Highlands Country Club occupies a distinctive mountain setting in the southern Appalachians of North Carolina, where Donald Ross designed the original eighteen holes in 1928. The course sits at approximately 4,000 feet elevation in a town known for its cool summer climate and dense forest surroundings. Ross worked with the natural terrain to create a layout that incorporates the rolling topography and mature hardwoods characteristic of the region, producing a design that reflects his ability to adapt his architectural principles to varied landscapes beyond his better-known Carolina Sandhills work. The routing moves through elevation changes and wooded corridors, with several holes playing across slopes and others utilizing the natural contours for strategic interest. Ross's trademark greens—typically elevated, subtly contoured, and requiring thoughtful approach play—remain central to the course's challenge. The mountain environment creates playing conditions distinct from lower-elevation Ross courses, with cooler temperatures and different turf characteristics influencing how the design plays. Highlands Country Club serves a membership drawn largely from seasonal residents and visitors who spend summers in the mountain resort community. The club maintains a traditional atmosphere consistent with its nearly century-long history, and the course represents one of several Ross designs in western North Carolina from the same era. The layout has undergone periodic updates to address maintenance practices and playing standards while preserving the essential character of Ross's mountain routing.