Anyone played there? ...... it's an RTJ course.
Thoughts on accommodations?

Played there a couple of weeks ago. It's what I would call a "trick track". Pretty tough with lots of crazy holes with blind shots. Scenery is beautiful. Clubhouse and restaurant are really nice. Wasn't able to eat there as they were booked up both Friday and Saturday night. And it was recently acquired by an Aggie. I highly recommend. Green fee was $140 on a Friday morning.

We played Inn of the Mountain Gods on Saturday morning. Don't waste your money. It's in terrible shape. I'd try to get on at Alto/Outlaw or go play Links.

Thanks!

Thats a shame about IMG. I played there virtually every Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day for 15 years. Ending ~ 2005.

Recently spent a week at Angel Fire. Played almost every day. Nice track. Very playable. Im a 15-17 hdcp and shot in the high 80s to low 90s. 76 degrees for a high temp every day

played it in 2015. beautiful course with spectacular vistas.
Awesome clubhouse and restaurant as well. 10/10 in my book

Quote:

---

We've done Ruidoso the last two years for our guys golf trip with mostly single digit players. We really enjoy The Links course. We also played one round each trip at RainMaker. While beautiful and exquisitely maintained, it is a brutally difficult golf course to the point of not being fun. The second year we played a scramble. It has several blind, or non-descript tee shots that make things more difficult than necessary. After a dozen plus rounds out there, it might start to be enjoyable. Take plenty of golf balls and just play for fun. Prepare to use plenty of mulligans. Both our rounds were on Sunday mornings in September. We paid about $80 and saw no more than three other groups across the entire facility either time. It was surreal. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

---

Re-posting my previous post....

Im looking to head up that way labor day and hope to play rainmakers for my second time.

As difficult as it is for a first-timer, it's still a hell of a lot of fun. Just remember that you're playing golf in the mountains. Also, it'll prob be near perfect weather. If you can't have fun with that then it might be time for a new hobby.

They're in a major drought...although I think they've had some relief the past 2 weeks. Point is, the Links looked a little scorched. I'd still play it. But it wasn't in its usual shape.

Also, I left money ahead on golf balls. When you inevitably hit one into the caca, you will find tons of Pro V's that the rich grey hairs didn't bother looking for. Or couldn't see. I found at least 8 brand new premium golf balls during one round. And I'm not the guy that jumps down in a creek to pick up balls.

Planning a trip to Inn of the Mountain Gods first weekend in August. What has happened to the golf course to make it not worth playing?

I played Alto over the July 4th holiday. Be advised that two holes are under construction. #18 is one and I cant't remember the other. Played Rainmaker when it first opened and as others said- hard course but beautiful and worth the round. Hope the picture shows up- Par three at Rainmaker two weeks ago

Heading up there for vacation, in a couple of weeks.

Looking forward to playing it if I can get on.

Thinking about sneaking away from the family vacation on Monday morning for a quick round. If golf now has the links for $85 and IMG for $100, which would you guys recommend. Side note: I figured Monday morning would be cheaper.

IMPRINTANYTHING said:

---

Planning a trip to Inn of the Mountain Gods first weekend in August. What has happened to the golf course to make it not worth playing?

---

The playing surface is in terrible shape. I get it...they're in a terrible drought. If you just want to play it for the sake of old times then I say go for it. But it ain't worth the $140 that we paid for a Saturday morning. Greens, fairways, it's all in a bad way. It ain't Bryan Muni bad but it's not the course that it used to be.

Can't speak to Links versus Inn. If it were me, I'd give the Links a try. Less money. I did drive by Links and it looked pretty dry.

Played the links this morning at 630. The tee boxes and fairways are pretty patchy, but the greens seemed to be in good shape and were rolling true. Outside of the scenic views, there is no way this is worth $85. The course layout was fun, but really simple if you're willing to hit Iron off lots of tees. I'm a 12ish handicap who doesn't play very much right now, and I shot a pretty stress free 82. Luckily, I was able to get there early enough to be first off by myself, so I played in a little over 2 hours. There were tons of white hairs in the parking lot when I finished, so it was about to get busy.

Played Rainmakers and IMG this past weekend - both are now in good shape, as they've been getting lots of rain the past few weeks.

I personally found IMG to be a tougher track than Rainmakers, but you definitely need to do your homework and look at the yardage book at Rainmakers. You can't just grip it and rip it for sure...

2 hour round, shot 82..... That's pretty bad for 9 holes.

I'm just messin with ya Old School Bro.

I've been going with a group of guys to Ruidoso for the past 12 years. The first year I went was the 20th anniversary of this group. None of the original group go any more, and a lot of them are deceased. There are usually from 12 - 24 guys that go. Currently we are playing a 4 day tournament. A handicap committee establishes a handicap for every player, either adjusting their handicap from their home course or if someone doesn't have one, they assign one.

