$9.11 Special: Wisconsin Golf Course Tumbledown Trails Ripped Over 'Disgusting' Sept. 11 Anniversary Promotion [PHOTO]
A Wisconsin golf course is unsure if it will open on Wednesday after it was slammed across the Internet as being insensitive for advertising a 9/11 anniversary promotion.
Tumbledown Trails Golf Course in Verona has taken heat over the promotion, which advertised 9 holes of golf with a cart for $9.11 per person and 18 holes and a cart for $19.11 per person. The special rate was part of a ‘”12th Anniversary of 9-11” promotion, according to the advertisement, which went viral on social media.
Now, the golf course has withdrawn the $9.11 special and said it isn't sure if it will open for business on Wednesday, citing concerns about backlash over the $9.11 deal, according to its Facebook page.
“Please stay tuned to see if we will be open on Weds 9/11,” said a message posted to the golf course’s Facebook page on Monday night. “We are now worried about what people will do/say to our staff & do not want anything to happen or get out of control. Sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused anyone.”
Tumbledown Trails apologized for the $9.11 rate on its Facebook page, which many took as insensitive and accused the business of attempting to profit off the deaths of 9/11 victims. The Wisconsin golf course said it didn’t mean to offend anyone.
“We would first like to apologize to everyone that we have upset or feels we have disrespected in anyway. By no means did we mean to do this,” the business said on its Facebook page.
After the public relations disaster, Tumblewood Trails went into damage control mode, offering to donate funds to the 9/11 memorial. But just minutes later, the golf course said it was unclear whether it would even be open on Wednesday.
“Here is what we will do this Wednesday 9-11; we will still let all that have tee times booked play for the previous rates we posted. Then for all other golf that day we would like to donate the $ difference between our normal rate and the previous price for the day to the 9/11 Memorial,” the message read. “We hope that everyone will now see this as a positive as we really meant it to be. Again we do sincerely apologize for offending anyone & hope that you do accept our sincere apology. Thank you.”
The Tumblewood Trails Facebook page has since been filled with comments condemning the Wisconsin golf course.
Facebook user Allan Ludwig Gadbois called the 9/11 anniversary special “very disgusting."
“How could you even think about capitalizing on the tragedy of 9 11,” he wrote.
Alison Kolarik echoed that sentiment, although she did accept the golf course’s apology.
“A ‘mistake’ is when you buy skim milk instead of whole. Capitalizing on the greatest act of war ever to reach American Shores is just ... disgusting,” she wrote. “And I accept their apology. I do, I really do. I think they realize just how stupid they were. But I'll never forget today's lesson in callous greed. I will never.”
Even Tumblewood Trails’ uncertainty about opening on Wednesday led Facebook users to criticize the golf course.
“Just saw your ad. HOW COMPLETELY DISRESPECTFUL,” wrote Kim Beatty Kennedy.
Mary Kohl Smith said the decision on whether to open or not should be an easy one for the golf course.
“Your company should do some serious damage control. That ad is going viral on Facebook and a bunch of message boards. Do yourselves a huge favor and close down on Wednesday in respect of those lost on 9/11, then do something wonderful like donate to a 9/11 foundation,” she suggested.
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