Red Hawk Golf Club Set to Soar

A drop dead gorgeous golf course that was developed several years ago north of U.S. Highway 70 and east of Interstate Highway 25 in Las Cruces finally appears to be on the verge of a long awaited opening. Construction of the course was initiated by land developer Philip Philoppou. It was originally going to swapped, when completed, and become the new home of Las Cruces Country Club. Under severe financial pressures, Mr. Philoppou ceased his involvement in the project, and now with just a few weeks to go before the opening date, the handoff/swap to the Las Cruces Country Club appears to be in serious doubt.

The new course, which is set for an early September opening is going to be christened as, "Red Hawk Golf Club." The magnificent layout has been the talk of the golfing community all over the state for several years. Red Hawk was designed by legendary golf course architect Ken Dye. Dye has designed many well-known golf projects both nationally and internationally.

The course features five sets of tees, with yardages ranging from 5,502 to 7,523. There are numerous hazards include 5 lakes (with water coming into play on 8 holes) and 76 bunkers. The layout covers 200 acres including 100 acres of turf, 50 acres of planted native grasses, and 50 acres of natural desert. It is already a haven for wildlife in the surrounding area. Red Hawk is also noteworthy for its links-style features, including rolling hills, generous greens, and a challenging yet spacious design. 

The facility will have PGA Master Professional Bill Eschenbrenner serving as Golf Pro Emeritus. Eschenbrenner was named National PGA Golf Professional of the Year in 2005 and was inducted into the National PGA Hall of Fame in 2006.

Alan Salter, Certified Golf Course Superintendent and Red Hawk’s head superintendent, is a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and supervised the grow-in of the Red Hawk golf course from 2007 through 2011. Prior to moving to Las Cruces, Alan was the head superintendent for a decade at Pinon Hills Golf Course in Farmington, New Mexico which is one of the premier public golf courses in the entire nation.