Ever heard of switchel? It is a fermented beverage that hasn’t seemed to gain the popularity of kombucha … yet (though I suspect it will soon!). It relies on pre-fermented apple cider vinegar and does not have a long fermentation process like kombucha or kefir do, making it a great first drink for anyone new to...
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I know the Olympics are over, but Bridgestone Golf may have just copped the Gold in Synchronized Stealth Marketing.
It was so stealthy that unless you were actually reading Twitter yesterday instead of just doing the scan-and-scroll two-step, you’d have missed it entirely. Most OEMs will at least drop us a postcard or throw us a line for even the smallest update or release, but Bridgestone is seemingly trying to sneak its new driving iron into the marketplace.
And yes, they’re calling it a driving iron instead of the more politically correct utility iron.
Don't look for Bridgestone's Tour B X-HI at retail: you won't find it. The new driving iron is an extremely limited release that’s available only on Bridgestone’s website, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Sort of.
“It’s an in-line product in Japan,” says Zack Kupperbusch, Bridgestone’s golf club product manager. “We wanted to bring it in over here in limited quantities to test the popularity. Assuming it sells well we’ll look to bring it in as a full line release in the near future.”
This is Bridgestone’s first release in this growing niche since the J33 Air Muscle; a club Kupperbusch says customers still ask about.
“From working with shaft companies and gauging the market, we feel like the driving iron category is making a comeback. We wanted to get in front and see how well this would be received.”
I doubt a 2018 test market run of a product line that’s been pretty much on everyone else’s radar since 2012 or so qualifies as getting in front of it, but the fact is if you want one, you better hurry.
The Tour B X-HI as currently constituted is available only in a 20-degree model and comes stock with a Golf Pride MCC grip, the KBS Tour Hybrid Prototype shaft and an impressive array of no-upcharge options. And at $189.99 it's a relative bargain in its category - not bad for a product Bridgestone admits is being test marketed.
“We’re being really aggressive with the price,” adds Kupperbusch, “because we want to see how quickly we can sell-through this first batch of inventory. If it sells pretty quickly, then hopefully we can bring more in as a full-line product."
The Japanese versions sell in 18, 20 and 22-degree models. Bridgestone isn’t releasing much information regarding technical details, other than to say it’s hollow-bodied construction that’s thicker all around with a wider sole, like most other driving irons, er, I mean utility irons.
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Given Bridgestone's standing in equipment market share, this type of release makes sense, especially considering the niche: gauge the market's appetite for the particular product at that particular price before making a bigger investment.
The Bridgestone Tour B X-HI is available only on Bridgestone’s website and in extremely limited quantities.
Bridgestone’s business is getting curiouser and curiouser. Weeks ago the company announced a record-setting year in terms of ball volume sales, which was followed by persistent rumors of red ink on the North American bottom line. We’re also hearing about new Tiger-centric marketing initiatives, and no doubt the gang in Covington had to be pleased with Tiger’s performance, and the ever-obsequious coverage by CBS at the Honda over the weekend.
Also, Bridgestone CEO Angel Ilagan has been a vocal proponent of rolling back the ball on the PGA Tour, which seems to be picking up steam with the USGA. A ball manufacturer calling for a dialed-back, standardized tour ball gives the cynics among us plenty of fodder for late night debates.
On the equipment side - a tiny fraction of Bridgestone's overall business - the company is making its premium Tour B metal woods and irons available online after a year of exclusivity with a select network of club fitters. We also hear rumors of an overhaul of the old-ish JGR metal woods and irons offering.
Given the face-plant Bridgestone endured following the J15 release, it's easy to understand limited edition test marketing for new equipment, particularly with something as niche-oriented as a driving iron. 2017 was a busy year for Bridgestone, and it appears 2018 will be as well. The company remains #3 in ball market share and, despite solid performers in virtually every category, it remains on the outside looking in when it comes to equipment.
Balls are where the money is, and Bridgestone will need to be creative to maintain its market position. The company appears to be taking a very conservative, low-risk approach on the equipment side, which - given its history - is a prudent move.
Click here to read Follow-the-String Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids on Hands On As We Grow
An indoor scavenger hunt for kids is switched up with a little string and letters.
In an attempt to keep bringing the same fun for my younger kids, we just redid this string indoor scavenger hunt to spell your name with George.
Whether its their name, or finding little gems you’ve hidden along the way, it doesn’t matter. But having them find the letters of their name just adds a little fun learning twist.
To begin, I weaved yarn in and out, under and over, our dining room table and chairs.
I pulled the chairs away from the table toward the edge of the room.
Find 32 scavenger hunt ideas for kids that they’ll love to hunt for!
I started the string at one of the room by tying it to a chair.
Then strung it through the chair backs, legs, table legs, and so on throughout the room.
