Mississippi National Golf Links occupies rolling terrain above the Mississippi River valley near Red Wing, Minnesota, a historic river town approximately an hour southeast of the Twin Cities. Gordon Cunningham designed the Highlands course to take advantage of the property's natural elevation changes and wooded corridors, routing holes through a landscape that transitions between open upland meadows and forested lowlands. The topography provides both strategic interest and scenic variety, with fairways that move across ridgelines and through draws. The course reflects Cunningham's approach to working with dramatic land forms, incorporating significant elevation change into the playing experience. Holes often require golfers to account for uphill and downhill lies, and the routing uses the property's natural contours to create both risk-reward opportunities and strategic options off the tee. The wooded areas frame many holes while leaving generous landing zones, and the design emphasizes ground game options where the terrain allows. Red Wing's location along the Mississippi River has made it a regional destination for recreation and tourism, and Mississippi National serves both local members and visiting golfers exploring the river valley. The facility offers views across the surrounding bluffs and bottomlands that characterize this section of the Upper Mississippi. The course provides a contrast to the flatter parkland layouts more common in the Twin Cities metro area, giving golfers in the region access to a hillier, more varied playing environment.