Ranch at Black Diamond Ranch

The Ranch Course at Black Diamond Ranch opened in 1987 as Tom Fazio's first design in Florida, with Andy Banfield assisting. The property sits in Citrus County along Florida's Nature Coast, roughly seventy miles north of Tampa, where the terrain departs from the state's typical flatness. Fazio worked with a former phosphate mining site, transforming the reclaimed land into a layout that features significant elevation changes uncommon in Florida golf—some holes play across ridges and into valleys with drops of forty feet or more.

The routing makes extensive use of the dramatic topography, with several holes playing from elevated tees down to fairways below, while others climb back upward. Water comes into play on many holes, often in the form of lakes left by the mining operations, and Fazio shaped bold, sculptural bunkering throughout. The course stretches over 7,000 yards from the back tees and demands both length and accuracy, particularly on approach shots to elevated or well-guarded greens.

Black Diamond Ranch operates as a private residential community and also features the Quarry Course, another Fazio design that opened a few years later. The Ranch Course has appeared in various national rankings of Florida layouts and serves as the club's original championship test. The combination of vertical movement, strategic bunkering, and water hazards creates a playing experience distinct from most Florida courses, which typically rely on flat, parkland settings.