Following the PGA of Saskatchewan Awards that were held Oct. 30, the PGA of Canada has announced their 2025 nominations.

Eight Saskatchewan professionals who won awards at Dakota Dunes last month were named as nominees on Wednesday.

The list of nominees are as follows

• Murray Tucker Club Professional of the Year | Paul Schatz (Waskesiu Golf Course)
• Dick Munn Executive Professional of the Year | Darcy Myers (Cooke Municipal Golf Course)
• George Knudson Teacher of the Year | Mitch Bach (Clubhouse Golf Academy)
• Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year | Jason Schneider (JDS Golf)
• Ben Kern Coach of the Year | Jeff Chambers (Jeff Chambers Golf Academy)
• Retailer of the Year | Brad Lovatt (Wascana Country Club)
• Moe Norman Apprentice Professional of the Year | Cole Ginther (The Legends Golf Club)
• Stan Arnold Class “A” Assistant of the Year | Chad Lavallee (Riverside Country Club)

According to the PGA’s release, “each of you have exemplified the core values of the association and what it means to be a PGA of Canada Professional.”

Award winners will be announced in the following weeks with the honourees being celebrated at the PGA Show in January.

The number of golf rounds posted on the Golf Canada Score Centre app increased in 2025 in Saskatchewan, and across the nation.

According to data collected from the Canada’s governing body of amateur golf, rounds posted through the app, at the member club itself, or on desktop during the scoring season topped 11.26 million rounds. Golf Canada stated that’s a new record and a six percent increase over 2024.

In Saskatchewan the province was on par with the nation in score posting growth at six percent. Last year over 275,000 rounds were posted in Saskatchewan, this season just over 292,300 scores were entered. Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director Brian Lee said it’s no secret golf is extremely popular, but to see the app utilized for score posting and other features is positive to see.

“The Golf Canada app, available to all members is a fantastic tool for many reasons, with score posting and World Handicap Indexing technology,” Lee said. “Enter scores as a round or use the hole-by-hole scoring [and GPS] for inside analysis such as putts made. We have seen a large increase year over year and with more scores posted the golf industry is thriving.”

Since 2019, fueled by the increased playing of golf due to Covid-19 round posting has increased 30 percent in Saskatchewan. That benchmark is lowest among all Canadian provinces with several jurisdictions reporting increases of over 100 percent. Lee said those stats show the sport has been strong for years prior due to a boost in 2020.

“We have seen a boom for the sport as the stats show, it’s not just rounds reported by the players, courses are reporting overall rounds have skyrocketed at Saskatchewan clubs as well. Ladies’ nights are more popular than ever, junior golf is expanding border to border, and tee times are at a premium from what we hear and what the data shows,” Lee said.

Three of the four Maritime provinces reported increases over 100 percent. New Brunswick saw rounds go up 118 percent since 2019, only Nova Scotia at 71 percent was below the 100 threshold.

Nationwide the increase of rounds posted is 55 percent. In 2019 over 7.2 million rounds were accounted for, 2023 was the first year over 10 million were entered.

The 2026 scoring season opens on April 15. Until then, we hope you visit on of the indoor facilities across the province, make a trip to a warmer climate, or just consume golf content on your digital device or television.

Paul Schatz, the head professional at Waskesiu Golf Course is the 2025 Graham Coulter Trophy winner at the PGA of Saskatchewan awards in late October.

This is the Regina products first Coulter Trophy win and fifth PGA of Saskatchewan award of his career. Schatz won Junior Leader of the Year three times, from 2019 to 2021 and also won the Assistant of the Year in 2013.

Schatz has been at Waskesiu since February of 2023 taking over for Andrew Hnatiuk.

Schatz spoke after the awards about his connection to Coulter and having what he calls the “best job in Canada.”

Max Murchison hasn’t been in Saskatchewan long, but the Calgary native is making a strong impression in the golf industry.

