Gardening can be a great way to save money and eat the freshest food available, but it can also come with its fair share of frustrations. From pests to proper watering, there are a lot of factors involved, especially if you are using organic methods to avoid chemicals. Garden pest control is a constant battle...
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It appears some things are starting to hit the fan down in Georgia. MyGolfSpy has learned that Bridgestone Golf CEO Angel Iligan has been dismissed from his position. In addition, we hear other changes may be forthcoming as Bridgestone's bread and butter ball business has lost market share this year, falling to 4th place (behind TaylorMade) in balls sales.
Bridgestone announced the move in a prepared statement last evening:
"Bridgestone Golf and its President and Chief Executive Officer, Angel Iligan, have made a mutual decision to part ways. The company greatly appreciates the energy he put into leading Bridgestone Golf over the past two years, and wishes him well in future endeavors. An immediate search is underway to identify a new leader who will help carry Bridgestone Golf's recent momentum forward."
In corporate speak, a mutual decision to part ways, especially without a permanent successor in place, suggests an upper management team less than enamored with recent North American performance and an immediate need to change leadership and direction. It's a polite way of saying you're fired.
Dropping to 4th in balls, despite Tiger's early season performance, can't be sugar-coated.
Iligan has been Bridgestone's head man since 2016. He brought Tiger into the fold in December of that year and has also signed Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau to ball deals. Iligan has been a vocal supporter of rolling back golf ball performance, at least on the professional level, making Bridgestone the only ball company we're aware of in favor of a rollback. Earlier this year, Bridgestone reported 2017 as a record-setting year for both balls sales and profits, although industry insiders have countered that while Bridgestone may have, in fact, set a record for actual balls sold, those balls were sold at heavy discounts, meaning actual dollar sales were down and the company, in fact, lost money.
Likewise, Bridgestone's golf equipment business has remained non-existent during Ilagan's tenure. The two-year-old premium Tour B line, originally sold exclusively through fitters, is now being sold on the company's website. Bridgestone has also introduced several limited edition clubs for sale online only, including a forged driving iron and a premium priced boxed set - an idea that's been met with plenty of both eye rolls and skepticism. Bridgestone remains firmly in the Other category when it comes to equipment market share.
Changes at the top are sometimes planned, but when sales, profitability, and bread and butter market share are all trending downward, the corporate sphincter tends to tighten. When those trends continue, changes are inevitable. Given the current climate, Iligan's ouster may not be surprising, but making such a move without a replacement ready is, at the very least, curious. Bridgestone bills itself as a golf ball company first and foremost, so losing ground to TaylorMade had to be particularly galling.
In reality, golf gall sales are all about reach and marketing. Titleist, of course, leads the league in reach. It's the #1 Ball in Golf, has extensive tour staff and a death grip on pro shop sales. Callaway backs its Chrome Soft franchise with top-notch marketing that's helped fuel its rise to number two in market share. It's still a distant second, but Callaway's continues to grow while Titleist's overall market share has dropped below 50%. TaylorMade has elbowed its way into the 3rd position with a decent combination of both reach and marketing prowess.
Bridgestone? It certainly has ball street cred, but it can't claim the same level of industry reach as Titliest, whose stranglehold on green grass makes life difficult for everyone else. And unlike its three key competitors (and challenger brands like Wilson Staff and Srixon), Bridgestone doesn't have strong equipment sales or promotion to buoy its ball sales. Despite using Tiger this season, and spending on advertising and on select Tour staff, Bridgestone's needle is moving in the wrong direction.
Bridgestone's market share drop also brings into further question Tiger's ability to driver equipment sales in any meaningful way. We know Tiger sells shoes and apparel, but the Nike experiment shows the man who is arguably the world's most recognizable athlete may do little to sell hard goods. Despite Tiger's strong early season, the You're Back There ad campaign may be the most ironic in recent memory.
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If the rumblings are correct, Iligan's ouster may be the first move in an overall Bridgestone reboot. Globally, Bridgestone is a $32-billion-dollar behemoth, and is a major player in the Asian golf market. Struggles in the UK prompted a withdrawal from that market several years ago (Bridgestone is only now re-entering the UK), and while a similar withdrawal from the North American ball market is highly unlikely, getting out of the equipment business wouldn't come as a surprise. Bridgestone's golf club market share is negligible and despite considerable effort over the past two years, the company hasn't demonstrated an ability to improve its position through either product innovation or effective marketing.
Bridgestone made its bones in the ball business via its extensive ball fitting program. While you can argue whether ball fitting with a driver is ideal way to determine which ball is for you, you can't argue with the program's effectiveness. For years it was the only ball-fitting game in town and it's important to note that, as Bridgestone's market share has dropped, we've also seen fewer actual live Bridgestone ball fittings in the real world. That can't be a coincidence.
