“Someone attracted to hit a golf ball off of a terrace onto an infield is a thrill seeker, up-for-anything type of golfer-that’s something Callaway would covet as a market…Baseball is trying to hit that same demo”.
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“I can’t remember being that nervous over a golf shot in a long time”, said Wlodkowski.
The Padres partnered with Callaway Golf for “The Links at Petco Park”, which begins Thursday.
Harry Arnett, Callaway’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, helped hatch plans for the promotion. “I go to Padres games all the time. And when you see people at the park, people say, ‘I wish I could hit from home plate.’ Now you can”.
Originally, only 144 golfers were supposed to partake but due to high demand over 1,500 golfers will be allowed to take to the course this coming weekend.
Neville said the event caught on quickly. “I’m pretty sure I can’t hit a home run with an actual baseball, but with a golf club you have the opportunity to do that”. The event is a partnership between the Padres and Callaway Golf. From there, they proceed to tee boxes situated throughout the stands, including the upper deck.
From there, golfers stroll through the Padres clubhouse and head up to the second level, playing holes two through eight from the right-field foul pole to left field. Perhaps our favorite though is the ninth tee, which sits atop the Western Metal Supply Co. building.
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The seventh hole offers a movie theme, and golfers can use a hockey stick – think “Happy Gilmore” – instead of their club in attempts to cover the 62 yards.
