Happy New Year!!

I hope you've had a great Holiday Season, and you're excited to start 2009. I certainly am as I've got a fun, high-end event and other product launches planned for my business this year.

I know the people in the supposed know say the economy will be bleak, etc. But I'm not buying into their negative outlook. In fact, I think playing business golf will become even more important. When the economy is tumultuous, a successful business person has to be out there building, maintaining, and strengthening their business relationships. Playing a round of golf, or even just a session at the driving range, can help do that.

On New Year's Day, I played my first round of business golf this year with my publicist. We played at a course that I've played several times, and this was my first time since it was "re-designed." It was such a disappointment and I've never seen a renovation ruin a course like I have with this course.

The "new and improved" greens reminded me of holes you'd find at a miniature golf course. The horizontal line on this green is a four foot high trough. Since it was a blind shot to the green, you'd think it was the safest to aim for the middle of the green, but it would have put you in the trough.

The ball in this picture is in a depression on the green that was about five feet wide and two feet deep. My publicist said it used to have "chocolate drops" in it, which he describes as deep, thick rough where you couldn't find your ball if it was in it. I've never seen a depression like this on a golf hole.

Several holes were re-routed and the course designer took interesting and challenging holes and made them into boring Vanilla holes. I can't imagine having this designer touch another course after what he displayed. Worst news is my Club has already paid him $60-70K to design a Master Plan for my course. Needless to say, I'm not pleased.

If weather permits, get out there and play, or at least hit balls at an indoor or heated driving range!