Tucked amidst a residential neighborhood in Albuquerque s Westside, Paradise Hills Golf Course has long been a popular daily-fee tee time option for local residents and in-the-know visitors looking for affordability and good value. Formerly known as Desert Greens Golf Course, the playing field was laid out in 1962 by the renowned course architect Red Lawrence. Though Paradise Hills Golf Course plays an understudy role to Lawrence s better known Albuquerque design, the highly rated Championship Golf Club at the University of Mexico, it is a championship test that has hosted the New Mexico Open and it charms players with its views of the Sandia Mountains and the Albuquerque skyline. The par-72 layout gives golfers of diverse skill levels the chance to take its challenges from four sets of tee markers. You can find a comfortable distance between 5,310 yards and 7,040 yards. Notwithstanding its name, Paradise Hills Golf Course is actually a very flat layout. Somewhat narrow, tree-lined fairways on the front nine give way to more open holes on the back nine. Because some fairways parallel each other, players should stay alert for stray shots. Paradise Hills Golf Course boasts a few impressive doglegs and a foursome of par 3s that play long and tough. The only water hazard is on the 18th hole, a dogleg-right that entices many players to try to hit over a pond to cut the corner. The greens represent the chief defense of par at Paradise Hills Golf Course. They slope from back to front and feature subtle breaks that are hard to read. While it still sports a traditional parkland look, over the years Paradise Hills Golf Course has converted some of its arable turf to natural areas and desert-style transition zones in an effort to save water and be more environmentally conscious. Practice facilities at the course include a driving range, chipping green, and putting green. The clubhouse features a well-stocked pro shop, a spacious event center that is ideal for group outings and special occasions, and a sports bar and grill with lots of televisions that has become a draw in the area for golfers and non-golfers alike. Paradise Hills Golf Course may not be Red Lawrence s most famous design in Albuquerque, but it is a fun and challenging test that players always seem to want to come back to.