Moe and Nick

There are millions of great stories in golf. This is one of them:

"I'll never forget, I was in Niagara Falls about five years ago. My uncle had passed away and the day before the funeral I went out to Legends (on the Niagara) to hit a few balls. I'm at the end of the range, but I see this car cruising around. This big Cadillac drives up through the range, drives up on to the tee and right up behind me. It's Moe (Norman) and Nick," Weir said. "They just sat there and we shot the breeze for 2 1/2 hours and they watched me hit balls. That was pretty cool."

That’s a quote from Mike Weir, mentioning Moe Norman and Nick Weslock.

The quote comes from this story written by Dave Perkins and found on the Toronto Star website.

Non-Urgent, But Very Important

I’ve blogged previously about Urgency versus Importance. Many of us get swept up in Urgency, and forget to consider the Importance, or lack thereof, of our daily tasks. Many of us neglect those items that are non-Urgent, but very Important.

Later tonight I have focused on items that are both Urgent and Important.

However, most of today was dedicated to a wonderful part of my life that is non-Urgent and yet incredibly Important. It’s times like today that give me the energy and the drive to tackle periods where my tasks are perhaps more Urgent, but far less Important.

The End of One Week Brings the Beginning of Another

It’s been a full weekend! And soon time for bed, to get up tomorrow and start another week!

I’m very pleased with the progress we made this past week. It’s always nice, at the end of a week, to look back and be satisfied. Of course, those of you that know me also know that I secretly wish we could have accomplished much, much more! But, realistically, Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo moved much closer to our Grand Opening this past week! We’re getting there.

Friday evening I met with our banker, had discussions with a few folks at Parmasters HQ and also did quite a bit of Christmas shopping. With Parmasters HQ located on the west coast – Vancouver, BC – there tend to be a few discussions well into our evening, Eastern Time. I also had a wonderful chat with a dear friend who was quite excited about a new purchase. Christmas came early!

I worked most of Saturday, as I tend to do, but did break in the middle of the day to attend a Christmas lunch with the board of Spectradigital Corporation. It was a working lunch, but always nice to break bread with friends. Spectradigital is making great progress, but could also move faster. Time to money, time to market, speed in general, is always so critical.

Saturday afternoon I was back in the office working before heading off to a hockey game with my eldest son. It was my first time witnessing him scoring a goal in a game! I missed his first goal, earlier this season. He was one happy hockey player after the game! After supper we watched the Buds – aka the Toronto Maple Leafs – lose in convincing fashion.

And today, we here in southern Ontario awoke to a nice fresh blanket of snow. It seemed to be about a foot thick in my driveway. So, after breakfast I spent a few minutes moving said white stuff off the driveway and walks. Then after some housework and laundry it was back to the office. I took a brief break at supper time, did a little more shoveling, made some calls, and here we are again, in the office.

And now, it’s time to relax for a few minutes, before sleep. If we can make as much progress next week, as we did this past week, I shall be quite pleased.

Marketing Starting Soon!

We continue to be blown away, quite frankly, by the incredible and positive response to the information sessions we ran earlier this week! It’s been very busy trying to keep up with demand!

I think Bell Mobility will be very happy when they tally the minutes I’ve used on my mobile phone lately, all for a good cause of course. My battery came very close to failing on Tuesday evening and again tonight, after a long day of countless emails and phone conversations.

We’re now starting to strategize on our pre-opening marketing. Before we open, our marketing efforts are focused on signing up members. We offer many benefits to members that join us prior to our grand opening! We’ll register a minimum of 750 memberships before we open Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo.

Just to be clear, that doesn’t mean we will delay our opening until we have 750 members in place. Rather, we will do what it takes to ensure that at least 750 prospective members hear about the countless benefits to membership and thus sign on as members well before construction is finished.

This weekend I’ll be reviewing our website to ensure that it’s up to date. I should do so more frequently, but it can be difficult to keep up with some of these periodic tasks.

And lastly, it became quite clear today that a close friend of mine needs reminding that she must stop once in a while and “sharpen the saw!” I blogged about this many months ago here. Hopefully she’ll take the hint, and others too will benefit from the reminder.

Drug Testing

It’s another late night. I’ll have an early start tomorrow also.

We’ve had a fantastic response to the information sessions we ran earlier this week! We were always confident that our message would resonate well with attendees and that we would pique their interest, but the level of response and speed of response has been very gratifying!

Way back on Tuesday, which seems so very long ago, Parmasters received incidental mention a blog titled Deep Rough. I’m not sure who operates the blog, but the mention was appreciated.

Here's the quote:
"You may be able to find one [an AboutGolf simulator] at a local: PGA TOUR Superstore, Golf Galaxy, Edwin Watts, Golf Town, Decathlon Europe or Parmasters."

Interestingly, the Mitchell Report on steroid use in major league baseball came out today, one day after media covered the beginning of mandatory drug testing on the PGA Tour.

Testing on the PGA Tour may seem crazy to some. I mean, we’re just talking about golf. But, given the nature of today’s game, and the seeming dominance of the power game, I believe the PGA Tour has made a wise move.

I just hope and pray that tour golf never experiences the drug-related turmoil currently hovering over major league ball.

Manipulating Time

It’s a bit of a late night tonight. We did the first of our stakeholder presentations this (Tuesday) evening. It went very well. The point is simply to convey a lot of information in a short period of time, and to do so effectively, such that people actually understand our business. We want people, simply, to “get it.”

Our presenter, Colin Christensen of Parmasters Alberta, did a fantastic job. We’re very pleased. Of course, as the owner and President of Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, I interjected periodically. But, for the most part, Colin ran with it.

We’re doing another presentation tomorrow, in about seven hours. I guess I should wrap up this post and get some sleep.

I believe there’s some way for me to manipulate the time stamp on each blog entry. So, I could post an entry at 8:00am, for example, and manipulate the time to say 6:00am, or whatever I like.

I’ve wondered why that feature exists. Why would a blogger do so?

Many of you may think I’m crazy to be blogging at this late hour. And yes, it actually is just after 1:00am on Wednesday morning. I have not manipulated the time. Others may be impressed by the dedication and long work hours.

Regardless, it is what it is. This, sometimes, is the life of an entrepreneur. Earlier today I committed to working through Wednesday night, likely all night, to accomplish a pressing task. As it turns out, we’ve found another way to accomplish this task, and I will not have to work through Wednesday night. But, in the end, as an entrepreneur, you simply do whatever it takes. Which, I suppose, is no different than anyone else in any other job or career. You do whatever it takes to get your job done.

Well, now it’s time for some sleep. Long day tomorrow.

Christmas Spirit

It’s been another busy weekend, preparing for what will undoubtedly be a busy week ahead.

I started with a breakfast meeting Saturday morning and then headed back to the office to knock off as many tasks as possible. Late Saturday afternoon I watched my eldest son play hockey. They suffered their second defeat of the season, but apparently it didn’t count, as the real referees had not appeared, and substitutes were used instead.

Saturday evening I did some Christmas shopping and found it very relaxing and also very enjoyable! This is a busy year. For that reason, and others, I’ve struggled to get into the Christmas spirit. Saturday night really helped. I was shopping for some people that are very dear and special to me. I was just quite saddened when it was time to leave.

Today was spent almost entirely in the office. We’re doing some presentations this coming week to some key stakeholders related to Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, so I was preparing for that. We have visitors flying in from Parmasters HQ and also from Parmasters Alberta to assist with these presentations.

I believe now, it’s time for some sleep, also in preparation for a busy week ahead.

Great Shareholder Team

I’ve had a couple of highly productive days since my last blog entry. Which I see as very positive, given my current value system.

I’m off to my eldest son’s school shortly for a brief parent-teacher meeting. It will be nice to get a more complete picture of what is happening in the class room, both in general, and with my son. Report cards are helpful, but I find I learn much more in a brief chat with a teacher.

