Waitoa Park Golf Club is giving away a Suzuki Swift to the first person who hits a hole in one on either hole 8 or hole 17 during the club’s Waitangi Day Mixed Open Tournament.
The car is being supplied by North Otago Motor Group and is valued at $22,000.
The idea came from watching major golf tournaments around the world implement similar promotions, Waitoa Park Golf Club men’s captain Al Nicholson said.
"I watch a lot of golf and all the main tournaments, on one of the par 3s, have a BMW or something there and I thought that would be quite cool."
He then approached North Otago Motor Group, which jumped on board.
While it did not offer up a BMW, the club was very grateful to have the chance to give away the Suzuki, Mr Nicholson said.
Holes 8 and 17 on the course share the same green but tee off from different tees.
Both are par 3s and hole 8 is 152m, while hole 17 is 172m.
The last hole in one — on hole 8 — was made in 2020.
"It’s a reasonably rare occurrence and I can tell you in 39 years I haven’t had one," Mr Nicholson said.
"It’s a tough hole, but it’s doable."
The goal behind the promotion was to raise the profile of the club within Oamaru.
"A couple of the places we went for sponsorship said ‘well, where’s that?’. They honestly didn’t know we’re here. They’d only heard of North Otago and Lower Waitaki [golf clubs]."
The tournament has been limited to 54 entries.
