Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 5th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 5th
The par-5 fifth hole on The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge is a sharp dogleg left off the tee. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 2nd green
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 2nd green
The par-5 second green on The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge is well guarded. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 1st
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 1st
The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge opens with a par 4 that features a well guarded, elevated green. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 2nd
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 2nd
One of the most spectacular holes on The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge is the 575-yard second. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry GC - 7th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry GC - 7th
The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge can play more than 7,200 yards from the back tees. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 9th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 9th
The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge is set on rugged former quarry land. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course
Jeff Brauer designed both golf courses at Giants Ridge resort, but they are very different. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 13th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 13th
The drivable, par-4 13th is one of the most exciting holes on The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge in Minnesota. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry GC - 15th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry GC - 15th
The 15th hole on The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge resort is a long, stout par 4. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 17th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 17th
The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge is one of Minnesota's toughest tests. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 18th
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Giants Ridge resort - Quarry golf course - 18th
Minnesota golfers are a fanatical bunch. One golfer may be the most avid of them all. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Giants Ridge resort - Embarrass Lake
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Giants Ridge resort - Embarrass Lake
The view from the clubhouse on The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge features Embarrass Lake, created by years of mining operations. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
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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.

Brandon Tucker is the Sr. Managing Editor for GolfPass and was the founding editor of Golf Advisor in 2014, he was the managing editor for Golf Channel Digital's Courses & Travel. To date, his golf travels have taken him to over two dozen countries and nearly 600 golf courses worldwide. While he's played some of the most prestigious courses in the world, Tucker's favorite way to play the game is on a great muni in under three hours. Follow Brandon on Twitter at @BrandonTucker and on Instagram at @btuck34.
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Dig into The Quarry golf course at Giants Ridge in Minnesota's Iron Range