Surprise! You just won Golf For Life
12 JUN 2018
2017 Guest of Honour Golf for Life contest winner and his dad celebrating at the surprise prize presentation.
Last December, Wyndance member Michael Curran received an email from ClubLink asking if he would represent his club in a focus group at King’s Riding to review member benefits and needs.
Michael was more than happy to contribute what he could but he was a bit puzzled. He was a long time member of ClubLink (2004) but had only been at Wyndance a year. Surely, he thought, there are other Wyndance members who have more knowledge and experience.
Nonetheless, he showed up at King’s Riding right on time and was ushered into a reception room where about a dozen people were seated, chatting amongst themselves. Then they were asked to move into the next room where the cocktail reception was set up.
As the last in, Michael was also the first out and the first to open the door to the adjoining room. Imagine his shock when cameras started flashing and everybody yelled SURPRISE!
The shock didn’t end there either because standing next to a large banner were his father Terry and brother-in-law Bill Jones.
At that point, Brent Miller, ClubLink’s VP of Corporate Operations and Member Services, stepped forward to inform Michael that he had won ClubLink’s Golf for Life contest, which would mean no annual dues for the next 20 years AND a free membership for his father Terry and no annual dues for him either.
“I was totally punked”, said Michael. “Half of me was still wondering what the focus group was all about while the other half was trying to absorb what just happened.”
Obviously, all of the so-called focus group participants were in on the surprise. They were actually ClubLink employees from Head Office, on hand to lend an air of authenticity to the proceedings.
“Even my Dad and brother-in-law were in on it”, said Michael. “Neither of them said anything in advance.”
The Guest of Honour Golf for Life contest is open to all ClubLink Members and their guests. Guests of Members are given a contest card each time they play. When the guest enters the contest, he or she indicates the name of the member who hosted them that day. At the end of the season, one ballot is drawn and the winning member and guest is awarded a complimentary membership to a Gold-level Club including complimentary annual dues for 20 years.
“I remember playing with my dad and someone reminded me to ask him to fill out a ballot, which was very lucky indeed”, recalled Michael. “Sometimes when I bring a guest I forget to make sure they go online and enter.”
Good thing he did because now Terry Curran is a new member at The Country Club.
“He’s loving it”, says Michael. “He lives in Mississauga so it’s an easy drive to Woodbridge and he’s playing a lot more golf and meeting lots of new friends too.”
A self employed Chartered Accountant, Michael joined Station Creek 14 years ago at the urging of ClubLink assistant pro Hashem Mehdizadeh and then moved to Wyndance last year.
“Hashem is a great friend and has introduced a lot of people to ClubLink. After I joined, I brought in my brother-in-law Bill Jones, who is a member at Blue Springs. We play a lot of golf together at as many courses as we can and now we can add my dad into the mix.”
Michael says he’s a huge fan of the Greg Norman designed Wyndance but also loves the variety of other courses that ClubLink offers, especially in Muskoka. He’s totally passionate about playing everything from Club competitions to pro-ams and is always looking for opportunities to compete.
“This prize is just awesome! I play a lot of golf and participate a lot. I’m really looking forward to the next 20 years.”
ClubLink Members should be cautioned that not every invitation to a focus group will result in a Golf for Life prize. But you never know. Keep filling out those ballots!