This Monstrous Machine That Chews Up Beauty And Spits Out Money

I have been teaching yoga for almost seven years now, and in that time, I’ve been lucky to be able to offer all of my public classes on a sliding scale. Sliding scale is a means of making yoga more affordable, by making it cheaper for those who need it to be, while those who can afford to pay more do so, with the folks at the top of the scale subsidizing the folks at the bottom.

from YogaDork http://ift.tt/2oKovGT

Guidelines update: Heart failure prevention possible with new tests

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Doctors may now be able to test people early and prevent them from developing heart failure, according to an updated guideline published Friday by three leading U.S. heart organizations. “For the first time, we really believe the data are in hand to inform how we […]

The post Guidelines update: Heart failure prevention possible with new tests appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2oQsuMY

Long-term study supports less-invasive treatment for clogged neck arteries

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS One of the most important cardiovascular-related studies of 2016 established that there isn’t much difference between two of the main ways to treat carotid artery disease, a common cause of strokes. But the study’s lead investigator said results from an even more important trial on […]

The post Long-term study supports less-invasive treatment for clogged neck arteries appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2oSx1PU

Beyonce Yoga, Not Just For Single Ladies

When getting in formation means getting into goddess pose. Er, surfbort? Eep. Are you keeping up with these yoga trends? Hip hop yoga keeps blowing up and now we’re seeing specially themed (and semi-cleverly named) yoga classes appealing to an even wider range of yogsters. Enter…Bey-Asana. The brainchild of Houston-based couple Susie Edebor and her husband, Nosa (aka […]

from YogaDork http://ift.tt/2oBF9bp

Putter Fitting 101

By: Doug Emma

Favorite club in the bag? For your score’s sake, I would hope it’s your putter.

It’s amazing how golfers come to select the putters with which they play. Some players emphasize feel, some aesthetics, some choose to play a putter because their favorite player uses a specific model, while others play putters that have sentimental value. So many golfers spend thousands of dollars custom fitting drivers, iron sets, and hybrids/fairway woods, yet the club they will use for over 30% of their strokes made (twice as much as any other club in the bag) is unfit, and has very few other criteria for why it's in the bag other than “feels good, looks good, made a couple”.

I tend to look at putting and putter fitting a bit differently. I think a player can putt with a few different putters very successfully. These putters will consist of all the same fitting components but will differ in specific preferences for a flatstick. They just have to understand how putters work and how their stroke reacts to different putter designs.

Putter fitting is a balance of art and science. It puts the right brush in the painter's hand to create a masterpiece.

Let's talk about the major fitting and design components of putting. I want to explain why a putter wants to move the way it does and why a player might react to it differently.

Fitting Components

• Toe hang
• Offset
• Head shapes
• Loft
• Length
• Lie Angle
• Weight
• Grip Style/Size
• Face Material/Texture

Toe Hang

If you have always heard people talk about the toe hang of putter but still do not understand what it means, let’s go ahead and clarify: toe hang is the position in which the toe of the putter points if the putter is allowed to hang naturally.

We have found that find the proper toe hang for your stroke is essential to squaring your face at impact.

We like to think about it like this: if a shaft were to enter the putter through the heel, it would take more effort to rotate the face closed. If a shaft were to enter the putter through the middle of the putter, the face would feel much easier to rotate closed. As we define the different types of toe hang, keep in mind that more face balanced designs release easier and more heel shafted designs cause the face to stay more open at impact for players who have average to minimal face rotation in their stroke.

These are the five most common categories of toe hang styles:

• Full Toe Hang - Commonly found in heel shafted blades. The toe of the putter points more directly to the ground when allowed to hang naturally.
• ¾ Toe Hang - Commonly found in blades with short and small hosels. The toe of the putter points down by about 75 degrees.
• ½ Toe Hang - This toe hang originated with the PING ANSER design. It occurs with most plumbers neck blade putters and hangs about 45 degrees.
• ¼ Toe Hang - This toe hang can be found in both blades and mallets depending on the hosel design. The amount of toe hang is about 25 degrees.
• Face Balanced - This toe hang can also be found in both blades and mallets. The face of the putter will point directly to the sky when allowed to hang naturally.

The reason that the toe hang of a putter is so critical - and one of the first design features addressed - is that it is the only characteristic that directly relates to the way the player squares the face at impact. Motion capture technology, highspeed cameras, and physics tell us that putting is almost completely ruled by face angle at impact.

