Mr Business Golf

(Following is a Paid-For Review)

WoW character purchase…that is game characters. World of Warcraft games to be exact. Have you seen this site www.buymmoaccounts.com? They are the only World of Warcraft account retailer with live phone support. Buymmoaccount.com is the owner of the site. Over the past year BuyMMOACCOUNTS.com has purchased over a thousand WoW accounts. You will be dealing with a reputable account retailer, their team of professionals have been retailing WoW Accounts to happy customers for over a year. wow character purchase

As you know, I get asked from time to time to review a site and this is the case here.

I am not much of a gamer but I am a consumer who does use the internet to shop and buy things. This is an interestingly wordy site with a lot of text on its home page. Lots of links off to other information you need to know about if you are in the market for some World of Warcraft characters. In the world of Warcraft it is worth checking out.

The creators of this site don’t hum haw around…their text pretty well tells you what to expect and what the deal is. That is good since many sites in this market want to wow you with a lot of flash. Like I said, I think it is worth a look at anyway.  

Best Holiday commercial… for Titleist Pro-V1’s…

(Following is a Paid-For Review)

During the winter there is one activity a large number business golfer enjoys doing and that is playing Pool. You know, BILLIARDS.  Like golf, Pool has several skill levels.  You can play it for fun with others are get down right nasty in a true cut throat serious money game.
And just like golf where the right club fit to the person works the best, the same holds true for Pool (or Billiards if the case may be) with a custom fit pool cue.

pooldawg.com  has a really good pool cue offer. If you looking for the best billiards deals on the web they have over 3,000 products and 700+ models of pool cues to choose from, its no wonder PoolDawg is the #1 destination for billiard supplies.

Pooldawg.com is an easy to use site with detailed color photos of the actual cue stick you are ordering and yes, they claim that each pool cue comes with a ‘Shaft”..good thing because it would be really hard to play pool with just the butt end of the cue.

I suggest that if you are really wanting to get into playing pool, I mean serious billiards, then you may want to look into these pool cues I am sure they will level the playing table for you.

(Following is an announcement from a client of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC)

If you are like me,a business golfer who is out in the community a lot meeting people in all kinds of businesses, then you get pitched a lot of Bull. 

But every long once in awhile I run into something that really makes me think..and the following golf tournament that Screen Door Open Charity Golf, Inc. is producing is one of those fundraiser’s that really tugs at my emotions for all of the right reasons. 

I would like to ask all of my  business golf fans out there to consider for your next business golf outing with clients, employees or vendors and registering that you gather them all up for the…

Help Us Help a Kid Charity Golf Tournament

There are many, many unfortunate people in the world and to be able to just help one person get the possibility of living a better life than what is projected for them is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do.

A few days ago, Joey Anders, Head Golf Professional of Brookhaven Country Club here in Dallas, came to me to ask for help…no fancy pitch, no Nigerian Princess story,  not "Hey, you got a minute to check out this…", just play out.."Mr Duke, can you help?"

Now I don’t know about you but I tend to want to do more than help if what I am being asked to help do makes sense.

Joey and his wife Cecilie were given the opportunity recently become the foster parents for an orphan from Ukrainian.  Her name is Anya which is a Russian diminutive of the name Anna which means "graceful" or "bringing goodness". Anya is also the Sanskrit word meaning "inexhaustible".

As you can see from Anya’s photo above she all of that and a beautiful 15 year old who according to Joey confirms the Sanskrit definition of being ‘inexhaustible’ bundle of energy.  Unfortunately, there is not too much pleasantries to Anya’s life.

Joey and Cecilie only intended to be a foster parent for Anya until they learned about the sad future awaiting a girl like Anya in her homeland.  The life of an Ukrainian orphan changes drastically when they turn 16 years of age which Anya turns 16 in a few months.  As an adult Anya will most likely be put on the street to resort to whatever she has to do to survive which many times results in prostitution or often marriage to an abusive man.  For the Anders’ there was only one right thing to do..adopt Anya so she can become part of their growing family.

Sounds simple enough, however, adoption is a complicated process and in the Ukraine it’s also expensive which is where Joey needed help.  Joey needs to raise a minimum of $30,000 for the adoption process.  To raise those funds he organized a charity golf tournament.  He asked if Screen Door Open Charity Golf would produce the event and the rest is now current history.  Now the challenge is to get the word out about the event that takes place in four weeks.

Anya Wants to Play Golf

Since learning about Anders’ cause it has been exciting to hear more about Anya.  Joey said while she was here recently he introduced her to Golf.  One of the few words she knew in English was Golf and that was the one word she used frequently to let Joey know what her interests where.  Joey’s goal is to help Anya make the High School Golf team.

Here is How You Can Help

The efforts and challenges the Anders’ face to accomplish raising $30,000 in four weeks is daunting and the time is running short to getting the process started and funds for the adoption raised in time before the orphanage has to push Anya to the streets.

