The Nipawin Evergreen Golf Course has a new head professional, one very familiar in the Saskatchewan golf community.

Steve Ryde has accepted the position and has replaced Derrick Tallon after his 28 years over two stints.

Ryde, 47, grew up in Eston, Sask. before attending Lethbridge College studying in their golf management program. Once becoming a professional in 2001 at Moon Lake Golf and Country while working for legendary Saskatchewan PGA member Roger Hogle Ryde worked in Kananaskis, B.C., Hay River, N.W.T., North Battleford, and Golf Town when the franchise expanded in Saskatchewan and Canada.

Ryde also spent five years with Golf Saskatchewan as the manger of sport and tournament director. He credited his half decade with the governing body of amateur golf in the province and the 2019 Saskatchewan Junior Championships hosted by Evergreen as a key contributor to applying to replace Tallon and take the position.

A proud couple days in Houston as the spring collegiate golf season got underway.

A trio of Saskatchewan student-athletes teed it up for the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders as Luke Cote, Will Blake, and Carter Bell started the year at the Houston Classic. On Feb. 9 and 10 SAU was at the Golf Club of Houston for the 54-hole event. 

Cote led the Muleriders with a top five finish at 3-under par. The reigning Saskatchewan amateur champion shot 69, 70, and 74, 10 strokes back of the champion. Bell carded rounds of 81, 72, and 77, he was tied for 62^nd, Blake was 85^th at 242 (79, 79, 84). The Muleriders were 12^th as a team.

Next up is the Oaktree Invite in Edmond, Okla. on March 16 and 17 at Oak Tree Country Club.

In April of 2025, four Saskatchewan players (Jace Carlisle, Chase Gedak, Darien Herlick, and Winston Grayson) represented the Beavers at the NSIC Championship. Unofficially that many competitors from Saskatchewan haven’t played for one school in an event since the 1980’s.

Ella Kozak of Yorkton got her season with the Idaho Vandals underway this week. The BGSU Women’s Intercollegiate was at Wigwam Blue in Litchfield Park, Ari. on Feb. 10 and 11. Kozak played as an individual in the tournament posting rounds of 82, 76, and 75 climbing each day to place 55^th. Idaho was ninth in the team standings.

Kozak will be in Phoenix on Feb. 24 and 25 for the GCU Invitational at GCU Golf Course.

Carter Degelman was on the course this week to open his spring season with the Dominican University of California Penguins. The Saskatoon product was in Vista, Cal. for the CSU San Marcos Fujikura Invitational on Feb. 9 and 10. He shot 79 in round one, 71 in the middle round, and 80 in the final round to place 54^th overall at 14-over par. Dominican was ninth as a squad.

The Penguins are in Stockton, Cal. for the Visit Stockton Invitational at The Reserve at Spanos Park on Feb. 23 and 24.

Several other players will begin their season during the last week of February.

Tayla Perry has decided where she will attend college and play collegiate golf starting in September.

Perry, 17, announced a couple weeks ago that she will attend Minnesota State University, Mankota and play for the Mavericks’ women’s golf team.

The Regina product started her junior career at Wascana Country Club before moving over the the Royal Regina prior to last season.

Perry has a Saskatchewan High School gold medal on her resume, several provincial top three finishes and a number of national appearances as well. She also has two years left of junior competition.

Golf Saskatchewan spoke with Perry about her commitment joining almost 30 other Saskatchewan student-athletes south of the border.

A familiar name across the Saskatchewan golf industry is finally retiring after over 50 years being a professional.

Born in Saskatoon, Don Ludwig got his start under legendary professional Peter Semko at Holiday Park Golf Course. After trying university, Ludwig realized school was not for him, so he became a professional and as they say, the rest is history.

Ludwig started at Wildwood Golf Course, went on to Holiday Park as the head professional for many years. After “retiring” he was recruited by the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club where he worked for four years before retiring again.

