Before we get into what makes a great hole in one prize, let’s delve into what hole in one insurance is.

Hole in one insurance is a type of price-indemnification coverage, originally named for insurance policies purchased by golf tournament organizers or sponsors who offer the possibility of valuable prizes to contestants who score holes in one on the course during the tournament on a specified par three hole.

Automobiles

Since the industry started over thirty years ago, the most popular hole in one prize has been the automobile. This trend started by auto dealers having an interest in marketing their brand and vehicles at charity golf tournaments to a demographic that was very attractive to them.  The golf tournaments loved having a vehicle as a prize because it was a huge draw card to attract potential golfers and if someone won the vehicle, the buzz created was good for the event.  Depending on the budget of the dealership, some decide to put out a full value car in which the coverage premium is a bit higher and some opt to put out a two-year lease in which the coverage is a bit lower.  In either case they are getting their brand noticed by as many as 144 golfers on that day which as you can imagine is very beneficial to them. I am sure that most golfers would be more excited in winning the full value vehicle outright, but who would be unhappy with a Mercedes Benz two-year lease?

Cash is King

While the automobile remains the most popular choice for a hole in one prize, cash is not that far behind. Who among us could not use an extra $10,000 or $20,000?  Once golf tournaments realized that there was such a thing as hole in one insurance and they did not want or were able to offer a vehicle, the next best choice was cash. The thought of hitting that rare shot of a lifetime and walking away with some cold, hard cash seems very appropriate.  Tournaments can offer cash prizes with values as low as $5,000 all the way up to $1,000,000. Premium costs will depend on three variables.  The first and most obvious is the prize value that is offered, yardage of the par three hole, and the number of golfers in the tournament.  The higher the prize value and number of golfers, the higher that the insurance premium will be.

Trips & Golf Vacations

With so many so many incredible golf courses and resorts around the world, it would make sense to offer prizes that would reward a golfer with one, right?

Imagine a prize in which you would win a golf vacation to such destinations as Pebble Beach, St. Andrews Golf Links, TPC Sawgrass, Bandon Dunes or even Augusta National.  Most of these types of offerings or packages include airfare, golf, accommodations, rental car and taxes.  The other bonus is that they are usually trips for two people so that lucky family member or friend gets to take part in your reward for the hole in one.  Destination vacations are also very popular, these can include European vacations, cruises, theme park trips and various domestic destinations such as Las Vegas or Florida.  Like the golf vacations, airfare, hotel, rental car and taxes for two individuals are included.

“Outside the Box” Hole in One Insurance Packages

As an overview, we have gone over the more common hole in one insurance prizes that are utilized at charity golf outings, but what if you want something out of the ordinary?

Most hole in one insurance companies can offer prizes with a value of up to $1,000,000, but most golf outings do not have the kind of budget that would allow them to offer prizes of over $50,000 to $75,000.

What is a “outside the box” hole in one prize?

Check out these offerings from NATIONWIDE Hole in One…

How about offering your golfers a chance to climb the worlds tallest peak, Mount Everest?  They have a hole in one package in which the winner would receive a $50,000 expedition to make the attempt.  Another great offering is a $25,000 or $50,000 mortgage payment, imagine how much of the loan principle you could eliminate by winning that one.

Another unique prize package that NATIONWIDE Hole in One offers is private jet time.  I have always imagined what it would be like to fly on a private jet and winning this prize would allow me and five of my closest friends to find out.

How about a Polaris slingshot? Although this can be categorized as a car, it is a very fun and unique car being a convertible and only having three wheels.  This is a great car to cruise to the beach in during the warm weather months.

These are just a few of the “outside the box” hole in one insurance prizes that NATIONWIDE Hole in One offers.  For a complete list and to see what may be a good fit for your next golf tournament, you can check them out at https://www.nationwideholeinone.com/outside-the-box-prize-ideas.’

Tom Gardner