By: Dennis Olson, dennis@boltpr.com

Like most avid sports fans, I have been thinking about the upcoming start of the football season pretty much nonstop these days and, over the past week, I have been participating in football pools, fantasy football drafts and even making a few friendly wagers (if gambling were legal, that is). But, for the first time this year, the dog days of summer haven’t left football as the only sport on my mind.

The difference between this year and the past 20 years for me is that I have developed a new respect for the game of golf. I have always been a casual fan of the sport and rooted as hard as anyone for Phil to win and Tiger to choke, but working with Starting Time over the past few months has really given me a new perspective of the game.

The company recently announced that it is the exclusive distributor of My mini Golf, a 19-piece indoor/outdoor golf putting kit. Although My mini Golf is a great product for people of all ages, the game really appeals to children and parents because it gets the younger generation interested in the game of golf from an early age. Children are able to play the game on surfaces ranging from carpet and turf  to tile and cement, so they can play it pretty much anywhere. I really think My mini Golf is going to help children develop their putting skills at a young age, which will really make them golfing studs by the time they hit their teens!

My mini Golf comes in a variety of fun shapes and sizes, so it’s pretty unlikely that kids will become bored with it after playing it just a few times. Plus, it’s a lot more convenient for both parents and children than loading up the van and going miniature golfing.

Like most people, I get so frustrated out on the course when my putts aren’t going in. In fact, my behavior on the course has been compared to Happy Gilmore by my friends on too many occasions to count.  My mini Golf is not just a kid’s game; it just might help me shave a few strokes off of my score. You can check the company out at http://startingtimegolf.com, http://myminigolf.us and now on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StartingTime and Facebook.

Well we’ve done it. Our Orange County office is officially open for business! Now we could never leave our San Diego roots, so our other office is still located on Loker Avenue in Carlsbad. But our main headquarters (if you will) is now in Dana Point. We’re now walking in every day smelling the ocean, watching surfers ride their bikes by with surfboards in tow, and hearing the late afternoon music trickling in from Hennessey’s across the street. To give you a sneak peek, below are a few photos. (As superb as my photography skills may be, I won’t be quitting my day job anytime soon =) ) Please consider this an open invitation to stop in next time you’re in the area.

A photo of the outside of the building:

Here’s the entryway, or at least a corner of it (it’s quite large):

And the main seating/creative meeting area:

And Jesse’s office… she would like for everyone to note her “french doors”:

And the doors that lead out to the balcony:

And there are a whole bunch of other offices and a kitchen and a breakroom, but we’ll leave those photos to the professional photographer. Stay tuned for more (read: better) photos and news from the Bolt PR team! In the meantime, visit us at http://twitter.com/boltpr, http://facebook.com/BoltPR and at 34052 La Plaza Drive, Suite 204, in Dana Point!

A dear friend of Bolt Public Relations, Kevin Carlin, alerted us to this very cool project he has volunteered to take the lead on. The 1st Annual Go Green/ Give Green Fundraising Campaign to benefit Elwyn California. It’s simple: just collect bottles and cans. The proceeds from your recyclables will benefit Elwyn.

What is Elwyn California? Elwyn prepares adults with disabilities for employment by maximizing potential through personal commitment, collective talent, and innovation. Elwyn supports indviduals with diverse challenges in shaping distinctive, meaningful lives.

The Celebration Event, including prizes for those who bring in the most cans and bottles, will be held Tuesday, September 14, 2010, at BJ’s Restaurant in Huntington Beach, Calif. from 5:00-9:00 pm.

For more information on the fundraiser, please contact Kevin Carlin at (714) 478-6819 or via email at kmcarlin@msn.com. Even better, RSVP for the event on Facebook.

To learn more about Elwyn California, please visit the website.