Hole in One Win Creates Brand Loyalty

Pictured here on the left is the lucky winner, John Whitmore, shaking hands with O’Daniel Mazda salesman, Matt Tillapaugh.

When John Whitmore was asked by his son-in-law to golf in the Todd Abler Memorial Golf Outing, he was expecting a pleasant day of golfing with friends. He never imagined what lay in store for him on hole number 2 at the Noble Hawk Golf Course in Kendallville, IN.

Whitmore says, “I have been golfing for 45 years, but only since I retired have I played a little more seriously. I am about a 10 handicap, so not the worst one out there.” Despite his skill, the day was pretty windy, and it was Whitmore’s first time playing this course.

As he approached hole number 2, he saw that O’Daniel Mazda was sponsoring a hole in one challenge! “They were giving away a two-year lease on a Mazda CX-5,” he remembers. “I was just hoping to get it close for my teammates and had never imagined getting a hole in one.”

As he was watching the first golfer (Jason) hit, he started to second guess which club to use due to the strong wind. Whitmore recalls, “I grabbed my hybrid, and let’s just say it was the luckiest shot of my life. I hit it, there was a little fade, and it landed left of the hole and rolled down into the cup.” What an exciting shot!

Whitmore has nothing but good things to say about working with O’Daniel Mazda. “The dealership was outstanding to deal with and so happy that I won!” He went on to say, “we had such a great day, and now my wife is the proud driver of a Mazda CX-5. The only time I get to drive it is when we take her new car on a longer trip.”

You know what they say: “happy wife, happy life.” Whitmore even mentioned that he had such a great experience with the dealership that he and his wife are thinking about getting another new Mazda for their next car. What a great way to build customer loyalty! The team at J. Ryder Group / Mazda Hole in One Program could not be happier for John and the great folks at O’Daniel Mazda.