mrwilliamconey - Tumblr blog

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

Is Cash or Accrual Accounting Best for Small Businesses?

Customers owe your business money. Your business owes its vendors money. Would you rather keep track with records in your books, or just in your head? That, in a nutshell, is the difference between cash-basis and accrual accounting.

That is what’s at stake as you choose between cash-basis or accrual accounting. It turns out that all business bookkeeping is going to be either cash basis or accrual. Those are the rules—just ask your small business accountant or take a look in your accounting software. It’s one of the first decisions you’ll need to make when you set up your business’s books.

And there is some good news in this area. Accrual may sound off-putting but it’s better, and it’s also easy to understand, once you get over the sound of it. Give me just five minutes to read this blog post, and you’ll get it.

Cash basis sounds simple—but it isn’t

Unfortunately, the phrase “cash basis” sounds much better than the buzzword “accrual.” Right? Doesn’t cash basis sound much more hands-on, intuitive, and practical than accrual?

Cash basis hides information

But cash basis isn’t simpler, or more intuitive, or better than accrual accounting. Cash basis means that until the money actually changes hands, you don’t keep track of it—the transaction doesn’t go on the books.

In cash basis accounting, if you sell goods and don’t get paid immediately, the sale doesn’t show up on the books. Sure, there was a sale, and now somebody owes you money. But cash basis bookkeeping ignores it. That sale gets into your books only later, when you get paid. The money your customer owes you doesn’t show up. You keep track of it in a shoebox, or maybe in your head.

Also, in cash basis accounting, when you order some goods, nothing happens. Sure, you now have an obligation to pay; you’ve agreed to spend some money. But it’s not in your books. When the goods come, if you don’t pay for them in cash when they arrive, nothing happens. Yes, you have a debt at that point, but it doesn’t go into your books until you pay it. You keep track of it in a shoebox, or maybe in your head.

hbspt.cta.load(467363, 'd2aef790-7760-4f67-a6ee-ba98040cdda5', {});

Cash basis is suitable for extremely simple, cash-only businesses

Cash basis bookkeeping, as it turns out, is better for only the very simple hands-on businesses that manage everything in cash.

What kind of business is that simple? It’s hard to think of examples. Even the handicrafts vendor at the local flea market has to buy materials in advance. Even food carts want to pay their vendors regularly, but not immediately.

During the decades that I lived off a consulting practice, even though inventory was irrelevant and I had no vendors willing to extend me credit, I was still better off with accrual accounting. Why? Because my client companies never paid immediately; they paid me only after receiving an invoice and taking weeks to process.

Accrual accounting is better

In accrual accounting, when you make a business-to-business sale on account, you record the accrued amount as accounts receivable, so you keep track of the amount, the date, and the customer who owes it to you. Unless you never sell without immediate payment, accrual basis is better. Otherwise, you’re just in the dark about your cash flow.

In accrual accounting, when you receive the goods you ordered, but you don’t pay for them immediately, you still owe that money. You have an invoice to pay. You record the accrued amount as accounts payable, along with the date, a record of what you bought, and who and when you are supposed to pay.

And with that, in accrual accounting, your bookkeeping software keeps track of these important amounts and reports on them as often as you want.

Keeping track of balances

The illustration here below, from a sample business plan, demonstrates the huge advantage of accrual accounting: it keeps track of money owed to the business (accounts receivable), the value of inventory, and money the business owes (accounts payable).

That gives a business owner an instant accounting of the true financial position, with no surprises, no forgetting what’s still coming and still needing to be paid.

When in doubt, go for accrual basis

I’m so sorry that the accounting standards that were set a few generations ago chose to call it “cash basis” when you don’t record money owed into your books until it’s paid, or money you owe until you pay it. It’s a terrible idea to keep that information in your head instead of in your bookkeeping.

Furthermore, as your business gets going, banks and financial analysts tend to mistrust cash-based bookkeeping because it can hide—whether intended or not—financial realities. For example, as a loan manager looks at a potential business loan, they want to know what the company really owes (accounts payable), its inventory performance, and how much it’s owed (accounts receivable) too.

Frankly, cash basis bookkeeping can too easily cause many mistakes as we business owners fail to keep track and remind ourselves of these outstanding obligations. And yet, ironically, they call that “cash basis” accounting. I do wish that the right way to do it, which is accrual accounting, didn’t have such an off-putting name.

from Bplans Articles http://bit.ly/2DxSAP9

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

PXG Announces GEN2 Putter Lineup with Improved Fitting System

Given that PXG released GEN2 Irons and then GEN2 Metalwoods, logically it was only a matter of time before the company released GEN2 putters. And so here you go.

Times are changing (Stroke Lab, anyone), but traditionally putter stories are almost entirely about the heads themselves. One could argue that the PXG GEN2 putter story is every bit as much a fitting story.

As PXG Founder and CEO, Bob Parsons points out, “Putts account for roughly 40 percent of shots taken, yet only a small percentage of golfers make an effort to be properly fitted.” I suppose you can chalk a good bit of that up to the mythology that the look and feel characteristics of a putter somehow supersede real-world performance considerations. Via the new fitting platform, which is basically a fitting cart for putters, Parsons says, “we’re working to change that stat. With the release of our exceptional new PXG GEN2 Putters, we are committed to helping golfers dial-in their preferred putter to help shave strokes off their score.”

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

8 Models

That fitting kit pairs eight 100% milled GEN2 putters with three hosel options, and an adjustable fitting shaft to dial-in the perfect length. It’s important to note that the adjustable shaft is a fitting tool only, and isn’t included in the final/take home product.

As you’d expect from a lineup with eight heads, the GEN2 putter lineup features everything from high MOI mallets down to reasonably small blades. The fitting kit allows each of the eight models (Closer, Lucky “D,” Brandon, Mustang, Bat Attack, Mini Gunboat, Gunboat, and Operator) to be mixed and matched with any of PXG’s three hosel styles – double bend, plumbers neck, or heel shaft. The heel shaft option is basically a slant neck. All eight models are available in both black and chrome finish options.

Performance can be further dialed-in by way of interchangeable 5g, 10g, 15g, and 20g titanium and tungsten weights. In the interest of simplifying things for fitters and cleaning things up visually, PXG has moved to larger weights (fewer moving parts) and has positioned them on the sole, which clears the nuts and bolts look at address.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#mgs_gallery_116566 .mgs-gallery-images').slick({ slidesToShow: 1, slidesToScroll: 1, fade: true, prevArrow: '', nextArrow: '', asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_116566 .mgs-gallery-thumbs' }); $('#mgs_gallery_116566 .mgs-gallery-thumbs').slick({ slidesToShow: 5, slidesToScroll: 1, arrows: false, asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_116566 .mgs-gallery-images', centerMode: true, focusOnSelect: true, infinite: true, responsive: [ { breakpoint: 1023, settings: { slidesToShow: 3, } }, { breakpoint: 600, settings: { slidesToShow: 1, } }, ] }); });

Pyramid Milling

There’s a growing body of evidence to suggest that face technology matters in a putter. While there are still some that swear by a no-tech milled face, the reality is that nearly every major putter manufacturer has integrated some sort of roll-enhancing, speed-maintaining technology into its putter faces. PXG is no different. The GEN 2 putter lineup features what PXG calls a Variable-sized, Pyramid Milling pattern. According to PXG, the pyramid structures provide more consistent launch and roll characteristics, while at the same time softening feel. As with similar technology from EVNROLL and PING, the objective is to maintain speed, and with it, distance control, on off-center hits.

And yes, no matter how good you think you are – you do miss the center of the putter face every now and again.

Availability and Pricing

PXG GEN2 Putters are available now. Retail price is $425.

For more information, visit PXG.com.

.truegolffit-banner-inner-right { padding-top: calc(574/1020 * (100% - 430px)); } @media screen and (max-width: 991px) { .truegolffit-banner-inner-right { padding-top: calc(574/1020 * 100%); width: 100%; } }

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.

SEE MY RESULTS

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2XBKPPM

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

MyGolfSpy Community Case Study: SuperSpeed Golf

What would you say if I told you that you could gain a good 15 to 20 yards by the 4th of July?

I’m guessing some of you would say sign me up. Others, I’m guessing, would wonder if I was out of my mother-blogging mind.

Do you remember our article last summer on SuperSpeed Golf? It’s a unique swing speed training system designed to help you swing faster – a lot faster – almost right away. A SuperSpeed Golf set consists of three weighted shafts – one 20% lighter than your driver, one 10% lighter and one 5% heavier. Following SuperSpeed Golf’s recommended protocols (available on its website), the company says you can gain 3 to 4 MPH in swing speed after just one session, with more significant – and permanent – gains with a longer-term commitment.

Since last fall, seven MyGolfSpy Forum members have been involved in a case study on the long-term effects of using SuperSpeed Golf and the results may stun even the most hardened World Wide Web cynic.

Turbo Neurons

SuperSpeed Golf is neurological in nature – it rewires how quickly your body can respond when you pull the trigger on the golf swing. Technically, it’s known as Overspeed Training.

“A big percentage of our training has nothing to do with changing muscles, changing swing mechanics or anything,” says SuperSpeed co-owner Michael Napoleon. “Those are minor pieces compared to the fact that Overspeed Training, in its essence, just resets the normal reaction speed to a motor pattern.”

