek

I guess you could call these 150 markers aiming poles since they're usually smack dab in the middle of the fairways. My club has them, too. More for first-timers to course.

« **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2003, 11:00:59 AM »

Dick- I don't have accurate yardage for you to the arroyo on 2 ,if playing from the appropriate tees, It would have to be a hell of drive to get in. I may be wrong in a gale. But what the issue at Paa Ko(and Pinon) while the playing areas are ample, the effect of missing them is extremely penal. If one is having a bad driving day, the walks in the forest don't help the pace.

If there is a visual motiff to Ken Dye's work I think it would be evident in the bunker placement. On Driving holes he almost always seems to tell me where to go by placing a bunker on the prefered side. Sheryl picked up on the greenside bunkers count of a one and a two. I find that they all tie-in nicely and that photo of the second hole is magnificiant in all levels of biggness. The shadows really make me soar.

The third hole picture exemplifies New Mexico slightly better but only because the 2nd pic looks alot like California.

« **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2003, 05:22:33 AM »

For Andy I decided to give the B&Ws a try. The images were originally color, and later modified.

#4 - I hit wedge when the pin was front, and later hit a 5 iron to get to the back of this 100 yd green. 13 feet of elevation change.

#5 - Par 5 - 2nd or 3rd shots are quite nice.

#6 - Par 4 - It's hard to not go for the green here. There is a little stand of brush over the left bunker that would be the most penal if you miss the green, otherwise you'll have a difficult bunker shot.

Dick -
There isn't a whole lot of extra distance when I bunt it along the ground. If I go around first on Sunday I'll hide all the 150 poles.

« **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2003, 07:05:55 AM »

Mike, can you confirm the dates of the "Land of Enchantment" outing in September? Time to book the air tickets................ Thanks.

« **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2003, 07:46:33 AM »

Bill- I understand the schedule to be this:

Sat. Sept 20th Black Mesa - 36
Sun. Sept 21 Paa Ko Ridge - 18 Riverview-twilight 9
Mon. Sept 22 Pinon Hills - 36

I think for any serious road trippers there should or could
be some golf both prior to and after said dates.

I'll start the prelim discussion with Texas Tech and paulo duro sometime around the 17th-19th and on the backside I'd suggest for the classicalist to see Conquistador (Press Maxwell) in Cortez then The Hideout (F. Richardson) in Monticello, ut. and then up north to interstate 70 where Redlands Mesa awaits.

Geez, I could go on and on but even I would need some time off.

« **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2003, 11:30:42 AM »

Yes. Those dates are confirmed.

At a minimum, the Friday before I'll/we'll be at the UNM course or something of equal stature, depending on some other potential features / surprises....

Cheers

« **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2003, 06:51:42 PM »

Mike - Color PLEASE!

Everyone... Like Bill, I need to book my airline ticket soon. I am not going to be able to make the trip if the airline runs out of frequent flyer tickets. I'm up for just about anything... including golf on Friday and/or Tuesday (NM is long way for me to travel for just three days of golf

). My primary concern is local transportation... if we are going to need a rental I'd like to share a vehicle with one more travelers. What's the word?

« **Reply #11 on:** June 06, 2003, 08:42:16 AM »

Quote

For Andy I decided to give the B&Ws a try. The images were originally color, and later modified.

Mike: It was my fault for not being clearer in the photo thread, however, I was referring to black and white film. Transferring from color to b&w, you will lose detail.

By the way, is the course in Taos worth a play? How does it stack up with the others in the Alb.-S.F. area? Thx.

« **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2003, 08:59:36 AM »

For what it's worth I offer my 2 cents on NM recommendations.

Anyone arriving in the Albuquerque area should see the following courses beyond what's been listed for the GCA Tour.

UNM Championship / South -- superb Red Lawrence design but the key is does the course STILL overwater the fairways? I've never played the course when it's really dry and the H20 is certainly not coming from the sky.

