Golf outing contests

[bogeyme]

So yesterday at my company outing they had the usual hole in one contests for a car, one for Burner Irons, one for some golf clothing, and one for a new Burner and FW's. They were also doing a putting contest for $10,000. You had to sink a 60' putt for $10,000. There were quite a few that gave the "old college try" but came up short. Shortly before starting the outing there was one final guy that gave it a try. He sank the putt and won $10,000. Or so we thought. We caught up with them (they were the group in front of us) and found out that 2 holes in the the outing they came and got him. Come to find out that there was something in the Insurance contract that said he had to sink another 20' putt to "validate" that he won. Has anyone one ever heard of something like that? Is that in all those contracts? How would a hole in won be "validated"? I mean there were probably 50 people or more milling around the green when he sunk the putt.

I wonder if its the same way for that half court shot at half time, or the 30 field goal contests that they do for the Super Bowl and that kind of stuff.

 

[Hanks]

never heard of that....stupid fine print....sounds like a classic 'welch on a bet' to me

 

[JB]

In all the charity events we put on with the NFL we always had "insurance" coverages for the hole in ones. However nothing ever had to be validated in that sort of way. Were you given literature on the contests beforehand? If not, then there could be some action I would believe.

 

[bogeyme]

In all the charity events we put on with the NFL we always had "insurance" coverages for the hole in ones. However nothing ever had to be validated in that sort of way. Were you given literature on the contests beforehand? If not, then there could be some action I would believe.

There was nothing given other than "Make this putt you win $10,000 or Make a hole in one win ..."

I don't think he'll take any kind of action but was a little upset. I guess no one knew about that extra putt "clause" in the contract until afterwards. I'm not sure why someone didn't read over everything and have a firm understanding of it before hand.

 

[ClairefromClare]

Bogey, that sounds bogus. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I couldn't find a link to this one, but some years ago near here the hole in one insurance somehow designated the wrong hole on the policy. Naturally, an a$$hole lawyer won the contest and demanded his car. The sponsors offered a three year lease, and the guy sued. Came out looking like a real jerk.

 

[bogeyme]

Bogey, that sounds bogus. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I couldn't find a link to this one, but some years ago near here the hole in one insurance somehow designated the wrong hole on the policy. Naturally, an a$$hole lawyer won the contest and demanded his car. The sponsors offered a three year lease, and the guy sued. Came out looking like a real jerk.

The guy was a pretty cool with the whole thing. I think it was mostly the other guys around that were upset. He just said oh well I missed the second putt. I still can't figure out how noone knew about the second putt until after the fact. I would think that someone had to sign and agree to the terms of the Insurance contract so I would hope they read everything carefully before executing the contract. That's just what gets me. Someone should have been in the know about the contract and contest and as soon as he made the putt said ok now per the contract you have to make this second putt. It's still a pretty carpy situation.

 

[provisional]

Same thing happened on a par 3 HIO for money. The guy aced the hole, but had to validate the shot per the insurance contracts. He never attempted the second validating shot. Since all the advertisements, and fine print were not available to the participants, he decided to not take the validating shot. He was not paid due to his decision. Now here is where it gets tricky. The HIO guy sued saying the validating shot was not made public prior to him buying the ticket, and only after he made the HIO. Fast forward.The judge in this case ruled in favor of the guy who made the HOI. His reasoning was the guy fulfilled his part of the original "known" agreement that the purchase of his ticket described. Since he did not take the validating shot, which was a secondary "unknown" agreement, the HIO guy did not willingly enter into that second agreement. The decision went to an appeals court, and was up held. Fast forward again. The sponsors of the charity event had to pay the HIO guy his money for not making "all" the contest rules public, prior to selling tickets for HIO contest. The golf course, and insurance company were not responsible for the payment. :comp:

 

[China Cat>Rider]

Sounds like BS to me. I would be irate if that happened to me. BTW...thats a hell of a work outing...free car, $10K...wow

 

[Harry Longshanks]

Something smells awfully fishy.

I don't like the way that sounds at all. The tournament organizers paid for the insurance and it should have paid out. "Validate" a putt? B.S.

 

[Dent]

I think that was just a made up rule there to avoid paying the guy. If I were him I would take legal action.

 

[Grogger31]

And the whole validating a hole-in-one thing? How do you validate a hole-in-one? By making another one?

I've played dozens of charity tournaments where insurance was purchased and no one has ever mentioned that kind of a hedged bet as being in the fine print.

 

[bogeyme]

And the whole validating a hole-in-one thing? How do you validate a hole-in-one? By making another one?

I've played dozens of charity tournaments where insurance was purchased and no one has ever mentioned that kind of a hedged bet as being in the fine print.

I've never heard of it either but then again I've never seen a hole in one or had a someone sink a putt for something that big. Most of the time it's for a free round of golf.

 

[Smallville]

I've heard of people winning big prizes having to take a lie detector test in order to claim it.

 

[Grogger31]

I've never heard of it either but then again I've never seen a hole in one or had a someone sink a putt for something that big. Most of the time it's for a free round of golf.

I've never been to a charity tournament that DIDN'T have big prizes like that. Usually one hole in one is for a car or motorcycle, another hole in one hole is for a trip, etc. As JB mentioned, they purchase insurance for this and have spotters at those holes to be a witness.

To then state you have to make another remarkable shot to actually win is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[JB]

I have a feeling some organizers did one of two things. Paid the insurance and are going to collect the money, or they never paid the insurance figuring nobody would make it. I would absolutely call them out on this and demand my money be paid.

 

[bogeyme]

I've never been to a charity tournament that DIDN'T have big prizes like that. Usually one hole in one is for a car or motorcycle, another hole in one hole is for a trip, etc. As JB mentioned, they purchase insurance for this and have spotters at those holes to be a witness.

To then state you have to make another remarkable shot to actually win is absolutely ridiculous.

Sorry I miswrote what I was trying to say. I have never been at an event that someone has actually made a shot for a big prize like that. The tournies I've played in before have had cars and stuff like that. Just no one has actually pulled off the shot to win.

 

[bogeyme]

I have a feeling some organizers did one of two things. Paid the insurance and are going to collect the money, or they never paid the insurance figuring nobody would make it. I would absolutely call them out on this and demand my money be paid.

I sincerely hope the first part is not the case. That would not be good at all. Hopefully it really was a "loophole" in the contract and not something the organizers did.

 

[JB]

bogey,
I have been searching a lot today and spoken to 2 hole in one insurance places and neither of them have EVER heard of anything like this.

 

[dynarider]

Sounds like BS to me. I would be irate if that happened to me. BTW...thats a hell of a work outing...free car, $10K...wow

It's a bs outing since obviously there was no way they were going to pay anyone the money or give away a car. Sounds like a complete crock to me & I would call them on it.

 

[worst_shot_ever]

It doesn't matter what their insurance rider says. If the contestants were told, "make the putt, you win the dough," and he made the putt, they owe the dough. A clause in a contract with a third-party that your victor wasn't a party to doesn't have any effect on the promise made by the promotor to the victorious putter.

 

[JB]

I would love to contact the event promoter and get an official statement on this. This seems ABSURD.