Quail Run

Review & Rating of Quail Run Golf Course in Santa Fe

Quail Run Golf Course is a private course that plays through and around the perimeter of a very nice award winning gated community just a few miles from downtown Santa Fe. 

The course opened for play in 1990 and was designed by Arthur Jack Snyder who also designed Camelback and The Boulders in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Quail Run is a nine hole par 32 course with 5 par 3s, 1 par 5, and 3 par 4s.  There are 4 tee boxes with yardages ranging from 1786 to 2424 yards and to make it fun you should play from a different tee box for each nine – it makes that nine a little shorter or longer as well as requires a little different angle and approach to the green. 

Quail Run can best be described as very narrow, hilly, and somewhat tricky – unless you’re really accurate with your driver, you best leave it in the bag on the par 4s and the par 5.  You’ll encounter some uphill as well as downhill shots that require you to carefully select the right club, some raised and guarded greens, a couple forced carries off the tee box plus 15 bunkers and a small pond to avoid. The course is scenic with a variety of interesting trees, colorful (red, yellow, purple, and more) native fauna, and views of Santa Fe and the mountains from most holes.

Some of the holes that we really enjoyed included:

• #1 is a 387 yard par 4 with a tight tree lined fairway that turns left around a small pond (hidden from your view) on the front left side of the green which is set off to the left side of the fairway and has a bunker on the right front side
• #2 is a fairly steep uphill shot to a green with a steep and deep bunker waiting for a short shot and another bunker on the left side 
• #7 is the only par 5 and it’s 515 yards slightly down a tight fairway with an arroyo which was used as the Santa Fe Trail (a commercial wagon train highway from Missouri to Santa Fe from 1820 to 1880) along the entire right side and trees along the left side and a green that is tucked into the right side of the fairway making for a tough approach shot
• #9 is only 156 yards but the skinny oblong green is surrounded by 4 bunkers

When we played in August the Kentucky Bluegrass fairways were in very good condition and I felt guilty taking a divot!  The Quail Run fairways are all fairly tight and lined by a wide variety of different trees (mesquite,  pinon, blue spruce, Russian olive, and lots more) and the natural desert landscape which may devour you golf ball.  Some fairways have cute adobe homes set back and out of play.  The fairway are gently rolling and contoured and run both uphill and downhill.  The rough was also in great shape and was cut thick and in places very difficult to get out of. 

The bent grass greens at Quail Run are a variety of shapes and sizes from small to about average.  They were soft, ran true, and held the ball well.  Most have some minor contour or slope and you’ll encounter a tier or two.  When we played it had rained the night before and as such they couldn’t be cut so they were a tad slow, an 8 or so – normally they run between a 9 and 10.  The mountains will tell you which way the ball will break.

The Quail Run bunkers were well maintained, as is the entire course, and the sand was heavy and gritty and also wet from the rain.  The lips of the bunkers range from small to steep – hit a small one and you may get lucky and roll out to fairway.

Although Quail Run is private you can rent one of the condominium homes and you’ll have access to the course.  And you’re close (about 3 miles) to the Santa Fe Plaza (the heartbeat of Santa Fe which is loaded with shops, history, restaurants, and fun nightlife) and  all that Santa Fe has to offer.  During your stay you can also enjoy the amenities of Quail Run, some of which include: Pro Bounce lighted tennis courts designed for high altitude play, a complete fitness center, a 65-foot indoor ozone purified pool, a full service restaurant, spa services and so much more.

Bottom line – Quail Run is a layout that’s not going to beat you up, is fun and relaxing to play, and is home to some good holes and great conditions.  A Golf Club Membership initiation fee is under $5000 and monthly dues are between $150 and $250.