Santa Ana (Tamya & Cheenya) -- dynamite layout that's part of a 27-hole complex immediately next to Twin Warrior. Has held various local professional events and often gets little fanfare because of the legitimate fanfare attached to such places as Black Mesa and Paa-Ko Ridge. In fact, I also add Twin Warrior to the list as the Gary Panks design is also quite good inspite of the silly waterfall you play on the first par-3 hole. Santa Ana is not to be missed.

Other options include Isleta which is south of Albuquerque and I also like the Marty Sanchez layout that's just outside of Santa Fe but they're not at the same level as the others. Ditto my thoughts on the former Cochiti Lakes course

For those craving a Nicklaus connection there's also Las Campanas.

« **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2003, 08:24:10 PM »

Playing Paa-Ko on Thursday...I'll report back. I've been there three times and it's been awesome all three.

« **Reply #14 on:** June 09, 2003, 06:15:41 AM »

HIHO,
Currently I'm working on some group hotel rates in Santa Fe for Friday and Saturday evenings (for this Sept). I'll be posting shortly.

#7 - Don't hug the corner too tightly, unless you can hit 'em like Ward or Wigler.

#8 - 265 yard par 3, with deep bunkers.

#9 - Not that I promote a drink while on the course, but the clubhouse did have a very nice selection of Tequilas, El Tesoro included, for after the round.

« **Reply #15 on:** June 16, 2003, 01:27:30 AM »

Please see my new post "Trip Home: P-K and RB" for an update on Paa-Ko Ridge

« **Reply #16 on:** June 16, 2003, 09:12:15 AM »

Happy pops day all.
You should be hearing an update on the Land of Enchantment Tour soon. (no changes)

To the back nine:
#10:

#11: Some pretty nice terrain

#12: Pretty big fairway. Tough to miss.

« **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2003, 06:24:03 AM »

#13: You're in a pretty remote part of the country here.

#14: The longest par 3

#15: The hazzards make it pretty risky to go for the green in two. Nice ridge/spine splitting the green in two, makes a short approach quite difficult.

« **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2003, 06:00:42 AM »

#16 - There are a whole host of tees to hit from.

#17 - Note the additional tees to the left. Very nice.

#18 - The round table awaits.

« **Reply #19 on:** November 03, 2005, 08:37:31 PM »

Found another old one I think is worth resurrecting...

Mike,
Just played Paa-Ko Ridge for the first time a couple weeks ago, these pictures and your comments capture the course wonderfully. Great course--highly recommended!

« **Reply #20 on:** November 03, 2005, 10:07:42 PM »

Anyone have any pics of the new third nine?

« **Reply #21 on:** November 06, 2005, 10:45:29 AM »

Steve,
Here are some pictures of the new nine from about two months ago.

A good drive on the par-5 1st leaves this uphill appoach

The drive on the par-4 2nd must stay short of the arroyo and leaves another uphill approach

From the tee of the par-3 4th the par-5 5th and par-3 6th can also be seen. I believe Adam Clayman posted a similar picture this past summer.

The par-3 6th

Approach to the par-5 7th

The long downhill par-3 8th.

A drive that catches the slope between the fairway bunkers on the par-4 9th will get an additional 30 yards of roll and leaves this approach with the valley in the background

« **Reply #22 on:** November 06, 2005, 10:55:54 AM »

Wow, that is some fine looking ground contouring. It looks like a blast to play. But I assume it is not walkable, correct?

« **Reply #23 on:** November 06, 2005, 03:18:54 PM »

Dick, it would be a tough hike. There were a number of tees where you walked back up a steep hill to the next tee. Beautiful course, the mountains in the distance framed several holes a la Stanley Thompson.

« **Reply #24 on:** November 06, 2005, 03:26:18 PM »

I must say this course looks a cracker. One thing though, does anyone else find the bunkering a bit of overkill? It looks like there are several places where there are two-four (sometimes more) bunkers when perhaps one would do.

Ciao

Sean

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