And tomorrow morning I sit down with our shareholders. As part of running Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, I make myself available for two hours, every quarter, to answer any questions that our shareholders may have.

In reality, of course, our shareholders can contact me at any time, and I often call them to discuss various matters, to seek assistance, etc. I believe strong, open lines of communication are best. There shouldn’t be any surprises, neither good nor bad.

I’m very happy with the group of shareholders we’ve assembled. There all very intelligent, successful, and articulate. They’re team players, more than willing to work together for the common good. Basically, they’re good natured people who are quite happy to roll their sleeves up and pitch in whenever needed.

Of course, at the same time, our shareholders expect results and they expect the value of their holdings to grow. That’s my job. And I’m going to get back to it.

Better Days

I wasn't very productive today. I did ok, and bumped several initiatives along, but I could have done more, and feel bad about that. I tend to feel a sense of guilt and lost opportunity at the end of a so-so day. It's a day that I can't get back.

Clearly, at least at this point in my life, I place a lot of value on productivity and getting lots of "stuff" - that's a technical, entrepreneur term by the way - done. I say "clearly" because if I didn't value productivity, I wouldn't be lamenting a low productivity day.

I've always prided myself on my ability to do a lot, to handle a lot, to juggle many priorities, etc. But I also realize that there are lots of people who do so much more than me. Compared to some of these people, and I know one of them quite well, I look like I'm standing still! I don't know how they do all that they do!

And of course, we don't all value productivity. Life is about the journey, not simply the destination. Stop and smell the roses. Etc.

At any rate, I hope to sleep much better tonight, and be far more productive tomorrow. Because, at least for now, productivity is something I value greatly!

Excellence

I saw this quote in action this evening. I was in awe!

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Aristotle

City of Kitchener Environment-focused Workshop

I'm sitting at another hockey practice, this one at the Doon campus of Conestoga College. I've been trying to teach my son the importance of and proper use of speed. He seems to be gaining some understanding. He's out there experimenting and learning, which is wonderful.

This morning I attended a environment-focused workshop hosted by the City of Kitchener. I learned a lot. I find that new and varied experiences tend to stimulate new and varied ideas. In this case, I started thinking about our role as business owners.

As we open and operate multiple Parmasters golf training centers throughout southern Ontario over the next seven years, it seems we have both an opportunity and an obligation to be environmentally aware and responsible. But of course, at the same time, we must ensure the business thrives at the same time.

And isn't that interesting. Even as I typed that previous paragraph, it occurs to me that I did so under an assumption. The assumption was, "it can be expensive and draining for a company to operate in an environmentally responsible manner."

Is that assumption true?
Do others operate under the same unchallenged belief?

More to ponder, as the practice continues...

Creating My Days Again

It was another busy day. I managed to meet with the consultant that’s helping us drive down the costs of many of our furnishings, fixtures and other capital items. We’d been meaning to meet in person for some time.

On another topic, I’ve had great success lately with this practice of creating my day. I blogged about it back in April 2007 but must admit I languished a little throughout the late summer and early fall. I just didn’t make time to create my day. But lately, I’ve made the time, dedicated the time, and the payback has been tremendous. I generally achieve my perfect day, every day.

Give it a try!

Green to the Core

We were mentioned briefly in the media today. KW Record reporter Michael Hammond wrote a great piece on the many recent positive developments, most specifically new businesses, within downtown Kitchener.

You can find the entire article, titled “Discovering core values,” here.

Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo was mentioned in the following paragraphs, taken directly from Michael's article.

A self-described serial entrepreneur, meanwhile, is working on plans to open an indoor golf training facility on the ground floor of the Market Square retail-office building at King and Frederick streets.

Stephen Southern wants to open a Parmasters golfing centre with driving range simulators, sand trap practice areas, putting greens, a pro shop and a cafe.

When he unveiled his plans this summer, Southern said his biggest motivation in locating in Market Square was offering a golfing "health club" for the thousands of
people who work in the core.

Also today, our Canadian Regional Franchisor, Andre Ferris, issued the following release. It's included below, in full, and also available here.


Nov 28, 2007 13:00 ET

Greener days ahead for Canadian golfers

Parmaster’s indoor golf greens ideal for practicing year round

Attention: Business/Financial Editor, Lifestyle Editor, News Editor, Sports Editor

TORONTO, ONTARIO, MEDIA RELEASE--(Marketwire - Nov. 28, 2007) - The chip and putt are two of the most important strokes in golf which only get better with practice. Parmasters Golf Training Centers make it possible to practice these strokes year round in their indoor golf centres.

Just ask players such as Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Mike Weir and they'll tell you that improvement only comes through consistent training and practice. Few ever imagine reaching their playing level, but concede that any improvement would be a step in the right direction.

Whether professional, experienced, casual or new, all golfers agree with the old adage, that "practice makes perfect." And yet, it's actually perfect practice that makes perfect. And that means training in the ideal conditions. What's challenging for the average golfer is finding the time and place to practice year round.

"It's no wonder that professionals putt well when many of them, such as Vijay Singh, have professionally designed golf greens right in their own backyard," says Parmasters Chief Golf Professional and Co-Founder, Scott Hazledine. "To have one of these would be any golfer's dream."

"Having a surface this good to practice on is incredible," says Vijay Singh, 2004 PGA champion. "[It]… performs like a tour green."

The putting greens are so realistic and play like real greens that a golfer can play the same stroke that's used on real grass. "We've found that pros and amateurs can greatly improve their putting strokes by being able to rely on consistent putts with a "true roll" from every position on the green," says Weston Weber, founder and owner of Southwest Putting Greens Technologies, Inc.

Over 25 PGA pros own these putting greens, and it is these same, quality greens that Parmasters are installing in each of their 12,000 to 15,000 square-feet golf centres, beginning with Canada's first Parmasters centre which opens early 2008 in Edmonton. Another 12 golf training centers and 20 Links Golf Cafes will follow in the spring.

"Not only is Parmasters 'the ultimate golf training and practice facility,' they make learning, practicing and playing golf fun," says Andre Ferris, Canadian Regional Franchisor of Parmasters Golf Training Centers. "As I speak with people across Canada about this opportunity, it's exciting to hear their enthusiasm and anticipation for the centres to open."

Parmasters is the world's first year-round indoor golf training centre franchise that literally guarantees results and is currently establishing itself in the Canadian market. And with over 30 franchises already awarded in Canada, and only opportunities in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec, to be sold, finding a location close to home shouldn't be too difficult.

Visit http://www.parmastersfranchise.com/ for franchising opportunities and details.

We Will Phone You Every Three Months

It was another busy and productive day at Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo. Our grand opening is now within sight, finally. These are exciting times, and sometimes overwhelming, as alluded to in my blog entry last night.

I enjoyed a sandwich at a local Tim Horton’s today. I’ve had the same type of sandwich many times in the past, but this one, today, just seemed different. I can’t quite put my finger on the difference. And thank goodness for that! The sandwich just seemed a little, I don’t know, perhaps “flat” is the correct word. That said, lunch today was still very enjoyable. It was a very comfortable respite from a hectic day!

I’m having some challenges with my virus protection software/subscription. I’m told I have to renew, that my subscription has expired. When I proceed onto the company’s website, and log into my account, I’m told my subscription will expire in, are you ready for this?, 356 days! Wow! I better renew today!

And so I search for a phone number, and none can be found. I eventually gave up. I’ll take up the quest again early tomorrow.

This is quite a contrast to the customer service we will offer once we open. Of course, I may be somewhat biased, but you can be the judge. We will phone each of our members once every three months, to simply ask how we’re doing and how we can do better. We won’t try to sell anything. We won’t offer any special promotions or soon to expire deals. We’ll simply tell each member, every three months, that we care about his/her experience within our golf training center, and we want to make that experience even better, and ask how we might do so. Oh, and if you want to call us, simply dial our number, which is found on virtually every page of our website.

