Cougar Creek GR & Play Golf Alberta Pay Homage To Hard-Working, Dedicated Employee
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- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2025-08-24
By Gord Montgomery, Senior Writer, Inside Golf
“I was completely shocked! I had no idea what was going on!”
Those were the initial reactions Ryan Hiscock had when he received a monetary donation in the amount of $10,000 toward his further education in a joint effort between the Cougar Creek Golf Resort and Play Golf Alberta.
Ryan has worked at Cougar Creek for five years, starting in the back shop, eventually moving into the pro shop, where his dedication, work ethic, and customer service led him to be the first-ever recipient of this soon-to-be annual scholarship.
Said his boss, Jake Behiels, the Executive Professional at Cougar Creek GR, “I wish I could have 10 Ryans!”
Jake went on to say about why Ryan was the initial recipient of this honour: “We wanted to focus on an employee who was dedicated, loyal, and a team player. That money is going to go to education to further his success in life.”
Ryan graduated from the science faculty this past spring at the University of Alberta, and he hopes to move into the field of dentistry either at his alma mater or in Australia. To that end, he said the unexpected financial boost will help with tuition, needed dental instruments, books, and, if necessary, travel to get to school overseas.
As a mentor to his staff, Jake continued by noting that doing something like this means a lot to him for a variety of reasons.
“This means the world to me. I don’t even have the words for it. When Jeff (Sveen, from Play Golf Alberta) brought this idea to me, it was an automatic ‘Yes!’ To see these employees work so hard, I’ve been in this business for a long time, and the fact that I get to give back is incredible!”
Jeff Sveen echoed those sentiments. As a golf professional himself and the owner of Play Golf Alberta, he noted that he, Jake, and others had opportunities in life and felt it only proper to pass them along.
“I felt Jake wanted to start something for the goodness of the game. We, along with his head pro, Dallas Jackson, went on a golf trip, and all three of us have had breaks in life. Jake went to Florida to golf after high school; Dallas played professional hockey and was drafted by the Islanders; and I had my scholarship (for hockey to a US NCAA school), so we all had some opportunities. There was always somebody behind us in some way, shape, or form, and it was our turn to give back.”
That’s exactly what they did, in a big way, for the first time, but not the only time. This idea will continue on at Cougar Creek Golf Resort, and Jeff hopes it will spread to other member courses included in the Play Golf Alberta family. “We feel good,” in starting this tradition.”
Back to the recipient of this honour. Ryan, who said he’d noticed people gathering in front of the clubhouse before the cheque presentation. “All I knew was that something a little fishy was going on! “I just saw everybody standing there. When Jake told me it was for a cheque that big, I was shocked and very grateful,” noting this was indeed a total surprise. “I had no idea. All I knew was that I was told I had to be at work today and to be certain I was there! I had no clue at all!”
In how he feels about having this bursary handed to him and what it means, Ryan said, “This helps me down the road. This is a nice reminder of the appreciation people have for the time I’ve been here. It just reinforces the effort that has gone into the job over the years. More than anything, it’s good for my spirit as I move along.”
Asked how he felt about providing financial assistance to an aspiring dentist, Jeff explained his family has always been strong on education, and this is another way of showing that. He also explained that an employee such as Ryan wasn’t simply chosen at random.
“The core values of this are leadership, personal integrity, academic excellence, and dedication.”
As has happened to him with this generous scholarship, Ryan said that once he graduates and enters the world as a dentist, he will look to pay this tribute such as forward.
“Most definitely!” he exclaimed, because what goes around comes around, as shown by those involved with the first-of-its-kind scholarship offering through Cougar Creek Golf Resort and Play Golf Alberta.