Tee'd Off: Hole-In-One Golfer Can't Collect Car He Won

[Kadie]

Nov 16, 2009 10:42 pm US/Pacific
Call Kurtis Investigates: Tee'd Off
Hole-In-One Golfer Can't Collect Car He Won

STOCKTON, Calif. (CBS13) ― A.J. Hohn says it was the biggest thing that's ever happened to him in his life.

"It was a one in billion million shot," he said.

snip...
That car was parked on the tee of the 17th hole. But as A.J. walked up to tee off, he wasn't thinking about the car. Instead, he concentrated on how he was going to play the par-three hole. He said it was the perfect shot. Swinging that nine-iron, the ball bounced once and ended up right in the hole.

snip...
Within two hours, the country club mass emailed this to its members congratulating A.J. for the hole-in-one and winning the Ford Flex. The General Manager and the Head Pro also extended their praise.

"They both shook my hand and gave me a hug and said 'congratulations and we'll start to get in touch with the insurance company'," said A.J.

The way these contests work, the country club or a sponsor, in this case Big Valley Ford of Stockton buys insurance. If somebody wins, the insurance kicks in paying for the prize. But three weeks went by and A.J. got a call from Brookside Country Club.

"There's been a misrepresentation in the contract, sorry you do not get the car," A.J. recalls being told.

As it turns out, the insurance Big Valley Ford bought for this day of the tournament was for 18-holes, not the full 27-holes played. This was A.J's 21st hole of the tournament.

more...
http://cbs13.com/consumer/kurtis.golf.contest.2.1316693.html

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. flog the bastards.

I rejoice whenever I manage to hit the fairway.

of course the insurance industry will take the premium, and find a way to deny coverage. Just like their health care brothers.

[dysfunctional press]

3. how is it the insurance company's fault...?

big valley ford are the ones that screwed the pooch.

[SidDithers]

2. Everyone should e-mail Big Valley Ford...

and tell them to hold up their end of the bargain.

Flood the bastards.

Sid

Edit: along with Ford corporate

[NYC_SKP]

7. Contact Information Here For Big Valley Ford... (they are in my town)... Call the 800 number.

The fuckers.

http://www.bigvalleyford.com/

I called sales, asked for a manager, chewed their ass.

Sales: [phone]
Service: [phone]
Parts: [phone]
Collision Center: [phone]

email: [e-mail]

:nuke:

[Hepburn]

18. Done....

...emailed them and told them to pay off...it's cheaper to give the guy the car at their cost than to defend against the law suit which they most likely could not win.

The Ford Dealer made an offer to the public, the man accepted the offer by playing in the Tournament and making the Hole in One. That formed a contract. The contract is with the dealership. The dealership cannot pass along their problem with the insurance company to void the contract or their obligation to the golfer who did the action which formed the acceptace to the offer and thereby formed the contract.

Trust me...they would have to give the man the car. This is simple Contracts 101.

CAVEAT: The above is true assuming there was not some disclaimer in an entry form that the golfer signed that in some manner could relieve the dealership of its obligation to perform connected with the insurance coverage.

:hi:

[NYC_SKP]

24. Thank you, Hepburn!!!

I should think that the publicity and public outcry, your message included, will make them reconsider even if there is a legal loophole they can crawl through.

Also, if they know it's gotten broad attention (emails from other cities and states), it might make them think harder.

:hi:

[Kadie]

25. CBS 13 has put their countdown clock on the top of the main page

http://cbs13.com/

[nyc 4 Biden]

28. that's really funny...

"AJ's No Car Clock"

[anigbrowl]

9. If they advertised it, they may have legal liability

Although a fair judge would tell the insurance company that they were on the hook for 2/3 of the cost, which would be a lot more manageable.

[FormerDittoHead]

4. Is this a rehash of an old story? I swear I read the same story months and months ago.

Hole in one. Insurance Company, etc.

BTW: did you know there are NUMEROUS BUSINESSES which offer "hole in one insurance"?

edit: typo

[Kadie]

6. Could be the same story you heard before.

He has been waiting 5 months for his vehicle...

snip...
Nobody denies he won the car. He says both Big Valley Ford and Brookside Country Club aren't willing to step up and give him his prize. Each is blaming the other for the insurance mix-up. It's now been five months since the tournament.

[FormerDittoHead]

14. In fact, wasn't this featured on the Colbert Report? n/t

[NYC_SKP]

8. It is on our local news right now, as we speak, the dude

The CW, good morning sacramento.

http://gooddaysacramento.com/

The have live cameras at a course as "Hole In One Guy" A.J. Cohn is trying to crack another Ace.

Live video on the website above.

:P

[liberal N proud]

5. Weasels

[NYC_SKP]

10. He JUST hit another Hole In One, one minute ago...

So the local news gave him a DVD of Petticoat Junction and two passes to "Twilight".

I think it took 127 swings, but he did it.

Good for him, the third ace in his life.

:P

[Romulox]

11. To heck with the drama. Simply sue the country club and the dealership.

It's up to the country club and the dealership to hash it out amongst themselves. They're both on the hook to the winner, imo.

[rocktivity]

13. DING DING DING! Romulox, you're our grand prize winner!

...(T)he...country club and the dealership...(are)...both on the hook to the winner...

Hit a hole in one, get a car--that was "deal" between the club and the golfers. It should be of no concern to the contestants who bought what insurance, and if the deal only applied to 18 holes, the club should have publicily disclosed that up front. The club and the dealership are both at fault--they should supply the car and split the cost.

x(
rocktivty

[uncle ray]

16. public trial by media is cheaper than a lawyer.

and more fun too.

[PVnRT]

17. Ahhhhh, but that ignores the fine print

There's always fine print that the assholes of the world like to hide behind.

[lame54]

19. It's amazing they would risk the bad PR which going to cost way more than the price of a single car

[Sinistrous]

12. Insurance or not, I think the country club is still on the hook for the car.

[damntexdem]

15. If the club bought the wrong insurance, it's their fault.

If they didn't restrict the contest to 18 holes, then THEY should be out the cost of the car, and Hohn should be driving away with his new car.

[janet118]

20. But you didn't ask for a "real" pony. . . n/t

[rocktivity]

27. My favorite commerical to hate

It makes me want to jump through the screen, beat the snot out of that guy, and tell him, "How DARE you do that to a CHILD!"

:rofl:
rocktivity

[JNelson6563]

29. Exactly.

Bastards.

[guitar man]

21. He's a lot cooler than I am

By now I'd be telling someone to either fork over the car or I'd be beating their asses with that 9-iron! :grr:

[KansDem]

22. LOL!!!

:rofl:

And you could be screaming at them, "YOU WANNA BE THE NEXT 'HOLE IN ONE?' HUH? HUH? DO YOU???!!!"

[guitar man]

23. yeah

:P

I'm getting pretty cranky as I get older :rofl:

[Dreamer Tatum]

26. So the policy was priced incorrectly.

I don't blame the insurer, but I do blame the country club. The Ford dealer probably has a claim against the country club, depending on what the contract says.