Better golf. More fun. Guaranteed.

When a Task Seems Overwhelming

I had a good chat with Andrew Winston at Parmasters HQ this evening. It was “good” in that I learned quite a bit and he really challenged me to think outside the box and get creative with certain challenges. On the other hand, the magnitude of this challenge, the sheer amount of work to be done to open Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, on time and on budget, now seems really overwhelming.

I don’t mind admitting, entrepreneurship can be an emotional roller coaster. Don’t get me wrong; we’re absolutely focused on the task at hand. We’ll do whatever it takes to open this business and provide amazing service to our customers. It’s just that, at times, this entire process can become very stressful.

It’s at times like these, when a project seems completely overwhelming, that I try to employ a few tried and true strategies. For example:

1) Break the task down into smaller, more manageable, sub-tasks.

2) Do something. Get started. Just make some early progress. Build some momentum.

3) Leverage. Can some sub-tasks be handed off to other team members, friends, professionals, colleagues, etc.?

4) Don’t lose sight of the eventual outcome. Do some visioning. In this case, I picture the grand opening of Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo.

5) Challenge the feelings of being overwhelmed. Is the project really as daunting as it seems? Sometimes our minds play tricks on us, portraying something that is not reality.

6) Worst case scenario. Spend a little bit of time understanding the worst possible outcome. Once you do this, you generally realize that it’s not nearly as bad as you thought it was, before you really understood it.

7) Look to the wise words of others. (Please note this list is in no particular order.) Talk to a friend, a colleague, a confidante. Someone you trust. Someone that will tell it like it is. Someone with wisdom to share. I have done so recently and will do so again tomorrow.

8) Look to other wise words, such as those that follow.

“Never confuse activity with results.” -Lou Gerstner, former CEO, IBM

“Vision is not enough; it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps; we must step up the stairs.” -Vaclav Havel

“Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.” -unknown

“Some succeed because they are destined to. Most succeed because they are determined to.” -unknown

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” -Mark Twain

“No matter how big and tough a problem may be, get rid of confusion by taking one little step toward solution. Do something.” -George F. Nordenholt

Hockey Practice

I'm standing in the lobby of the arena and curling club in beautiful Wellesley, Ontario. I had my eldest son up at 5:30am for his 7:00am hockey practice. He's zipping around the face-off circles, forwards and backwards, while controlling a puck, as I type. It's a great drill that I did countless times myself some 25-35 years ago! Ouch!

Actually, to be fair, I didn't have to wake him. He had set his alarm and was just starting his breakfast at 5:20am, when I arrived in the kitchen. Impressive!

It will be another busy day in the office after this practice. It's just a busy period. We have a lot to do between now and January, to stay on schedule for a late spring or early summer opening. I'll blog more on specific schedules - and perhaps a press release - in the near future.

And later today I hope to enjoy, along with millions of others, the 95th contesting of three-down football supremacy. I suspect Saslatchewan fans will be celebrating later tonight.

Fifteen Minutes

Today was very productive. I worked late last night and started a little late this morning, but managed to clear up several outstanding tasks. I also managed to get a great start on some writing that I had been putting off. I’m not typically one to procrastinate, but there are certain tasks that I simply don’t enjoy.

To tackle this writing project, I used a friend’s 15-minute approach. Jim Estill advocates this strategy when procrastinating. Simply make a deal with yourself that you’ll tackle the task for 15 minutes. As Jim notes, we can all do pretty much anything for a mere 15 minutes. I did so this morning. I decided I’d put 15 minutes into this writing task and see what happened. Two hours later, when I finally came up for air, I realized I had just created a solid first draft.

While eating lunch I watched a bit of the LG Skins Game taking place at the Indian Wells Golf Resort in Indian Wells (surprisingly enough), California, USA. I witnessed Fred Couples pull out another skins game miracle, holing out for eagle from a deep green side bunker on the short par-5, 501 yard fourth hole.

The Globe and Mail provided a recap, which I’ve included below.

Couples off to flying start at Skins Game
Associated Press
November 24, 2007 at 4:27 PM EST

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Fred Couples knows one good shot can make a huge difference in the Skins Game.

After bouncing his drive off a spectator's bag and into the fairway and hitting his second shot into a bunker behind the green, Couples knocked his 35-yard shot out of the sand and into the hole to win $75,000 (U.S.) on Saturday.

"I don't think I played particularly well, but I did hole a shot," he said after taking the first day lead in the LG Skins Game.

His eagle on the par-5, 501-yard fourth hole was worth three skins because the previous two holes were tied.

"He got rewarded for hitting a great shot," defending champion Stephen Ames said.

The 48-year-old Couples hadn't played competitively for almost eight months because of back trouble.

"I'm very rusty, but excited to play," he said.

Ames, of Calgary, was the only other player to win a skin over the first nine holes of the two-day, 18-hole event. He picked up $25,000 by making a six-footer for birdie on the first hole.
Skins Game rookies Zach Johnson, this year's Masters champion, and Brett Wetterich were shut out.

"I think Zach and I are just waiting for the next nine holes; that's when all the big money comes up," Wetterich quipped.

The players usually are more relaxed on the first day of the tournament, joking and laughing, but things tend to get quieter when the big money is at stake on the second day.

Ames provided some fun on No. 9 when he pretended he was going to putt with a hockey stick. Couples joined in, waving his putter to challenge the hockey player.

Johnson said he didn't feel he needed to provide any levity.

"My wife says I'm not funny, so the pressure's off," he said, smiling.

He had several putts rim out of the cup, often shaking his head and grimacing.

The made-for-TV event is in its 25th year, and Couples is playing for the 14th time. He's the five-time tournament champion and has won 89 skins and more than $3.9 million, all topping the Skins Game list.

Most of the prize money remained up for grabs because the other five holes were tied on the first day. When the foursome tees off on No. 10 Sunday, that hole alone will be worth $270,000, and $900,000 of the $1 million purse will be at stake.

Couples' shot out of the sand was the highlight on a day when none of the four played especially well, at times making the relatively short, new course at Indian Wells Golf Resort resemble a gruelling U.S. Open layout.

Players are more aggressive in skins competition, not bothering to lay up shots in front of the green because they realize a par usually won't win a hole. That strategy sometimes leads to more shots straying into the rough or sailing beyond the pin.

"It was a little different scene out there for all of us, bombing drivers," Couples said. "In a regular tournament, you'd be doing different things. I changed some shots and hit some really pathetic shots."

When his bunker shot dropped on what seemed almost its final turn, Couples raised his arms in celebration, then added a brief end zone-type hip wiggle in the sand.

As Couples walked onto the green, some fresh bounce in his step, Johnson bowed to him a couple of times, honouring the player known as "King of the Skins."

The first six holes are worth $25,000, and Nos. 7-12 $50,000 apiece. The 13th through 17th carry a prize of $70,000 and No. 18 is worth $200,000.

A player takes a skin by winning a hole. If the hole is tied by any of the players, the money carries over and all four remain in the hunt. If there is a tie on the 18th, the players who tied enter a playoff.

Couples got a bonus along with the $75,000 he won on No. 4. Title sponsor LG had offered $50,000 in products for an eagle on either of the two par 5s on the course.

Parmasters Indianapolis-Noblesville, Indiana, USA Set to Open

It’s an exciting time within the Parmasters world. Our third center, worldwide, is about to open.

Parmasters Memphis, Tennessee, USA opened in June 2006.

Parmasters Guangzhou, China, opened earlier this year.

And now, Parmasters, Indianapolis-Noblesville, Indiana, USA is on the verge. Dave and Betty Anderson will open the center’s doors to members on Saturday December 1! The general public will be invited for their grand opening on Monday December 3!

All of us in the Parmasters family are very excited for the Andersons. They’ve worked many long, hard days, weeks and months to make this dream come true!