Hopefully you can help also.  Following is the information on the SDO’s Help Us Help a Kid Charity Golf Tournament.  If you want to register a team to play, have any questions or want to make a donation to the cause or donate an item for the auction, please send an email to me at..

scot(.)duke(@)sdogolf.com  (Drop the parenthesis)

Our you can make a Tax Deductible donation here.

I’ll be back with more about Anya and how we are doing towards meeting the goal of raising $30,000 as things develop,

The Date is

Monday, November 10, 2008

Brookhaven Country Club

3333 Golfing Green Drive

Farmers Branch, Texas 75234

Ok, here is another saga in the Van Halen legacy.. Eddie is getting married.

LONE STAR 92.5

As most of you know I have a been attending the Dallas Start-Up Gathering each month.  It is a great group and the gathering is held in a very casual but professional atmosphere.  The Dallas Morning News ran an article this morning that provided a glimpse of what the group is all about.

Blog helps entrepreneurs get started | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Dallas Business News

I think there are several other options to consider here.

1. If you are prone to losing golf clubs wouldn’t it be better to work on improving your memory instead of spending money on Technology that producing something that bugs the crap out of you for having a bad memory.  A better memory would help you remember if you made an 7 or an 8 on that last hole instead of the 5 you put on the score card.
2. Another would be to take a few golf lessons to improve your ability to hit fairways and greens.  You more than likely are not going to lose a club between the teebox and the green if you are hitting great shots.
3. How about playing more golf so you know from a glance your distances to the pin.  That way you don’t have to bring a handful of clubs with you out in the fairway which is the most likely the time you are are going to forget a club.
4. What about eliminating Cart Path Only Golf Courses.  That would keep you from taking those extra clubs with you on the fairway.
5. How about lets bring back the Caddy’s….they are responsible for the clubs.  They are going to make sure you don’t forget a club or loss one, unless they throw it in the lake like Stevie did with Tigers 7 iron.

ORRRR. you can get you one of these new fangle bags that beeps at you, and everyone in the four acres you are playing in, that you lost a club…I can only image what it does if you never find the club.  I assume it locks up the other clubs and requires a secret password and username to get to them…or a robotic arm reaches out and slaps you for for leaving a club on the green.

My favor would be a loud voice recording pops on saying…

"This guy is a loser for losing a club"

I guess after all of these options, going back to number one..improving your memory may save you more than money from buying this new Technology.

Geez..man, what are you thinking?  OH I forgot, you are not thinking.

Don’t feel dumb again: Club Count Technology perfect for absent-minded golfers

How people in this economy can afford or want to afford to wear elaborate fashion still gets me.  The fashion business has to be taking a huge beating right now.

ABC News: Fashion Week Meets the Weak Economy

I am a big fan of variety and feel people should find things in life that offers something different to do or think about.  Each year as part of my New Years resolution I write out a list of things I am going to look for the "Best Of".  You know, things like the Bet Golf Course, the Best Steak and the Best Place to have a Business Meeting.

This year I chose to look for the "Best Mojito".  Of course, my all time search for the "Best Martini" will continue each year because…well, I like variety.

This really has been a short year for me and I have not been out and about as much due to me having to hibernate longer this year here in the Bagroom Studio hammering out the new direction for my company, IBGS. 

Now that things are falling into place I am still not getting out as much, but I know that before the end of the year I will have plenty of opportunities to hunt down that Best Mojito.

So to make up for me not being out in the golf world that would draw me to the local watering holes where the bartenders hone their craft, I have been online looking for different recipes some of the experts say are the best  Mojitos.  Believe me, I have tried over a dozen different recipes and found that the one I like the best (so far) is the one I make from several mixes.

Now for those of you who have not had the pleasure of having a well made Mojito here is what you should expect. 

Sweet is the first taste your tongue should detect and then the tart that is produced from the lime combining with the Club Soda. 

The Rum should not be noticeable until it hits the back of your throat and it should not be over bearing. 

Yes, Mojitos run a little sweet and are what I categorize as a True Cocktail since the majority of the drink is mixed with natural fruit juices with alcohol, unlike the Whiskey and Water mixes or Martinis. 

What I do like about Mojitos is they are Truly Refreshing drinks and the alcohol does not overtake the taste of the drink.  It is rather thirst quenching.  OR It should be….I have some that had no punch to them at all and then some that were just a Bacardi advertisement in a glass.

When it comes to drinks, I like fresh natural ingredients..I am not a big Pre-Mix drink fan.  There is NOTHING worst than a syrupy mix to ruin a good alcohol.  And I am not a big fan for Club Soda.  So for me it was a complete surprise to find out that Mojitos were pretty dad-burn tasty.

