Las Campanas Sunrise Course
In the foothills just northwest of Santa Fe, Jack Nicklaus laid out the first of two courses at The Club at Las Campanas, a milestone in his design portfolio when it opened in 1993. The Sunrise Course is a par 72 of around 7,600 yards at roughly 7,000 feet, a private high desert layout of long views, big elevation change and the polish that comes with one of the most exclusive addresses in the Southwest.
Photograph: Las Campanas Sunrise Course, via Google · Zach Sarnoff
The verdict
The Sunrise Course is the private heart of golf around Santa Fe. Jack Nicklaus opened it in 1993 as a milestone design in his portfolio, routed through the rolling foothills northwest of the city where the high desert meets the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez ranges, and it set the tone for The Club at Las Campanas, the gated community that grew up around it. The club later added a second Nicklaus layout, the Sunset Course, making Las Campanas one of the rare clubs in the country with two courses by the game's most prolific champion designer.
For the traveling golfer, the Sunrise Course is the aspirational round of a Santa Fe trip, the polished private experience that contrasts with the area's excellent public golf. It sits at around 7,000 feet, so the ball carries and the long card plays its yardage gently, and the routing uses the terrain for elevated tees, downhill drives and approaches framed by big New Mexico sky. Access is private, for members and their guests, so most visitors will admire it as the high water mark of the area while building a playable trip around the public courses nearby.
Sunrise Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1993
- Designer
- Jack Nicklaus
- Type
- High desert foothills
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- Around 7,600 yds
- Access
- Private members club
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from course databases and design sources. The Sunrise Course plays as a par 72 of around 7,600 yards from the championship tees at roughly 7,000 feet, routed through the rolling Santa Fe foothills with significant elevation change. It is part of a private members club with no published green fee; access is for members and guests, so always confirm directly.
The holes worth the trip
The Sunrise Course is a classic example of how Jack Nicklaus uses big, open terrain. The fairways are generous off the tee, framed by native chamisa, juniper and the rocky high desert ground, but the defense is in the green complexes and the angles, which reward the player who positions the drive to open the approach rather than simply bombing it down the middle. The rolling land gives elevated tees and downhill shots, so judging the elevation and the way the thin air lengthens carry is the constant calculation.
The greens are the signature, contoured and well bunkered in the Nicklaus manner, and at altitude they ask for a precise number and a committed swing, because a long approach left in the wrong quadrant leaves a treacherous putt. The par 3s use the foothills for drama and changing wind, the par 5s tempt the long hitter to take on a carry for a chance at the green in two, and the whole layout has the conditioning and presentation you expect from a club of this standing.
What sets the Sunrise Course apart is the setting and the sense of space. The views run for miles across the high desert to the surrounding ranges, the air is clear and the light is the famous Santa Fe light that draws painters from around the world, and the round feels both grand and serene. For the handful who play it as members or guests, it is the polished centerpiece of golf in the area, and for everyone else it is the benchmark the public courses are measured against.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; play is for members and their guests only, and there is no public tee sheet or daily fee |
| Green fee | No published green fee, as the club is not open to public play; a round comes only as a member's guest, so always confirm access directly |
| Booking | Through a member; a concierge can advise on the rare routes available and on the public courses you can pair with a Santa Fe trip |
| Two courses | The club has two Jack Nicklaus layouts, the Sunrise and the later Sunset Course, both private to the membership |
| Best months | Late spring through autumn, when the Santa Fe foothills are at their best; the altitude keeps summer pleasant, and shoulder seasons can be cool |
| Getting there | In the foothills just northwest of Santa Fe, about fifteen minutes from the plaza and roughly an hour from Albuquerque airport |
Access verified June 2026 from club sources; the club is private with no public play, so always confirm access directly. Ask about a Santa Fe golf trip.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is Santa Fe itself, fifteen minutes from the club, where the adobe old town, the galleries on Canyon Road and some of the best food in the Southwest make it one of the most rewarding small cities in the country. Staying in Santa Fe keeps you close to the public golf you can actually book and gives a non golfing partner or group plenty to do off the course.
Because access to Las Campanas is private, most golfers admire the Sunrise Course as the high mark of the area and build a playable trip around the excellent public golf nearby. Pair a Santa Fe stay with the wild value of Black Mesa Golf Club in the Rio Grande valley and the mountain drama of Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club in the Sandia foothills for a trip that spans the full range of New Mexico golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Santa Fe.
Build a Santa Fe golf trip
The Sunrise Course is the private benchmark of golf around Santa Fe, best admired alongside the area's outstanding public courses on a New Mexico trip. We plan trips through the Southwest, arrange the tee times you can book and the order of play, and handle the hotels and the logistics. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Las Campanas questions
Can visitors play the Sunrise Course at Las Campanas?
The Sunrise Course is part of a private members club and is not open to general public play; access is for members and their guests. There is no published green fee, so a round comes only as a member's guest or through any member sponsored arrangement, and you should always confirm access directly.
Who designed the Sunrise Course at Las Campanas?
The Sunrise Course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1993, a milestone in his design portfolio. The club later added a second Nicklaus layout, the Sunset Course, making Las Campanas one of very few clubs in the country with two Jack Nicklaus courses.
What is the par and yardage of the Sunrise Course?
The Sunrise Course plays as a par 72 of around 7,600 yards from the championship tees. It sits at roughly 7,000 feet in the foothills above Santa Fe, where the thin air adds carry, and the routing uses the rolling high desert terrain for a generous mix of uphill and downhill holes.
Where is The Club at Las Campanas?
The Club at Las Campanas is in the foothills just northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, within a private residential community. It pairs naturally with the area's public high desert courses for a Santa Fe golf trip, though access to Las Campanas itself is private.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.