Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/506697
NEW HEATED SEAT s u m m e r 2 0 1 5 | w e s t w o r l d 17 5 elk ridGe resort 27 holes; four sets of tees to 6,800 yards A quarter century ago, Prince Albert entrepreneur Arne Petersen became concerned that Waskesiu was suffering economically because its golf course was persistently over- booked. Although much too busy to take up the game him- self, Petersen went for a hike on land he owned just outside the park gates and, with a local pro, staked out nine holes before jumping on a bulldozer and clearing them. Today those nine have expanded to 27, and Petersen's Elk Ridge is easily the grandest resort in the province. Perhaps surprisingly there's nothing homemade about the course, which wends through mature forest and incorporates natural ponds and creeks. Apparently Petersen even pos- sessed a light touch on the bull- dozer, as the resort has received Audubon International certifica- tion. 1-800-510-1824; elkridgeresort.com 6 dakota duNes Golf liNks Five sets of tees to 7,301 yards is course on Whitecap Dakota First Nation lands, a few kilometres south of Saskatoon, is often credited with bringing Saskatchewan's golf landscape to the attention of the rest of the country. Designed by B.C.-based Graham Cooke, it was named Canada's Best New Course by several magazines, including Golf Digest in 2005, and currently ranks 63 on ScoreGolf's list of Canada's top courses. An inland links, Dakota Dunes is set amidst a rolling dunes landscape near the South Saskatchewan River and illustrates the transition toward a more minimalist approach, with lots of natural prairie and scrub entering into play and generous greens left mostly unguarded in front to reward skillful run-ups. 306-664-4653; dakotadunes.ca Northern Meadows. northern meadows, elk ridge resort elk ridge resort.