As far as Rum, I am not a big Rum fan, but hey, I was looking for variety in life and I am open to finding things that are different.  I do like quality so I look to the Top Shelf first.  Brands are not important until someone starts paying me to promote one, but quality is.  What I found was the Aged Rums had a much better flavor.  Why? I have no idea, they just were much smoother drinking.

When you find aged run it usually is a Dark Rum..very few of the aged rums are the normal white rums.  So since the Darker Rums had a better flavor I used Dark Rums in the Mojitos I made myself. 

So for now here is the recipe for what I feel is …

The Best Mojito:

Utensils Needed:

• 16oz Glass
• Teaspoon (for stirring)
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board (or counter to cut the lime on)
• Wooden Pestle (or the flat in of a Wooden Spoon)

Ingredients:

• Crushed (not cubed) Ice
• Fresh Mint
• Brown Pure Cane Sugar
• White Pure Cane Sugar
• Lime
• Lime Juice
• Club Soda
• Dark Rum

Step One: Preparation

Sugar Water:Now I like to make enough of the Sugar Water (as I call it) for several drinks.  So the following is enough for four or five drinks.

In microwaveable cup or bowl mix 1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar with a 1/4 Cup of White Sugar with a 1/2 Cup of water.  Stir it up and place it in the microwave for less than 1 minute.  This helps dissolve the sugar.  If you are out on a boat or in the golf cart and don’t have a microwave, just keep stirring until it dissolves into a thick watery soup..not a paste..keep adding water by the tablespoon until it becomes a thick watery paste..like watery syrup.

Yaw, this is going to make enough sugar water for several drinks, but you can store it.  I use a salad shaker with a sealed lid to keep it in the refrigerator.

Cut a center cut of the Lime about a 1/4 inch thick and then cut that in half making 2 half moon slices.

That’s it for prep work..you are ready for the main event.

Step Two: The Mixing

In the 12oz glass (it can be bigger if your round of golf really sucked) tear up two average size Mint Leaves. 

I am hearing that the bottom leaves of the plant are the strongest in flavor so if you are really into the mint flavor go for the bottom coarser leaves.  If you are just wanting to cut to the chase, just pick any of them and tear them into pieces and place them in the bottom of the glass.  The tearing of the leaves helps release the Mint Oil (Yaw, I didn’t know that Mint had an oil either.)

Now throw the two Lime slices in the glass with the Mint leaves.  With the Wooden Pestle (or wooden spoon handle) grind the lime and mint together for about three grinds..all you want to do is to release the Mint Oil into the Lime. 

Now, put a splash of Lime Juice in the Glass and fill the glass half full of Crushed Ice…not too much ice, just half full or less.

Now pour in

1. two shots of Sugar Water (You can guess the amount)
2. and 2 shots of Dark Rum (yes I like my drinks to talk to me).

Then splash in the Club Soda to fill the glass and STIR.

There ya go…one of the Best Summer Drinks I have found…so far.  I am still looking but this one really takes the edge off a crappy round of golf or a business meeting that was a little heated.

Let Me Know How I Can Help.

Please drink responsibly and NEVER DRIVE after having a drink..especially one of these puppies.

I don’t use four letter words in my blogs since I have respect for my readers eyes.  So in this case I am going to change a four letter word to a five letter word that describes my, and about 25 others who attended the first of 12 days of my birthday parties, feelings about Black Finn Restaurant & Saloon in Addison, Texas.  And the word is…SUCKS.  Now this word has a ton of meanings and I intend to use the most derogatory of them all to tell you why Black Finn SUCKS.

So why does Black Finn get this low of a review?

Each year for the past 8 years my bride puts forth a lot of her time, energy and money to produce a golf tournament for my and a close friend’s birthday.  What started out as a surprise gathering with 12 of my closest friends has now grown in size and number of close friends and family.  With all of the different schedules these friends have the affair now take about 12 days for me to socialize with all of them who want to wish me a Happy Birthday.  The things that are in common with each day’s affair is Golf, Drinks, Food and Merriment.  Yes, you now see why this time of year excites me.  It is the ONLY time of the year I get to see the people I associate  with in a casual environment.

As you can image, this pressures my wife to find places for the Food, Drink, Food and Merriment part of the parties.  In the beginning we use to have the entire affair at our golf club, but since we are not the only members there and the main event falls on Labor Day weekend, the club’s facility has a difficult time accommodating the party side of my birthday golf tournament.  Plus, since over 90% of the people who attend the gathering are also members of the club my wife felt the party for the main event on Labor Day Weekend, and the residual days that follow, should be held at someplace close to where the golf is being held..in this case Addison, TX.

Are you getting how Black Finn comes into the picture?