Following quickly on the heels of Parmasters Indianapolis-Noblesville are Parmasters Edmonton, Alberta (Colin Christensen) and our very own Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo. Right now it looks like Colin may swing open his doors a month or two before us, but we’re working hard to overtake him. There’s a steak dinner (wager) on the line!

I discovered this golf comedy blog today. I haven’t reviewed it in great detail, but I did have a few laughs.

The electricity went out here this evening. It was nice to sit down with a few candles and a good book.

It’s amazing really. We don’t typically notice with ongoing whir of various small and not-so-small electrical appliances and gadgets that surround us. But when they’re all stopped, the silence is wonderful. As I’m typing this, clearly the electricity has been restored. I miss the quiet.

Blessed Art Thou

I met with our Mizuno Golf Canada representative today. Each Parmasters Golf Training Center, our Kitchener-Waterloo location included, will offer custom-fitted, custom-built Mizuno golf clubs. We offer only the one brand, and only custom-fitted.

The representative was in town to call on various accounts and so offered to show me some of their innovations for the coming 2008 season. He was also interested in learning more about our operation, our schedule and our future location within Market Square in downtown Kitchener.

Amongst the new offerings from Mizuno golf:
- MP-57 professional series irons – a more forgiving iron to complete Mizuno’s MP iron series
- MX-950 game improvement irons – blending three distinct game improvement designs in a seamless set of irons
- MP-600 driver – with two movable and versatile eight gram weights to adjust ball flight
- MX-560 driver – designed for extreme distance and forgiveness

We also discussed many apparel innovations, including the Windlite Performance Mock which includes material that wicks away moisture while also generating heat and warmth.

The new clubs are gaining significant recognition and attention, as noted by this recent Golf magazine article.

This evening I was once again reminded of how incredibly lucky and blessed I am. A friend, Jim Estill, believes he lives a “charmed life.” I’m not sure I’m prepared for that particular phrase, but I was reminded tonight that despite the many challenges and stressful situations I currently face, I am incredibly and overwhelmingly lucky and blessed. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Chief Lieutenant and Great Testimonial

My productivity has really taken a hit lately, starting with a few days off and then this cold that I’m still fighting. It seemed just a little better today. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

I did manage to get a fair bit done today. I had been procrastinating, just a little, on some writing but today managed to complete most of a good first draft. There were many calls, of course. And I also conferenced with Parmasters HQ.

I hope I’m not stealing their thunder, but Parmasters HQ has apparently established an agreement with a third party firm whereby this firm will provide project oversight services to franchise owners throughout the build stage of each center. I don’t believe this firm will act as a general contractor, but rather more of a chief lieutenant to the franchise owner.

Details on all of this are still sketchy, but this is welcomed news. It would free the franchise owner, me, to focus on building the operation, staffing, building revenue, and ensuring operational expenses are managed effectively from the start.

In doing a little reading, I came across this testimonial from a recent member newsletter issued by Parmasters Memphis, in beautiful Tennessee, USA. I have removed the attribution.
September 2007
"About 2 Months ago, after realizing people were getting promoted based on their golf game and golf tips, I decided it was time I learn the game. I had tried years earlier, even took a couple lessons with a TPC Golf pro, but what he was telling me to do seemed to defy the laws of nature, though he made it out to be so easy. After 2-3 weeks of missing the ball, punching dirt up into my eyes, I was getting frustrated. I didn't even keep score, because a lot of times I took so many swings that we were holding up the next group, so I would pick up the ball and move on. Then, someone I met on the course told me about Parmasters. I fell in love immediately! I was still bad, but I felt like I could improve with a practice facility as awesome as Parmasters. I attended the free 2 hour "Hit the Ball Straight" seminar, and within 2 weeks, using the techniques I learned, I shot a 106. Since then I have been at Parmasters 3-4 days a week, shooting about 103 avg during my weekend golf rounds. The people are so friendly here, both staff and members, which is why I like to think of it as my Second Home. The facility is top notch and they are constantly upgrading things. On another note, I highly recommend the burgers!!"

Nationwide Tour Coming To Collingwood, Ontario

This cold I acquired while on my recent mini-vacation is unrelenting. We’re now into day 8 or 9 with no apparent end in sight. I'm told by one of the smartest people I know that anecdotally it seems the common cold has morphed into something more nasty and long-lasting, so I’m hoping that’s all it is, the “common cold.” It shut me down over the weekend and a lot of Monday, but I did manage to breathe enough today to make some good progress.

We had some good news for the local golf scene on Monday. Here’s the text of an article from the Globe and Mail.

Gretzky brings Nationwide Tour back to Canada

Canadian Press

November 19, 2007 at 9:19 PM EST

COLLINGWOOD, Ont. — The Nationwide Tour is returning to Canada with a little help from The Great One.

The Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic will be played next June at two courses near Collingwood, Ont., which is about 150 kilometres north of Toronto.
Gretzky said he was inspired to start the event after attending the Nationwide Tour tournament in Greenville, S.C.

"Each and every year we've gone to the Nationwide event in Greenville it's just been better each and every time," Gretzky said in an interview with the Golf Channel on Monday. "That's where we came up with the concept of 'Wow, this is such a great tournament, we should do one of these in Canada."'

It will feature a field of 160 Nationwide Tour players, each of whom will be paired with a celebrity or amateur player for at least two rounds. The Nationwide pros will be playing for one of the largest purses of the year — US$800,099 — and all four rounds will be televised on The Golf Channel.

The tournament, hosted by Gretzky, will be split between The Georgian Bay Club and the Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay, which was co-designed by Thomas McBroom and PGA Tour player Tom Lehman and opened in 2006.

"What we hope to do by having this event in Canada is raise the awareness that youngsters in Canada can get to the PGA," Gretzky said. "It takes a lot of time and you have to put in a lot of effort but there are stepping stones to getting on the PGA Tour.

"The Nationwide is a nice stepping stone and hopefully my event will give it some exposure in my country."

Gretzky is an avid golfer and played in the pro-am at the CN Canadian Women's Open this summer at Royal Mayfair in Edmonton.

The Nationwide Tour last held events in Canada in 2005, when the CPGA Championship was played in Cambridge, Ont., and the Alberta Classic was held in Calgary.

Mini-vacation

I visited Market Square, our future location, this afternoon, to take some measurements. We’re working on some rough drawings and floor plans. Our architect/designer will finalize the layout, but it’s helpful for us to develop a rough idea.

I took a little mini-vacation Friday through Monday. No work. It was very strange. Friday and Monday were very enjoyable. I just did exactly what I wanted to do, morning through night. Both days were wonderful! Saturday and Sunday I stayed around home and relaxed, or attempted to relax, as much as possible. Of course, upon my return on Tuesday there was plenty to do.

And somehow, over the course of this mini-vacation, I came down with a head cold. I’ve mentioned this to a few people and each of them has said that’s always the way; you slow down for a few days and a cold catches you! Interesting theory.

I have some writing to do this week, which is something I don’t really enjoy. That probably sounds strange, as you read this on my blog. Why does a non-writer blog? I guess it’s just the type of writing. I enjoy writing for my blog, as I am doing right this second, but do not enjoy other, more arduous and detailed writing. But, of course, it’s necessary.

Well, for now, back to my backlog of work.

Full Of Life

I’ve been a very bad blogger of late. Hardly a blogger at all really. And this just a month or so removed from my Absentee Blogger post.

Part of the problem, as alluded to in another recent post, is that I can’t really blog much about our golf training center right now. The things I’m working on don’t allow for much public disclosure. And since the center is my passion, and what I love to blog about, when I can’t write about it, there’s a tendency to write less.

I look forward to a time when my day-to-day tasks can be more public and appropriate for publication via this blog and other avenues.