Bridgestone's current position serves as an interesting business lesson. There are some very talented people working at Bridgestone, and the company makes exceptional golf balls and quality forged irons. But for whatever reason, the formula in North America isn't working. Offering good products is one thing, but without effective marketing and distribution strategies it doesn't really matter how good your stuff is; you're going to struggle.
We get that the kneejerk reaction out there will be Bridgestone should simply cut prices - that way they'll sell more. Well, that's essentially what the company did last year with its extensive Buy 2, Get 1 Free promotion - it moved a lot of golf balls, which is important. Smart Business 101, however, says moving fewer golf balls profitably beats moving more golf balls unprofitably every day of the week.
It will be fascinating to watch how Bridgestone navigates its way through the second half of 2018 and beyond, and to see what kinds of additional changes, if any, are coming. We do know that Bridgestone Sports Senior Officer and Bridgestone Golf Chairman Shigeru Nakayama will return to Covington to serve as Acting President/CEO while the company looks for a permanent replacement. Whoever is chosen will have a tall task in front of them.
Click here to read Pool Noodle Fine Motor Balance Tray on Hands On As We Grow
With summer just around the corner, this pool noodle fine motor balance tray from Lisa is perfect! Your little one will be eager and excited to play while building their basic fine motor skills.
I love utilizing items that we already have around our house as part of our learning for many reasons. Not only does it allow for spontaneous and hands-on play, it’s an easy way to keep activity costs in check.
In our case, we had plenty of pool noodles in our garage that were just waiting to be used for something other than swimming!
This pool noodle fine motor balance tray is a simple fine motor transfer activity. It strengthens hand-eye coordination and allows for the optional development of pattern following.
Your little one will love the fun challenge of balancing those pom poms on each slice without letting them fall through the hole!
To create this tray, you will need one pool noodle (on the thinner side), a handful of medium size pom poms, along with a child size tweezers (affiliate link).
I used a kitchen knife to cut slices of the pool noodle about 2 inches wide and then arranged them on my tray, with the bowl of pom poms next to it.
If you are wanting to try this with a younger child who has not quite developed the skill of tweezers, you can modify the activity by having them use their fingers. This will help reinforce their developing pincer grasp.
Although the main focus of this activity is the development of fine motor skills, I decided to add an extra learning benefit to this activity by introducing patterns to my three-year-old.
Using toothpicks and cardstock, I created colored flags to match the same color of pom poms he chose. I chose to only pattern the first row for him in encouragement that he would continue the pattern on his own as he went on.
Ezra was so excited to start his challenge!
He went along quickly, utilizing his hand strength while grasping his pom poms with the tweezers. Ezra was carefully balancing each pom pom on top of the hole.
He followed the pattern correctly with the first row of flags. Then he continued on with the same pattern throughout the duration of the activity.
He called out each color as he balanced it on top of each pool noodle slice!
After he completed the tray, he decided to push each pom pom through the hole.
He had so much fun doing this and enjoyed the added tactile sensory benefit.
The, he decided he wanted to build a tower of all the slices on his tray. He was counting out loud to see how many he could stack until it toppled over.
I love activities that allow for multiple interpretations and learning. It is so fun to see!
In the end, this tray turned into multiple activities and learning opportunity for him.
I always prefer natural remedies for illness when it’s appropriate since they often shorten illness (rather than just relieve symptoms). Hand, foot, and mouth disease (strange as the name may be) is just another illness that is usually best tended to at home. What Is Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease? Hand, foot, and mouth disease...
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As it did previously with Apex and Steelhead, Callaway has created an all-black version of its Rogue Pro Black Irons.
In this short video, MyGolfSpy Editor, Tony Covey breaks down what separates the Black version from the original (Spoiler Alert: They're black), explains why companies release products like this, and tells you what you need to consider before buying the Black version.
The Callaway Rogue Pro Black irons are available as a custom option only through from CallawayGolf.com beginning 6/8/18.
Retail price is $825 for 5-iron through PW and $1099 for 4-Iron-AW.
TaylorMade's brand identity is built on the success and more specifically the PGA Tour success of its drivers, so it's interesting that its first foray into consumer customization is with a putter.
Take that in for a moment.
TaylorMade's recently announced MySpider custom program allows golfers to mix and match three hosel types (short slant, double-bend, and L-neck), three sightline options (single line, single dot or T-line) and eight stock colors in whatever combination the consumer desires, though there are some limitations.
No doubt customization templates are cool and engaging because it allows consumers to feel some increased sense of ownership both over the process and the final product. That said, such programs aren't anything new and, in this case, TaylorMade requires you to pay a premium for the privilege.
With a retail price of $360, the MySpider Tour is 20% more expensive than the standard Spider Tour ($299) and though the program touts 250,000 as the number of possible iterations, that's probably overselling it a bit.