Translation: your neurons are turbo-charged into a new normal, and you can swing the club faster. A lot faster.

Each one of our testers was equipped with a SuperSpeed set and a companion swing speed radar to capture their results. Each tester saw a swing speed gain almost immediately, and after the first 6-week session increases ranged from a low of 3% to a high of 11%.

“These are your average weekend warriors,” says Napoleon. “From a physical fitness standpoint, we had a lot of variation. Some of them weren’t going to the gym and weren’t in an active fitness program.”

“The ones that were doing a regular fitness routine kept doing it. The ones that weren’t, weren’t,” adds SuperSpeed co-owner Kyle Shay. “They kept doing what they were doing before. The only variance was the weather.”

Through its research, SuperSpeed has charted out what golfers should see as they go through the program. It starts with an almost immediate jump that continues through what’s called the first Normalization period, which usually lasts about six to eight weeks as players go through the SuperSpeed protocols. After a month-and-a-half to two months, that first jump becomes more or less permanent, and progress hits the first Plateau.

During that first Plateau, swing speeds stay relatively consistent as players continue to work through the protocols. Then somewhere between weeks 15 and 26, players experience a secondary jump in swing speed.

“That second jump – there are a lot more complicated pieces as to why that happens,” says Napoleon. “Some of it’s neurological, some of it can be improvements in ground reaction force sequencing, wrist mechanics, increased stability throughout the swing.”

“It’s a wild thing. People may be in that plateau phase for two months, two-and-a-half months. Every day it’s the same thing and then one day it’s like BOOM, there’s a jump.” – Michael Napoleon, SuperSpeed Golf

Due to weather, work, health, and life in general, four of our testers took the winter off, but three continued with their protocols and, with the help of some coaching from SuperSpeed, each hit their second jump.

“We were really excited to see the second jump happen for the three testers,” says Shay. “We know it’s going to happen for these other guys; they just got stalled out. But again, these are regular Joe golfers with a range of handicaps.”

Kevin, Mike, and Jason

Of the three golfers who stayed with the program all winter, Mike Mock from Wisconsin and Kevin Loughren of Florida experienced the biggest jumps, and are both seeing results where it matters: on the golf course.

“I’m in the high 240’s now, that’s close to 30 yards longer than I used to be,” says Loughren, a 62-year-old minister from Tampa who went from 91 MPH up to 104 on the SuperSpeed radar, and from 88 to the high 90’s on his club’s TrackMan. “There was a big jump in distance early on, and then another one right around the first of the year. I’m a club-and-a-half longer, at least, with my irons now, too.”

Mock, who’s speed jumped from 104 to 115 on the SuperSpeed Radar, is just now getting back on the course after a long, cold winter.

“I went through a club-fitting over the winter and was seeing increased speeds with all my clubs,” he says. “My last seven rounds before starting SuperSpeed I hit 56% of my greens and missed 3% deep. Through my first two rounds this spring I’m hitting 58% of my greens with 16% of my shots missing deep. It’s going to take some time to get used to my new distance gains.”

Unlike Mock, Loughren played throughout the winter, but like Mock, had to make some on-course adjustments.

“There have been a few times where timing was an issue, and my sequencing seemed a bit off,” he says. “And I’ve actually moved back a set of tees because I was hitting it into the trees on the same line as I was hitting it for the last five or six years.”

Jason Bentley of Tennessee – the third tester who used SuperSpeed Golf all winter, saw more modest gains, but did experience the same two-stage jump in speed.

“I’ve seen noticeable distance gains,” says Jason. “Hit my longest drive on Arccos (261 yards) and have seen a few in the 240 to 250 range.”

While not as dramatic as the increases Kevin and Mike experienced, Jason’s swing speed jumped from 89 to 96 MPH. Based on an estimated 2.5 yards per mile-an-hour increase, that’s a potential of 17.5 more yards.

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.

SEE MY RESULTS

Napoleon says it’s not uncommon for golfers to experience some wildness as they go through the normalization phases.

“If I change a variable and increase how fast you’re rotating, what you used to do to square the face is now going to leave the face open because the body is moving a lot faster,” he says.

“Generally speaking, if people are going to have an issue, it’s leaving the face open a little bit more. It doesn’t have to do with swinging from the top down or anything like that. It really just has to do with the timing of the release of the club with something that’s moving faster.” – Michael Napoleon, SuperSpeed Golf

“There are definitely ups and downs with the program, but you will get out of it what you put into it,” says Mock. “Having the MyGolfSpy Forum double as a support group definitely helped get me through the stagnant periods where I wasn’t seeing any gains.”

“Do I feel younger? I do,” laughs Loughren. “Our league just started on courses I’ve played a ton of times over the past 12 years, and I already have four career drives.”

A Third Jump?

According to SuperSpeed Golf, the process of Plateau, Jump, and Normalization will continue as long as a golfer continues the protocols.

“In theory, the pattern will continue perpetually, with the jump size getting smaller each time,” says Napoleon. The first jump is around 5%, the second is 3 to 3.5%. The third jump, which may happen in year two of the training, is going to be much smaller, maybe 1.5 to 2%.”

And depending on the timing, the increase can be permanent, even if a golfer stops the training for a while.

“We’ve had players solidly into that first plateau phase for a couple of months – they can stop and maintain their speeds,” says Napoleon. “If you stop right at the edge of the Normalization phase, a lot of times you’ll see regression, so it all depends on where they are when they stop.”

As of now, the MyGolfSpy testers are in a 72-week program, going through protocols designed by SuperSpeed Golf to continue the Jump-Normalization-Plateau process.

“I’ve just finished the 27th week, so I don’t know what comes at the end of the 72 weeks,” says Loughren. “They’ve changed their protocols since last summer, so we’re just starting Level Four, and we’re doing five swings with the current drills. I’m just really happy I’m done with the kneeling swings. I hated those.”

“Realistically I won’t be up to training three times a week during the warm weather,” admits Mock. “Summer is short in Wisconsin, and I know I’ll have other priorities. I’ll probably train one to two times a week during the summer to make sure I maintain my increases.”

“When I started the training, I was working 11-hour days with a 30-minute commute each way,” adds Bentley. “I still didn’t have any problems getting the training in. I estimate I’ve swung that heavy stick 4,000 to 5,000 times!”

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

Unintended Consequences

There are drawbacks to newfound swing speed and length, not the least of which is your equipment.

“It definitely changes how you play the game and how you see the golf course,” says Shay. “The only negative we hear from people is they need to get their clubs re-fit for their new game – because if you’re swinging 10 miles an hour faster, your old driver may not fit anymore.”

Case in point is Bentley, who will sport a stiff shaft in his new Callaway Epic Flash driver after years of playing a regular flex.

“My current swing speed (96.5 MPH) is right at the point where I can fit into either a regular or stiff,” he says. “My fitter recommended stiff because it tightened up my dispersion.”

“It’s like when you lose 40 pounds and have to buy new pants,” adds Napoleon. “It doesn’t feel all that bad. You feel better about yourself, and you get to buy a new wardrobe. It’s the same thing with your golf clubs.”

As mentioned earlier, it shouldn’t be a surprise to deal with a bit of wildness as you go through the protocols as the skill part of the golf swing will need time to catch up to the new found speed. All three of our testers experienced periodic wildness to varying degrees.

“Depending on where you start and the way you were sequencing and using the ground, it’ll change,” says Napoleon. “It’ll change in a positive way: we get more vertical force, and we get better peaking orders and rotational elements in the kinematic sequence. But if you’re a player who’s learned to play with deficiencies in those areas, you may have never learned how to swing more efficiently or more athletically, so the skill side has to catch up.”

“We find with high-level players it doesn’t take that long for them to figure out the skill piece to line up the face again to a little faster body rotation. That happens during the Normalization phases when things are adjusting. Once you plateau all of that tends to stabilize.” – Michael Napoleon

What Does This Mean For You?

According to SuperSpeed Golf, the first jump in swing speed happens almost immediately and takes about six weeks or so to become the new normal. And anywhere from 9 to 20 weeks later, a second jump takes hold. Our three testers who worked with SuperSpeed Golf over the winter bear that out, with each seeing a measurable jump immediately and a second jump roughly 21 weeks into the program.

So if you were to start today, you could, in theory, improve your swing speed by 10% or more by Labor Day. That could turn a 100 MPH swing into 110 MPH, and that could mean another 25 yards off the tee and maybe a club to a club-and-half with your irons.

That, my friends, is a real-world game-changer.

Yes, I know we’re all supposed to be super-cynical about everything, and we all know there’s a wee bit of voodoo in every OEMs claims about hotter-faster-longer, but data doesn’t lie. The testers in MyGolfSpy’s case study are regular guys, just like you and me. None of them are internet marvels who smack it 300 down the middle every time, and none of them are what you’d call ath-a-letes.

But every one of them is swinging the club appreciably faster now than they were last fall.

“These guys are regular people, they weren’t working on stuff in the gym and weren’t like really active and physically fit,” says Napoleon. “But our goal for this is that anyone could pick this up, regardless of where they are in terms of skill level, fitness level – it really doesn’t matter where you’re starting, you’re going to get better with this.”

When you look at the time and money invested and the return these people received, if you can go from 91 to 104, you’re a different golfer, and you’re playing a different game.

