2026 Annual Banquet & Hall of Fame Induction

2026 SDGA Golf Hall of Fame inductees

Gretchen Idema Hughes, Sioux Falls

Gretchen Grote grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, and took up the game through free junior golf lessons with Dubuque Country Club professional Howie Atten. She had a stellar high school career, including state titles for Dubuque High School, and continued to play competitively while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

She burst onto the South Dakota golf scene in 1968, winning the SDGA Women’s Amateur on her first try — the start of an incredible run in which she added three more titles and five runner-up finishes over the next 11 years. Gretchen was named Independent Female Athlete of the Year in 1971 by the South Dakota Sportswriters Association.

Tom Jansa, Sioux Falls

Tom Jansa grew up in the North End of Sioux Falls, honing his game on a makeshift course across the Hawthorne Elementary playground. He graduated to Elmwood Golf Course while caddying at Minnehaha Country Club, and later worked on the Minnehaha grounds crew under Gene Reiter. In 1987, Terry Comstock suggested he return from Scottsdale to work alongside him at Elmwood. Over the next 30 years as a PGA Professional, Tom helped operate the three City of Sioux Falls courses — including opening Prairie Green GC and supervising the complete 27-hole Elmwood renovation.

Tom brought First Tee programming to Elmwood, becoming the first recognized First Tee coach in South Dakota, and helped introduce PGA HOPE for military service members. In 2015 he succeeded Hall of Famer Rod Garrison as head coach at O’Gorman High School, winning seven State Championships. In 2018 he became the fifth Executive Director of the SDGA. A Rules expert, he has officiated at three USGA National Championships. Tom joins his brother Steve, nephew Ryan, and Ryan’s wife Julie in the Hall of Fame.