Offset

Offset is most commonly talked about with full swing golf clubs. Clubs will literally feature a face that is offset from the leading edge of the shaft to correct an errant shot. Putter offset is no different. Offset is defined as the shaft placement in relation to the putter face. The amount of offset affects both the player’s ability to aim the putter as well as square up the face angle at impact.

As a general rule of thumb there are three common offset styles:

• No Offset - Commonly found in putters with a straight shaft that goes directly into the putter head. From address, the left edge of the shaft will line up straight with the leading edge of the putter face.
• Half Shaft Offset - Commonly found in putters with a small S-Shaped hosel or double bend shaft with no hosel. This means that half of the width of the golf shaft is ahead of the leading edge of the putter face at address.
• Full Shaft Offset - Commonly found in putters with hosels and with double bend shafts. This means that a full shaft width will be ahead of the putter face at address.

Different offsets will cause a player to unknowingly aim slightly more left or right relative to the other offset styles, depending on various optical characteristics, such as eye dominance, depth perception, visual acuity, head position at address, and more. Knowing your optimal offset is a crucial aspect of a properly fit putter. We encourage players to test different offset styles in combination with their favorite putter head shape. When the correct offset is found, a player’s eyes will naturally aim the putter to the intended target. When a player is using the incorrect offset, the player will believe themselves to be lined up to the same location, but in fact, the putter will be misaligned.       

Head Shapes

While it is important to pick a putter head that is attractive to look at, one must also consider the effects the shape of putter has on their ability to use it optimally. We like to split up head shapes into more rounded vs. more square. When the trailing edge of a putter is rounded, we see players tending to aim more open to the intended line, while a square trailing edge with more parallel lines tends to encourage a more left bias. Head shape is important to squaring the face angle up at impact because it is directly related to how well a person aimed the putter face.  Find a shape that you like, but make sure if works! 

Loft

The loft of a putter is directly related to the quality of launch and spin. In this day and age, we are now trying to maximize putter launch the same way we try to optimize driver launch. In recent testing, we have found that putters with the standard 4 degrees of loft are now launching putts too high and producing backspin.

In any fitting we conduct, we first measure the loft of a player’s current putter. After analyzing measurements of shaft lean and attack angle we can determine a player’s loft for perfect launch and spin.

Loft should also be customized based on the surfaces a player typically putts on. To achieve perfect launch on faster greens, a player may require less loft than on slower green speeds.

The loft of a putter will also change the player’s perception of the putter face at address. A less lofted putter will appear more open while a more lofted putter will appear more closed.

Length

At the start of each fitting, we like to find a base measurement for length. By taking a yard stick and measuring the distance in inches from the ground up to the base of a player’s wrist bone from a standing straight posture, we can find a great starting place for length. It is an old-school test, but it works!

Putter length is one of the most important variables to a proper putting setup. By using a putter that is not the correct length you will suffer improper wrist and arm alignments, poor posture, less-than-ideal distance from the golf ball.

With high-speed camera testing, we find that if a putter is too long, it increases face rotation above the desired range and too short results in below the desired range.

If the length of your putter is too long, it will likely be too upright, while too short will likely be to flat in terms of lie angle.

Lie Angle

Lie angle is the angle in which the shaft intersects the head relative to the ground. Most off-the-rack putters come standard at approximately 70 degrees. Testing shows that best performance comes when both the toe and heel sit evenly at impact.

• A properly fit lie angle gives the ball the best possible chance to strike the highest part of the putter face, nearest the center of gravity, thus ensuring a solid strike that promotes forward spin.
• A poor lie angle at impact will cause the ball to strike low on the blade, nearer to the toe or heel depending on whether the toe or heel is off the ground. This results in poor contact, creating speed control issues.

Weight

Weight in a putter can be associated with three separate concepts:

• Head weight
• Grip weight
• Counterweight

Head Weight - Most putters are defined as standard at approximately 350 grams. Head weight will affect how a player squares up the face at impact. During a fitting, it is important to test both lighter and heavier head weights to see which type you respond to best. As a general rule players can use a lighter head on fast green speeds while a heavier head might work better on slow greens.

Grip Weight - While picking your favorite look and feel of a grip is important, understanding how the weight of the grip influences overall swing weight matters significantly. A lighter grip will give a player a heavier head feel, and a heavier grip can make the same head feel lighter.

Counterweight - Some players test best with counterweight. This occurs by adding weight to the top end of the putter. Also, having a heavier than standard head combined with counter weight produces a “counterbalanced” design. These putters are typically issued in 36-38 inches with a long grip so that a player can choke down and take advantage of this technology. This method is a common go-to for players seeking control through less risk to manipulate the clubface due to the added weight.