And you’re telling Father time to take a hike.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2PrmxoP

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

PING ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH ARCCOS GOLF

In 1976, Karsten Solheim – founder of PING Golf – patented the first PING Man, a robot used primarily for R&D purposes. As to the value of this mechanical teammate, “They answer a lot of questions without saying a word,” said Solheim. Forty-three years later, I’d imagine Solheim would have similar thoughts on PING’s partnership with Arccos.

Through the use of sensors installed in the butt-end of each grip, Arccos captures thousands of data points during each round and when used in conjunction with Arccos Caddie, leverages artificial intelligence to make data-driven club and course strategy recommendations. “We are honored to join forces with PING in furthering the promise of data for the everyday golfer,” says Arccos CEO and Co-Founder Sal Syed. With Arccos, mainstream golfers have access to the same level of stat tracking, and performance analysis as tour pros do via technologies like Shotlink – and for better (or worse) Arccos’ data collection means you’ll know exactly how far your 7-iron carries on average – even if it won’t impress your buddies. “In addition to providing exact distances plus club recommendations, the app collects thousands of data points that can be analyzed to uncover opportunities for further improvement through set makeup or other equipment refinements,” notes PING President John K. Solheim. To take that a step further, given sufficient on-course data, Arccos could tell you when it might be beneficial to drop that 5-iron and add a 5-hybrid.

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.

SEE MY RESULTS

The agreement allows PING customers to access the benefits of Arccos technology through its custom-order program, which offers both the Smart Grip (sensor embedded in the grip) and Smart Sensor (sensor screws into the butt end of an existing) technologies. The MSRP for each sensor is $10.50, and the Smart Grip version is available exclusively in the Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet in white (standard) and aqua (-1/64”) sizes.

Arccos is engineered as a full-bag concept and therefore to access PING’s version of the Arccos Caddie app, golfers will need to equip every club (including putter) with a sensor. Additionally, new customers get a 90-day free Arccos Caddie app trial. After the initial period, an annual subscription to the app runs $99.99.

Three years ago, Cobra Golf was the first major OEM to venture into an agreement with a tech-forward company by incorporating Arccos sensors on each of its three King series drivers (LTD, F6, and F6+). At the time, the primary question wasn’t whether or not it could benefit golfers, but rather what would be the next logical extensions of such a platform. Now, with the PING-Arccos agreement, perhaps it’s a step toward more OEMs formalizing strategic partnerships with tech brands, though ShotScope is likely the currently the only worthy competitor in the space.

Taking a minute to consider the possible applications of Arccos and similar technologies, it’s easy to get lost in a list of hypothetical “What if’s” – What if AI could adjust for geographic factors like elevation, wind, and temperature? What if Arccos could scan and read a green to produce a suggested line? What if Arccos Caddie became legal for tournament play?

The Luddites might not be thrilled with such advancements, but big data is here to stay. If anything, it’s only going to get bigger.

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

In MyGolfSpy’s One Word Brand Survey, PING was most strongly associated with the terms engineering, trustworthy, integrity, quality and humble. What this seems to indicate is consumers believe PING’s discerning, yet targeted approach to growth is made in a manner which adheres to its Play Your Best mantra and by partnering with Arccos, PING is continuing to make good on that edict.

Is this type of partnership something you believe other brands should offer?

For more information, visit PING.com.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2IXYUTN

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

How a Medical Private Practice Business Can Overcome Obstacles to Success

As I traverse the medical private practice landscape across the U.S. through consultations and speaking engagements, I’ve observed that private practices suffer from a very high failure rate.

According to Dave Chase, author of CEO’s Guide to Restoring the American Dream, 43 percent of healthcare-related businesses fail within their first five years. The only industry that appears to have a higher failure rate is the restaurant industry.

The main reasons “private practice-preneurs” fail in today’s environment is that they’re simply not identifying their risk factors. Too many health practitioners underestimate the resources that are needed for a successful practice.

Most healthcare practitioners aren’t trained to develop a business as a successful entrepreneur. They’ve built their careers around their passion for health and wellness—not analyzing financial statements and maximizing profits.

But to succeed at building a financially sustainable business, you need a strong organizational foundation. To protect your private practice from failure, take these essential steps upfront.

1. Define your vision of success

Take a moment to consider your true intentions. It’s essential that you define your professional and personal goals and your ideal vision for success.

Begin the vision process by naming your net financial goals so that they’ll lead you to the follow-up step of identifying the how and the when. Determine whether your private practice vision involves using other practitioners in your service delivery method, or if you intend to be a sole proprietor.

2. Set out to run a profitable business

If I could change one thing about our society’s view on service-based business models related to healthcare, it would be the notion that private healthcare practices operating as successful and profitable businesses runs contrary to their mission.

Still, clinicians and healthcare providers are often so invested in their own passion for their work that they overlook the profitability side of the business.

Borrowing a page from investment legend Warren Buffet: Priority #1 is to never lose money, priority #2 is to never lose money, and priority #3 is to never lose money.

3. Invest the time in a solid business plan

There’s enormous value in articulating your vision of the path forward. Writing a business plan—even a Lean Business Plan that’s short and easy to update—will help. It’s proven that companies that do business planning grow 30% faster. Doing so will help you better determine your specific objectives for the business, as well as give you an understanding of how to support sustained growth.

hbspt.cta.load(467363, '134b74f7-b5d6-4fdc-a892-78a109ae1c28', {});

Some might be tempted to just launch into action and figure out the process of building a business along the way as they go—what we might call “building the airplane while flying it.” Simply put, this is not the most effective or efficient approach.

Start by clearly understanding why you wish to open your own practice.

Part of defining your why is identifying its relationship to other key questions, including:

Who is the target demographic?

What is your core service or product?

When are you looking to start?

And how are you going to execute your vision?

Be as specific as possible with your goals and milestones. A well-constructed business plan helps to ensure that you aren’t just spinning your wheels, but are executing against a clearly drawn strategic roadmap that aligns with specific, measurable goals for your business.

If you’re not sure what a medical practice business plan should look like, check out some examples in Bplans’ sample business plan gallery.

4. Create accountability through metrics

It’s one thing to create a plan, but it’s another to execute it and achieve your goals. The secret to executing your private practice strategy is through metrics. Besides thinking through your who, what, where, when, why, and which questions, define what will be the measurable metrics that will tell you when you’ve arrived at your goal.

They should include a time limit—when are you going to achieve that goal? I recommend that you develop weekly, monthly, and quarterly metrics. Key financial metrics include your balance sheet, income statement, and net income. Others include cash flow statement analysis, payer mix, cancellation report, and marketing/referral effectiveness.

You can set up your financial statements in Excel, and a business management tool like LivePlan that connects to your online accounting system and offers a business dashboard can make it quicker and easier.

The added benefit of using metrics is that they help empower your team to be accountable without having to micromanage their every move. Adding incentives for staff to reach their goals can be a helpful motivator.

5. Understand the funding model of health insurance

A fundamental reality that all private practice entrepreneurs must realize is that there’s never a guarantee of coverage.

Do this: Call the phone number on the back of your health insurance card and verify your own benefits for whatever service you’re offering (occupational therapy, speech therapy, chiropractic, and so on).

The bottom line is that you must understand the limiting factors and trends related to medical billing depending on your patient demographics, diagnosis, service offering, and so on. The rule of thumb is 60 percent of your funding should be cash flow positive in 30 days or less from the date of service. This will keep your private practice financially moving in the right direction.

6. Prepare for worst-case scenarios

As you build your strategy, you must be prepared for conditions that could impact your survival. Ask yourself a variety of questions, spanning from what would happen if your best therapist left to go into competition with you, to what if your funding source stopped making payments (Medicaid, etc.)?

Formulate a strategy to overcome these obstacles before they happen. For example, get out ahead of clinical and personnel issues by clearly communicating your expectations with your staff, and articulate policies in both your employee and client packets on everything from HIPAA to expected response times to inquiries.

7. Hire the best staff you can find

A unified team can transform your practice. Hire the best staff you can find—it will pay off. If you have staff members who aren’t fully behind the mission of the practice and are simply clocking in and clocking out each day, they aren’t contributing to the success of the organization.

In particular, I’ve seen this happen when practitioners recruit their friends to work for them. Employees who have a passion for their work, who always act with the company’s best interests in mind, who look for ways to contribute, and who bring new ideas will be vital team members for ensuring the success of the practice.

8. Build a support team to help with essential decisions

Surround yourself with people who can give moral or professional support. They can be employees, friends, consultants and more. As you build your strategy, you need a team who can watch over your shoulder.

Know when to hire help; there’s no need to tackle every challenge alone. Find those with expertise in the areas you know aren’t your strong points. If you’re not sure where to start, SCORE offers a great mentorship program that can help you build your medical practice with confidence.

from Bplans Articles http://bit.ly/2IW9aLU

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

Three Business Plan Critical Factors

What matters most for a business plan? When somebody asked on Quora what are the critical factors of a business plan, I came up with these three business plan critical factors:

Effectiveness. Does it achieve its business goal? Form follows function; does it achieve its business goal? Measure a business plan by its results, and nothing else. You can draw from that basic principle that plans ought not to be measured by academic criteria like perceived comprehension, quality of text, or format. If it’s about steering the business, then does it provide directions, pathways, and track able milestones and metrics? If it’s about raising money, does it help that goal? If it’s about backing up a loan application, does it work for that?

