Dana Lehner: Golf

Dana is the first to admit that he’s not a great golfer. He’s good—but not great. He first started hitting balls with his grandfather around age five and played competitively in high school, but quickly realized he’d never be an elite player. Still, Dana decided to make a career of golf. In college he studied public relations with the goal of working in sports and interned with the American Junior Golf Association. After graduation, he became an assistant golf pro, specializing in working with athletes moving into golf from other sports. Dana is the Executive Director of the Sun Country Golf House. He is intimately familiar with every golf course in the Albuquerque area, its individual specialties and unique charms. Dana says if you love golf, you’ve got to play golf in Albuquerque! The city’s outstanding weather, tremendous variety of terrain, high quality golf courses and great value make it an irresistible destination for golfers.

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Questions & Answers

Q: Hi! Hubby and I will be in ABQ 5/18-20. We'd like to play a round of golf but would like to avoid the "busy times" (I'm a duffer/hubby is better, we want a relaxing round of golf). Any suggestions as to the best place & time to play?: A: Great question. When we think golf we all too often think about the great courses and the great rounds, but we sometimes forget the "F Word", which is FUN. And, many times fun involves a leisurely round with no pressure built in. The general rule for finding a less crowded golf course is to play later in the afternoon. You can avoid all the diehards that are up at the crack of dawn looking to be the first off the tee. Later in the afternoon (usually after 2pm or so) you can also get the "twilight" discounted rates that most facilities have to offer. As far as places to play, if you're looking for a resort style course I would recommend Sandia GC, Santa Ana GC, Twin Warriors GC and Isleta GC. If you're looking for a general municipal experience and still want a quality layout I would go with the city facilities here in ABQ including Arroyo del Oso GC and Los Altos GC. Hope it helps and enjoy ABQ! Don't forget to tell your friends.

Q: Dana - I live in Northern CO and a couple of my buddies want to play golf in early Feb. Is it too cold to play Albuquerque? And if not, what courses would be open and fun to play?: A:
Thanks for the question!

Weather in Albuquerque is pretty mild during the Winter months. In February, you'll see highs in the 50s and a lot of times even higher. And, the truth is that 55 degrees in Albuquerque is a lot different than 55 degrees in most places. With little to no wind and 310 days of sunshine a year, your chances of getting a warm and sunny 55 degree day are pretty solid. Dare I say that short sleeves are even a great possibility! Especially for somebody from No. Colorado.

As far as what courses to play, I'd recommend checking out the golf page on the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau website.

And, I also highly recommend the New Mexico Golf Destinations website for a more comprehensive look at golf facilities in our area. Hope this helps and I know you'll enjoy your time in the Duke City!

Q: Dana - what are some options for golf lessons here in Albuquerque?: A: Great, question. Almost all facilities have a lesson program or series of clinics for players of all abilities. The key is to make sure the teacher is a PGA Professional. Golf Professionals who go through the PGA of America's apprentice program are sure to have acquired the proper training in golf swing education and teaching. Whereas, an unaffiliated golf professional could have just been hired on and been slapped with the title Golf Pro without really having done anything to earn it.

So, the best tip is to check out a couple of facilities near your home to see what lesson programs they offer. You can check out the yellow pages and call the facilities to inquire, but what's even easier is to go to www.playgolfamerica.com. There you can type in your zip code, then select a 30-mile search (good idea since we're in a metro area) to see all of the facilities in your area and a description of their programs.

Keep in mind too that PGA Professionals have differing styles on what they teach and how they teach the game of golf. Therefore, it makes sense to "shop around" and take a handful of lessons from different Pros to make sure you find one that fits you best. It's like anything else in life, there is a variety out there and it helps out to test the waters, so to speak. In the end, I think you'll find that a new set of eyes on your golf swing that can point you in the right direction from time to time is a great thing. There is a reason that even the best players in the world consistently get looked over by a PGA Professional.

Q: Dana, where is a good watering hole after a long day of golfing with your buddies?: A: I’m pretty partial to sitting outside on the patio at Kellys Brew Pub in Nob Hill with my buddies. They’ve got some good house-brewed beer and it’s a great atmosphere (www.kellysbrewpub.com). I also recommend Chama River Brewing Co (www.chamariverbrewery.com) and Coaches Sports Grill (www.coachessportsgrill.net). Have fun! Check out http://www.itsatrip.org/dining-nightlife/default.aspx for a more comprehensive list of bars and restaurants in Abq.

Q: a friend and i want to come to albuquerque to play golf around mid-october. would like to get a contact number to call in order to plan a golfing packet and trip.: A:
To build a package to stay and play golf in Albuquerque, I would make a few recommendations. First, check out golf.itsatrip.org where you'll find numerous golf packages ready and waiting. Second I would try www.newmexicogolfdestinations.com. This site is a state-wide cooperative of PGA Golf Professionals and New Mexico hoteliers that are marketing Albuquerque and all of New Mexico as a golfing destination. It's a great site to explore the different facilities that we have to offer while also offering other aspects to build an entire package.

Finally, another, more targeted option would be www.golfonthesantafetrail.com that is a cooperative of golf facilities that sit along the Rio Grande River.