OH, there is more.  this year, our club’s entire member’s building is going to go under renovation , which includes the Grill, Pro-Shop and the all important Member’s BAR.  This will leave over 1000 members without a watering hole for more than three months.  That is a HUGE void to fill with all of the after golf activities. 

For you marketers who are reading this, the demographic here is 30 to 60 year olds with a high level of disposable income. I think you can see that this is a more desirable consumer group than most others.  I will confirm that country club members are use to building up some hefty size bar bills.  So this potential revenue is naturally going to go to some place close to the club.  You would think that most bars in the area would be marketing to this group.

OK, so the scene is set for this year’s annual golf ClamBake.

A few weeks ago my wife started her selection process for where to have the main event.  She quickly weeded out all of the other places in Addison she has used over the years due to their inability to service these gathers like they should.  So she was in the hunt for a NEW PLACE to anchor all of these drinks, food and merriment affairs that are related to the 12 days leading up to my birthday. 

There was a qualification for the facility to meet which was the basics..private, private, private room for a party that had dedicated wait staff and bartenders.  There were a few to choose from…and after reviewing several she choice Black Finn.

So, she called the General Manager to lay out what was taking place and of course the GM caught hold of the magnitude of the financial reward his facility was about to experience.  So the ‘Promises" began.

He promised:

• The room would be set up in a party atmosphere in the private room that was closed off form the remainder of the club. 
• The room would be given dedicated wait staff and bartender
• And he would personally supervise the affair to maintain the quality. 

So the deal was made.

Here is what took place?

So jumping forward to the when the guest started arriving all seemed to go well.  We were placed in the Private room and it was decorated with floating balloons..nice touch. The tables where set up to seat six…all was looking good.

Then the bottom fell out of the deal. 

• DRINK ORDERS TAKEN AND NOT DELIVERED: The first complaints were registered to my wife before the entire party even arrived. The first guests had ordered drinks and it had been over 20 minutes and they have not arrived.  The Order had to be requested twice.
• BAR COULD NOT MAKE (or did not know how to make) REQUESTED DRINKS:  The heat of the day called for Mojitos, a very simple Rum Drink and the orders came back that they could not make them because they did not have the mix.  One of the guests went to the bar to find out why the bartender reported not knowing how to make the drink from scratch even though he had all of the ingredients.  Several martinis and simple call drinks were also made of very poor quality.
• APPETIZERS ARRIVED OUT OF ORDER and COLD. Appetizers that were ordered by the first groups who arrived at the party got their appetizers after those who just arrived got theirs.
• FOOD ORDERS NEVERED DELIVERED:  Two of the first arriving guests who also order their dinner during the first round of orders NEVER GOT THEIR DINNER.  And as a result (and rightfully so) these guests got up and left the party disgusted.  They were voicing their their opinions to everyone as they left the restaurant.  This is when the party started going down hill.
• FOOD ARRIVED COLD:  Several of the dinners that did get delivered arrived at the table COLD.
• NO CATCHUP:  A large number of the guests ordered dinners that included ‘French Fries"…they were told by the server that they had run out of CATCH-UP and were going to the store to get more…WTF..

What was causing all of these problems?

Since this was my gathering, and me being a professional event planner, I felt it should be my duty to find out WTF was going on.  I graciously excused myself from my friends and family and made my first stop into the kitchen..yes, they were shocked to see me since I was not part of the staff.  But from the 30 second scan I made I could only see one COOK and one helper..true, that was a 30 second scan, but that indicated that there was a possibility of a staff shortage, which was confirmed with my next visit to the adjourning main dining room.  There I witnessed the same two waitresses that were suppose to be dedicated to our private room serving a room full of other diners.

On my way back I stopped by the Open Bar and saw only one bartender.  The bar in the adjacent private room (that was suppose to be dedicated to our party) was busy making drinks for the rest of the restaurant.  As I asked where the General Manager was I was told he was off that evening but that they could ‘find someone’ to help me.

I think you are starting to get the picture of how bad Black Finn Restaurant and Saloon SUCKS.  This was a very embarrassing affair for me and especially my wife who asked all of these guests and more who couldn’t make it to attend the birthday party at Black Finn.

What could have been a GOLD mind for Black Finn is now probably going to cost them in business as a result of this blog and all of the word of mouth from the people who attending this gathering.  Plus, Since I observed a number of problems Black Finn was having I have about three more blogs I will write on some of the problems I am seeing in the Restaurant Industry and use Black Finn as the prime example. 

Positive Point:

There was one good thing that Black Finn did well for this party…they got everyone’s Check Correct…

BOTTOMLINE:

Stay away from Black Finn..I am sure you can find a better place to spend your entertainment dollar..  Next year’s birthday party is being planned and it will be held in my Backyard and produced by my company’s staff and catered by a company I know will deliver the Drinks, Food and Entertainment..I can’t wait, but will have to.. I still have eleven more days to have a descent party.