Realism. Can it be executed? Is it rooted in reality? A pie-in-the sky pipe dream business plan is a waste of time and effort. Is it realistic about resources? Time to execute?

Concrete specifics. Is it trackable? Does it include actual actions, tasks, responsibilities and responsibility assignments, trackable steps, trackable metrics? Budgets? Forecasts? Built-in accountability?

However…

The business plan itself is far less important than what a business does with it. There’s that mantra:

The plan is useless; but planning is essential.

A business plan ought to be the first step towards a planning process that includes regular review and revision. The goal of business planning is steering the business. If it were navigation, the plan includes the destination as goal and the route as steps toward the goal; but actual navigation includes the GPS positioning and real-time information to fine tune the route along the way, in response to actual traffic, weather, and so forth.

The post Three Business Plan Critical Factors appeared first on Planning, Startups, Stories.

from Bplans Articles http://bit.ly/2GDkIlR

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

Win an Awesome Tiger Woods Prize Package from Bridgestone Golf

Hey Tiger Woods fans (I guess that’s pretty much everyone), have we got something cool happening with Bridgestone Golf.

Under normal circumstances, a one-year supply of Tiger’s golf balls from the #1 Ball Fitter in Golf would be a pretty sweet prize, but if you’re going to offer a Tiger Woods prize package barely a week after the GOAT wins the freakin’ Masters (again), you gotta go big.

And so, we’re going big. Big Cat big.

We’re giving you a chance to win a one-year supply of Special Edition Bridgestone Tour B XS ‘TIGER’ Balls. For the sake of clarity, that’s 12-dozen of the exact same ball Tiger plays.

TIGER stamp on the side? All number 1s?

Yup and yup.

Exciting stuff, for sure, but like I said, we’re going bigger.

In addition to 144 TIGER balls, the winner will receive a Tiger Woods autographed flag from the 2017 Masters. And yes – before someone says it – we’re aware that Tiger missed the 2017 Master. We looked into it, and it turns out there’s no rule against signing a flag from a tournament in which you didn’t play.

Do you want to win or not?

Hell yes, you do. The Tour B XS fits Tiger and it could fit you too.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter, leave a comment below and tell us if you’ve ever been fit for a golf ball – and if so – the ball model you were fit for. If you haven’t been fit, tell us what ball you currently play.

For a bonus entry, hit the retweet button below and follow BridgestoneGolf on Twitter.

🚨TIGER WOODS GIVEAWAY🚨 WIN a Tiger Woods autographed Pin Flag & 1-Year Supply of @bridgestonegolf TOUR B XS 'TIGER' Balls. To Enter: 1️⃣ Retweet + tell us what ball you've been fit for (or play). 2️⃣ Follow @bridgestonegolf & @MyGolfSpy More Entries👇https://t.co/FcrKYeMyqF pic.twitter.com/hfc4rvBz2f

— MyGolfSpy (@MyGolfSpy) April 22, 2019

RULES

Contest ends at midnight Eastern time on 4/26/2019 at 5 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries

The contest is open to US residents only (Sorry, we don’t make the rules)

As always, Void Where Prohibited

Good luck, everyone.

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2Ut76NO

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

SaaS 101: Starting a Software as a Service Business

This article is part of our SaaS Business Startup Guide—expert resources to help you plan, start, and grow your SaaS business!

If you’re interested in starting a software as a service (SaaS) business, you’ll want to start with the basics. Here’s a quick overview of the details, benefits, and risks.

SaaS defined

SaaS (software as a service) means that users access software through their internet browser or a web-based app. The software maker hosts their product on their own servers, which is why SaaS products are sometimes referred to as a “hosted solution” or “web-based solution.”

It’s also common to hear SaaS products talked about as “cloud-based” solutions. In contrast, a desktop-based model is where an individual or company would install software on their computers and run it on their own servers.

Pricing models and customer acquisition

SaaS products often use a subscription-based pricing model. So instead of paying once for a lifetime of use, your customer pays on an ongoing basis—usually monthly or annually. You can think of it as a software license.

It’s a popular model because of the increased potential lifetime value of each customer. Instead of a flat lifetime value—like $120 for the single sale opportunity you have with each customer or user, you might charge $10 a month per user for as long as your customer uses your service. The longer they stick around, the higher their lifetime value.

When you build out your SaaS company’s business plan, spend some time modeling different subscription-based sales forecast scenarios so you can see how reducing churn (the number of canceled subscribers) and other variables can affect your path to profitability.

hbspt.cta.load(467363, '73a62588-554a-4462-a035-75dbb95a7954', {});

Growing SaaS companies are always testing their pricing models. There are a lot of different ways to get customers in the door to kick the tires, from offering free trials, to freemium services with upgrade options. Check out the Bplans guide to SaaS pricing models for more on how to get started.

Security and reliability

One of the objections you’ll probably hear from some prospective customers is that they’re worried about data security with SaaS products, and with apps in general. This is especially true if you’re presenting a cloud-based solution for something that used to only be available as a desktop version.

The concern is that “the cloud” has security vulnerabilities. But in actuality, legacy systems are actually more vulnerable than cloud-based apps. That said, take the responsibility of protecting your customers’ data very seriously.

What if you’re a non-technical founder?

If you have an idea for a software as a service business, but you don’t have the technical expertise to build your app yourself, it’s still possible to run a successful business. In his book “Lost and Founder,” Rand Fishkin talks about his journey as a non-technical CEO of Moz, a service company he founded and transformed into a SaaS company.

He emphasizes how important it was for him to learn (and keep learning) enough about the technical aspects of his business so that he was able to make good hires and understand technical roadblocks when they surfaced. And it’s not completely impossible to learn to code yourself—but it does take time.

Be mindful of your intellectual property—the code—whether you bring on an employee or outsource the technical work. A good contract can go a long way.

Starting with an MVP

There’s a great article in Geekwire on a Seattle founder of an app that helps parents find childcare. One of the best things about it is that it gives a clear example of what an MVP (minimum viable product) might look like for an app. In this case, it was just an Airtable spreadsheet that the founder posted online for free, where it got a lot of traffic in just a few days.

The point is that if you have an idea for a SaaS business, don’t invest all of your time and resources into creating the very best, most perfect version of your app before you start testing it. You want to use a lighter version so you can validate that the solution you’re offering is something people will pay for. You’ll waste a lot of time and energy if you skip validating your idea before you build the full-scale version.

Reid Hoffman famously said, “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you launched too late.” The point isn’t to put out a bad product—it’s to see how it does quickly, before you invest a ton into it.

Funding your SaaS startup

Building a successful SaaS business doesn’t happen overnight. More so than in other industries, it’s easy to get the impression that SaaS companies grow very quickly—they just blow up over the course of a year. In reality, Spotify is more than 10 years old. Netflix is over 20 years old. It takes time to scale and grow a business. Keep that in mind when you’re looking for funding.

If you just have a business idea, but you haven’t tested it yet with an MVP or convinced anyone to pay for it, it’s going to be tough to make the case to angel investors or venture capitalists. They’re looking for traction in the marketplace, and that means you’re going to have to demonstrate that you can sell your product.

One of the other things you’ll hear is that some companies that take on investment run huge deficits for years on end—think Uber’s billions of dollars in losses. It’s true that lots of software companies that take on investment aren’t profitable for a long time. But investors are in it to win in the long term. You’re going to need realistic financials in your business plan, and a strategy to eventually be acquired.

But also keep in mind that depending on your end goals, it’s possible to run a profitable, healthy business for a long time without ever seeking outside investment. It all depends on your goals. Tim Berry talks about it in this article—not all good businesses are good investments. (Full disclosure, Tim founded Palo Alto Software and Bplans; Palo Alto Software makes a SaaS business planning tool called LivePlan, and a shared inbox tool for teams.)

In the meantime, you might be able to fund your business idea with your day job or your savings. Maybe you have personal collateral that you can use to get a loan or line of credit, or maybe crowdfunding is an option.

Just start

One of the best things you can do in the early stages of your SaaS business is to map out a quick business plan. We call this approach a Lean Plan. You can do it quickly, and just by doing the process you’ll have thought through a lot of the most important parts of your business. Also, check out our SaaS and subscription business startup guide for more expert how-tos.

from Bplans Articles http://bit.ly/2Guawux

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

Golf company is giving away free rangefinder batteries. Here’s how to get them.

Everyone gets a free battery today.

Yeah, we get it; for some of you that’s probably not as exciting as your free World Series Doritos Loco Taco, but I’m guessing many of you might actually prefer the free rangefinder battery. Why? Because it sucks when your rangefinder battery dies. We know you depend on it, and we want to make sure a dead battery doesn’t leave you with one-hundred and who the hell knows left to the flag.

Precision Pro Golf is giving away FREE rangefinder batteries today.

In case you missed it last year, or you’ve already burned through the first one, Precision Pro is again running its free rangefinder battery promotion. You read that correctly – free. As in zero cost. Zip, zilch, nada. As long as your rangefinder accepts the standard CR2-3V battery, you’re good to go.

Simply click here, fill out the form and presto, in a few days you’ll find a new battery in your mailbox. That’s it. No hooks, catches, or attached strings.

