As the travel writer for Golfaq.com exploring golf's best values across America, I found an intriguing point made in our latest course guide list on the relationship between affordability and memorability.

Our editors rightly noted how affordability can be an ambiguous concept dependent on one's individual factors, whereas memorability is demonstrated through what courses stand out in our memories. This struck a chord as someone who's played hundreds of global tracks.

I recalled my own experience of Black Mesa Golf Club in New Mexico back in 2010. As part of my annual odyssey living on the road and blogging courses, I was drawn to its affordable green fee of just $20-something when most were charging winter rates.

The par-3 15th is one of many scenic moments at Black Mesa.
Jason Scott Deegan/GolfPass

Little did I know the visual drama and challenging terrain navigating the mesas would etch the course into my memory banks. From the cool desert afternoon I arrived, to errors made on spicy foods in the state, Black Mesa made a strong first impression. Its strategic design amidst dramatic surrounds clearly resonated and still does today.

This insight rings true - affordability is subjective but a course truly sticks when it engages you fully through a unique golf journey. Black Mesa delivered magnificently on both, highlighting how value and memorability can intersect powerfully when a course truly captivates. It's what makes certain places stand the test of time in a globetrotting golfer's mind.

When I visited Black Mesa Golf Club back in 2010, its affordable rates perfectly suited my travel budget as a university student-turned-golf writer exploring courses across America from my trusty station wagon.

The afternoon offseason price I snagged was even lower than Black Mesa's usual lower winter fees. If memory serves me right, I paid around $20-25 to walk the course - an absolute steal. Affordability was crucial then and Black Mesa delivered.

I recall the simple cream-colored sweater and impressively baggy khakis I slipped on that day ended up matching the barren, sun-bleached fairways perfectly. It felt like I was playing an old sepia-toned photograph come to life amidst the desert terrain.

Playing solo added another dimension as I was fully immersed in the course and my own game, both mentally and visually. While it can be risky if things aren't going well, the isolated setting at Black Mesa with its mesmerizing scenery sucked me in. All external distractions melted away as I navigated the strategically routed holes alone.

There's an immersive, Zen-like quality possible in a solo round when conditions are favorable. I appreciated having only my game and the natural landscape to interact with on that memorable winter afternoon escapade in New Mexico.

The dramatic landscape combining desert and mountain scenery truly ignited my interest at Black Mesa. Significant elevation swings between ridgelines and valleys below made for an engaging test.

I appreciated how designer Tom Doak sculpted clever green complexes tucked into sandstone cliffs and nestled fairways amongst natural arroyo hazards. It flowed remarkably well while demanding strategic thought on each challenging hole.

As the afternoon progressed and the light started fading, I had the course mostly to myself. Just one truck remained in the near-empty lot belonging to the attendant, who suggested I finish up. But I was in the zone and talked him into letting me continue walking whilst he took off.

The conditions definitely changed as a wound down the back nine alone as daylight dwindled. Paw prints and rattlesnake signs caught my eye more prominently. Meanwhile, the holes felt farther apart, creating a disorienting effect as I occasionally lost track of the clubhouse position.

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The isolated nature of my solo round at Black Mesa, combined with how smoothly I was playing, certainly added to the round's memorability in hindsight.

As the light faded amidst that vast, open terrain, I vividly recall scanning the hillsides nervously for mountain lions between shots. The course felt absolutely enormous alone in the fading light. I was on high alert yet fully engaged, a sensation of both fear and stimulation.

Just as I hit 3-wood on the dramatic uphill par-5 16th, a loud truck roar truly startled me over the hill. It was the pro shop attendant, who'd apparently grown concerned for my lone presence. He insisted I join him for the ride back.

Upon asking why, he explained it wasn't snakes worrying him as much as the possibility of aggressive feral dogs in the shadows. Their potential for being nasty in those conditions convinced me to accept the offer without hesitation.

To this day, that round at Black Mesa through exceptional and unnerving conditions remains one of my most vivid golf memories. I've not returned but often wonder how the reality might compare to my enduring memory of that thrilling solo adventure.