Spend an idyllic week in the sunny Southern Lakes district, they said.
Well this is how it's going. There is snow down to low (ish) levels, a polar blast blowing in from the south, sleety rain making a regular appearance and dozens of miserable golfers wrapped up like old ladies.
The switch from December to March was supposed to be good news, weather-wise, for the New Zealand Open.
But as of today, it stinks.
The forecast looks slightly nicer for Thursday-Sunday but that's cold comfort while we sit in a fridge today.
A large gas heater has been brought into the media tent but the fact I am still wearing my woollen hat suggests it's not doing much good.
Still, I've been perked up by discussing a little bit of college basketball with Nationwide Tour media man Joe Chemycz.
He lived in Texas for a while and I've got a soft spot for the big state, having been there five years ago to watch the Permian Panthers under the Friday night lights in Odessa.
March Madness, the gathering of the 64 best college basketball teams in America, starts soon and is one sports event I am determined to see one day.
I'm more than ready for the golf to start. As usual, I've got to the stage where I'm bored of the build-up to a sports event.
Today is the Pro-Am, which to me is one of the enduring mysteries of golf.
How weird is it that professional players have to spend a round with three hackers who are only sharing the course because they paid for the privilege?
There was surprise yesterday that Danny Lee was not listed as one of the players in the Pro-Am.
Then someone realised he's still an amateur. So if he had led a team, it would have been an Am-Am.
Lee is playing but as part of a team headed by American professional Dustin White. You know nothing about him and neither do I. Hang on while I
check the media guide . . .
. . .
. . .
He's from Colorado, turned professional in 2003, likes music and reading, tied for 13th at the Moonah Classic two weeks ago and is single.
So who will win this tournament?
David Smail and Steve Alker are obviously the big Kiwi hopes, and Danny Lee fever will escalate if the 18-year-old amateur gets going.
Then there's Gareth Paddison, the talented lefty, and the in-form Josh Geary.
Plenty of Australians could contend, including Alistair Presnell and Paul Sheehan and Peter Senior and Craig Parry.
But I've got my eye on two golfers tomorrow.
One is Michael Sim, the young Australian who has finished tied for seventh, third and tied for fourth at his last three tournaments. That's some seriously good form.
But most of all, I - and hundreds of other people here - want to see Mahal Pearce do well.
The Dunedin professional and ODT columnist gave us one of the great feelgood sports stories when he came from nowhere to win the Open in 2003.
It would be magic to see "Taj" do well again this week.