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.

SEE MY RESULTS

Why would Precision Pro just give you a battery? Clay Hood and Jonah Mytro founded Precision Pro with the belief every golfer should have access to a high-quality rangefinder at an affordable price, but perhaps most importantly, the company would value the consumer every bit as much, if not more, after the purchase.

Says Hood, “We like to go above-and-beyond when it comes to delivering great customer service, and the free battery replacement service is a simple way that we can to that. We thought expanding the replacement service so that all golfers — whether they have one of our rangefinders or not — was a great way to show golfers that we try to do things a little bit different here at Precision Pro Golf. If we go above and beyond for someone who isn’t even a customer, we hope they’ll believe that we’ll definitely go the extra mile when they buy a Precision Pro Golf rangefinder.”

Think of it as a free sample of the type of customer service to which Precision Pro believes every consumer is entitled.

To claim your free rangefinder battery, click here.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2DlB8xi

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

Callaway Joins #PlayYellow Initiative

In 1986 Jack Nicklaus captured a record 6th green jacket by dramatically winning The Masters and while Augusta’s iconic blazer has a firmly etched place in golf history, it was Jack’s yellow shirt which has come to symbolize the philanthropic efforts spearheaded by Jack and Barbara on behalf of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Jack routinely donned a yellow polo during final rounds in memory of Craig Smith, the son of a close family friend who passed away in 1971 at the age of 13 from a rare form of bone cancer.

Now with the support of the PGA Tour and various corporate sponsors, Jack and Barbara have set a goal to raise $100 million over the next five years to help fund pediatric health care. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals rely on donations to help cover treatment costs beyond what many insurance plans provide.

It’s a cause which the Nicklaus family has supported for years in Ohio and Florida, and the Play Yellow campaign looks to extend this philanthropic effort across North America.

For its part, Callaway is donating $4 for every dozen-pack of Callaway ERC Soft Yellow balls sold from April 19th-May 31st. ERC Soft is the longest “soft” ball in Callaway’s line up and features Triple Track Technology for better alignment and a yellow colorway for enhanced visibility. The total amount raised during this quarter will be announced at The Memorial tournament (May 30-June 2), which is held at Muirfield Village Golf Club (aka Jack’s place) in Dublin, Ohio.

Says Callaway President & CEO, Chip Brewer: “Callaway Golf is honored to support the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals — an outstanding organization — through this Play Yellow initiative. We’re inspired by the golf industry’s broad effort to rally around this important cause and campaign.”

For more details about Play Yellow and to see how you can help support the campaign visit PlayYellow.org.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2Itr49t

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

(4) TESTERS WANTED: Odyssey Stroke Lab Putters

Do you feel your putting stroke is consistent? According to the folks at Odyssey, most aren’t.

In truth, no one’s putting stroke is perfect – heck, even the guys on Tour have their bad days. With Stroke Lab, however; Odyssey believes it can bring a lot more consistency to anybody’s putting stroke.

Testers Wanted

According to Odyssey, Stroke Lab is literally changing the way putters are built. The new multi-material Stroke Lab shaft is 40 grams lighter than a traditional steel putter shaft. Odyssey says the Stroke Labs shaft will help all aspects of your putting stroke; including tempo, backswing length, and face angle and clubhead speed at impact.

Is this just more marketing mumbo-jumbo that doesn’t make any real difference, or is there something to Stroke Lab technology? For answers, we need you. We’re looking for four avid, motivated, and detail-oriented golfers to test, review, and keep an Odyssey Stroke Lab putter.

How to Apply

As you know, MyGolfSpy takes its product testing very seriously. All of our reader reviews are published in our Community Forum (click here to check them out). We expect a lot from our reviewers – writing a thorough, detailed and honest review is a full two-month commitment, requiring extensive putting green and on-course work as well as participation in the Forum itself to answer questions and discuss product performance with other golfers.

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.

SEE MY RESULTS

Please note this is not a giveaway or contest. We’re looking for four people committed to making a full evaluation and writing a detailed review for our Community Forum. Testers will be selected based on how well they demonstrate that commitment in the Forum Application Thread.

That means to be a potential reviewer you must be a registered member of the MyGolfSpy Community Forum, where you’ll find thousands of like-minded golfers from all over the world anxious to talk about golf equipment.

To apply to test, review and keep your Odyssey Stroke Lab putter, here’s what you have to do:

First, if you haven’t already, please sign up for the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here to register).

Second, apply ONLY in the Odyssey Stroke Lab Testers Wanted thread in the Community Forum (click here)

Good luck, we’ll be announcing the test participants next week, so check back in the forum community to see if you are chosen.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2XooMMr

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

First Look: Honma T//World 747 Rose Proto MB Irons

When it comes to new blades making a statement at the Masters, I’d say TaylorMade – with an assist from one Eldrick Tont Woods – won the day with its new P7TW irons. The Twitterati has been making a chrome forged spectacle of itself over Tiger’s new sticks ever since Sunday’s final tap-in.

Yep, Tiger’s new blades are sexy as hell and clearly the girl everyone wants to dance with. Arguably, Honma couldn’t have picked a worse time to officially launch its new blades, the T//World 747 Rose Proto MB’s. We’re not entirely sure what role the double-backslash plays, as Honma regularly uses Tour World in its nomenclature, but hey, I’m all for brevity.

Honma must have been hoping for bigger things from Justin Rose over the weekend to give this week’s launch a little juice – these are his irons, after all. Instead, it got an Augusta face plant: an early trip home and no Masters bounce.

As we’ve said before, if you want to be taken seriously as an irons company you have to have a serious blade, even though they’ll never be anyone’s biggest seller. Unlucky timing aside, by all appearances Honma is offering you a serious blade – if you have the game for it.

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

Rose Protos

Despite a cumbersome name, the – deep breath – Honma T//World (TW for short – another unfortunate coincidence) 747 Rose Proto MB irons – are a compact pure muscle back blade. And as the name implies, these were designed with and for Justin Rose, who left TaylorMade and officially signed with Honma January 1st.

Rose has used his namesake irons in every event he’s played this year, including his win at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. Both Rose and Honma are proudly touting Rose’s input in the design process, so unless you believe the design team set a world speed record in getting these irons from concept to design to playable prototypes in just three weeks, the collaboration was obviously going on long before the Rose signing became official.

According to Honma, the Rose Proto MB’s (let’s shorten it to that, shall we?) are hand-shaped at Honma’s facility in Sakata, Japan, using what the company calls a “meticulous, decades-old file and grind process.” They’re forged from a single piece of S20C mild carbon steel (the Japanese equivalent of 1020), and Honma says each iron’s CG is precisely located north-sound and east-west for the kind of trajectory and control golfers who can actually play blades are capable of producing.

Ginger or Mary Ann?

Thanks to the confluence of timing and karma’s perverse sense of humor, the P7TW’s and Rose Proto MB’s are due for a lifetime of comparisons. From a style perspective, the Rose Proto MBs are a wee bit busier looking than Tiger’s blades – and they feature a more muted satin finish, compared to Tiger’s polished chrome. For you old timers, consider the P7Tws are more Ginger, while the Rose Proto MB’s are more Mary Ann. Both are pretty; the rest depends on where taste and preference lead you.

Spec-wise, the Rose Proto MB’s are in line with better player irons with a 34-degree 7-iron. Offsets are also fairly blade-like: 0.95 mm with the 10-iron (Japan’s version of a pitching wedge) all the way up to 2.95 mm with the optional 3-iron. If you’re scoring at home, the P7TW lofts are the same in the long irons but slightly weaker in the mid and short irons, with noticeably less offset.

Price and Availability

U.S. pricing for the Rose Proto MB’s is set at $175.00 per club and will come in a 4- thru 10-iron (or pitching wedge) set, so a full set will set you back $1,225.00. The 3-iron will be sold separately.

The Nippon Modus3 Tour 120 is the stock shaft, with the Honma TW rubber grip standard.

The Rose Proto’s are available now.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2DlhB01

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

BEST SPIKELESS SHOE OF 2019

youtube

2019 SPIKELESS SHOE BUYERS GUIDE

Trivia Time:

What do Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Adam Scott, and Fred Couples have in common?…You guessed it. They all play golf. Not only that, they all play impressive golf in spikeless golf shoes. If it’s good enough for them, why not for you?

Companies are building performance shoes with the comfort of your everyday gym shoe, but the grip of a trusty spiked shoe. Extensive testing at MyGolfSpy headquarters only confirmed our growing suspicions. Spikeless shoes are a force to be reckoned with and their spiked older brothers should watch out.

Whether you’re looking to buy a new spikeless shoe today, looking for some buying advice, or just want a closer look at what’s on the market right now, this guide will help you find the right spikeless shoe to fit your needs.

How We Test

We're here to help you find the perfect spiked shoe for your needs. To do that, we employ a rigorous and fully independent testing process that leaves no sole unexplored, no arch unsupported, and no stone unturned.

The Test Process

Shoes are tested head to head with rigorous protocols. Consideration is given to the design, comfort, and ultimately the performance of the shoe, both while walking and while swinging.

