Veteran Who Runs Animal Rescue Farm Wins $20K Golf Simulator Contest

At Sour Patch Sanctuary in Jim Falls, Wisconsin, Matt and his wife have their hands full caring for more than 40 rescued animals, including some with special needs. His brother-in-law had a plan to help this Army veteran carve out a little more time for golf, and Carl's Place helped make it happen.

Every summer, Tom gets a pretty specific assignment from his brother-in-law Matt's wife, Justine: Get Matt away from the farm long enough to play a round of golf.

It's easier said than done.

Matt and Justine run Sour Patch Sanctuary, an animal rescue in Jim Falls, Wisconsin, where they care for more than 40 animals, including some with special needs. Between feeding and tending to the animals, maintaining the grounds and shelters, and keeping the sanctuary running, there's always something that needs Matt's attention.

So when Tom discovered that Carl's Place was giving away a $20,000 home golf simulator, he knew exactly who should win.

There was just one catch. Matt had no idea Tom was entering him.

And then Matt won.

Before dedicating his days to animal rescue, Matt spent 21 years serving in the Army Reserve, reaching the rank of Sergeant First Class. His service included three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and he was awarded a Purple Heart.

Today, his days look quite a bit different, although they aren't necessarily any less demanding.

At Sour Patch Sanctuary, Matt and Justine care for rescued horses, goats, pigs, turkeys, and dogs. Many of the animals have medical conditions or disabilities that require special accommodations, including dogs with spina bifida that use wheels to get around.

Caring for them takes more than a little time and patience.

Fortunately, Matt is also a skilled engineer and craftsman. He puts those talents to work building specialized enclosures, improving the property, and making sure the animals have what they need.

And when you have more than 40 animals depending on you, the work doesn't exactly end at five o'clock.

As Tom told us during our visit:

The more you look around and see all that goes into keeping this place going, it's pretty incredible.

For Matt, it's work worth doing. But it doesn't leave much room for hobbies, including one he's always enjoyed: golf.

Like a lot of golfers, Tom has dreamed of having his own golf simulator.

But when he came across Carl's Place's $20,000 Build Your Dream Golf Simulator Contest, he didn't think about winning one for himself.

The golf sim thing has been my dream for the longest time," Tom said. "But the second I saw [the contest] on your page, he's who I thought of.

Tom knew exactly how difficult it was for Matt to find time for golf.

In his contest entry, he explained that getting Matt out for a round had practically become his annual summer responsibility.

When I visit Matt each summer, my main job (quite literally prescribed to me by his wife) is to make sure that he finally takes a break and gets out to the golf course.

A home golf simulator seemed like a pretty good solution. Matt could play a few holes, work on his swing, or take a break without having to plan an entire afternoon away from the sanctuary.

Tom submitted a golf simulator design and told us Matt's story.

Carl's Place launched its $20,000 golf simulator contest to celebrate the introduction of our interactive 3D Build Your Own Golf Simulator tool.

Entrants were invited to design a simulator for their space and explain what having a golf simulator at home would mean to them.

The winner wasn't selected at random. Our team evaluated entries based on their stories, the suitability of their proposed builds, installation readiness, and how well each entry reflected the spirit of the contest.

Tom's entry stood out.

Here was a veteran who had spent more than two decades serving his country and was now dedicating much of his time to caring for animals that needed help. And here was his brother-in-law, hoping to give him something that would make it a little easier to enjoy his own hobby.

We selected Matt as our winner.

Then came the fun part: telling him.

With help from Tom and the family, Matt learned that an unfinished room in his house was about to become something pretty special.

Our Carl's Place team recently visited Sour Patch Sanctuary to spend time with Matt, hear more about the rescue, and help work through the final details of his golf simulator.

As it turns out, Matt has some pretty specific plans for his new golf simulator.

Matt joked:

I'm definitely going to be improving my golf game so I can whoop Tom's butt.

But the friendly competition isn't his only motivation.

For Wisconsin golfers, the season has a habit of ending just when things are finally coming together.

The struggle that I've always had is that winter is six months long and every spring I feel like I'm starting over.

He spends the warmer months correcting problems in his game, getting more comfortable, and gradually improving. By fall, he's playing better than he was in spring.

Then the snow comes, the outdoor season ends, and the cycle starts all over again.

So I think having this golf simulator's going to allow me to continually improve my golf game after the season's over.

It's a frustration plenty of golfers can relate to, especially in cold weather climates. And it's one of the biggest advantages of having golf at home. You don't have to find four free hours, wait for the weekend, or put your clubs away until spring.

For Matt, it means practicing year-round and fitting golf into whatever free time he can find between responsibilities at the sanctuary.

For Tom, it apparently means he'll have some competition.

With the surprise behind us, it was time to make Matt's new golf room a reality.

The unfinished home theater space gave us a great starting point. Matt used Carl's Place's Build Your Own Golf Simulator tool to plan his setup, and our team worked with him to fine-tune the dimensions and equipment for the room.

The final design includes a custom-sized Carl's Place Pro Enclosure Kit with a Premium Impact Screen, measuring 121 inches high, 184 inches wide, and 78 inches deep.

A ProTee VX launch monitor will track his shots, while an Appotronics MK650B projector, SurfThing Performance Plus computer, and GSPro software will bring virtual golf courses to life.

A Carl's HotShot Gel Hitting Strip gets integrated into the hitting area, and the setup includes a pipe framing kit, shot-stopping baffle, and protective case and mount for the launch monitor.

It's a pretty sweet collection of gear, but what matters most is how it all comes together in the space Matt already has.

Whether it's an unfinished room, a garage, or another spot in the house, a home golf simulator doesn't necessarily require starting from scratch. The right measurements and equipment can turn an underused space into a place to play.

And for someone whose schedule is as full as Matt's, having that space just a few steps away could make a big difference.

We don't expect Matt's to-do list to get much shorter. There will still be animals to care for, projects to finish, and plenty of things around Sour Patch Sanctuary that need his attention.

But how, he has a place where taking a break doesn't have to involve leaving home.

Maybe it's 20 minutes of swing practice. A few holes after a long day. Or finally getting through a Wisconsin winter without losing the progress he made the summer before.

And while Matt's already thinking about improving his golf game, he's still getting used to being on the receiving end of a surprise like this.

We couldn't ask for anything more. We're super thankful, super grateful. I don't really like when people do things for me, but it's really nice. So thank you.

We're grateful Tom shared Matt's story with us and helped make this surprise possible. And on Veterans Day, we're especially glad to recognize Matt's military service and the work he and Justine continue to do for the animals at Sour Patch Sanctuary.

We can't wait to see his golf simulator come together and share the finished space.

As for Tom?

He might want to get a little extra practice in before his next visit.