How I played in Vegas, stayed in Vegas! I know you are thinking Nevada, but I’m playing the NMHU Gene Torres Golf Course in Las Vegas, New Mexico. I suppose its my journalistic duty to report the true facts of my journey around this 9-hole college track. But then again, who said I am a journalist?
NMHU = New Mexico Highlands University. We’ll discuss Gene Torres later in this article.
Walk right in; lay your money down; baby let your putts roll in. I can hear all of you from my generation singing along with the correct lyrics to this 1963 song. I was able to walk right in; hand over my $22; and wander out to Hole #1. I played from the white tees which measure just over 6,000 yards. There are also black (7080 yards); gold (6772); blue (6380); and red (5218) – something for everyone. This 411 yard opening hole has a wide landing area with a few bunkers at the end of the fairway. Your approach shot needs to carry a small creek which fronts the green to the right. A nice hole to start the day, but…(to be finished later).
Hole #2 is another par 4, dogleg right hole – not really ideal for my ball flight. This hole has a wide landing area, but there is a large area of native grass and the creek to carry off the tee box. The first two holes reminded me I am no longer a young man and probably should be playing from the red tees. I hit two good drives on each hole and my second shots were from 210 and 190 yards, respectfully! Somehow I was able to scratch out two bogeys!
The third hole is a par 3 of 138 yards. The third consecutive hole where a “wormburner” will cause issues, as two trees and native grass loom in front of the tee box. 138 yards I can handle, and I was able to record a “3” on my scorecard. There is a bunker to the front left of the green – I can’t call it a sand trap because it contains more weeds than sand. That being said, the course so far has been in good condition. Hole #4 is a long, straight par 5. Not much to this one, but a big “duck hook” off the tee may cause you problems.
A senior moment or just lack of course knowledge led me on an unexpected and tiring journey trying to find Hole #5. I exited the fourth green left (and found #1 again) when I should have ambled off to the right. Of course, referring to the map on the scorecard would have been a smarter idea! The course to this point was an easy walk, but the uphill climb to the tee box was a little challenging for this out-of-shape golfer. It’s a straight-forward par 4 with a weed bunker to the right of the green.
The sky was becoming angry my friends, as I tee’d up my ball at Hole #6. The threatening sky made me quicken my pace which resulted in finding one of the fairway bunkers. Precise shots are needed to avoid these and successfully reach the green. It’s getting even darker as I survey the fairway at the seventh hole. However, no rain or lightning has arrived. Another airborne tee shot is needed at this 303 yard par 4. A bunker (with sand) guards the front left side of the green.
Hole #8 is the number one handicap hole. This par 5 goes to the right, then to the left, and then I still don’t have any idea where the green is located. Whew, I give up – I surrender! With my fourth shot I still had about 150 yards to the green with a large tree standing in the middle of the fairway. The green was still hidden from view, and I was guessing it was to the left of that tree – wrong. It is over the hill to the right of the tree. I guess I was “lucky” to hit the tree as it allowed me to get my bearings and finally locate this hidden green. Three shots later with a double bogey, I limped over to Hole #9.
To the naked eye, this 141 yard par 3 looks relatively easy. There are bunkers (with sand) both left and front right. It has a large green which I couldn’t hit, but my tee shot was just a foot off the front edge. The pin was cut on the right side, and as my putt approached the hole my ball started to veer right toward a very evil and hidden pot bunker. Luckily it stopped short, but that bunker can make for an interesting finishing hole.
Rating – Birdie (43 out of 60): The home course of the New Mexico Highlands University Cardinals is a good one. The staff was friendly; the senior rate with push cart was $22; the conditioning was a mixed bag, but very playable; and the course routing was challenging. There is also a good “Mexican-themed” restaurant for a post-round meal.
Gene Torres was a golf pro and Physical Education professor at New Mexico Highlands University for 43 years. During his professional career, he won over 80 tournaments in the Southwest United States. Every year Gene challenged his college players that if they could beat him in a round of golf they could call him “Gene” otherwise that had to call him “Coach”. Gene never lost to any of his players during his coaching career!
P.S. I shot a 43 and that is a true fact.
P.P.S. It never rained on the course, but I was caught in a torrential downpour on the way back to Santa Fe.
P.P.P.S. Who is still singing, Walk Right In by the RoofTop Singers?
1 Country Club Drive, Las Vegas, NM 87701; 505-425-7711; www.nmhu.edu
