Black Diamond Ranch (Quarry) - Florida - USA

There's one specific characteristic that is the first among all others when top quality courses are present -- the land the course occupies. In my mind, the actual site is no less than 60% of my focus on any review I write. No question -- Mother Nature plays a big time role for so many golf courses -- and those blessed with such terrain clearly have a leg-up when bringing such courses to life.

Black Diamond is an atypical Sunshine State Course. The facility is located in the rolling "horse country" of Citrus County. That means the dullsville dreary monotony of flat-as-a pancake layouts overdosed with water hazards and engulfed with invasive housing -- which constitutes 80% of Florida golf -- is thankfully missing here.

The focus at Black Diamond has always been on the quarry holes and they clearly deliver the goods when playing them. The holes are squeezed all together and come at the end of the round which is a good thing because if they came earlier the build-up and subsequent letdown afterwards would have likely negated their full impact.

The long par-5 14th is a classic Cape-like hole and it's beautifully presented as it winds around the top of the quarry's rim. The long par-4 16th is one of the State's best holes -- a demanding long par-4 that wraps itself around the top of the quarry's rim and has a putting surface perched so near to the edge that the slightest pulled approach shot will be a quick casualty when the pin is placed in the deep left corner of the green. The long par-3 17th is also well done -- plunging down into the quarry with a difficult green to hit.

But, the Quarry Course provides much more than a five-hole Steven Spielberg odyssey moment.

The rolling nature of the land allowed architect Tom Fazio to create a layout that illustrates his clear talents. The layout provides plenty of diversity -- holes that move up and down and architectural inclusions that match up well. Credit Fazio for not going over-the-top with various design inclusions as he has often done with other courses he has worked. For Fazio -- less can be more but Tom sometimes has not realized that with other projects.

The Quarry is a great intersection in providing for membership play -- yet having enough elasticity with tee and pin placements to be a much sterner test. The wherewithal to blend such approaches is no easy task and Fazio has often shown an inclination to elevate the "eye candy" side above all else.

The key at the Quarry is that Fazio provided for an outward nine that is quite good -- a mixture of holes and movements. There's no question the quarry holes would be the dominant talking point for those playing the course but Fazio did not simply allow the entire focal point to rest upon just a few holes.

The center-placed fairway bunker at the 2nd is a good addition and the long par-4 3rd is a quality challenge -- both off the tee and on the approach. The long par-3 8th is a fierce hole with ever-present sand hugging the left side. At the concluding par-5 9th you finish the side with a dog-leg right hole that tempts the player in attempting the bold shot off the tee in order to get into position for a go at the green in two shots.

Florida golf does have its moments -- albeit one needs to look for them given the profusion of so much drab design. The Quarry is one of Tom Fazio's really top tier efforts. While others such as Shadow Creek in Nevada often get more attention - it is here in central Florida that Black Diamond's Quarry Course is worthy of serious top ten consideration in the State.

by M. James Ward

Black Diamond Ranch was one of the early courses on my quest, yet I knew relatively little about it. With a little research I found out that it’s located in Lecanto, Florida, about 90 miles north of Tampa in an area known for horse ranches. Stan Olsen, an aggressive real-estate developer, bought one of the horse ranches to build this development. He hired renowned golf architect Tom Fazio to build the course in 1987, and it was on the Top 100 as soon as it qualified. I played it shortly thereafter.

The front nine of the course is terrific, but nothing compared to the back nine. The holes are artfully designed and the course was in fabulous condition, featuring generous, sculpted fairways. Fazio may be the best golf course architect of his time. His courses are challenging for good players, yet fun for less skilled players. It’s a win-win combination. Unlike most similar developments, the homes here do not encroach on the golf course, and unlike most developers, Stan Olsen maintained the natural beauty of the course’s surroundings. Black Diamond also may be the first golf course built in an abandoned quarry. The five holes in the quarry have brought notoriety to Black Diamond Ranch. Tom Fazio later told me on the phone that during his first inspection of the property, Stan Olsen had not bothered to show him the quarry; it never occurred to him that it would be part of the golf course. When he finally saw it, Fazio knew the quarry would be an integral part of his plan. Suddenly, Fazio told me, other developers and golf course architects were looking for abandoned quarries.

I would love to play this place every day. In fact, I liked it so much I would rank Black Diamond in my Top 10. Larry Berle.

Judging the course on today's condition would probably be too unfair. As they are in the process of overseeding the fairways and tee boxes, those felt like semi rough at best, uncut for probably more than a week. Greens on the other hand were top drawer. That being said, you can still estimate the potential of a course despite these conditions. Holes 1-12 and 18 are solid, nothing exceptional, but all good holes, just not great ones. 13-17 is a different animal! These are the best 5 consecutive holes I've ever seen and played. Really out of this world! Intimidating and challenging. For those 5 holes alone, the course deserves its praises. Not that the other 13 holes are not worth it, they just can't stand the comparison despite their quality. These 5 holes will be engraved in my memory for a long long time.... Cedric

This is an excellent course. You start off with 12 holes of excellent high quality residential golf and then you hit the 5 quarry holes. They are breathtakingily beautiful. And they vary from shorter par 3's (160 yards) to long par 3's (225 yards). They have one of the best par 4's I've played with the 15th. And they've got two par 5's. Both requiring quarry carries with limited "bailout" areas. Frankly, the par 5 16th is a little too much (at least for my taste), but that doesn't detract from the quality of the course. Very solid!!

Black Diamond Ranch is a wonderful set up for golfers with 3 Tom Fazio courses. The Quarry course is the best known and has attracted a lot of publicity due to holes 12 to 16 in and around the quarry. Aside from these holes this is an excellent golf course which uses mature trees and plentiful bunkering to shape the holes. However you will always remember the dramatic holes at the quarry beginning with a long par 3 from a high tee to a high green with a huge drop into the quarry in the middle. Eagles were circling at the top of the quarry, at green level, when I played this hole. Next you have a wonderful par 5 turning left around the upper rim of the quarry where you bite off as much of the corner over the quarry as you dare and the green site is set right against the top lip. You don't look for anything left! The best hole is next where you drive from a high tee right down to the quarry floor and the second shot is played to a green set hard against the quarry lake. Wonderful. No rest yet. Back up to the quarry rim to play a tough par 4 following the rim as you keep playing to the left. Finally you drop out of the quarry with a long par 3 from a high tee. Some of the most dramatic holes that you will ever play.