Golf Courses Near Roswell, NM

Roswell, the fifth largest city in New Mexico and “The UFO Capital of the World,” lies on the Rio Hondo in a valley in the southeast part of the state. This regional hub city is the birthplace of John Denver and Demi Moore. Golfers note that LPGA legend Nancy Lopez grew up here. Three golf courses offer public tee times in Roswell. Nancy Lopez Golf Course at Spring River—the course where Lopez honed her game—is a challenging, walker-friendly muni layout dotted with bunkers and water hazards. New Mexico Military Institute Golf Course, which is located just off the NMMI campus, is a flat playing field with generous fairways and a single water hazard that enters the fray on the 5th hole. The private Roswell Country Club, a mostly flat, 1905-vintage nine-hole layout with a few hills, welcomes public play on Tuesdays and Thursdays plus other times when it isn’t busy.

Look up in the sky when you’re playing golf in Roswell. Is that a golf ball, a bird, a plane or a UFO? Thanks to “The Roswell Incident,” a 1947 event that is the most famous UFO claim in U.S. history, Roswell is a pilgrimage spot for anyone curious about UFOs and aliens on earth. The city seal even depicts a green man holding a disc that is emanating beams. Top Roswell attractions include the International UFO Museum and Research Center, located downtown, and the annual UFO Festival in July. Roswell’s Arts and Culture District is home to various museums, the Roswell Symphony Orchestra, and theater and live music venues. The Roswell Jazz Festival every October is another highlight on the calendar. To cool off during Roswell’s hot summers, head to Bottomless Lakes State Park, where you’ll find nine very deep lakes carved from limestone and presenting opportunities for scuba diving, fishing, non-motorized boating, bird-watching and hiking.