Enjoying his post career life, Candle Lake Golf Resort called needing a head pro, Ludwig took the job and worked there for nine more years until this passed winter.

Golf Saskatchewan sat down with Ludwig to chat about his illustrious career in Saskatoon, which including overseeing all municipal golf operations in the city for 34 years and Candle Lake.

Are you passionate, forward thinking, and want to encourage the residents of Saskatchewan to play more golf? We would like to hear from you!

Golf Saskatchewan, the Provincial Sport Organization for golf, is currently seeking interested individuals to serve on the Board of Directors for a three-year term commencing March 21, 2026.

Our Vision is ‘We shape lives by leading, creating and promoting positive golf experiences.’ We are committed to building trusting relationships with our facilities and our golf partners to expand participation opportunities to play golf in Saskatchewan from the enthusiasts to people who have never played the game.

The Board of Golf Saskatchewan, as a collective, is responsible for determining the strategic direction and policy development of Golf Saskatchewan.  The Board is responsible for protecting the long-term growth and health of the association by approving  the bylaws, budget, strategic direction and policies.  The Board is also responsible for the sustainability, monitoring, and evaluation of Golf Saskatchewan’s goals.

The Board meetings and advisory panel meetings are usually held virtually. We are aiming for two in-person meetings in 2026. Reasonable expenses incurred for accommodation(s), travel, and meals are covered under Golf Saskatchewan’s reimbursement expense policy. 

To learn more about nominations click here.

Expressions of Interest forms must be completed and submitted by email to Golf Saskatchewan by March 16, 2026 at 4 p.m.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

All Expressions of Interest will be kept confidential.

Golf Saskatchewan has solidified their host clubs for the upcoming amateur championship season.

Below is the schedule for 2026:

• Junior Championships | The Legends Golf Club (Warman) | July 7-9
• Amateur/Mid-Amateur Championships | Golf Kenosee (Kenosee Lake) | July 14-17
• Senior/Men’s Mid-Master (40+) Championships | Meadow Lake Golf Club (Meadow Lake) | July 24-26
• Women’s 4-Ball (Rosebowl) Championship | Greenbryre Golf & Country Club (Saskatoon) | Aug. 18-19
• Mixed Championship | Deer Park Golf Course (Yorkton) | Aug. 29-30

The Champions Cup in late September will be announced at a further date.

“We are excited to announce the 2026 schedule which features a handful of premier Saskatchewan courses that will be extraordinary hosts,” said Golf Saskatchewan Manager of Sport & Championships Carson Olson. “The Legends are huge junior promotors, Golf Kenosee is an elite course for the provinces top event, and Meadow Lake led by Chris Reid stepped up to host the seniors on a weekend to make it easier for entrants. Greenbryre will welcome the Women’s Rosebowl and provide a fantastic experience for the entrants, and what can’t be said about Deer Park. Unbelievable course with a perfect clubhouse to host the Mixed Championship.”

Registration will open for all events on April 15, which is also the first official day of the golf season in Saskatchewan.

All the individual championships remain qualifiers for nationals.

Quota spots, Golf Canada’s schedule, and other details will be announced soon.

The Notah Begay III Canadian Junior Golf National Championship (NB3JGNC) and Golf Saskatchewan are excited to be working together again this year. The partnership will provide new and exciting opportunities to our junior golf families throughout all the provinces in Canada.

The NB3JGNC and Golf Saskatchewan have been working together for four years. This year Golf Saskatchewan has increased their involvement for 2026 so that more Canadian juniors will have access to the NB3. The NB3JGNC will be adding another Canadian Championship to the province of Saskatchewan. The official host site of the 2026 Western Championship will be at Dakota Dunes Golf Links on Aug. 18 to 19, 2026, in Whitecap, Sask. Golf Saskatchewan will play a significant role in the championship as they will be assisting in the operations and officiating the Western Championship. Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director Brian Lee said helping to increase junior golf opportunities is a large part of the organizations mandate.