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Custom isn't necessarily synonymous with unlimited. Case in point; the MySpider is available in exactly one head weight (355g) and offers multiple colors in a single grip option (SuperStroke GTR 1.0). Both the sole plate and weights are black and face insert options are limited to red or black. The eight stock colors for the body, wings and sightline/logo offer a reasonable menu, though consumers willing to pay the rather steep upcharge might be disappointed if the hope is to honor Wiz Khalifa or any number of professional organizations with yellow, orange, or navy as team colors, which as it turns out is a bit over half of NFL teams.
No doubt, the Spider is TaylorMade's most visible model on tour thanks primarily to Jason Day and his affinity for the color red, but one of the luxuries of being a professional golfer is never having to ask how much clubs cost. Consumers do. So is this one worth it?
Tell us what you think.
Five new Srixon drivers have found their way to the USGA’s Conforming list, though it’s unlikely that all of them will make it to retail. Srixon’s current models, the Z765 and 2017 Most Wanted Winning Z565 were released nearly 2-years ago, so new models aren’t unexpected. It’s also true that Srixon has aggressively prototyped in the past, so it’s not particularly surprising that initial model count is high. My guess is that no more than three make it to store shelves.
The Z585 and Z785 are virtual locks for retail. If the past is any indicator of the future, the Z585 will be the higher launch, more forgiving option with a full or even oversized footprint.
The Z785 will likely be regarded as a lower spinning option for better players, though the existence of 3 other models leaves the door open for the standard 785 to be comparatively more forgiving (and less compact) than the Z765.
The Z585 and Z 785 are joined on the USGA list by a Z785 Tour, Z785 Tour LS, and Z785 Tour FL. While discerning relative scale from USGA photos is a dicey proposition at best, the pictures suggest the Tour models may more compact than the non-Tour Z785.
If tradition holds, the Tour models likely offer lower launch and spin, a more open face, and potentially, a flatter lie angle. It’s a reasonable assumption that the LS is Tour LS stands for low spin; no further explanation necessary. The Tour FL is a bit of a mystery, but we’re leaning towards FL standing for Flat Lie as less upright models are often preferred by tour pros and better players. Admittedly, that’s just a guess.
While it’s possible that all three tour models are legitimately tour only, it’s at least possible that one of the three will make it to retail. I’d wager the three tour models are reasonably similar and that Srixon is working with its tour staff to determine which of the three best produces the desired launch characteristics.
All of the drivers on the list feature Srixon’s adjustable hosel. Each features a single removable weight which is almost certainly for swing weight purposes. We expect that Srixon will again make alternative weights available.
The new Z series is expected to launch later this year. We don’t expect much more in the way of details until then.
If you’re looking for an interesting variation on coffee, give coffee kombucha a try (it’s an interesting taste for sure!). But if you’re looking for healthy coffee alternatives, keep reading. Why Not Drink Coffee? There are many reasons someone may want to skip their morning “cuppa.” One reason is that it may not be that...
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Click here to read Easy Homemade Window Paint Recipe on Hands On As We Grow
Make this easy DIY window paint recipe with your kids and create art on your windows! It’s fun to wash off this window paint and create again and again.
I love when Henry chooses the activity for the day. This time he wanted really, really badly to paint the big window again!
When we made window paint last time, it was super sticky and goopy. This time, I looked up a new window paint recipe from Home Spun Threads.
Very similar recipe to the last, but this time, no cornstarch.
Can’t get much simpler than that. And fast!
I mixed together a dish of each primary color, keeping it as simple as possible.
While I mixed together the paint and gathered supplies (all of 2 minutes, maybe), Henry placed Blue Dog on the back of the couch to look out the window to watch him paint.
Henry went to town painting the window. This paint was much thinner and easier to spread than the cornstarch recipe. They both have their pros and cons.
This time, I armed Henry with a scrub brush.
His new favorite tool to paint the window with!
Blue Dog is watching Henry in action from inside.
I took advantage of our primary paint colors and explored mixing them together with Henry.
Henry and I mixed together yellow and blue to make green. This one isn’t new to Henry as we’ve had to come up with a way to paint with green in the past without actually having green paint.
But orange and purple are new to him! Henry really liked that yellow and red made orange.
Maybe it will be a new favorite color… though I’m not sure orange would pass the test… (there aren’t a lot of Allis-Chalmers machines around here, at least not at Grandpa’s farm.)
I think now I can say we created our own drip paintings! This would have been a great recipe for that activity, too!
The edge of the window looked pretty cool. Henry thought so too and pointed out the drips many times as he was making them.
I think next time we try window painting, I’ll just add a tad bit of cornstarch and hopefully, we’ll find a happy medium.
To add a little more fun, I brought out his squirt bottle. I thought it would be fun to see what designs we could make with squirting it onto the painted window.
Henry had plans to clean off the entire window with it.
Henry has been going through a stage of throwing fits for every little thing. This time he threw a fit and ended up in a timeout in his room before completely cleaning the window.
The plan was to hose it off and have a little water fun. I ended up doing that myself, though.
Another fun day of us painting the window can be found on Make and Takes!