Taking over for Ken Rodgers, as the Acushnet Golf Saskatchewan sales rep, Murchison was recently honoured with Sales Representative of the Year at the PGA of Saskatchewan awards reception in late October.

The recognition meant plenty to Murchison, the son of a PGA of Canada professional and a solid player in his own right.

He spoke after receiving the award at Dakota Dunes Resort.

Longtime junior golf coach Jason Schneider was recently recognized at the PGA of Saskatchewan awards.

This is the Saskatoon professionals first award since 2021.

Schneider, who works out of Wildwood Golf Course in Saskatoon was chosen the winner at Dakota Dunes Resort on Oct. 30. He also won this award in 2012.

He spoke to Golf Saskatchewan following the reception.

The rise of Ryan Mosher on the Saskatchewan junior golf circuit has not been seen in any year in the province’s history.

Mosher, 17, is the first ever Saskatchewan junior to compete for the junior men’s and amateur men’s national teams, and the Canada Summer Games all in the same summer.

The Saskatoon product also added the Golf Canada NextGen Selection Camp event in Toronto to his summer itinerary. Among all the travel and tournaments the Riverside Country Club member also committed to a college. He will attend Holy Cross and join Ella Kozak (Idaho) and Chase Pochylko (Nicholls) at the NCAA Division 1 level with the Crusaders starting in September of next year.

Mosher burst onto the junior golf scene with a win at the 2024 NextGen Prairie Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont. Mosher went on to win the 2024 Saskatchewan Junior Championship in July.

He didn’t win the juniors or amateur but did place third in both championships to earn team spots and the distinction of playing in all those events this summer, again a Saskatchewan first.

Golf Saskatchewan spoke with Mosher about his rise and ultimately a golf spot at Holy Cross.

There is no such thing as an off-season in golf. Discover golf: anytime, anywhere. 

OAKVILLE, Ont. – As temperatures drop and the outdoor golf season in most parts of the country draws to a close, Golf Canada is proud to announce the launch of a new comprehensive off-course golf strategy supported by the Just Swing campaign, which highlights the benefits and different forms of off-course golf. 

Golf Canada endorses and supports all forms of golf and is encouraging Canadians to experience the game year-round through off-course golf experiences. 

These experiences include golf simulators, driving ranges, short game areas, mini golf, virtual reality golf and golf-themed video games that all provide opportunities to engage with the sport year-round. Complementing traditional green grass golf, off-course golf provides a continuity of golf experiences that can welcome new individuals into the sport in ways that best fit their lifestyle. 

For Golf Canada’s Chief Marketing Officer Tim McLaughlin, the campaign is about having a presence wherever and however golf is being enjoyed. 

“There has been an explosion in off-course golf options in our country, most notably golf simulators, and Golf Canada is excited to officially launch our off-course strategy. This initiative is reflective of the reality that an increasing number of Canadians are now participating in golf activity year-round in non-traditional venues like simulator facilities. Off-course golf has the potential to be transformational for our sport, combining fun and realistic golf experiences with affordable options that are accessible 12 months a year,” said McLaughlin. “This strategy acknowledges the way that Canadians are engaging with the game is evolving, and our intention is to create a greater connection between these new off-course formats and the broader golf landscape.” 

 As part of this strategy, Golf Canada, in partnership with the Provincial Golf Associations, is proud to launch a new facility membership offering, specifically designed for off-course operators. Through this program off-course facilities will now be able to become official members of Golf Canada and have the ability to promote their operations to Canada’s largest and most engaged golf audience. 

It will also be easier for Canadians to find places to play off course. A comprehensive digital program promoting off-course golf will connect Canadians to Official Member Facilities of Golf Canada. Golfers will soon be able to log and track their off-course activity at simulators in the 

Golf Canada app beginning in early December. For more information or to download Canada’s number one golf app, click here. 