I ran 10 kms (10K) late Saturday afternoon. I’ve been getting back into running over the last few years and recently started running in a few organized/charity 5Ks. On Saturday, I had planned to run 5K. But before my run, I started considering whether I should do the route twice, and do 10K for the first time in a very long time.

At about the 4.5 km mark, where I had to decide whether to head back home or continue, I decided to continue. I felt good. Somewhere close to the 6.5 km mark I started to lose my form. My legs tired and I started getting a little sloppy. After another 2 km my legs were starting to get sore, partly from the extra exertion, and partly due to my poor form. I corrected as best I could, and finished fairly strong.

I’m glad I did it and will likely do so again. Setting the challenge and then meeting it, was enjoyable.

And lastly, I play a little pick-up hockey late Tuesday afternoons. This evening I had a very delightful opportunity to talk a little hockey with an exceptional young man. He was just a real joy to be with. Very polite and full of life. A strong skater and solid on the puck too. He definitely stands out both on and off the ice. As you can tell, he made quite a lasting impression. I’m hoping, someday, for at least a little while, he’ll work in one of our golf training centers. His future is very bright and he’ll succeed at whatever he tackles in life. I walked away feeling richer for having met him, and also inspired to be just a little more “full of life”, like him.

The Wise Words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I met with a true rainmaker on Friday, and was happily reminded of these famous and powerful words by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

“Until one is committed, there is always hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help that would never have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising to one's favor all manner of unforeseen accidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”

This prompted me to do a quick web search for other nuggets from this 18th century poet, novelist, playwright and philosopher.


“For a contented life:
Health enough to make work a pleasure.
Wealth enough to support your needs.
Strength to battle with difficulties and overcome them.
Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them.
Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished.
Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor.
Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others.
Faith enough to make real the things of God.
Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning your future.”


“Nothing shows our character more than what we laugh at.”


“We must not hope to be mowers,
And to gather the ripe gold ears,
Unless we have first been sowers
And watered the furrows with tears.
It is not just as we take it,
This mystical world of ours,
Life's field will yield as we make it
A harvest of thorns or of flowers.”


“They are happiest, be they king or peasant, who find peace in their home.”


“Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it,
and others do just the same with their time.”


“Treat people as if they were what they should be,
and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.”


I sourced these quotes from a single web site (www.livinglifefully.com).

Adoption

A friend asked me recently why I haven’t blogged a lot about the center – Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo – lately. The answer is fairly straightforward. I simply can’t. The things we’re working on right now, the current day-to-day tasks, are simply not for public consumption.

From the very beginnings of this blog I’ve strived to very open and forthright. But there will be times, and this is just such a time, when I must be a little quiet about the daily activities within our business.

I look forward to a time, soon, when I’ll be able to blog more freely about the daily triumphs and opportunities.

I spoke to my parents this evening. They live approximately 200 kms away, so there are more phone calls than face to face visits. And Sunday evenings seems to be their preferred time for a chat.

They told me that one of my distant cousins had passed away. At one point, last spring, she thought she had Celiac Disease. My eldest thrives with Celiac Disease, so she called me to ask a few questions. I hadn’t spoken to her much and did my best to help. She didn’t have Celiac.

The funeral is Tuesday, with visitation on Monday afternoon and evening.

The call, as well as other recent conversations, lead me to think about family. I entered the Southern family via an adoption. My parents adopted me when I was an infant.

There are times when my connection to the Southern family seems tenuous. You see, we’re not a close family by any stretch of the imagination. For the most part each set of siblings and parents seem to get along. But when the family stretches out to cousins, there seem to be little fiefdoms, age-old quarrels and misunderstandings.

My parents do their best to stay in touch with most of their cousins, and thus I get updates and, to some extent, stay in touch with many of my cousins also. But what happens when my parents move on from this life? My connection is via them.

I wonder if, when my parents have moved on, I will feel somewhat family-less. And I wonder what that might feel like.

It seems to me, for parents of sons and daughters who’ve been adopted, and I chose those words very carefully, it seems to me that it’s vitally important that those parents ensure that their sons and daughters build strong relationships with their extended family, with their cousins and aunts and uncles. Those sons and daughters will benefit from those relationships when their parents leave this life.

As for choosing those words carefully, as a son that was adopted, I firmly believe that terms like “adoptive parent” and “adopted children” are both inaccurate and hurtful. Adoption is an act, not a label and certainly not an adjective. Parents that adopt are not “adoptive parents.” They’re parents. Sons and daughters that have entered a family via an adoption are not “adopted sons” or “adopted daughters.” They’re sons and they’re daughters. Every child should know the comfort and security of having a “mom,” not an “adoptive mom,” and a “dad,” not an “adoptive dad.”

Somewhere out there, for each child that has experienced and adoption, there may be a “birth mom” and a “birth dad.” That’s fine. But with the child on a daily basis, doing all of the mom things and all of the dad things, is simply a “mom” and a “dad.” It must be that simple.

Golf More Difficult To "Master"?

The average PGA major champion won at age 31.3, having played golf, and no doubt worked at the sport for approximately 23 years. For the LPGA the numbers are age 25.5 and approximately 16.5 years of playing, training, practicing, etc.

Of course, when describing a major champion on the LPGA or PGA tour the term "average" seems ridiculous. We're talking about average ages, not average golfers!

As reported in the September 2007 issue of the RCGA's Golf Canada (p. 34), the U.S. Olympian's Association studied "all sports" between 1984 and 1998. They found it "took athletes an average of 10 years of specific sport training to reach an international level of competitiveness."

The PGA of America then looked specifically at golf, as far back as the Bobby Jones era.

Ten years ("all sports") versus 16.5 years (female golfers) and 23 years (male golfers). Wow!

On the surface this data would seem to suggest that mastery of golf is more challenging, or simply takes much longer than mastery of other sports. The industry may choose to look inward and question teaching methods, training, coaching, etc. Golf could take this data and initiate a revolution, assuming we must usher along talented players with more urgency and proficiency. We must reduce the TTM (Time To Major)!

I'm not convinced.

I suspect the two studies have used dramatically different yard sticks. Having not read the studies, there's certainly some conjecture herein. The Olympian study apparently speaks of reaching an "international elite level of competitiveness" while the PGA study focuses on major champions.

Those are two differing measures. A golfer can compete at an "international elite level" for his/her entire career and never win a major. The media loves to pass along the label of the "current best player to never win a major." A few years ago some experts wondered if Phil Mickelson would ever hoist a major trophy. None ever questioned his status as an "international elite" golfer!

The devil, as they say, lies in the details. How did the Olympian study actually measure this "international elite level" in each sport? And how does that compare with winning an LPGA or PGA major?

I've searched for the U.S. Olympian's Association study but have not found it.

In the meantime, we at Parmasters will continue to teach our clients how to hit the ball straight, guaranteed. Perhaps we'll have to wait some 16 or 23 years before one of our Straight-Line(TM) golfers wins a major.

I suspect the wait will be much shorter!

Golf in Verse

I found these to be quite enjoyable. Hopefully you will as well. I found them at Pasturegolf.com.

I've tried all the tips and received much instruction.
It didn't help at all so I used deduction.
I figured it out, the thing my game lacks.
I'll never be a pro cause I can't stand the slacks.
- John Prince

Some golfers blast their ball from traps
With one adroit explosion,
But others, out in ten perhaps,
Depend upon erosion.
- Richard Armour, Golf is a Four-Letter Word (1962)

Some golfers lie awake at night
And brood on what went wrong;
I'd rather think of what went right.
It doesn't take as long.
- Dick Emmons

When hitting wedge shots, I've a flair
That's turning my hair gray;
They stop, I swear, right next to where
The pin was...yesterday.
- Dick Emmons

I sank a long and curling putt,
It's like I've seldom seen;
It would have helped my scoring but,
'Twas on the practice green.
-Richard Armour, Golf is a Four-Letter Word

If only I kept my eye on the ball,
Looking downward as does the pro there,
I might not see where it was going, at all,
But there might be a chance it would go there.
- Richard Armour, Golf is a Four-Letter Word

And thus, with self-deception bland,
We mourn the fours that should have been,
Forgetting, on the other hand,
The luck that helped us through the green;
Calmly accepting as our due
The four-hole which we fluked in two.
- Thomas Risk, The Lyric of the Links

Arson in Cannington, Ontario

My home town, Cannington, Ontario, awoke this past Sunday morning to some tragic news. Two churches were on fire, along with a few automobiles.