Our Metrics

The metrics we consider when rating golf shoes include Comfort, Traction, Stability, Resistance to the Elements, and Style.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('.mgs-block-slider-blocks').slick({ slidesToShow: 1, slidesToScroll: 1, arrows: false, dots: true, fade: true, }); });

GOLF SHOE FEATURES THAT MATTER

Comfort

It’s important to understand that a significant portion of comfort comes from proper sizing. If you have a wide foot, you should absolutely gravitate to brands that offer wide sizing. The same is true for the narrow-footed among us. Every aspect of golf shoe performance begins with a proper fit.

A golf shoe should be comfortable from the moment it goes on your foot. There shouldn’t be any rubbing or discomfort after just a few minutes of use. A quality golf shoe doesn’t require any significant break-in period. Simply put, under no circumstance should comfort be sacrificed.

Traction

The last thing you want is to slip or spin out during your swing. Seldom is a quality golf shot preceded by a slip. There is significant variation in the traction offered in spikeless designs. Shoes that are designed to go from the office to the golf course sometimes sacrifice traction for everyday functionality. While the versatility is convenient, it may not serve you well on the golf course, particularly when the course isn’t dry.

Stability

While it’s not universally true, in general, spikeless designs tend to be less stable than traditional spikeless shoes. Some of that is by design, as early spikeless designs were intentionally unstructured to allow more freedom of movement within the shoe and increased comfort. As the spikeless shoe has gone mainstream, more traditional – i.e., stable – designs have emerged giving those who want it, options for greater stability. The most stable designs tend to look more like traditional golf shoes, and aren’t as well-suited for everyday wear. As with spiked designs, the level of stability necessary depends on the golfer, and it remains true that a shoe should never be so unstable that it allows the foot to spill over the edge of the footbed.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#mgs_gallery_116115 .mgs-gallery-images').slick({ slidesToShow: 1, slidesToScroll: 1, fade: true, prevArrow: '', nextArrow: '', asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_116115 .mgs-gallery-thumbs' }); $('#mgs_gallery_116115 .mgs-gallery-thumbs').slick({ slidesToShow: 5, slidesToScroll: 1, arrows: false, asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_116115 .mgs-gallery-images', centerMode: true, focusOnSelect: true, infinite: true, responsive: [ { breakpoint: 1023, settings: { slidesToShow: 3, } }, { breakpoint: 600, settings: { slidesToShow: 1, } }, ] }); });

EXPERT TIP - What Does Fit Really Mean?

It cannot be overemphasized: Fit is the most critical element of golf shoe performance. As you likely know, sizing is often inconsistent from brand to brand and even from model to model. The length and width of supposedly same-sized shoes varies tremendously, as do other fit-related elements like the toe box, mid-foot section, and heel cup. You're going to want to ensure that the shoe you buy is snug, yet comfortable and requires next to no breaking-in time.

2019 Spikeless Shoe Features Chart

ProductMaterialColorsSizingWidthWarranty Adidas Tour 360 XT-SL Check PriceLeather and Microfiber Synthetic47 to 15M30 Days Adidas Adipower 4orged S Check PriceForged Microfibre Leather47 to 15M30 Days Athalonz EnVe Check PriceLeather15 to 14MNA Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 Check PriceYAK Leather75 to14.5M/W1 Year Footjoy Pro Sl Check PriceChromoSkin Leather47 to 15M/W/EW2 Year Inesis Dry Grip Check PricePolyurethane Lining36.5 to 13.5M1 Year Inesis Waterproof Check PriceThermoplastic Polyurethane56.5 to 13.5M1 Year Jack Grace Innovator 1.0 Check PricePremium LeatherMany Styles8 to 14M/W45 Days Puma Grip Fusion Check PriceMicrofiber47 to 14M/W1 Year Puma Ignite NXT Check PricePerformance Mesh TPU47 to 14M1 Year Puma Grip Fusion Sport Check PriceMesh47 to 14M1 Year Skechers Mojo Elite Check PriceFull Grain Leather47.5 to 14M/EW2 Year Skechers Drive 4 Check PriceSmooth Leather47.5 to 13M2 Year Skechers Max Check PriceSynthetic and Mesh37.5 to 13M/EW2 Year Stuburt Classic Tour Event Check PricePremium Leather27 to 12M1 Year Stuburt Dri Back Check PriceFull Grain Leather17 to 12M1 Year True linkswear True Knit Check PricePolyester44 to 15MNA

.tablepress td a { color: #fff; } jQuery(document).ready(function(){ var mgsTablepressRowClicked = false; jQuery(document).on('click', '#tablepress-152 tr td', function(e){ if (e.target.nodeName == "A" ) { //if link is clicked in column, then allow it to work //console.log('tablepress row td clicked a href in td'); return; } var mgsTablepressRowLink = jQuery(this).closest('tr').find('td.column-1 a'); if ( mgsTablepressRowLink.length ) { //console.log('tablepress row td clicked - go to column a href'); window.document.location = jQuery(mgsTablepressRowLink).attr("href"); } }); });

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - PUMA IGNITE NXT

The PUMA IGNITE NXT offers three different closure styles (Disc, Soleace, lace). While each fits a bit differently, they all offer midfoot stability uniquely tailored to your footwear needs. The IGNITE NXT LACE (tested), features a traditional lace system for those who like to do things the old-fashioned way. The IGNITE foam sole is incredibly responsive making it an exceptional walking shoe. It's so comfortable, you wouldn't know it's a golf shoe unless you know it's a golf shoe.

EXPERT TIP - Traction is your friend

When playing your shot, you never want to be worrying about slipping or spinning out of the shot. Your swing is the star of the show, and it can't perform its best when your feet are sliding out from under you. Your shoes are meant to be silent partners, supportive and reliable, not something you need to worry about letting you down. Choose a shoe that has your back, keeps you firmly planted, and supports you for an entire round.

More Tips

Not everyone needs the most stable golf shoe one can find. It’s worth doing some experimenting with different shoe designs to determine what level of stability works best for you based on how you load your swing.

For those who do require more stability, look for designs with some form of “cage” technology in the mid-foot section to help keep you anchored in your shoe. While this type of construction has traditionally been reserved for spiked designs, as the market has moved towards spikeless, companies are beginning to incorporate stability-enhancing elements into their spikeless designs.

BOA/DISC offerings are not as prevalent in spikeless designs. However, it remains true that, when offered, these systems secure the shoe, and ultimately your foot, differently than the laced alternative. If something doesn’t feel quite right in an otherwise comfortable shoe, it may be worth trying the BOA/DISC alternative when it’s offered. Note that these closure systems often increase the cost of the shoe.

While style preferences will vary among golfers, comfort is an absolute. Make it your top priority and don’t sacrifice it for any reason.

Even with spikeless designs, a healthy percentage of comfort comes from proper fitting. Take the time to have your foot measured to ensure you’re buying and wearing the proper size.

2019 Spikeless Shoe Results

ProductStabilityComfortElementsStyleTractionTotal Adidas Tour 360 XT-SL Check Price1st5th1st1st6th94 Inesis Waterproof Check Price1st1st1st15th1st93 Puma Grip Fusion Check Price7th8th4th5th4th89.5 Adidas Adipower 4orged S Check Price5th10th6th3rd3rd89 Ecco Biom Hybrid 3 Check Price8th7th1st5th9th88 Skechers Mojo Elite Check Price5th5th13th10th9th85.5 Footjoy Pro SL Check Price1st14th4th3rd7th83.5 Puma Ignite NXT Check Price10th2nd14th2nd16th83 Inesis Dry Grip Check Price15th2nd14th13th1st80 Athalonz EnVe Check Price1st14th10th10th9th79 Skechers Drive 4 Check Price12th11th8th17th14th78.5 Puma Grip Fusion Sport Check Price16th2nd16th8th4th78 Stuburt Classic Tour Event Check Price10th14th6th5th9th78 Skechers Max Check Price8th12th9th15th17th77 Stuburt Dri Back Check Price14th13th10th13th9th75.5 True linkswear True Knit Check Price17th8th16th5th8th73.5 Jack Grace Innovator 1.0 Check Price13th17th10th10th14th68.5

.tablepress td a { color: #fff; } jQuery(document).ready(function(){ var mgsTablepressRowClicked = false; jQuery(document).on('click', '#tablepress-153 tr td', function(e){ if (e.target.nodeName == "A" ) { //if link is clicked in column, then allow it to work //console.log('tablepress row td clicked a href in td'); return; } var mgsTablepressRowLink = jQuery(this).closest('tr').find('td.column-1 a'); if ( mgsTablepressRowLink.length ) { //console.log('tablepress row td clicked - go to column a href'); window.document.location = jQuery(mgsTablepressRowLink).attr("href"); } }); });

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#mgs_gallery_116123 .mgs-gallery-images').slick({ slidesToShow: 1, slidesToScroll: 1, fade: true, prevArrow: '', nextArrow: '', asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_116123 .mgs-gallery-thumbs' }); $('#mgs_gallery_116123 .mgs-gallery-thumbs').slick({ slidesToShow: 5, slidesToScroll: 1, arrows: false, asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_116123 .mgs-gallery-images', centerMode: true, focusOnSelect: true, infinite: true, responsive: [ { breakpoint: 1023, settings: { slidesToShow: 3, } }, { breakpoint: 600, settings: { slidesToShow: 1, } }, ] }); });

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT - Skechers Mojo Elite

You're going to want some Mojo in your life after checking out the new Skechers Mojo Elite. They're spikeless, they're breathable, and Skecher's legendary comfort doesn't come at the expense of stability. Laugh if you like, but Skechers has become a force to be reckoned with in the spikeless category.

