See the video that won a Canadian man $10,000 and a golf trip to Myrtle Beach

With a video of him playing in solitude and taking a swing on the first tee box with his own voice-over, Toronto resident Alex Anthony won the 2017 Golf Is Great video contest sponsored by marketing cooperative Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday.

The one-minute video entitled “The Drive” goes through the thoughts that can enter your mind as you prepare to hit your tee shot, then how empty your mind can become once you choose a target and picture the drive soaring perfectly over the fairway.

The video has earned Anthony $10,000 and a four-night, three-round Myrtle Beach golf trip for four in 2018.

The voice-over features a piano playing softly and includes: “You remember why you’re here. Why you’re up at the crack of dawn breathing the crisp morning air, why you’re trying to finish the final hole before the sun leaves yet another day behind. You remember why you keep coming back, for this very feeling, just you and your mind, the perfect drive. The game in its purest form. All your thoughts are gone and it’s time to let everything go.”

The video was chosen from nearly 40 that were submitted over a four-month entry period and were open to public internet voting to narrow them to a top 10. A panel of judges consisting of Golf Holiday employees and board members then selected the winner.

“Alex’s video brilliantly detailed the beauty and simplicity of the game of golf,” said Golf Holiday social media manager Kyle Oland. “We watched the video and literally thought we were watching a commercial. His video made you feel as if you were standing on the tee box with him breathing in the fresh morning air. There was no doubt that Alex put a good bit of time into developing and creating his video.”

Anthony is a videographer with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and a native of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was home during an Argonauts bye week and was surprised by a Golf Holiday film crew naming him the winner at his home course, Cedar Hill Golf Club, which his family helped build.

Golf Holiday staff contacted Anthony’s mother, Patti, to help set up the surprise. Anthony played nine holes with some of his childhood friends and a room full of family, friends and a film crew greeted him in the clubhouse following the round with the news of his victory.

Most of those in attendance believed they were just part of a gathering to welcome Anthony home after being away for more than a year.

Anthony played two seasons in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders and won a Grey Cup, and he said golf helped him cope with being cut from the league.

His video was in sharp contrast to last year’s winning video from a group in Texas that made a parody of golf-related movies including Caddyshack, Tin Cup and Happy Gilmore.

See all of the submitted videos here and the video of Anthony being surprised.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 8:53 PM with the headline "See the video that won a Canadian man $10,000 and a golf trip to Myrtle Beach."