Cannington is a small town, with a population hovering around 1,000. I've joked that there are only 999 since I left in 1985. Everyone knows everyone. As I told a close friend recently, I estimate that I have a memory of some sort attached to at least two-thirds of the homes in town.

There are, or were, four churches in Cannington, all Christian: United, Baptist, Anglican and Presbyterian.

The Presbyterian church was destroyed. The United church, my childhood church, suffered significant damage in the lower level.

Of course, I'm using the term "church" rather loosely to signify "church building." "Church" more accurately signifies the people, the members. Happily, in that sense, the "churches", the people, were not harmed.

Of course, arson is suspected. A local 17 year old male has been charged.

You can learn more about this tragedy within the news articles below. I've included the full text of one article and links to others. (My apologies as these links will no doubt go stale quickly.)

- 680 News
- A-Channel News (video)
- CTV News
- Toronto Sun
- Blog entry by a local citizen


Youth charged in rash of Cannington fires
(From newsdurhamregion.com.)
Tue Oct 09, 2007

By: By Jeff Hayward

CANNINGTON -- A 17-year-old Cannington boy is facing 15 charges in connection with $4 million in arson damages, including a fire that destroyed a historic church early Sunday morning.

Durham Regional Police responded to multiple calls in the Laidlaw Street area in Cannington on Sunday, Oct. 7, starting at approximately 4 a.m. Officers arrived to find four vehicles on fire, and shortly after were alerted about a fire at Trinity United Church. Within the hour, another vehicle was set on fire along with the Knox Presbyterian Church, according to police.

Shortly after, officers assisted by the canine unit tracked a suspect to a nearby home and arrested the youth, according to police. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named under the Youth Justice Act, is charged with two counts of break, enter and commit-arson, seven counts of arson, five counts of mischief and a charge of breach of recognizance.

The damage to the Presbyterian church, a 144-year-old building, required the structure to be taken down. Demolition crews were on scene Tuesday morning to start the process, which Brock firefighters said could take days.

Lay Pastor Judy Hein was there to witness the remainder of her church being destroyed.

"This is people's lives and memories," she said of the church. She said she will have to meet with the church congregation to determine where services will be held in the near future, noting other churches in the area have been supportive. "It's going to take weeks to sort out."

Ms. Hein smiled with the fact furniture inside, including pews over 100 years old, were salvaged relatively undamaged.

Also watching the church come down was Stewart Arksey, who said he has lived in Cannington all his life. "I've never seen anything like this," he said of the fire.

Meanwhile, the Presbyterian community wasn't without a meeting place on the long Thanksgiving weekend. Cannington residents Doreen and Grant Oliver, also witnessing the demolition, invited 23 members of the church into their home.

Ms. Hein, who became emotional for a short time as she watched crews prepare to bring down the old building, explained the church had recently been renovated inside. She said she received a call Sunday at about 4 a.m. from the Office of the Fire Marshal, and firefighters returned to the site again in the afternoon to battle "hot spots" in the building.

Firefighters on scene did not say if the Trinity United Church, two blocks from Knox Presbyterian, will face a similar fate. But a drive-by of the building revealed minimal visible exterior damage. The Sunday service of the United Church was moved to the Cannington Lions' Hall, said Ms. Hein.

Police are pegging the collective damage from the blazes at $4 million. No injuries were reported.

A police command post has been set up on the site of the Knox Presbyterian Church at the corner of Cameron Street and Peace Street in Cannington. Anyone with information about the fire can visit that location or contact Det. Sgt. Herb Curwain at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 2674. Anonymous tips can be made to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) and tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Mill Run, near Uxbridge, Ontario

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to all! The temperatures made it seem more like Canada Day than Thanksgiving!

I competed in the 10th or 11th staging of the Peace Street Classic golf tournament yesterday. It's a prestigious event, an invitational tournament restricted to only the highest calibre of poor golfers.

To qualify you must:
- have grown up (or atleast aged) on Peace Street in Cannington, Ontario
- said growing (or merely aging) must have occured between 1965 and 1985
- your initials must be JB or SS
- you must have spent countless hours playing road hockey or riding your bike up and down Peace Street
- you must have spent even more hours playing minor hockey through the winter (and fall and spring) in the local barn-like arena (still standing)

Jeff, the JB in the group, lives in the Newmarket area now and has but one tie left to Cannington. His paternal grandmother resides in the local nursing home. The family home, located a three-quarter lob wedge north of my childhood home, was sold a few years ago. His mother is in Lindsay.

We meet a few times each year and compete in match play for the coveted hardware. Oh yes, there is hardware, and it is coveted!

Yesterday was my first victory since the coveted hardware was established. I didn't play all that well. Jeff just struggled a little more than normal.

We played in a beautiful fall setting just west of Uxbridge, Ontario. The course was Mill Run. I believe you can find it at golfmillrun.com or .ca. We played the Wheel nine and the Grind nine.

The leaves were a beautiful colour. The elevation changes made for wonderful vistas, especially on the par-5 15th on the Grind nine, a hole I birdied.

Our 10th hole, number 1 on the Grind nine, is a fun, short par-4 with a tough green backed by an amazing patch of Sumac.

The leaves were amazing colours. Of course, perhaps I'm biased. I love Sumac!

Advancing (Age) with Golf

I read with interest a recent article in the RCGA’s Golf Canada titled “Game of a Lifetime.”

“A York University stuffy has concluded that golf does indeed live up to its reputation as the game of a lifetime, good news for baby boomer golfers looking to stay active despite turning 60.”

Joe Baker, a professor at York, studied 96 PGA Tour golfers, each whom had logged at least 12 years on the tour. The study looked at “scoring average, driving distance, driving accuracy, greens in regulation, putts per round and number of competitive rounds played.”

Baker concluded that “performance in golfing can be maintained to a much greater extent than performance in activities relying on biologically-constrained abilities.”

Other conclusions included:
- Among the statistics studied, driving distance and greens in regulation declined most rapidly with age
- Declines in scoring average and putts per round were “minimal”
- Driving accuracy “improved a little for players past the age of 50”

From a business perspective, as we work towards the opening of Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, I obviously find this data encouraging. We’ve all always known that golf can be played, and even mastered, by those of advanced years, even if the game is discovered late in life.

However, as an organization that guarantees to deliver a 25% reduction in your handicap, or your money back, we’re very happy to hear that scoring average suffers from only a “minimal” decline as a golfer ages.

And of course, on a personal note, since I don’t get to play much golf now, and I’m not sure if/when I will play very much, I’m buoyed by the prospect of playing well for quite some time to come.

For now, keep it in the short grass, especially ye who are 50+!

Oktoberfest

I’ve just returned from my eldest son’s first hockey practice. Well, not officially his first, just his first for this season. He’s played defense for years but may play right wing this coming season. It was nice to hear him so excited about the coaching staff, the team and the season that lies before him.

Earlier today I attended – for the very first time – the official keg tapping that kicks off Oktoberfest. Wunderbar! I’d always wanted to attend, but never found the time.

This year I was also interested in how the festivities affected the downtown core. The event was held, and I guess is always held, in the civic square in front of Kitchener City Hall. King Street was closed in front of City Hall, but open elsewhere. There’s a temporary (tent) fest hall on Frederick Street, between King and Duke Streets, and other installations, also on Frederick, between King and Charles Streets.