FAQ

Q: How much should I spend on a shoe?

A: We’ve found that it’s possible to find a well-designed, fully featured golf shoes for around $80. That said, the majority of top performers, including our choice for Best Overall, are closer to $200. As with anything else, your rate of play should factor in the decision. Golfers who play just a few times a year may be able to find a suitable option for less. Just don’t skimp on comfort to save a buck.

Q: What is the main feature I should look out for when buying a spikeless shoe?

A: Comfort is by far the most important factor, followed by traction. While stability is an important consideration, the level of stability needed varies between golfers. Only after you have those three considerations covered should style factor into the decision.

Q: Is BOA/DISC technology better than laces?

A: Use of BOA and DISC technology is less prevalent in spikeless designs, but some golfers prefer modern closure systems to traditional laces, but it’s certainly not a universal preference. Users of BOA and DISC report a tendency for their shoes to loosen throughout a round, and while that’s not a big deal to re-tighten, it can become an annoyance. Also consider that if a shoelace breaks, it’s easily replaceable, whereas warranty replacements for other closure systems can take some time.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2UMLX6o

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

How to Find an IT Provider for Your Small Business

As a small business owner, you’re no doubt aware that protecting your website and all your web- and network-based tools is crucial.

Startups and small businesses are targeted in 58 percent of all cyber attacks, according to Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigation Report. However, you may feel like expert IT support is a luxury you can’t afford.

Your small business’s limited budget may not even have room to hire a single full-time IT person, let alone a whole team. Yet you need someone who can secure your network, fix a printer connection, and answer your questions about cloud storage—often all in the same day. One person, no matter how qualified, won’t have the full range of expertise to handle all of your technology needs.

The solution for most small businesses is to outsource your IT support to an IT service provider. Hiring a support provider often gives you an entire team of experts for less than it would cost to keep a single full-time employee on staff. It also frees up your time, energy, and money to focus on growing your business instead of worrying about cybersecurity and network connections.

Why outsource IT?

Your expertise is running your business and the product or service you offer. Because you need to focus on your business, it just makes sense to outsource some things.

Because your daily operations almost certainly rely on IT functioning smoothly, having a service provider on call means you and your team won’t lose out on business when there are hiccups in your technology. This option will prevent issues from arising and will allow your business to always run smoothly. The right IT support company acts as a partner rather than as an employee or subcontractor.

You can hire an IT firm on a one-off basis to handle a particular project or challenge—for example, if your email is down and you just want someone to get it up and running again so your clients don’t think you’ve abandoned them.

You’d make a one-time payment or pay at an hourly rate until the project was completed. In this case, you become a general contractor, which means you assume all risk if the project doesn’t go as planned, takes longer than expected, or the solution isn’t sufficient.

Outsourcing to an IT service provider lets you have an IT department whenever you need it—without having to keep a full-time, fully staffed team in place.

hbspt.cta.load(467363, 'd2aef790-7760-4f67-a6ee-ba98040cdda5', {});

What do you get?

An IT support provider can usually provide an array of services, including application, network, system, and e-management services, and you pay for the ones you need now with the option to scale up or down when the time comes. In addition, most IT support providers supplement their own services with those from other providers to ensure they can offer capabilities like web hosting and internet access as well.

If you’re in the market for an IT service provider, look for one that offers a monthly fixed-fee pricing model. An IT firm that charges by the hour has no incentive to fix problems quickly and efficiently.

With a flat fee model, however, your service provider will handle any IT-related issues that pop up within the agreed-upon budget. Upgrading PCs, setting up firewalls, backing up files, and protecting email accounts are all the responsibility of the IT support company, and it makes sense for them to address those situations as thoroughly and as quickly as possible to remain on your payroll.

What are the drawbacks?

If you do hire on an IT support company, it’s important to be aware of the drawbacks as well as the benefits. For starters, they’ll manage your IT remotely. If you have an issue with your printer or in your server room, for instance, you may need someone who can be physically available to perform the instructions that your service provider gives over the phone or via email. With that said, most service providers offer on-site support when needed, though check your contract—it may cost extra.

Moreover, a managed service provider isn’t a technology panacea. Your support company can help you keep software applications like a CRM up and running, but it won’t be the one to train your team on how to use it or to customize it to your business. After all, you don’t want to outsource your core competencies.

Finally, you will need to add into your budget the cost of working with a reputable IT support company. The expenses are likely to include upfront fees plus several hundred dollars a month at minimum, depending on the size of your company and your technical needs.

What questions should I ask to vet IT support companies?

To decide whether outsourcing your IT support makes sense for your business, it helps to think through your IT needs and goals. Most small businesses have one or more of the following needs: securing systems and data, speeding up response times, and increasing the power and performance of their networks.

As you vet potential IT support companies, ask these key questions:

1. What’s included in the cost?

The first thing you want to know is how and how much you’ll be billed. And read those terms carefully to be sure you know exactly what’s included in that cost. Some providers will claim to offer all-inclusive prices, but somehow you’ll still end up with a separate bill for something like a server upgrade at the end of the month.

2. Are you compatible?

Make sure that the platforms a provider supports align with the technologies you rely on—and those you might rely on in the future. Some support companies have strong technical acumen around Apple products, for instance, but aren’t as familiar with Microsoft or Cisco.

3. How are passwords protected?

Ask a potential provider how they handle passwords internally. If they don’t mention multifactor authentication—that’s a big red flag. Far too many providers simply keep their customers’ passwords in plain-text, unencrypted Excel spreadsheets.

It’s easy, and it works, but it’s absolutely not secure. IT support companies are a prime target for hackers, who need only to exploit one vulnerability to get access to all of their clients’ passwords. Make sure any company you hire has complete protocols for keeping passwords and other sensitive data secure.

4. How do you train employees?

As human error is so often the cause of a security breach, ask a potential IT service provider how they train their staff members against cybersecurity threats. It’s a good sign if they train every employee to guard against phishing attempts and they update the training regularly.

If an employee at your IT support company opens the wrong email or mistakenly clicks on a malicious link, your entire IT infrastructure could be put at risk. Your IT support should be protecting your data, not potentially compromising it.

The best provider will work with you like a business partner. Your goals should be largely intertwined. Do your homework and get to know a number of providers before settling on one. When you do find a trustworthy IT support company that can provide the services you need, your entire business will benefit.

from Bplans Articles http://bit.ly/2ZjkabZ

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

5 Reasons You Might Not Qualify for an SBA Loan

If you’re looking for funding to finance starting or growing your small business, you’ve probably heard about SBA loans. Loans that are backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are attractive for small business owners because they offer a range of loan sizes, long repayment terms, and most importantly, low-interest rates. While some alternative business lenders charge as high as 80 percent APR, you can get an SBA-backed bank loan for around seven percent APR, depending on the amount you’re looking to borrow and for how long.

So what’s not to like about SBA loans? Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get approved. Many businesses that want SBA loans get turned away by banks for one reason or another. Here are the five main reasons that SBA loan applicants get rejected, and a look at your alternatives.

1. Your business is brand new or hasn’t launched yet

Most banks will not issue SBA loans to brand new businesses. They often require you have a couple of years in business, or, when do they lend to new companies or startups, they generally expect the owners to have experience in the industry.

As a new business, it can be hard to raise funding. The news makes it seem like every startup has access to millions in dollars of funding by venture capitalists or angel investors.

Many startups are small, local businesses with hopes of eventually rapidly scaling—but they’re still establishing a track record. Both banks and investors are going to want some evidence that you’re going to be able to repay them. If your business—whether it’s a startup or a small business—is brand new, you will likely get rejected for an SBA loan, but you do have options.

Solution: Borrow from other lenders that loan to early-stage businesses

You can borrow from a nonprofit such as Accion, a popular nationwide loan provider that specializes in lending to brand new businesses. You won’t be able to borrow too much money from such sources however—Accion lends a maximum of $30,000 to new businesses and startups.

Alternatively, you can borrow based on cash flow. For instance, if you have a lot of online sales and have just three months of sales history, you could borrow from PayPal Working Capital. If you have a lot of credit or debit card sales, you could get a merchant cash advance from a provider like CAN Capital.

hbspt.cta.load(467363, 'cadca902-d1cb-447e-8a54-767ccb138104', {});

2. You have a low credit score

To qualify for an SBA loan, you must have a strong credit score—at least 600 for most banks. If you fall just short—or far short—of that, that’s ok. If you don’t have great credit, you will probably be rejected for an SBA loan, but you may have better luck with lenders that care less about credit score and have a more holistic evaluation process.

Solution: Seek a lender that doesn’t check credit or requires only decent credit

Approach short-term business lenders with caution. They often approve loans to individuals with lower credit scores, but you want to be confident you can repay on time—otherwise you’ll probably find your loan subject to unusually high-interest rates. Then there are lenders that don’t check credit score at all—Fundbox, Behalf, and PayPal Working Capital are examples. Those companies emphasize other criteria.

For instance, Fundbox lends money based on unpaid invoices and will look at how likely it is that someone who owes you money will actually pay you. Behalf does purchase financing and mines the internet for social media and other data about your business to assess your creditworthiness. PayPal, mentioned above, looks at your PayPal sales history and volume in deciding whether to lend you money.

