Explore Outdoor Activities: Golf

Just when it seemed there would be no "Next Big Thing" in golf, to the rescue came the United States Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Club of St. Andrews.

Starting last year, it became legal for manufacturers to make clubs that could be adjusted to produce different flight characteristics. The rule change late in 2007 by the USGA and the R&A, which decide jointly which clubs and balls are legal or illegal, came as something of a surprise and caught some club makers flat-footed for the 2008 season.



Golfing in New Mexico might seem to be an oxymoron at first. But experienced visitors know that New Mexico features some of the best courses in the U.S., challenging enough for any pro or weekend duffer. Golf courses around Santa Fe embrace the rugged terrain to create exciting and creative tests for any golfer's game. A short drive south of Santa Fe you can find a sparkling diamond in the rough New Mexico landscape, the Pueblo de Cochiti golf course.

The Pueblo de Cochiti Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones II and redesigned by Jones again in 2000, lies gently admid the exquisite foothills of the Jemez Mountains. Soul-stirring views surround this challenging a...

If there were ever a time to look for smokin' golf deals, now would be that time -- and local courses are offering plenty of them. Here's a sampling of what's out there for bargain-hunting golfers:

The folks at Towa Golf Resort vow this is a turnaround year, as the course grows into its long-awaited role as the star of the Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder in Pojoaque. "I want people to know we are working to really make a difference in conditions this year," said Fadal Nahle, Towa's general manager, whose course is now part of the Hilton resort system.