Still The Best Grow The Game Gimmick, Pro Golf Edition: KLM & European Tour's Beat The Pros

It was great last year when KLM and the European Tour played up this Thursday-Saturday gimmick and it remains a great way to attract eyeballs and interest on days not called Sunday. The concept is simple: hit your ball inside the pros at the 14th hole and earn a nice pair of flight tickets from KLM.

Though the reaction of the pros who got beat by Dutch amateur Lauren Hillebrand, a repeat winner, was a tad awkward:

Beating the pros, again! Dutch amateur Lauren Hillebrand took part and won the #BeatThePro challenge last year at the #KLMOpen. She came back this year, and did the same again! She wins @KLM flights for two people to anywhere in Europe courtesy of.

A post shared by European Tour (@europeantour) on Sep 14, 2017 at 4:49am PDT

The pros had more fun almost getting beat by sweet-swinging 8-year-old Tom Hendricks:

He may not have won #BeatThePro but eight year old Tom Hendricks certainly won over the crowd at the #KLMOpen today.

A post shared by European Tour (@europeantour) on Sep 16, 2017 at 11:32am PDT

And check out 11-year old Matthias Henke beating Chris Wood and Max Albertus.

Great moment as 11-year old Matthias Henke wins the #BeatThePro challenge against Chris Wood and Max Albertus on the 14th hole of the #KLMOpen.

A post shared by European Tour (@europeantour) on Sep 16, 2017 at 7:22am PDT

Now I know this shouldn't become a weekly thing on tours as it'd lose some luster. But at the occasional LPGA, PGA Tour Champions and yes, PGA Tour event, this would be a fun gimmick to employ for a little free press.