The Devonshire Cup brought international golf to Nova Scotia as Team Canada faced the United States at Cabot Cape Breton in Inverness. The biennial competition provided an opportunity for Canadian golfers to represent their country while showcasing the world-class golf experience available right here in Cape Breton.

Nova Scotia was represented by Paul Batchelor of Bedford and Bryan Fader of Halifax, who proudly wore the Canadian colours on home soil. Their participation highlighted the talent within our province and gave local golf fans an opportunity to follow an international competition taking place in their own backyard.

Team Canada came out on top, earning a memorable victory over the United States. Hosting an event of this calibre at Cabot Cape Breton was also a great opportunity to showcase Nova Scotia as a destination for golf and major sporting events. Congratulations to Paul and Bryan on representing our province and being part of Team Canada’s winning effort!

FULL SALTWIRE ARTICLE By Jeremy Fraser: https://www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/canada-u-s-to-battle-for-devonshire-cup-golf-championship-in-cape-breton

After five years of building opportunities for golfers of all abilities, Golf Nova Scotia is proud to announce the inaugural Golf NS All Abilities Championship.

Golf Nova Scotia launched its Adaptive Golf Program in 2021 with a simple goal: to provide individuals with disabilities an opportunity to learn, play, and enjoy the game of golf through accessible instruction, adaptive equipment, and support from PGA professionals.

Since its launch, the program has continued to grow through weekly sessions at Rosevale Golf Course and Better Golf Dartmouth, creating a welcoming environment where athletes can develop their skills, build confidence, make connections, and enjoy the game on their own terms.

Adaptive Golf is about more than modifying the game. It is about creating equitable access, breaking down barriers, and celebrating what every golfer can do. Golf’s ability to adapt to a wide range of physical, cognitive, sensory, and neurological abilities makes it a unique sport where everyone can find a way to participate.

The introduction of the Golf NS All Abilities Championship marks the next chapter in Golf Nova Scotia’s commitment to growing and supporting Adaptive Golf across the province.

The championship will provide athletes with an opportunity to experience competitive golf in a welcoming and inclusive environment while celebrating the progress and achievements of Nova Scotia’s All Abilities golf community.

From the first Adaptive Golf sessions in 2021 to the inaugural All Abilities Championship, this is the next step in making golf a game for everyone.

Golf Nova Scotia looks forward to welcoming athletes and celebrating this exciting new chapter in 2027.

More information about the Golf NS All Abilities Championship, including registration and event details, will be announced soon.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported the Golf Nova Scotia 50/50 Raffle this season in support of junior golf.

Thanks to your incredible support, our first 50/50 raised an impressive $3,400, with half going to the lucky winner and the other half supporting junior golf initiatives across Nova Scotia.

We truly appreciate everyone who purchased tickets, shared the raffle and helped us make our first 50/50 a success.

Thank you for supporting the future of junior golf in Nova Scotia

A World-Class Experience

For Brightwood Golf & Country Club Superintendent Sue Crawford, the opportunity to volunteer at the Solheim Cup was far more than a chance to be around one of the biggest events in women’s professional golf. It was an opportunity to learn, connect with turf professionals from around the world, and gain a broader perspective on what it takes to succeed as a golf course superintendent.

Hosted at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands, the Solheim Cup brought together the world’s best players and a massive international team behind the scenes to prepare and maintain the golf course at the highest level.

Crawford described the experience as one she will remember throughout her career.

From being treated like a VIP and enjoying incredible food to experiencing the energy of the crowds, Crawford was impressed by every aspect of the event. The Bernardus Golf property itself left a lasting impression.

“I doubt I’ll ever be on a nicer golf course,” Crawford said.

The course was unique, with fescue used across all playing surfaces and no traditional rough. Naturalized areas between holes featured heath and trees, while the property itself had previously been farmland before Bernardus Golf was developed.

But while the golf course and atmosphere were spectacular, it was the work taking place behind the scenes that provided Crawford with some of the most valuable lessons.

105 People, 84 Volunteers and a 4:00 a.m. Start

Preparing a golf course for a Solheim Cup is an enormous operation.

The maintenance team consisted of 105 people, supported by 84 volunteers representing 22 different countries. Every morning, the operation began long before the first tee time, with maintenance equipment leaving the facility at approximately 4:00 a.m.

The team was divided into specialized roles, including:

• 22 people mowing greens
• 11 people mowing fairways
• 8 people mowing surrounds
• 6 people changing holes
• 24 people raking bunkers
• 6 people mowing tees
• 5 people rolling greens
• 4 people collecting data

Crawford spent her mornings rolling greens, while her evenings were generally spent on the fairway divot-filling crew.

The target green speed for the championship was 10.5 feet, requiring an incredible level of preparation, consistency and attention to detail.

For Crawford, being part of that operation offered a perspective that simply cannot be gained from watching a professional tournament from the gallery.

Learning From the Best

One of the biggest benefits of the experience was the opportunity to work alongside turf professionals from clubs and facilities around the world.

Crawford was able to exchange ideas, learn different approaches to course preparation and build relationships with people she may work with again throughout her career.

The experience also expanded her professional network, creating opportunities to volunteer at future major events, connect with potential speakers for the annual turfgrass conference and develop relationships throughout the industry.

