Sonoma Ranch Golf Course
Sonoma Ranch Golf Course offers an 18-hole public course on the eastern edge of Las Cruces that balances desert challenge with approachable playability. Featuring natural desert terrain alongside maintained greens and strategic bunkering, it caters to golfers of all skill levels seeking a Southwestern round with relaxed amenities.
Course Overview
Sonoma Ranch Golf Course offers an 18-hole layout that blends the demands of desert golf with accessible playability, located on the eastern edge of Las Cruces, New Mexico. This public facility presents a distinctive experience shaped by its high-desert environment, where arid terrain meets pockets of irrigated green surfaces. The course is designed to challenge golfers while remaining approachable for a broad range of skill levels, making it a practical destination for locals and visitors seeking desert golf without the intense difficulty of more punishing Southwestern layouts.
The course weaves through residential areas with holes that naturally follow the land’s gentle contours. Players encounter a mix of fairway widths and strategic bunkers that guard several greens, requiring thoughtful shot placement rather than sheer distance. Although the desert character dominates, careful water features and maintained tee boxes provide visual contrast amid the natural browns and sagebrush. Sonoma Ranch’s greens have drawn praise for their smoothness, offering a rewarding pace that complements the overall round.
Despite the desert setting, walking the course is a feasible option for those prepared for the local climate; comfortable shoes and hydration are recommended. The club operates carts with GPS systems, though some recent updates have drawn mixed reviews regarding their size and usability. Certain holes restrict cart access to preserve playability and course condition, so walking on those stretches may be necessary.
Amenities at Sonoma Ranch extend beyond the course with a clubhouse restaurant serving casual fare, making it a convenient stop for a meal after golf. The setting supports a relaxed atmosphere appropriate for family outings as well as more competitive play. With tee placements that accommodate beginners and intermediate players, the course invites steady improvement under Southwestern skies.
For golfers navigating Las Cruces, Sonoma Ranch Golf Course stands as a solid option that delivers an honest desert round with thoughtful design and a welcoming environment. Its blend of approachable layout and desert character makes it a noteworthy stop in Southern New Mexico's golf landscape.
Course Highlights
Sonoma Ranch features a desert-style course with a clean layout threading through residential areas and natural terrain. Strategic bunkers and water hazards come into play on key holes, while well-maintained greens provide a receptive putting surface. Cart paths are generally well-marked, though cart restrictions on select holes preserve course conditions. The clubhouse offers dining options for a full day experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guest Reviews
Abel R
$80 for a course in this condition is outrageous. Played many nicer courses between NM, TX, and AZ for less. Also, my kids are Jr. pga and youth on the course members. Anywhere they play, it's the reduced rate, and that is all. Sonoma did honor the rate but then tacked on a $10 rider fee per kid, only place I have seen that for the kids.
Derek McBee
This is one of my favorite courses. That being said, it is no where near the level of course for the price. A box of balls, large bucket of range balls, and 18 holes with a cart was $150. The new carts are made for children too. They are so small two men don’t fit. The new GPS is horrible. Not only have you lost more holes to cart path only, if you get close to the red area your cart dies on you and you have to back out. This is Las Cruces NM. Why are you making us walk more in 100+ temps? If I pay $18 for a cart fee let me use the cart. The sand traps are like cement. Most of them are filled with stagnant water that smells horrendous. The tee boxes finally have grass and the greens actually looked good. That sure doesn’t make up for their new pricing. Maybe talk to your staff? A lot of them agree with these complaints.
Mary Ann Best
We went for lunch. It was fairly busy. Acknowledged and seated promptly. Service was great. The ham & cheese melt had a bit too thick bread for my companion but otherwise good. I had the chicken tenders and fries. They were hot and good. You are rushed here to turn a table- which is a treat.
Abel R
$80 for a course in this condition is outrageous. Played many nicer courses between NM, TX, and AZ for less. Also, my kids are Jr. pga and youth on the course members. Anywhere they play, it's the reduced rate, and that is all. Sonoma did honor the rate but then tacked on a $10 rider fee per kid, only place I have seen that for the kids.
Joe Chavez
Rates were recently raised to $80 for weekend play (Friday considered weekend), which is way too high given the mediocre condition of the course. I guess that's what happens when both Las Cruces courses are owned by the same person.
Back Atone
First, I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work put into maintaining the course; it is in great shape. However, I have some concerns regarding the pin placements. As amateurs, we sometimes find the pins positioned in ways that make it very challenging to make a putt. I would like to suggest that the pins be placed in more accessible locations. Additionally, I am unsure why we are not allowed to drive carts on holes #5 and #6. Regarding the restaurant, I am not certain if it is affiliated with the golf course, but I hope my feedback can be passed on to management. I noticed that on Monday, after my round of golf, the TV behind the bar was set to a news network. Given the current political climate, I believe it would be better to avoid having a news channel on, as customers often have differing opinions. Furthermore, I feel that customers should not have access to the remote control; it would be more appropriate for management to oversee the TV channels. Thank you for considering my feedback.
Jason Ross
This could be a great course but the golf carts are an absolute joke. The GPS tracking and fencing is the most annoying thing in the world. This is an example of technology making things worse. They fence off long open holes for no apparent reason. Also endless popups come up on the screen that you can’t exit. So you can’t enter your score when you want to or see the map (to see the red areas where you can’t drive). Sometimes the GPS will be slightly off and the cart will stop you from driving WHILE YOU’RE ON THE CART PATH.
Derek McBee
This is one of my favorite courses. That being said, it is no where near the level of course for the price. A box of balls, large bucket of range balls, and 18 holes with a cart was $150. The new carts are made for children too. They are so small two men don’t fit. The new GPS is horrible. Not only have you lost more holes to cart path only, if you get close to the red area your cart dies on you and you have to back out. This is Las Cruces NM. Why are you making us walk more in 100+ temps? If I pay $18 for a cart fee let me use the cart. The sand traps are like cement. Most of them are filled with stagnant water that smells horrendous. The tee boxes finally have grass and the greens actually looked good. That sure doesn’t make up for their new pricing. Maybe talk to your staff? A lot of them agree with these complaints.
Back Atone
First, I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work put into maintaining the course; it is in great shape. However, I have some concerns regarding the pin placements. As amateurs, we sometimes find the pins positioned in ways that make it very challenging to make a putt. I would like to suggest that the pins be placed in more accessible locations. Additionally, I am unsure why we are not allowed to drive carts on holes #5 and #6. Regarding the restaurant, I am not certain if it is affiliated with the golf course, but I hope my feedback can be passed on to management. I noticed that on Monday, after my round of golf, the TV behind the bar was set to a news network. Given the current political climate, I believe it would be better to avoid having a news channel on, as customers often have differing opinions. Furthermore, I feel that customers should not have access to the remote control; it would be more appropriate for management to oversee the TV channels. Thank you for considering my feedback.
Bill Lin
Another typical resort neighborhood type of course, but I do like Sonoma better than Horizon (in El Paso), in the way the course layout and the route is a lot more intuitive, you can basically just follow the cart path to find the next hole. Meanwhile, the course design of each hole is also a lot better than Horizon, as it's merging into the neighborhood while not too close, in the way you feel like shooting golf balls in front of someone else front yard.
Book Your Round
Experience one of golf's most legendary courses
Direct booking • No commissions
Course Details
Access & Location
1274 Golf Club Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88011, USA
Sonoma Ranch Golf Course Clubhouse and Grill
Walking is allowed and feasible, but players should bring appropriate footwear and stay hydrated due to desert heat.
Open to the public with no advance membership required; tee times recommended during peak seasons.
Nearby Courses
