Dig into The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge in Minnesota's Iron Range
BIWABIK, Minn. -- Long before the Iron Range became a golf destination, it was a hotbed for iron ore mining, and The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge pays homage to its industrious past with a spectacular 18 holes carved out of dense forest and former mine fields.
The golf course opened in 2003 as the second of two courses at Giants Ridge. Like its predecessor, The Legend, golf course architect Jeff Brauer designed it. There aren't many other similarities, however.
The Quarry is set on rugged former quarry land, and its natural and man-made undulations are a little heavier, while there are a mix of natural waste areas and carved bunkers. The course can play more than 7,200 yards from the championship tees, making it one of the state's best public tests of golf.
There are numerous candidates for a "signature hole" here, starting with the dramatic par-5 second that plays from an elevated tee box and has a split fairway up toward the green. Another exciting hole is the drivable par-4 13th, which is reachable off the tee but has a very challenging, sloping green complex that can yield plenty of three- or four-putts.
Managed by Troon Golf, each course has a separate clubhouse and driving range, and each hole on The Quarry pays homage to one of the area's former mines (information can be found in the yardage guide). The Quarry has a small clubhouse but overlooks Embarrass Lake, making for gorgeous scenery. The 18th hole actually plays alongside the lake from the approach shot in.
The fare in the clubhouse is also very good, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as particular "Troon Fit" healthy menu options.