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Want to win $10K for a hole-in-one? Try this app (like this guy did)

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Kudos to Golf Digest for this report on Justin Blaze, a golfer from Kentucky who won 10 grand on the golf course.

How’d he do it?

Blaze aced the 125-yard par-3 15th hole at Eagle Creek Country Club in Crittenden, Kentucky. And it wasn’t standard hole-in-one contest fare that netted him the $10K. Rather, the 38-year-old regularly uses the Eagle Watch Golf app, which allows golfers to, essentially, wager on their tee shots (at participating courses).

Here’s how it works: Blaze, who, when he isn’t playing “around scratch” golf, owns a plumbing business, bets the maximum $10 on his tee shot. If he hits the green, he earns $6 (losing $4). Within the length of the flagstick from the hole: $140. Within two feet: $250. And the payout for a hole in one, that depends on the number of entrants, but in this case, it was just under $10,000.

Eagle Watch rounded up for Mr. Blaze, and, thus, he’s $10,000 richer.

Not that golfers would ever cheat, but to verify winning shots, Eagle Watch relies not on an observer stationed under a shady tree, but a pair of cameras stationed at the tee and green respectively.

The app is presently supported by 30 courses five states in the southeastern U.S., but it doesn’t take a marketing executive to predict that number will increase in light of the dissemination of news of Blaze’s ace.

Company founder Clint McKinley has his eagle eye (sorry, had to do it) set on expansion. But state gaming laws present hurdles to a rapid roll out.

“Generally speaking, what we’ve created has two very important components,” McKinley says. “It’s a low-risk proposition because you can only play once a day and bet a maximum of $10. Secondly, it has everything to do with your skill, not the skill of someone else or some other team. It’s not the silver bullet for golf industry, but it’s fun a way to generate a little more revenue, build customer loyalty, and attract more play.”

Eagle Watch offers a revenue share to participating courses, installs and services the cameras, and reviews the video. In other words, it’s found money for courses and added value for golfers.

Oh, and the potential for a huge payout, as Mr. Blaze showed.

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6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. Malibu

    Nov 17, 2016 at 9:26 am

    I love the concept, got to play the game last time i was in Hilton Head. Wish there were more courses in Florida to play at.

  2. I'm Ron Burgundy???

    Nov 11, 2016 at 11:23 pm

    One day I had a hole in one with Champ and Brick. Fontana was still passed out from the night before. We were drinking copious amounts of scotch and we teed off on top of a mountain. I hit a 9 iron from 215 using my wrxer 121MPH club head speed. After we were done we went and bought new suits and slayed Chargers Cheerleaders that night. You stay classy…

    • booya cornflakes

      Nov 17, 2016 at 10:25 am

      Without the WRX reference, this is funny. With it? It just screams “trying to hard”.

  3. Pingback: Want to win $10K for a hole-in-one? Try this app (like this guy did) – Swing Update

  4. Jaron Slattery

    Nov 10, 2016 at 8:19 pm

    Pretty cool stuff here. I think it’s great to see programs like this gaining some traction. The game needs a little influx of unique programs like this to keep the participation high. I haven’t personally used eagle watch, but I had the opportunity to play a course in the Chicago area that was partnered with a company called Digital Golf Technologies. http://www.digitalgolftech.net DGT is another hole-in-one program that is gaining great traction in the Midwest and several other markets. Not only was I participating in the hole-in-one contest, but I was also able to sit down in the bar afterwards and watch the video of our group playing the designated par 3 thanks to the time delayed streaming into the clubhouse. I just love seeing these new ideas and companies gaining popularity across the country. Check out both.

  5. Branson Reynolds

    Nov 10, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    That’s a cool idea.

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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (1/16/24): Cobra Forged One Length irons

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a set of Cobra Forged One Length irons.

From the seller: (@adamwittman): “4-PW, GW, lw. Nunchuk shafts. $350 tyd conusa.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Cobra Forged One Length irons

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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What GolfWRXers are saying about Kevin Kisner’s new Callaway X Forged CB irons

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In our forums, our members have been discussing Kevin Kisner’s new Callaway X Forged CB irons which he has in the bag at this week’s CJ Cup. WRXers have been commenting on the switch and the clubs themselves in our forums.

For lots more photos, check out the full thread here.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • btyh: “Holy offset.”
  • Glf_LU: “These are interesting. Not going to make a rush to judgement until I see them in person. It does look like a little more offset than I would expect to see in this model.”
  • bcflyguy1: “Kisner is not one to make a lot of equipment changes (see the GBB driver he’s still using), so if these do have staying power in his bag that will be interesting to see. I have to wonder if there’s something different about his set, because like others have mentioned there appears to be more offset on his than I recall seeing in the samples I’ve had in hand.”

Entire Thread: “Kevin Kisner’s new Callaway X Forged CB irons”

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WATCH: PGA Tour players play hole blindfolded and it’s hilarious/amazing

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As part of a Srixon campaign, four PGA Tour players recently participated in a three-hole challenge, with each hole being a different game; hole No. 1 was blindfolded, hole No. 2 was costumes and distractions, and hole No. 3 was alternate shot with a baseball bat. The teams were Smylie Kaufman and Sam Ryder against Shane Lowry and Grayson Murray.

Watch the full video below, since it is quite entertaining (albeit not the type of golf that Old Tom Morris surely had in mind), but in particular, make sure to check out the first hole where Lowry and Ryder play a full hole completely blind folded. It’s amazing to watch how badly Ryder struggles, and how Lowry nearly makes par.

Cleveland-Srixon’s marketing department has been hard at work crafting these viral-esque ad campaigns; if you remember, former long-drive champion Jamie Sadlowski recently dressed as 80-year-old Grandpa Jamie to fool range-goers. That video has since gathered over 1.2 million views on YouTube.

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