Thinking pessimistically, I might lament that these temporary road closures will make life difficult for our members and other clients as they enter and exit Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, to be located within Market Square at the corner of King and Frederick Streets. However, I don’t like to think pessimistically.

In reality, Oktoberfest is great for the downtown core, and it will be great for our center and our members and clients as well. While ingress and egress may be slightly more challenging during Oktoberfest and other festivals, the festivals themselves offer countless benefits. I can’t wait till next year, to see what our staff comes up with as we help Kitchener-Waterloo celebrate Oktoberfest!

For now, it’s soon time to call it a night.

Causes

I've been thinking a little lately about the causes we will support.

Our franchisor supports Right To Play (I'd provide a link but I'm blogging via my Blackberry.). For every golf lesson we provide, one dollar goes to Right To Play. They use sport and play in worn torn areas of the world to help children cope, to give them hope and to build bridges in regions where walls are more common.

Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo will offer an amazing, open and inviting space. We will also have access to media, various golf-themed events and a large, thoughtful membership. We have a lot to offer, and a lot of reasons to give back to our full capability.

My eldest son lives with ... no, he thrives with Celiac Disease. That means he must ensure he doesn't eat wheat, rye, oats or barley. If he ingests as much as speck of flour he may become violently ill. I'll blog more about Celiac in the future. For this entry, suffice it to say that Celiac Disease is a cause I'd like to see us support.

Other loved ones and friends live and thrive with other challenges. There are many causes very near and dear to my heart.

I realize, of course, that we must prioritize and focus. We can't solve all the world's problems. If we try to do too much, we won't do much at all! And our primary focus must always be serving our members and other clients, and thus delivering an exceptional return to our shareholders.

We'll approach this in a very thoughtful and strategic manner. We simply want to ensure we maximize our positive impact both locally and globally.

Absentee Blogger

In posting this entry tonight, I’ve avoided going a full two weeks since my last blog post! Two weeks!

I’ve never before had such a long stretch without a blog post.

There are many factors or influencers that motivate me to write and post entries. For the most part, I feel an urge to express some thought(s) or opinion, or to pass along some information, etc. But there is also some blog/peer pressure in the blogosphere. And I even feel guilt at times, like now, when it’s been a really long time between posts.

According to Blogger I’ve posted 183 entries since this blog was established on September 4, 2006. September 2006, as it turns out, was a month that saw the beginning of several personal journeys, including this blog. In some ways it seems like yesterday. In others, it truly seems like a lifetime has passed. But, of course, that’s another story.

There were 69 blog entries in 2006 and 114 so far in 2007. A quick calculation reveals 393 days, inclusive, in that period, and thus one post/entry every 2.1 days (i.e. 393/183) on average.

I don’t really have much of an explanation for my being a recent absentee blogger. It’s certainly a busy time, but not as busy as many other periods in the past 393 days. And it’s certainly a stressful time, and yes perhaps a little more stressful than any other period in the past 393 days, but only slightly more stressful. There’s a lot happening within the normal spheres of thought and discourse that I tend to blog about (e.g. Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo, the local golf scene, professional golf, day to day life, etc.), so there would seem to be lots of topics and lots to say. And yet, blogging temporarily moved to a lower priority.

I believe in the power of routines. We all love our routines and don’t appreciate it much when our routines are interrupted or disrupted. Humans are creatures of habit, for the most part shunning change.

Routines can serve both a positive purpose (i.e. getting into a routine of posting blog entries regularly) or they can be less positive (i.e. routinely typing on a Blackberry when one should be focusing elsewhere).

I’ve heard that it takes some 21 days/iterations to form a habit. So, if I posted daily for 21 days … hmmm.

Old Friends

I spoke with several old friends today. Not old in the age sense! Just good friends that I’ve known as friends for a long time.

Some of these are very close and I see them frequently. Others aren’t quite as close, and maybe I don’t see them quite so frequently, but they’re still dear old friends.

There’s a particular comfort in spending time with old friends that is hard to describe and yet, hopefully, quite familiar to us all. You can say what you think and what you feel. You don’t worry about any form of judgment whatsoever. You can laugh about old shared jokes and experiences, and freely make up new jokes and experiences on the fly. Old friends are comfortable, like a well worn pair of jeans or shoes that you just don’t ever want to part with.

Each of these old-friend encounters was business related. An update. A consultation. A gut check. A second opinion. A very honest second opinion.

Old friends are trusted.

I also got to spend some precious time, late in the day, with a new friend. It was a wonderful juxtaposition. This young individual impressed me to no end. I suspect, in fact I believe that this new friendship will grow substantially for the rest of our lives. And someday, when I speak or write of old friends, this young individual will be top of mind.

For all old friends were once new friends, young friends.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." –Anais Nin, 20th century writer and diarist

Audit

It’s been a long day. And there’s still lots to do.

We’re in the middle of our first audit. I’ve spent a large part of the evening assembling files, papers, etc. Everything is well organized, so it didn’t take as long as it could have.

However, I’m sure through this audit process I’ll learn that certain items could be filed differently. There will be small changes to my systems to make the next audit easier.

We continue discussions with various leasing companies regarding our equipment needs. All signs suggest that we’re getting close to an agreement. Our suppliers have been very helpful, providing all of the information required by the leasing companies.

We closed our pool over the weekend. My boys have grown substantially over the summer – must have been all the rain and sun – and thus have become far more capable with various tasks around the house. It was nice working with them to close the pool. We also visited a local golf practice area and worked on their games.

I’ve been doing a lot of driving lately; visiting shareholders to have them sign a document. That occupied most of this morning. Only three more signatures to go now! Unfortunately, two of those shareholders are several hours away. Not sure when I’ll make that trek. Perhaps Canada Post will be faster and easier.

Well, back at it. Just one more task for tonight, and then a walk to clear my head. Early start tomorrow.

My First 5K

I ran in my first 5 km road race over the weekend. I’d never experienced such an event, so it was all new to me.

I had a fantastic time! Everything about the entire day was just perfect, from start to finish. And the start was very early! I wouldn’t have changed a thing. The event was really well organized and I thoroughly enjoyed the run. I can’t wait to do it again!

The rest of the weekend was spent in the office, working away. Lots to do, as always.

We’re now well into a provincial election campaign here in Ontario. I tend to follow current events fairly closely, but must admit that I get tired of reading the daily litany of promises and pledges that fills the newspaper each day during a campaign. I am hoping to do better during this campaign, and ensure my vote is suitably informed.

I wonder if the politicians will enjoy their race as much as I enjoyed the 5K. For their sake, I hope so.

Unbelievable Math Problem

A friend sent the following “unbelievable math problem” via email the other day. It was one of those emails that have been traveling around the Internet for many years.

I decided that I’d try to decode the mysteries of this trick and, in doing so, perhaps refresh some of my early high school algebra. Since my sons will soon enter high school and may want some math help from yours truly, it seemed like a fun and perhaps helpful exercise.

Here’s the email:
Here is a math trick so unbelievable that it will stump you. Personally I would like to know who came up with this and why that person is not running the country.
1. Grab a calculator. (you won't be able to do this one in your head)
2. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the Area code)
3. Multiply by 80
4. Add 1
5. Multiply by 250
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
7. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
8. Subtract 250
9. Divide number by 2
Do you recognize the answer?

The answer is, of course, your seven digit phone number. Here’s an example, using the number 765-4321 for illustration purposes.

The first three digits are 765.
765 x 80 = 61,200
Add 1 to get 61,201
61201 x 250 = 15,300,250
Add the last four digits, or 4321, to get 15,304,571
Add the last four digits, or 4321, again to get 15,308,892
Subtract 250 to yield 15,308,642
Divide by 2 and we’re back to 7,654,321, or 765-4321
Very cool!

So, how does it work?

