Ohio Golf Journal February 2020

green with cliffs left and a sprinkle of deep grass bunkers right. Good luck! After you have challenged the Quarry, you can enjoy what I consider one of his best layouts and my favorite, The Ranch’s 18 magnificent holes at just under 7,000 yards. The good thing about the courses; there are 5 sets of tees to make them all playable for any level of player. The Ranch is pure undisturbed golf at its best, that you will be wanting to play again and again, that blends perfectly with the abundant rolling hills of “The Manatee Capital of the World.” The fairways are framed by hammocks of majestic oaks, tawny-colored sand waste areas and dotted with vegetation. The Highlands nine-hole course is as good as its big brothers and can be played in tandem with a nine of either the Quarry or Ranch. On a previous visit a few years ago, I had the opportunity to play the 3,453-yard layout and found it as challenging and enjoyable as the other two. Although Black Diamond Ranch is a private sanctuary, public golfers and small groups can enjoy the “Black Diamond Experience” with one of the stay-and-play packages available with onsite private home accommodations. Contact Cherri Hall at 352-453-5454 or CHall@ BlackDiamondRanch.com.