“It’s not just having a presence where golf is being played in the winter, it’s about building meaningful relationships with the off-course facilities and owners who are invested in this growth sector of the sport. These facilities are providing a fun and social environment for golf enthusiasts and newcomers looking to experience golf, and we feel we can deliver year-round value and benefit to their operations.” 

Interest in off-course golf has grown substantially in Canada over the past four years. In 2021, 19 per cent of Canadians were using golf simulators; that number rose to 43 per cent in 2024, an increase of 24 per cent over four years. In addition to the countless green grass facilities that transform their operations to accommodate indoor golf each winter. 

The Just Swing campaign will support Golf Canada’s complete off-course strategy to have a presence wherever golf is being played. The campaign encourages Canadians to discover golf, anywhere, anytime and Just Swing, highlighting the many benefits the game can provide. This campaign is designed to re-frame perceptions of the sport by driving understanding that whether you pick up a club on a golf course or a simulator its all golf. The hope is to position the sport in a new way, particularly for new audiences who aren’t currently active golfers. 

For more information on the Just Swing campaign, the benefits of off-course golf or to find a location near you, please visit golfcanada.ca/justswing. 

For facilities interested in learning more about the benefits of becoming a Golf Canada Facility Member, click here. 

Austin Nesbitt has added another trophy to his collection.

The Pilot Butte, Sask.product has won the Saskatchewan under-13 and under-15 championships, now the Wascana Country Club player is a Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) national title holder.

On the weekend in Kissimmee, Florida at Orange Lake Golf Resort the 14-year-old shot rounds of 71, 70, and 74 to win the under-15 age group by six shots. There were 24 players in the age group playing at almost 6,300 maximum yardage.

Hudson Diederichs of Saskatoon was tied for 10th in the division at 231 (78, 79, 74)

Miranda Merriman (La Ronge) and Ada Dillon (Onion Lake Cree Nation) competed in the 15 to 19 year-old women’s event. Merriman was ninth at 266 (86, 88, 92). Dillon was 11th with a 54-hole score of 272 (95, 87, 90).

The youngest Saskatchewan competitor was 13-year-old Alyxa Melsted of Wynyard. She shot rounds of 93, 90, and 89, that was seventh in the division.

Dante Gamble of Duck Lake, Sask. was the top local finisher in the under-17 men’s category tied for 24th at 233 (74, 83, 76). Kai Kriekle of Regina was 35th with a three round score of 253 (84, 81, 88 and Ayden Melsted of Wynyard was 36th at 255 (83, 95, 77).

Dade Bernatchez of Sucker River, Sask. capped his junior career with a 15th place finish in the under-19 man’s age group. The 2025 Junior Lobstick champion carded rounds of 78, 84, and 78 in Florida.

To see all the results and images courtesy the MJT click here.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) National Championships began Friday in Kissimmee, Florida at Orange Lake Golf Resort.

Eight players from Saskatchewan earned an invite to the 54-hole tournament. Competing this year is:

Alyxa Melsted (Wynyard) | Under-15 Women
Miranda Merriman (La Ronge) | 15 – 19 Women
Ada Dillon (Onion Lake) | 15 – 19 Women
Austin Nesbitt (Pilot Butte) | Under-15 Men
Hudson Diederichs (Saskatoon) | Under-15 Men
Dante Gamble (Duck Lake) | Under-17 Men
Kai Kriekle (Regina) | Under-17 Men
Ayden Melsted (Wynyard) | Under-17 Men
Dade Bernatchez (Sucker River) | | Under-19 Men

The three round championship will conclude on Sunday.

To follow along with the scores, click here.

Ryan Wells is a two time winner at the 2025 PGA of Saskatchewan awards.

The Cooke Municipal Golf Course head professional took home the Frank Fowler Trophy for lowest scoring average (68) and the Bill Taylor Trophy which is given to the professional best exemplifying sportsmanship.

Wells spoke after the awards reception on Oct. 30 at Dakota Dunes Golf Resort.