On and Off the Course- Summer
Towa, only 12 miles north of Santa Fe’s main plaza, is a showpiece for the new Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at BuffaloThunder.
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Towa Golf Course, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Woven into a high desert tapestry, Towa Golf Course is a stunner. At the heart of the Pueblo of Pojoaque, the layout provides golfers with panoramic vistas of the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains.
A combination of three nines, two designed by Arizona’s William Phillips and one designed by PGA and Champions Tour great Hale Irwin, the 27 holes, though pretty as a cactus flower, can be just as prickly.
The “Pinon 9” — Irwin’s handiwork — plays 3,615 yards from the tips and frames fairways and greens with indigenous piñon trees. Named for the amazing rock formations bordering its fairways and greens, the 3,640-yard “Boulder 9” has an especially tricky hole in number four. The 186-yard par 3 is the only island green in New Mexico. Evident elevation changes boost the wow factor and challenge on these nines, while a third configuration, the 3,380-yard “Butterfly 9,” is kindest to the higher handicap golfer. A fourth nine is on the blueprints, but a construction/completion date has yet to be announced.
Towa, only 12 miles north of Santa Fe’s main plaza, is a showpiece for The Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder, scheduled to open in August 2008.
“Buffalo Thunder was chosen because it is a symbol of spiritual strength for Native Americans,” says Tribal Governor George Rivera.
Crafted in Pueblo-style architecture, the resort will include a 390-room hotel, a Native American-themed spa and fitness facility and a 151,000-square-foot casino. 505-455-9000, www.hilton.com.
Reader Comments:
I really enjoyed this article. It's pretty cool to see all the great developments that are out there. Good photography too!
One of the most unique courses that I've seen is The Club at Spanish Peaks. Their 18 hole, Tom Weiskopf designed course sits high in the Montana Rockies - probably about 8,000 feet above sea level.
Check out the videos on their site at www.spanish-peaks.com
I'd love to see an article about their skiing too!