Ryan Danberg
Director of Resort Operations and Golf
Elk Ridge Resort
Waskesiu Lake, SK
A Saskatchewan Success Story

Saskatchewan produces some of the best wheat, potash and hockey players in the world.

But what about golf?

Sure. Why not?

Graham DeLaet is one of Canada’s up and coming stars, and has qualified for this year’s PGA Tour.

DeLaet is as Saskatchewan as they come, a small town guy with big-time talent.

The same could be said of fellow traveller Ryan Danberg, a product of Canwood (population 400).

This son of a cattle rancher was one of Canada’s youngest head pros (22), and now, at the ripened age of 32, has taken over the position as Director of Resort Operations at Elk Ridge Resort, one of Saskatchewan’s hidden gems, and one of Canada’s best all-season facilities.

The CPGA honoured it with a ‘Facility of the Year’ award recently.

Danberg still oversees the golf staff and the 27-hole facility that sits in the tranquility of a lush boreal forest and sports three 9-hole beauties: Aspen, Tamarack and Birch, named after the indigenous trees that hug the lush fairways.

Danberg admits to being a little overwhelmed at times with all his responsibilities, but he still loves his job – especially when DeLaet came to visit and play the course last season.
“He’s really the face of golf in Saskatchewan,” says Danberg, who calls DeLaet “an email buddy.” They first ran into each other during their amateur golfing days.

Danberg is not a bad competitor himself.

The three-time Saskatchewan PGA champ, has also finished runner up at the Canadian Club Pro championship (2004) in Florida.

But overseeing 165 staff at Elk Ridge takes up most of his time these days, and working with nine department heads can have its challenges.

But Danberg loves to interact with the staff and guests, and when it comes to new challenges, he says, bring it on.

The head pro at Elk Ridge says the course is usually open for about 180 days of golf, and last season that meant 32,000 rounds. The former assistant pro at nearby Waskesiu Golf Club (1997-2000), and product of the golf program at Lethbridge Community College, still gives lessons and hopes to install a golf academy at the resort this summer.

Being over two hours from a major airport is both good and bad for the facility. Its stark beauty and lush facilities are a boon to Saskatchewan tourists, but it’s a secret to most other Canadians.

Danberg would like to change that. He thinks out-of-towners would love the setting, and the chance to play a unique golf course.

Danbert comes from an athletic family. Brother Cody is just finishing off a golf scholarship at the University of Minnesota at Duluth.

The long Saskatchewan winters and short summers have kept the production of top-flight players to a minimum over the years. But DeLaet is putting Saskatchewan golf on the map. So is Danberg, and the Elk Ridge Resort.

The head pro was impressed with his TaylorMade product from the very beginning, especially after touring its production facility in Carlsbad, California.

“It was a wowing experience,” he says now. “The R&D people at TaylorMade are doing a wonderful job. They make the best product – head to toe.”

He says he’s proud to be a TaylorMade staffer and is particularly smitten with the company’s irons – one of his many strong suits as a player.

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