Most importantly, Crawford came away with a broader understanding of what it means to be a successful superintendent.

More Than Growing Grass

While technical turf management is obviously a major part of the job, Crawford believes her experiences at major championships have reinforced that being a successful superintendent requires much more.

“Anyone can learn to grow grass, but it takes work to be a good leader, an effective communicator, and an adaptable problem solver.”

That perspective is perhaps the most valuable takeaway from Crawford’s time at the Solheim Cup.

Working at a championship of this magnitude provided an opportunity to see firsthand how communication, teamwork, preparation and leadership come together to create a world-class playing surface.

For Crawford, volunteering at the Solheim Cup and previously at events such as the Presidents Cup has become one of the most memorable aspects of her career. The knowledge, relationships and perspective gained through these experiences will continue to benefit her work at Brightwood Golf & Country Club and contribute to the broader turfgrass community here in Nova Scotia.

Looking Ahead

Crawford’s Solheim Cup experience is a great example of the opportunities available to Nova Scotia’s golf industry professionals when they step outside their home facilities and become part of the global golf community.

From the early-morning maintenance operation to the final putt, the Solheim Cup demonstrated the incredible amount of work required behind the scenes to deliver professional golf at the highest level.

For Sue Crawford, it was an experience that went far beyond maintaining a golf course. It was an opportunity to learn, connect, lead and grow as a professional and one that she will carry with her throughout the rest of her career.

Halifax’s Abbey Baker has added another milestone to an already impressive golf career, capturing the Stonehill “Hill Yeah” Invitational for her first individual victory at the NCAA Division I level.

Baker put together two consistent rounds of 70 (-2) to finish the 36-hole championship at 4-under par, earning the individual title for Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU). The victory marks a significant moment in Baker’s collegiate career as she begins her fifth season with the Knights.

A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a member of Ashburn Golf Club, Baker is currently a graduate student at FDU. She joined the Knights as a freshman for the 2022-23 season and has remained with the program throughout her collegiate career. As a freshman, she competed in eight events and posted a 77.3 scoring average, before appearing in nine events during her sophomore campaign and recording five top-20 finishes. After missing the 2024-25 season due to injury, Baker returned to the FDU lineup and is now competing as a graduate student.

Her connection with FDU began before she arrived on campus. The Knights announced Baker’s signing in November 2021, when she was already one of Nova Scotia’s most accomplished junior golfers. She joined the program in 2022, following in the footsteps of her older sister Haley, who also competed for FDU.

Baker brought an extensive championship resume with her from Nova Scotia. Golf Nova Scotia records show she won the Nova Scotia U19 Girls Championship four consecutive times from 2020 through 2023, while also winning the U17 Girls Championship three consecutive years from 2019 through 2021. She made the jump to the top of the provincial women’s game in 2023, winning both the U19 Girls and Women’s Amateur titles in the same season.

Her success continued after aging out of junior competition. Baker captured her third Golf Nova Scotia Women’s Amateur Championship in 2026 and earned a spot on Team Nova Scotia for the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

Now, after years of competing with the Knights, Baker has added an NCAA Division I individual title to that résumé.

Her victory at the Stonehill “Hill Yeah” Invitational represents a memorable achievement in her time at FDU: two rounds of 70, a 4-under-par winning total, and her first collegiate victory on the Division I stage.

Congratulations to Abbey on an outstanding accomplishment and another proud moment for golf in Nova Scotia!

Luke MacDougall, Fall River – NS

Golf Nova Scotia is proud to recognize Luke MacDougall on his invitation to the 2026 Golf Canada NextGen Selection Camp, where he is representing Nova Scotia alongside some of the country’s top junior golfers.

The NextGen Selection Camp brings together talented young athletes from across Canada as they continue their development and work toward representing Canada on the international stage. An invitation to the camp is a significant accomplishment and recognizes Luke’s continued growth, strong performances, and potential as one of Nova Scotia’s emerging junior golfers.

Luke has been a member of the Junior Development Team Nova Scotia, gaining valuable experience competing at the provincial and national levels. His continued commitment to improving his game, combined with his competitive performances, has helped earn him recognition among Canada’s top developing junior athletes.

The 2026 NextGen Selection Camp provides athletes with an opportunity to train alongside some of the country’s best young golfers while working with Golf Canada’s coaches and high-performance staff. The camp is designed to evaluate and develop athletes as they pursue future opportunities within Golf Canada’s national development pathway.

For Luke, the invitation represents another important step in his golfing journey and an opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches and players in the country.

Golf Nova Scotia congratulates Luke on this outstanding achievement and wishes him the best of luck at the 2026 Golf Canada NextGen Selection Camp!

We look forward to following Luke’s continued development and seeing what comes next for this talented Nova Scotia golfer

Golf Nova Scotia extends condolences to family and friends of Brian Gordon of Pugwash, Nova Scotia. Brian served as the President of Golf Nova Scotia from 1991-1992.

Brian was a life long member of Northumberland Links Golf Club and was a friend to many in the golf community across the Province.

A service celebrating Brian’s life will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church, Wallace, Nova Scotia. A reception will immediately follow at Northumberland Links Golf Course, Pugwash.

Brian Edwin Gordon Obituary Sep 9, 2026 – MacDiarmid Mundle Coulter Funeral Homes & Crematorium