Grip Style/Size

Choosing the right grip is one of the final keys during a proper putter fitting. The different sizes, shapes, and weights can have an effect on squaring up the face angle at impact. With some players, the effect of the grip is extremely minimal. However, with others, it can lead to an enormous difference in their performance. The shape of the grip, the texture, and the size all have to be considered.

It is widely believed that the size of the grip will influence the amount the face rotates through impact, with a larger grip limiting hand action, and a smaller grip promoting more hand action. Research has shown this is true for about half of all players tested. For other players, the shape of the grip and how it rested in their hands seemed to play a more contributing role.

As far as shapes, the following are widely available: Pistol, Paddle, Round, Semi-Round, Nontapered, Square. Textures can vary tremendously going from real leather wraps to synthetic rubber/acrylic. And most importantly, the grip must settle into the player’s fingers and hands comfortably to promote both stability and confidence.

Face Material/Texture

If ten putters were selected at random at a major golf retailer, we would probably see three main categories of face material and texture:

• Milled Face
• Grooved Face
• Face Insert

The face material you select will directly impact the feel and quality of roll on your putts. High-Speed Cameras have shown us how important it is to get the rolling end over end. A putter that causes the ball to bounce and skid off the face will make distance control difficult.

Milled Putter Faces - Typically made from 303 stainless steel and are precision milled using a CNC machine. These putters tend to produce a more muted sound and soft feel.

Grooved Putter Faces - Thought to produce more “overspin” on the golf ball. While high-speed cameras have shown us that multiple face types and textures can produce excellent forward roll, grooved putter faces have a feel all to their own. The sound is typically higher pitched, and players have a good feel for a solidly struck putt.

Face Inserts - Utilized to change the feel of a putter. Inserts are usually the cheapest to produce and feel the softest of any face.

It is important to remember that face material and texture create friction between the ball and face at impact. This friction alters the ball speed of your putts. Find the putter face material that feels best to you. The best putter face will create great vibrations, acoustics and feel which will translate to how much energy you need to put into each putt.

Stop Wasting Time... and Strokes

While the fitting component list we just laid out is used as a basic introduction to putter fitting, we believe that once we have determined the proper toe hang, offset, head shape, loft, length, lie, weight, grip and face material, the player is left with no guesses about which putter will work best. When you consider the cost of a putter fitting, and the price of a putter, there is probably no greater value in equipment as it pertains to scoring than having a properly fit putter.

from MyGolfSpy http://ift.tt/2oAVRb1

Florida children take steps intended to last a lifetime

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS TAMPA, Florida – Barbie Monty’s fifth-grade class at Carrollwood Day School is organizing a half-hour health walk on Friday, but the steps are intended to last a lifetime. “We’re going to encourage kids to try to stay healthy,” said Demir Dikmen, one of the students. […]

The post Florida children take steps intended to last a lifetime appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2qb13iW

Sodium warnings to remain on New York City menus after court battle ends

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS The legal battle over New York City’s rules requiring menu warning labels for foods with high levels of sodium has ended after the restaurant industry failed to appeal to the state’s highest court. Because the National Restaurant Industry didn’t appeal Wednesday, New York diners will […]

The post Sodium warnings to remain on New York City menus after court battle ends appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2qiOUrg

New guidance on heart failure tests can improve care

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Novel tests for heart failure can better guide the diagnosis and ongoing care of heart failure, which could reduce deaths and re-hospitalizations, according to a scientific statement published Wednesday by the American Heart Association. The noninvasive blood or urine tests measure biomarkers, which are substances […]

The post New guidance on heart failure tests can improve care appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2qfQJFM

Energy drinks may give you more than a boost

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Energy drinks may give you more than a mental and physical boost — and it’s not good for you. According to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association, a 32-ounce energy drink with 320 milligrams of caffeine resulted in more profound changes […]

The post Energy drinks may give you more than a boost appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2oKnklE

BREAKING NEWS: PING Purchases 5 Nike Golf Patents

Some interesting news is popping out of Scottsdale Arizona. The Phoenix Business Journal is reporting that the Karsten Manufacturing Corp., the parent company of PING, has purchased at least five club technology patents from Nike.

Terms of the sale weren’t released, but the Journal reports PING has also purchased additional Nike equipment patents, but that those sales haven’t been officially registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Nike, of course, exited the golf club equipment arena last August but had been actively preparing its 2017 product line right up until that announcement.

