
Black Diamond Course
Black Diamond Golf Course


About this course
Black Diamond Golf Course sits in the Nenana River valley near Healy, Alaska, roughly ten miles north of the entrance to Denali National Park. Designed by Frank Talerico and opened in the mid-1990s, the course occupies a dramatic setting with views of the Alaska Range and, on clear days, Denali itself. The layout takes advantage of the subarctic landscape, with fairways routed through boreal forest and across rolling terrain shaped by glacial activity. The property's elevation and northern latitude create distinctive playing conditions, including extended daylight during summer months and firm, fast turf. The routing works through stands of spruce and birch, with several holes offering open vistas toward the surrounding mountains. Natural elevation changes provide strategic interest, and the design incorporates the existing topography rather than heavy earthmoving. Water features appear on select holes, fed by snowmelt and seasonal drainage patterns typical of the region. The course operates during Alaska's brief golf season, roughly late May through early September, when temperatures moderate and the ground thaws sufficiently for play. Black Diamond serves both locals from the Healy-Denali area and visitors traveling the Parks Highway corridor. The facility maintains a straightforward, accessible character suited to its remote location and seasonal operation. For golfers passing through Alaska's interior, it offers a functional layout in a setting defined more by wilderness proximity than architectural refinement.
Quick facts
- Location
- Healy, AK, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1995
- Designer
- Frank Talerico
- Holes
- 9
- Par
- 34
- Length
- 2,732 yards
- Difficulty
- 33.7/108
Getting there
The journey to Black Diamond Golf Course begins with arrival at Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Alaska's primary hub, followed by a spectacular two-hour drive north through the Matanuska Valley toward the remote interior. The route transitions from the urban sprawl of Anchorage into increasingly wild terrain - dense boreal forest and tundra gradually replacing civilization - as the Parks Highway carries you deeper into the Alaska Range foothills. For those with access to private aviation, the nearby Healy airstrip offers a more intimate arrival, cutting the ground journey to mere minutes. The final approach to Black Diamond is a quiet passage through pristine wilderness, where the course emerges from the subarctic landscape as an improbable and humbling oasis - a testament to vision and solitude in one of North America's last true frontiers.

FAQ
Common questions about Black Diamond
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Black Diamond was designed by Frank Talerico.
Yes. Black Diamond is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Black Diamond is 34.
Black Diamond plays 2,732 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Black Diamond is 108.
Black Diamond is a 9-hole course.