“We are extremely pleased to assist the NB3JGNC again this year as they expand their tour in the province,” Lee added. “There are many options for the NB3JGNC to expand in western Canada, to see the tour choosing Saskatchewan is great for juniors to expand their experiences and competitive golf chances while staying closer to home on a premier golf course. We look forward to assisting with both the western championship and the other two Saskatchewan events at Tor Hill Golf Course and Moon Lake.”

The Western Championship will be one of only two championships in Canada that will qualify players for the final stage, the NB3 National Championship in Kinder, Louisiana which is broadcasted for a two hour prime time show on the Golf Channel. Like the Eastern Championship that is held in Montreal, Que., the Western Championship will be featured on TSN television bringing a tour-like feel to junior golf in Saskatchewan.

To go along with the partnership, Golf Saskatchewan will be selecting one player to represent the province in a 54-hole WAGR ranked event, the NB3 Elite tournament where these players will be competing for a PGA Tour of Americas Event exemption. The NB3 Elite tournament will be taking place at the same time at the same golf course as the Eastern Championship on Aug. 2 – 4, 2026, in Montreal. TSN and RDS television will cover the Eastern Championship and the NB3 Elite Tournament.

The NB3 has grown globally over the last five years and the expansion into Canada has been a goal since the start. The US Championship now includes top players from over 15 countries and this past year 20 players represented Canada. For the first time in 2024, Kaylee Chung from British Columbia became the champion of the overall girls 16 to 18 year old division.

“We cannot thank Golf Saskatchewan enough for their continued support in our mission to provide Canadian junior golfers the opportunity to make it all the way to the US,” said Rob Dickson, senior partner of the NB3 and host of the Canadian Championship at the Kanawaki Golf Club in Québec.

Notah Begay III Jr Golf National Championship: 

The Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship is in its seventh year and aims to grow the game of golf by providing a platform for players to compete against the best juniors in the Country in a true, open qualifying series. The National Championship will be televised on Golf Channel in prime time that will be airing over 4 hours of broadcast time that has never been done before. These players will have a chance to be recognized on a platform like no other, increasing the chances to #getNOTAHced by college coaches around the country. With this platform, Notah wanted to expand into Canada to give the juniors North of the border an opportunity to compete in US tournaments and one day play college golf.

NB3 JGNC: Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship

NB3 Canada: Home | NB3 Canada Junior Golf National Championship

NB3 Elite Application: NB3 ELITE APPLICATION | NB3 Canada

How it works:

Notah Begay lll Canadian Jr Golf National Championship:

The Notah Begay lll Canadian Junior Golf National Championship is a qualifying series that runs all throughout the country of Canada. It follows the same structure as the United States NB3JGNC with provincial qualifying, then to the Eastern and Western Championship and finally the US Global Championship. There are eleven qualifying sites across Canada with at least one in every province that all lead to either the Eastern or Western Championship. Players can also use the spot earned from their provincial qualifying tournament and compete in a US Regional to have multiple chances to make it to the US National Championship. 

2026 NB3 Canada Schedule:

April 18-19 | Swaneset Bay & Resort | Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
May 9-10 | Golden Eagle Golf Club | Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
May 23-24 | Club de Golf Vieux Village | Bromont, Québec
May 30-31 | Stony Plain Golf Club | Stony Plain, Alberta
May 30-31 | Belvedere Golf Club | Charlottetown, PEI
June 6-7 | Larters at St Andrews Golf & Country Club | Winnipeg, Manitoba
June 6-7 | Club de Golf Le Portage | L’Assomption, Québec
June 13-14 | Moon Lake Golf & Country Club | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
June 20-21 | Greensmere Golf & Country Club | Carp, Ontario
June 30-July 1 | Silver Lakes Golf & Country Club | East Gwillimbury, Ontario
July 2-3 | Tor Hill Golf Course | Regina, Saskatchewan
August 2-4 | Kanawaki Golf Club – Eastern Championship | Kahnawake, Québec
August 18-19 | Dakota Dunes Golf Links – Western Championship | Whitecap, Saskatchewan

Two-time Saskatchewan junior champion and 2023 amateur winner Josh Nagy is one step away from securing membership on the Asian Tour.