“We see this as an opportunity to add utility patents to our already significant intellectual property portfolio. Our team can use these patents, along with our existing intellectual property, to our competitive advantage, accelerating our ability to further technology that ultimately leads to higher performing, score-lowering golf equipment.” - PING president John K. Solheim, to the Phoenix Business Journal

MyGolfSpy has tracked down the five patents purchased by PING, and while patents are long, highly technical and we can report that PING picked up some fairly interesting technology, the most stunning of which is a patent application for a complete single length set, including woods, hybrids, and irons.

It’s by far the longest and most detailed patent and was filed by Nike in May of 2015.

PING also purchased what appears to be a 2007 manufacturing process patent for the rotational molding of polymeric components for metal woods. This patent appears to cover what Nike called RZN, a strong, lightweight component which was used extensively in its Vapor Flex and Vapor Flex 440 drivers.

Another patent, granted in 2012, covers aerodynamic features for metal woods, specifically dimples on the crown and/or sole, and even more specifically, crown dimples concentrated towards the hosel and even on the hosel. The patent covers several variations of dimple location, and states the dimples can improve aerodynamics in the latter portion of the downswing, just prior to impact. Given the timing of the patent, this appears to be Nike's version of PING's turbulators.

It had been reported that Nike was planning to do away with its unique Covert Cavity in its 2017 metalwoods line, but the company did have a 2013 patent for an elongated cavity in a square-shaped driver intended to allow for weight redistribution and increased MOI. That patent now belongs to PING.

The fifth patent picked up by PING is a 2006 concept that would allow the manufacturer, club fitter or builder or even the user the ability to adjust the sound and feel of a club, specifically the putter.

The Phoenix Business Journal has reported that Nike has over 1,200 golf-related patents. And although many of those are most certainly centered on footwear and apparel, Nike’s stable of club engineers no doubt had some interesting projects cooking in The Oven. As stated earlier, PING is in the process of purchasing more of Nike’s patents, and it will be fascinating to see how one of golf’s most innovative and intellectual brands folds these new technologies into its future offerings.

from MyGolfSpy http://ift.tt/2oMbl82

Arlington council tables final vote to extend smoking regulations

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS The Arlington City Council on Tuesday tabled a vote to extend the North Texas city’s smoking regulations, voting 9-0 to take up the issue again at its May 9 meeting. Earlier this month the council had voted 6-3 to adopt the ordinance across all businesses […]

The post Arlington council tables final vote to extend smoking regulations appeared first on News on Heart.org.

from News on Heart.org http://ift.tt/2qedtFQ

PIMP MY CHEVRON – Callaway Expands Customs Program

Here comes another example of Callaway Golf’s efforts to keep its lineup fresh, generate a little buzz, and keep you interested in its products without resorting to flooding the market with new gear or promoting its warez through a series of self-congratulatory tour-issue hats.

The new Callaway Customs program builds on the company’s U-Design and the original Callaway Customs programs (launched for MD3 wedges) with more options for more products. You'll find the requisite details below.

Drivers

 

Available on GBB Epic and GBB Epic Sub Zero, customizing your Epic will set you back an additional $50, but it gives you eight color options and two additional paintfill zones. You also get a Callaway Customs headcover, which is nice, I suppose.

I don have an Epic, but if I did, I’d want it in blue…or maybe pink. Perhaps a bit of both.

Wedges

Available on MD3 Milled, Mack Daddy Forged, and likely whatever comes next, Callaway Customs adds between $15 and $45 to the cost of each wedge. Pricing depends on the options selected, but your choices include 3 characters (basic), 10 characters (advanced), or scatter stamping. Paintfill is also available in 7 different areas, including the weight ports.

Golf Ball & Accessories

Available on Chrome Soft, SuperSoft, SuperHot, and Warbird balls, pricing again varies based on how much customization you want. Callaway ball customization allows for up to 20 characters of text over 3 lines. The alignment line is also customizable. 4 colors are available.

Finally, Callaway is also releasing Callaway Customs Merchandise, which includes hats and belts.

All of the new Callaway Customs options are available for purchase now.

For more information, visit CallawayGolf.com, or watch the video below.

from MyGolfSpy http://ift.tt/2ovtMSd

4 Steps to Turn Tweets Into Customers

What many small business owners don’t know about using Twitter is how they can take the conversations already happening on the social media platform to get more customers in the door.

With more and more users signing up on Twitter each day, including an increasing number of users who are 50 years old and up, Twitter is a powerful platform for getting your business in front of a large audience with varied age ranges and interests. It’s also a key platform for building relationships with people in your local area.

