When California club pro Michael Block made a miraculous hole-in-one on the 15th during the final round of the PGA Championship recently, it signalled that anyone with golfing ability (which disqualifies me) can pull off a great shot if given a chance.
Now theScore Bet is giving golfers their own shot at PGA Tour-esque glory with a new activation at this weekend’s RBC Canadian Open. Developed by sports marketing agency SDI Sports, “Hole Zero” is a playable 15o-yard, par 3 hole at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf & Country Club, the site of this year’s event.
TheScore Bet claims that this is the first-ever fully playable hole at a PGA Tour event.
“We know golf fans are always eager to get as close to the action as possible, and now they’ll be able to do so right on the course and in a premium way as part of the tournament experience,” said Aubrey Levy, senior vice-president, content and marketing. “Hole Zero is another extension of our brand and activation strategy as we focus on adding real value for fans across our portfolio of partnerships and platforms.”
“Hole Zero” offers a reasonable facsimile of what the pros experience on the PGA Tour. At their scheduled tee time, players selected to participate are shuttled to the hole via golf cart, where they are greeted by a makeshift “clubhouse” with lockers bearing their name.
They will also be equipped with theScore gear including a hat, gloves, etc. and before checking in with a swing coach. Once they meet up with their caddy, an announcer will provide (hopefully hushed) commentary as they play the hole, which includes bunkers with sand in theScore Bet’s signature blue. Once they finish, they’ll be taken back to the 19th for food and libations.
The RBC Canadian Open has become the site for some interesting sponsor activations in the past two years. Last year, theScore Bet created the “Skyline Seats,” which took select attendees 100 feet above the first and 18th holes. Hilton, meanwhile, partnered with Fuse Create to develop “Hilton on the Green,” placing a downscaled version of one its suites along the third hole at last year’s tournament venue. The promotion was so successful that Hilton is running is again at this year’s tournament.