I weaved it so that George would have to step over chairs, bend and crawl under the table to follow the string.
I have letter foam stickers that I stuck to little pieces of paper. (You could just write letters on paper instead.) I made enough to spell his name.
I clipped those letters onto the string. I put them in order of his name, but he didn’t spell his name as he was going. It was done at the end, so the order doesn’t really matter.
From the starting point of the yarn, George ran his hand along the yarn to find his way through the course.
I guess this is more of an obstacle course than a scavenger hunt. But he searched for the letters of his name as he went through.
That was the main rule I had for the activity, to keep his hand on the string so he’d know where he was at (and not skip over to the string next to it and miss out!).
At the end, he spread out his findings to spell his name!
Here’s his version from a few years ago.
During nap time, I set up this simple ‘follow the string’ indoor scavenger hunt for kids.
I strung yarn around the room (a couple of rooms actually).
Looping it through furniture and toys, creating a tangled mess.
I found this string scavenger hunt idea for outside awhile back from Ready. Set. Read! but recently saw another similar scavenger hunt at Having Fun at Home with ribbons.
Find all sorts of scavenger hunt ideas for kids here.
With clothespins, I pinned stickers and letters to hunt for along the course of the string.
Henry awoke and instantly began climbing through, over and under the strings.
He wasn’t really sure what I had intended with this mess.
Luckily, during a quick potty break, I explained the rules:
Henry continued his climbing over and under each string as he came across it.
Crawling under the table where the string took him.
Finding treasures as he came across them.
In the end, the letters spelled his name (in order, but that didn’t matter since he wouldn’t put them down and they got all jumbled up in his hand).
There were also ‘treasures’ of Bob the Builder stickers.
Henry’s been continually playing with his machine (Bob the Builder) stickers as if they were toys.
Another indoor scavenger hunt for kids to do is search for letters and numbers! It’s great for matching upper and lowercase letters, along with practicing counting. Try it!
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Stress kills. No, really… Even if a person has all the other factors right, high levels of stress can derail health. Unfortunately, just knowing stress is a problem doesn’t fix it. It can even add to it! If you’re like me, the need to reduce stress just adds another item on the “to-do” list. Laundry…...
The post Tips to Naturally Reduce Stress … Starting Now! appeared first on Wellness Mama®.
Click here to read DIY Family Mailboxes for All Ages on Hands On As We Grow
Let your little one play mail carrier with DIY family mailboxes from Rachel!
My girls love to write notes and draw pictures for others. Having a special place to “mail” their letters makes it easier for everyone.
These DIY family mailboxes are an easy way to get the whole family creating together! They also provide endless opportunities for creating, learning, and connecting.
Check out these other family time ideas!
There are many ways to make DIY family mailboxes. It should be fun and relaxing, so definitely don’t make a trip to the store for supplies.
You can make it work with just about anything. We used those clasping full-size manila envelopes.
You could also use file folders – just staple the sides shut. Two pieces of cardstock or construction paper stapled on three sides would work, too.
Once you have your “mailbox” figured out, collect some items to decorate them and get creating! We used fine-line markers, dot markers, stamps, and stickers.
Make sure each mailbox has the owner’s name on it – other than that, everyone should decorate however they want!
Hannah’s name was added too early in the process and got covered up with her decorating skills. But we still know which one is hers!
You could skip the possible confusion by adding names last or using a white sticker label instead.
I hung our DIY family mailboxes on the inside of the pantry door using some removable adhesive squares.
Now, whenever anyone wants, they can draw a picture or write a note for a family member and slip it in their mailbox.
The girls are having so much fun with our DIY family mailboxes. They love creating mail for others and finding something in their mailbox.
The kids are having so much fun, they don’t even realize how much they are learning!
For Hannah (age 4), we talk about colors and shapes when she is making a picture for someone. She is also starting to get into letters, so we talk about letters while I help her write notes.
Emma (6) practices her handwriting, phonics, and spelling as she writes her notes.
Izzie (8) is obsessed with writing in cursive, so she practices her cursive and spelling with her notes.
So much learning and they don’t even think about it!
I am here today with Dr. Christopher Centeno, MD, who is an international expert and specialist in regenerative medicine. He’s at the forefront of research on using adult stem cells in orthopedics to repair common injuries and provide an alternative to painful and invasive surgery. I’m just starting to learn about the huge potential of...
The post 140: How Stem Cells Are Helping People Recover from Injury and Avoid Surgery appeared first on Wellness Mama®.
Several weeks back, we introduced you to Jacob Sanborn, Fourteen Golf's Wedge Wizard.
Now, you have the chance to help him design a one-of-a-kind custom wedge.
When Jacob picks your design, he'll build one for you and one for MyGolfSpy to give away on social media.
How to enter?
Comment below and tell us what you'd like to see. In X weeks, we'll announce the winner.