At Main Street Hub, our team is full of experts who are skilled at reaching out and starting conversations on Twitter on behalf of our customers. Our technology and world-class team of writers connect local business with new customers every day to get them in the door and keep them coming back. Follow these four steps of our social media marketing strategy to turn tweets into new customers.

See Also: Twitter Marketing: A Small Business Guide

1. Use advanced search on Twitter to target users in your area

By searching for and participating in relevant conversations on Twitter, you have the opportunity to get new eyes on your brand and get new customers.

Start by brainstorming search terms, asking yourself: Who is your typical customer? What kinds of conversations would they have on Twitter? What’s your business personality and what kinds of conversations would make sense for you to jump into? Once you have answers to these questions, you can start looking for tweets containing terms that are relevant to your business.

For example, if you own a pizza restaurant and it’s around lunch or dinnertime, use the search box in the upper right corner for the hashtag #pizza, #hungry, #craving, or #lunchtime to find people who are tweeting about wanting a meal.

Take it a step further by searching for those hashtags in your specific location with Twitter’s advanced search feature. Search by keyword, phrase, or hashtag, hit “enter,” then on the top left-hand side under “search filters,” hit “advanced search.” Here, you can add a location to specifically target people in your city, town, or neighborhood who are tweeting about their next meal, ensuring your chances of reaching out to someone who might swing by your restaurant for a visit.

The same strategy works for any industry; it’s all about finding the right search terms for the demographic you are trying to reach. If you run an auto shop, #cartrouble could be what you’re looking for, but if you own a salon, using terms like “need a haircut,” might be more effective than using a hashtag.

See Also: How to Choose Which Social Media Platforms Are Right for Your Business

2. Weigh in with friendly conversation

Twitter is all about building relationships, and small businesses can leverage the social aspect of the platform to get potential customers thinking about their business when they’re ready to make a purchasing decision.

When you locate a promising tweet from a user that appears to fit your target demographic, you should reach out and introduce your business to this potential new customer, and start a conversation! Respond to tweets in a personalized, engaging way to make your business seem relatable and down-to-earth. If a user you tweet to responds back, your business has a chance to get in front of all of the friends and followers of that user, which draws more attention to your business.

In the conversation below, restaurant China Xiang in NYC reached out to Twitter user Robi Ludwig, and by engaging with her about her photo, they put their business in front of new eyes and top-of-mind for potential new customers.

You can see how the business asked the user a friendly question about her and her evening to kick things off, because it’s important to start building a relationship before trying to sell something. After the user and the business had an interaction, the business went for the sell, which leads to our next step.

3. Find the right time to plug your business

The user you have connected with knows this part is coming; after all, why else would a business jump into conversations with (seemingly random) Twitter users? When it feels like the right time to plug your business, ask the user if they would ever consider trying your business, or tell them you’d love it if they would swing by next time they’re in town.

In the above example, China Xiang asks, “Keep our place in mind for next time?” Something as simple as that reminds the user that your business is friendly, personable, and potential customers should give you a try the next time they need a meal, haircut, outfit, or car repair.

See Also: How to Calculate Social Media Marketing ROI for Your Small Business

4. Ask users for a post when they visit

As you can see in the below example, Twitter user Roetter #mothdad’s conversation with The Blue restaurant in Ohio gradually turns from a friendly conversation to asking when the user will come by for a visit.

Then, there’s the payoff—the user not only visits the business but also posts a photo on Twitter.

This shows the effectiveness of asking when the user will be stopping by, and asking them to snap a photo when they do visit. This will keep users engaged past your first conversation and build a relationship with the user, hopefully turning them into a loyal customer.

Plus, user-generated content is extremely effective for building brand awareness for your business and building a network of new customers. When the user in the above example posted his photo at The Blue, not only are his followers able to see this photo, but anyone searching for the hashtags #foodie and #foodstagram can see it too, and these terms are being used and searched for thousands of times per day across the country.

Not only that, since consumers trust their friends’ and followers’ recommendations on social media for where to dine, shop, and stay, seeing a glowing review of your business on Twitter might just lead to referrals and more customers coming by for a visit.

Not all conversations with Twitter users will yield wins like the examples shown here. But, even if the person you engage with on Twitter doesn’t immediately make a reservation at your cafe or head over to check out your sale, they might just click to your Twitter profile, check out your business, follow you, and look at what your business has to offer. Then, the next time they want or need your services, they’ll think of your business.

By reaching out and engaging in conversations on Twitter, you’ll add more users to your online community, stay top-of-mind with the users in your area, and ultimately, get more customers in your door.

from Bplans Articles http://ift.tt/2phPl5Y