if you're new to Albuquerque, you may not be aware of the abundance of sporting events the city has to offer. If you're from a big city, you'll soon find that the excitement is the same but the atmosphere is more relaxed, and getting to the event of your choice is convenient and affordabe.

Baseball

Albuquerqueans spend many a balmy Southwestern night at the ballpark, cheering from the stands or picnicking on the lawn. The newly refurbished park is now called Isotopes Park (reputedly stemming from the Springfield Isotopes of the Simpson’s television show.)

The Isotopes are a Class AAA affiliate of the Florida Marlins and play in the Pacific Coast League. They have been playing in Albuquerque since April 2003, after the Albuquerque Dukes were sold and moved to Portland. The Isotopes were originally brought to Albuquerque from Canada where they were known as the Calgary Canons.

To see the Isotopes schedule or purchase tickets, go to www.albquerquebaseball.com

Basketball

The University of New Mexico has stellar basketball with both men’s and women’s teams. Lobos (wolf in Spanish) is an appropriate name for these tenacious teams, which draw recruits from all over the world. Led by coach Ritchie McKay (www.coachritchiemckay.com) the men’s Lobos team has progressed to become a major contender in college basketball.

Coached by Don Flanagan named by the UNM athletics website as “the winningest coach in New Mexico women’s basketball history,” the women’s basketball team has enjoyed nine consecutive winning seasons. Rumor has it that their games are even more popular than the men’s. Check out http://golobos.cstv.com for more information on UNM athletics.

Ice Hockey

The New Mexico Scorpions are a minor league hockey team that have been playing in Albuquerque since 1996.

This year brings a lot of changes for the Scorpions whose season was cut short last year following a dispute with the management of Tingley Coliseum.
The Scorpions are back with a new stadium and a new look, including new uniforms, color scheme and logo.

Rio Rancho residents are excited because beginning in the 2006-2007 season, the sparkling new Rio Rancho Events Center will serve as the Scorpion’s home base. In addition, the Central Hockey League has expanded and added two more teams, which means the Scorpions will now compete as part of the six-team Southwest Division, facing opponents like the Arizona Sundogs, Amarillo Guerillas, Lubbock Cotton Kings and Odessa Jackalopes.

For more information or to obtain tickets, go to www.scorpionshockey.com or call 881-PUCK.

Golf

You may be surprised to find so many green golf courses in a desert, but there are more than a dozen golf courses in and around Albuquerque, featuring reasonable greens fees and mountain views.

You may also be surprised by the level of courses, two of which are in Golf Digest’s 2006 list of the Greatest 100 Public Golf Courses in America: Paa-ko Ridge in the East Mountains (#20) and Twin Warriors Golf Club on the Santa Ana Pueblo (#49).

The City of Albuquerque has four municipal golf courses, and there are several tribal courses, like Twin Warriors Golf Club. Many courses are located next to tribal casinos.

www.thegolfcourses.net
www.nmgolf.net
www.golfnewmexico.com