The Saskatoon product placed tied for sixth at 10-under par over 72 holes at a qualifier in Jacinto, California in early November. The finish allowed Nagy to enter the final stage of qualifying which will begin on Wednesday (Dec. 17).

Nagy is currently in Hua Lin, Thailand preparing for the final at Lake View Resort and Golf Club.

The Final Stage will be contested over five rounds with a field of 240 players. The leading 140 players and ties after 36 holes will qualify for rounds three and four, with a further cut after 72 holes to the leading 70 players and ties, who will then play the final round.

At the conclusion of the final round the top 35 players will secure Asian Tour membership for the 2026 season.

The PGA of Canada has named Jason Schneider the 2025 Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year.

The Saskatoon based professional was named the provincial junior leader of the year on Oct. 30 at the Dakota Dunes Resort. Schneider was one of eight Saskatchewan professionals named national finalists. He said being recognized is rewarding.

“I am honoured to be the 2025 PGA of Canada Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year award winner,” he said in a posted video with the announcement. “I know there are so many amazing professionals across Canada that are doing unbelievable things around the world.”

The PGA of Canada will continue to announce the winners on their Facebook page. The winners will celebrate at the PGA Show in Orlando in January.

The PGA of Canada has announced three new members of their Hall of Fame with Peter Semko being enshrined.

Born in Glaslyn, Sask., Semko moved to Saskatoon in 1941 before becoming an icon in the golf business in the City of Bridges and in Montreal under the tutelage of Pat Fletcher.

Semko was inducted into the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

The PGA of Canada released more details on Semko’s career on Dec. 5.

Peter Semko (Builder) (posthumously)

Peter Semko truly did it all in the golf industry. Over the course of his remarkable life in golf, he served as a caddy, golf professional, administrator, instructor, golf course architect and developer, and eventually a golf course owner. His influence on the Canadian golf landscape is profound, and his mentorship helped guide the careers of countless PGA professionals who continue to carry forward his legacy today.

Before finding his permanent home in golf, Semko excelled as a hockey player, skating for the Saskatoon Westleys, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and even attending training camp with the Detroit Red Wings. Yet it was at the golf course where his passion and purpose truly aligned.

His journey in the sport began at just 11 years old in the back shop of the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, first as a caddy and eventually as assistant professional under his mentor, the legendary Pat Fletcher. The pair later worked together at Royal Montreal Golf Club before Semko returned to Saskatoon to accept the head professional position at Holiday Park Golf Course in 1961. There, he played a pivotal role in the concept, design, and construction of the facility’s Executive Nine, a project that helped modernize public golf in the region.

Semko’s leadership extended far beyond the tee deck. He became the City of Saskatoon’s supervisor of golf courses while continuing his duties as Head Professional. At the Association level, he dedicated six years of service as president of the PGA of Saskatchewan and later served as Vice-President of the PGA of Canada. Peter was instrumental in bringing the PGA Championship of Canada to the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club in 1971 — a historic first for the province.

A visionary builder, Semko contributed to numerous golf course designs and construction projects throughout the province. His boldest venture came in 1979 when he took what he described as a “leap of faith” in building Greenbryre Country Club. The course became a cornerstone of golf in Saskatoon, and Semko remained at its helm for 28 years until his retirement in 2007.

Semko’s exceptional contributions earned him wide recognition in his later years, including induction into the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Saskatchewan PGA, along with lifetime memberships in both the PGA of Canada and the Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association — honours befitting a man whose work elevated every facet of the game.

Peter Semko passed away on April 23, 2023 at the age of 89.

Golf Saskatchewan published an interview celebrating Peter in 2021.