Getting To Know: Pinon Hills Golf Course

An Insightful Interview With Luke Tanner, Head Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Luke Tanner who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
Pinon Hills is a municipal golf course located in Farmington, New MexicoPinon Hills is set in a high desert landscape with native pinon and juniper trees. There is plenty of natural elevation change. The greens are large and multi-tiered. We are consistently ranked near the top for municipal golf courses.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
Pinon Hills is consistently ranked near the top for municipal golf courses as well as a top golf course in New It is a challenging, yet fair course set in a high desert landscape. We have very reasonable rates and the golf course is always in great shape.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Keep the ball in the fairway. The fairways are wide, but off the fairways there is a lot of native area that is very penalizing. The greens are tiered, so being on the same tier as the cup is helpful.

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
We are always ranked in the top ten in municipal courses in the country. We are also always in the top five courses in the state.

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
Our signature hole is number 6. It is a par 3 set at the bottom of a small canyon with large sandstone rocks around the back of the green that easily come into play.

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
Numbers 3 and 18. These are long par 4's that require a good long iron approach shot. Practice hitting long irons into difficult greens.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Pinon Hills burger. It is a burger with green chiles and cheese.

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
Me! Luke Tanner. 62. 10 birdies, 8 pars. Didn't hit it any better than normal, but putted better than I ever have.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 72
Yardage: 7198
Slope: 139
Rating: 73.9

More Information
Pinon Hills Golf Course
2101 Sunrise Parkway
Farmington, New Mexico, 87402
505-326-6066
www.pinonhillsgolf.com

Revised: 11/22/2015 - Article Viewed 31,830 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.