Team tournament format is a modified Stableford.
Part of the entry fee money is for an individual net score. Pay 2 places day money and 3 places for the total.

We have been playing 2 rounds at the Inn, 1 at the Links, and 1 at Rainmakers. We boycotted the Links last year and played at Alamagordo.
There have been 2 trips that I was on that we went to Los Cruces and played Sonoma Ranch. That first year I went (the 20th anniversary) we chartered a bus for that trip. I wish it wasn't so far, that's a nice course.
Years ago we were able to play at Alto because one of the olds was a member, but something changed that it now requires a member to be in each foursome.
I've never played Outlaw, but I would like to sometime.
Before I started going on the trip, the group chartered a bus and played in Juarez with caddies. The stories from that trip are hilarious. One in particular was a guy that told his caddie to carry his beer, iced down in a 5 gallon bucket, and he would carry his own clubs.

Rainmakers is becoming our favorite course and we may wind up playing 2 rounds up there. Not sure what the rub was with the Links course one year that I did not go that caused us to not play there.
I'm a 14 handicap and my best round at Rainmakers was 87.

I've been fortunate enough to get invited to go with a group of Aggies for an extended Labor Day weekend and stay and play at Rainmakers. Then back out there in October for the annual trip.

Haha, nice try! When I made the turn at about 7:30, the 80 year old starter tried to stop me. When I told him that I wasn't starting, I was making the turn, he looked surprised. He then told me that there was a group of 4 locals who were on the course who each have their own cart and play very fast. Said to be on the lookout and let them through if they caught me. I told him that I just played the front in right at an hour and had just seen them 4 holes behind me, so if they caught me, I was going to be pretty impressed.

We had a quick weekend trip out there in late May this year. Played Rainmakers. We only saw one twosome on the course besides us. My wife was complaining about how expensive it was to play out there, but I just told her it wasn't a bad price for renting the entire course for 4 hours.

The reason we go in October is that the rates drop for most of the courses starting October 1st.

Played Inn of the Mountain Gods today with my 13 year old son who is a beginner.

Course was in relatively good shape. Greens were running a 10.5, most of the fairways were in decent condition.

Enjoyed the round, very much and am playing Rainmakers tomorrow.

Will chime in after the round. Course looks to be in really good condition.

Played Rainmakers yesterday. Course was in very good shape. Greens are excellent and fast.

There was some construction around clubhouse behind 18. There were areas on two holes....4 and one other one.....can't remember which one......that had ground under repair.

Loved the layout, tough course, staff was super friendly and helpful.

Will definitely make it back to play.

How did u get on, just call or do you know someone who lives in the area?

BreNayPop said:

---

How did u get on, just call or do you know someone who lives in the area?

---

They take public tee times during the week. Just call up there and they should be able to set you up.

Thx

BreNayPop said:

---

How did u get on, just call or do you know someone who lives in the area?

---

Just drove up to pro shop Sunday, said we were visiting from San Antonio and asked if they had a tee time.

Told them I heard the club advertised on TexAgs, and wanted to check it out.

They got us a tee time - there was not a huge amount of traffic. My son and I had great time (he is just starting his golf journey at the age of 13).

They said come back in September/ October when it is cooler.

Dale Earnhardts Stache said:

---

BreNayPop said:

---

How did u get on, just call or do you know someone who lives in the area?

---

They take public tee times during the week. Just call up there and they should be able to set you up.

---

Yes. I had also read that in one of the posts above.

Thx!!

Heading over ther for a golf weekend and will be playing Rainmakers on Monday. We will let yall know how its playing!

Tacoma10 said:

---

Heading over ther for a golf weekend and will be playing Rainmakers on Monday. We will let yall know how its playing!

---

Excited to play it monday!

Gorgeous course, super tough track. Had some great holes and it is definitely a ball placement track. Put driver away and 3 iron off the tee made the course much better. Old man tees and womens tees look tons easier. Greens perfect, fairways were manicured.

Played inn of the mountain gods this weekend too and it was in great shape. Greens were at 10 and the fairways were good (too much rain).

BreNayPop said:

---

Gorgeous course, super tough track. Had some great holes and it is definitely a ball placement track. Put driver away and 3 iron off the tee made the course much better. Old man tees and womens tees look tons easier. Greens perfect, fairways were manicured.

Played inn of the mountain gods this weekend too and it was in great shape. Greens were at 10 and the fairways were good (too much rain).

---

You and I had the same experience. Really loved Rainmakers. My drive on 18 will stick in my mind. Nailed the Tee shot across the ravine over the Bunkers and hit a 5 iron to the front Collar, chipped up and missed birdie putt.

Club staff was excellent and the bar after the round was a welcome relief from the hot weather.