Clifton Highlands Golf Course

Clifton Highlands Golf Course sits in Prescott, Wisconsin, a small river town positioned at the confluence of the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers in the state's western edge. The course was designed by Gordon Emerson, a regional architect active in the Upper Midwest during the mid-to-late twentieth century. Prescott's location in the Driftless Area—a region that escaped glaciation—means the surrounding terrain features more pronounced topography than much of Wisconsin, with rolling hills and river valley views that often characterize courses in this part of the state. The layout at Clifton Highlands likely takes advantage of this natural elevation change, routing holes across varied terrain that provides both strategic interest and scenic overlooks toward the river valleys below. Courses in this region typically incorporate the native hardwood forests and open meadowland common to western Wisconsin, creating a parkland character with tree-lined fairways and natural hazards. The design would reflect Emerson's regional approach to golf architecture, emphasizing playability for a local membership while working within the existing landforms. Prescott itself is a quiet community of fewer than five thousand residents, and Clifton Highlands serves primarily as a local amenity rather than a destination facility. The course provides recreational golf in a setting shaped by the distinctive geography of the Driftless Area, offering players a routing that moves through the characteristic landscape of Wisconsin's river bluff country.