3. You don’t have enough collateral for a loan

Since the economic downturn, banks are especially risk-averse and want to protect themselves in the event that a business owner cannot pay back a loan. They’re looking for you to put up some collateral as assurance that they can recover their money, even if your business folds. Even though the SBA backs up to 75 percent of SBA loans, the bank is still on the hook for the other 25 percent.

Moreover, the collateral that you provide is split between the SBA and the bank. So if you cannot collateralize a large part of the loan amount, there’s a good chance that your application will be rejected.

Solution: Go with a lender that doesn’t require collateral

There is good news and bad news in response to this problem. Some short-term lenders like don’t require a specific amount of collateral for a loan. It’s O.K. if you don’t have expensive equipment or real estate to collateralize the loan.

The bad news is that they will place a lien on your general business assets, whether your assets add up to the value of the loan or not. This means that they can sell off your business assets if you don’t pay back the loan. Plus, if you’re looking at high-interest rates and penalties if you can’t pay your loan back according to the schedule you agree to.

But some lenders that loan smaller amounts of money don’t require collateral or a lien. They usually base their lending decisions on your business’s cash flow and they don’t care much about the assets that you own. Examples include Accion, PayPal Working Capital, Fundbox, and Behalf.

4. You don’t want to personally guarantee the loan

When you personally guarantee a loan, you are personally responsible for paying the loan back, even if the business doesn’t do well or closes down. If you don’t pay back the loan, a personal guarantee allows the lender to sell off your personal assets (e.g. your home and car) to satisfy the loan.

Banks will require personal guarantees for SBA loans, but even sincere borrowers may not want a personal guarantee hanging over their head. If you don’t want to personally guarantee an SBA loan, then you won’t qualify.

Solution: Choose a lender that doesn’t require personal guarantees

Some alternative lenders such as PayPal Working Capital, Fundbox, and Behalf don’t require a personal guarantee.

If you choose a lender that doesn’t require a personal guarantee, however, you will have to make some sacrifices. Primary among these are size and cost. If you’re not willing or able to personally guarantee a loan, you cannot borrow a lot of money, and you should be prepared to pay a higher interest rate.

5. You’re in an excluded industry

You might look like the picture perfect applicant: high credit score, several years in business, and enough collateral. Even if you have all that, you will still get rejected if you’re in an industry that is ineligible for SBA loans.

Excluded business types include life insurance companies, lobbying organizations, certain types of franchises, cannabis-based businesses, certain types of health businesses, and more.

Solution: Look for another lender or funding option

If you’re in an excluded industry, there are lenders that are more liberal in the types of businesses they lend to than the SBA. Look into other lending options, but don’t be afraid to seek other forms of funding too.

SBA loans are great low-interest rate loans for your business. But if a bank rejects your application for one of the reasons above, there are other lenders that may be willing to work with you. You might find that seeking funding from venture capitalists or angel investors makes more sense. Or maybe you’ll have better luck accessing the resources you need through crowdfunding or even keeping your day job for a while to finance your businesses’s growth in the short term.

We encourage business owners to learn about all their options and choose the best one that is open to them. Check out the Bplans guide to finding funding your business for more ideas.

This article is part of our Small Business Loan Guide, check out this page for expert tips and advice on loans.

from Bplans Articles http://bit.ly/2GunWqL

0 notes

mrwilliamconey · 5 years

Text

The “Original One” – TaylorMade Revives the Mini Driver Category

In the golf equipment world, everything old is new again…and nearly as often, new-IER just a few years later.

Case in point, TaylorMade’s new Original One Mini Driver, which is simultaneously a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Persimmon (which TaylorMade bills as the original metalwood) and the evolution of the Mini Driver. The former put TaylorMade on the map, while the origins of the latter, in the modern era anyway, can be traced all the way back to 2014 and the introduction of the SLDR Mini Driver.

My, how time flies.

In 1979, golf was changed forever with the introduction of the Pittsburgh Persimmon™ – the original metalwood. For the past 40 years, TaylorMade has continued that legacy of innovation with game-changing technologies, engineered to help golfers perform at their best. The Original One Mini Driver incorporates that heritage of innovation with key performance technologies, packed into a confidence-inspiring shape that delivers on distance, forgiveness and accuracy. – Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director, Product Creation, TaylorMade Golf

About the (new) Original One Mini

From a design perspective, the new Original One Mini isn’t quite as mini is the AeroBurner Mini (which oddly, came before the Original One Mini). It’s 275cc, which makes it 9% larger than the last one, but significantly smaller than any driver on the market right now. According to TaylorMade, that means the Mini driver exists in the category between drivers and fairway woods. The key point here, mini drivers are every bit as much biggie fairway woods.

Other than the stated nod to history, what differentiates the Original One Mini from previous Minis is that it includes nearly the full complement of TaylorMade technology.

It’s adjustable. The discrete 11.5° and 13.5° models feature TaylorMade’s 2° loft sleeve.

It’s got a non-speed-injected Twist Face, which TaylorMade bills as “the ultimate path to straight distance.” YMMV.

It’s got TaylorMade’s signature speed preserving Inverted Cone Technology.

It’s got a Speed Pocket too, which is inarguably useful on a club that’s sometimes hit off the deck as it legitimately helps maintain speed on low face impact.

Worth noting, it also offers a titanium body with a 50g sole plate and a carbon composite crown. That’s good for the requisite mass distribution, ultra-low CG story.

GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™

Unbiased. No Guesswork. All Major Brands. Matched To Your Swing. Advanced Golf Analytics matches the perfect clubs to your exact swing using connected data and machine learning.

SEE MY RESULTS

Who is the Original Mini Driver For?

Who needs, or perhaps more aptly, who benefits from a Mini driver? That’s the obvious question, and TaylorMade specifically addresses it in its press materials. As you probably wouldn’t expect for what is quite obviously a niche offering, TaylorMade says the Original One Mini Driver is for golfers of all skill levels. The selling point – at least on paper – is that it offers an off-the-tee option that delivers the accuracy and control of a fairway wood, with distances that are more in-line with what you’d expect from fairway woods.

TaylorMade further suggests that higher swing speed players may find the Original One Mini beneficial off the turf and that most will choose Mini as a fairway replacement rather than take the conventional driver out of the bag.

None of this is untrue, though a deeper dive suggests an asterisk may be warranted. The math is reasonably simple on this one. A shorter club like the 43.75” Mini driver is almost invariably a straighter one (when compared to a 45.5+” driver). It’s not straighter through the magic of design; it’s straighter because the shaft is shorter. It’s really that simple.

Were it allotted more distance (or a longer shaft), dispersion is going to be similar to that of your driver. It’s also true that if accuracy and control are your objectives off the tee, you can accomplish the same thing by cutting down the shaft in your driver. The larger driver head will be less workable (which also means less susceptible to hooks and slices) and will bring with it higher MOI (greater forgiveness).

Point being, if you’re simply looking for more control off the tee, a Mini driver might not be the best way to achieve it. Taking the driver out of the bag to make room for a Mini doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Having said that, shot shapers will no doubt appreciate the greater workability, and there are still some golfers who prefer a (significantly) more compact head. My 2 cents is that TaylorMade isn’t stretching the truth even a little when it suggests there could also be some benefit with respect to using the Mini Driver from the fairway.

Having played the original SLDR for the better part of two seasons, I would classify the Mini as the ultimate distance fairway wood. It was easily playable off the fairway, manageable out of the rough, and more driver-like off the tee than any fairway wood on the market. I have no reason to expect the new Original One Mini will be any different.

The challenge for those who bag a Mini Driver comes in deciding what comes out of the bag to make room for it. In my case, I played the 12° model as my 3-wood, and I believe that’s the most logical place in the bag for golfers inclined to go the mini route – especially for those for whom the 3-wood is an as far as you can hit it club vs. a hit it a specific distance club.

I’m excited the Mini is back, though I’m perhaps less inclined to bag one then I would have been in the past (loved the SLDR Mini, but I’m really happy with my current 3-wood). The Original One Mini potentially offers the rare case where the utility both off the tee and off the deck have been understated. If you can hit it off the fairway (I confidently hit the original out of just about anything), then everything else is just a bonus. Like any niche product, however, one needs to consider where it fits in the bag and if what you’re getting adequately improves upon what you’re giving up.

Given my fondness for the SLDR Mini, I’m certainly intrigued.

GIVEAWAY: Win the #1 OverSpeed Golf Training System

SuperSpeed Golf

Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!

Enter Giveaway

Specs, Pricing, and Availability

The TaylorMade Original Mini Driver is available for preorder today and at retail locations beginning May 1st.

It’s offered in 11.5° and 13.5° with an additional 2° of adjustability coming by way of TaylorMade’s Loft Sleeve.

The stock shaft is a Mitsubishi Diamana F in 55g (Regular), 65g (Stiff), and 75g (X-Stiff). At the stock length of 43.75”, swing weight is D3.

The stock grip is a Golf Pride MCC Decade Grip (black/orange).

Additional shafts and grips, including no-upcharge options are available through TaylorMade’s custom program.

Retail price is 399.99.

from MyGolfSpy http://bit.ly/2UXjmKM

0 notes