Mississippi Dunes Golf Links

Few Twin Cities courses can claim a setting quite like this one. Mississippi Dunes sits along the banks of the Mississippi River in Cottage Grove, a southeastern suburb of the metro, where the natural contours of the riverine landscape do most of the architectural heavy lifting. The course takes its name seriously — sandy waste areas, native grasses, and exposed terrain give it a links-influenced character that feels genuinely distinct from the tree-lined parkland designs that dominate the Minnesota market.

Cottage Grove sits in Washington County, where the river corridor opens up into a broad, scenic stretch before the Twin Cities sprawl gives way to more rural ground. That geography shapes not just the views but the wind, which can turn a straightforward round into a real examination of shot-making and club selection — a hallmark of any honest links-style layout.

For golfers who find the standard Minnesota parkland course a little too sheltered, Mississippi Dunes offers something rawer and more exposed. It plays as a public facility, meaning this stretch of river is accessible to anyone willing to take on the conditions it presents.