Well, clearly there are two variables: the first three digits of the phone number and the last four digits of the phone number. I called these “X” and “Y” respectively. The entire phone number I called “Z”.

Quickly you can see that the formula for z is:
Z = (X x 10,000) + Y
Why 10,000? Well, because we have to move the first three digits, or X, over to the left by four spaces/digits. We then add the last four digits, or Y.
So, in our example:
Z = (765 x 10,000) + 4,321 … which equals … 7,650,000 + 4,321 … which equals … 7,654,321 or 765-4321
Thus, our formula works. Indeed, Z = (X x 10,000) + Y.

My next step was to translate the directions in the email into an expression. Here it is:

Z = ((((X x 80) + 1) x 250) + Y + Y - 250) / 2

Now all I had to do was adjust or simplify the above expression, as presented in the email, to Z = (X x 10,000) + Y.

I started by applying the division-by-2 to all elements within the braces.

Z = ((((X x 80) + 1) x 250) / 2) + Y/2 + Y/2 - 250/2

This can be quickly simplified to:

Z = ((((X x 80) + 1) x 250) / 2) + (Y+ Y)/2 - 125

And further simplified to:

Z = ((((X x 80) + 1) x 250) / 2) + Y - 125

Now focusing within the braces, we can apply the division-by-2 to the 250.

Z = (((X x 80) + 1) x 250/2) + Y - 125

Which further simplifies to:

Z = (((X x 80) + 1) x 125) + Y - 125

Now focusing within the braces, we can apply the multiply-by-125 to the two elements.

Z = (((X x 80) x 125) + (1 x 125)) + Y - 125

Which simplifies to:

Z = (((X x 80) x 125) + 125) + Y - 125

And further simplifies to:

Z = (X x 80 x 125) + 125 + Y - 125

And further simplifies to:

Z = (X x 10,000) + Y

Which of course, is what we were after. Now, if only I had a better recall of integrals, matrices and the other joys of high school algebra.

Memphis Newsletter

I read the Monthly Member Newsletter from Parmasters Memphis this morning. It won’t be long before we at Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo are publishing something similar.

It was good to see that Parmasters Memphis is making great progress. It wasn’t all that long ago that I attended their grand opening. And now, in this September Newsletter, they’ve initiated their first member survey, gathering feedback in the interests of improving constantly.

They’ve also just hired a Manager of Member Support and a Manager of Marketing. I’m sure these new team members are already bringing a wealth of energy to the most amazing indoor golf training center in Memphis, in the United States, and yes, in the world!

I was also impressed to read that the Kaizen Korner (aka pro shop) at Parmasters Memphis is now carrying the Argon Putter Training System. The Argon hails from beautiful New Hamburg, Ontario. I blogged about it recently here.

The team at Parmasters Memphis, lead by owners Mike Allen and Mario Bertagna, have been leading the charge within the Parmasters system. They opened the first center and that’s a massive understatement. The center they built is second to none! The videos you see on the Parmasters website come from Memphis. They’ve done a great job, and a great service to the Parmasters system, and all future Parmasters members and clients.

A System for Golf Instruction

“Golfers' handicaps remain stagnant, despite improvements in equipment, course conditions and advances in the science of the swing. According to the National Golf Foundation data from 2005, the average handicap index for men has remained about 15 and for women about 23 for decades.” (From The perfect swing is all in my head, by Lorne Rubenstein, 31 August 2007, Globe and Mail.)

Rubenstein goes on to lament that two great teachers recently gave him diametrically opposite advice. “[Renowned golf instructor David] Leadbetter examined my swing a few years ago and said, ‘With the shape of your swing, I wouldn't try to do anything but fade the ball.’ Not long after that, I joined Chuck Cook for a game. Cook, the late Payne Stewart's swing coach, said nothing about my swing until we reached the 14th hole at the National, Canada's ultimate examination of one's game. … ‘You know, I've been watching the shape of your swing,’ Cook said, ‘and if I were you, I wouldn't try to do anything but hook the ball.’”

You can find the entire article here.

I blogged in June about an Ontario Golf magazine article by Ted McIntyre in which he argued that the average handicap index was being inflated by more challenging courses, the influx of new golfers, etc.

At Parmasters, we guarantee results.
- If you have an established handicap, we guarantee 25% off that handicap, and
- If you’re a golfer without an established handicap we guarantee 25% off your handicap equivalent.
- Even if you’re a new golfer, we guarantee twenty strokes off your score!!

This is one of the many reasons why I’m so excited and happy to be the local Parmasters franchise owner!

When you come to Parmasters KW to learn, whether you are starting from scratch, or trying to improve on scratch, you will never here conflicting advice from our coaches. We have a system for teaching. And we use that teaching system to teach you a system for hitting the ball straight. So when you leave, yes, you will have a system that will allow you to consistently hit the ball straight.

Our Chief Pro and Co-founder, Scott Hazledine, has been teaching Straight-line Golf™ for more than a dozen years. He’s always offered a 40% reduction in handicap, or your money back. No one has ever asked for their money back!

You can find some testimonials here.

Will the rapid growth of Parmasters and the rapid adoption of Straight-line Golf lead to a reduction in the overall average handicap index? Will Lorne Rubenstein write an article in ten years to that effect? I’m not sure. McIntyre may be correct; perhaps the average handicap index is a jaded metric.

But, on an individual level, will we at Parmasters KW improve the golf games of our students? Absolutely, by at least 25%, guaranteed!

You See What You Look For

"To a large degree, the world around you is a mirror of that which is within you. You see what you look for. People treat you as you expect to be treated. The things you experience come from the actions you take. With your thoughts and actions you can make it what you want it to be."
-Ralph Marston

Focus On A Target

I’ve just returned from a late afternoon practice. The range and practice area were fairly busy, which is good to see. We still have several months left in the season.

Today was fairly quiet. Not too many calls made or received, and no meetings, which is very rare these days. It was a good opportunity to bear down on a variety of office work that required my attention. I made a lot of progress on many fronts. Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo is quickly becoming a reality. We'll open for business this coming winter!

This past Sunday morning I played Foxwood Country Club with an old friend and two new friends. As we made our way around the eighteen holes, I was struck by a thought. For the bulk of my 17 years of golfing, I’ve focused on the dangers that lurk left and right of each fairway and green, rather than focusing on my target. This was quite a revelation!

On just about every tee block, I’ve looked out at the hole before me and considered all of the dangers. Then, as I approach the ball and prepare to swing, my thought pattern has revolved around avoiding the dangers. To put it mildly, that’s terrible!

I should, to state the obvious, be focusing on my target. Those in the know say it’s not even enough to pick out a bunker off in the distance as a target, or a large piece of fairway. Experts agree, your target should be very small and very specific. You can use that bunker as a target, but only the right edge, or the left edge, or that little section of sand that juts out somewhere. Or perhaps your target is a tree. If so, it can’t be the entire tree, branches and all, but must focus down to the trunk.

I’ve decided to really work on this. I know it will be a long, uphill battle. Seventeen years is a long time. Thus, I’m sure this bad habit is very deeply engrained.

And clearly I won’t ignore the various dangers on every hole. Far from it. Again, as experts agree, I will consider my various options on each hole and develop a plan for each hole, one after another. Each plan will include very specific targets for each shot.

Then, when it comes time to execute each shot, I will focus exclusively and very intently on my chosen target.

Thus, the dangers are considered, but they’re not the focus.

I’ll try to remember to report back on my progress.

Mentoring

I’ve been thinking a lot about mentors lately. Specifically, I’m considering approaching one or two individuals to see if they would lend their expertise, as a mentor. I would hope to meet with each regularly, perhaps monthly, or bi-weekly, to discuss challenges, successes and new opportunities.

I set time aside this past Saturday to build a short list of potential candidates. Obviously I’m considering their business and life experience, how well we get along, whether they can spare the time, etc.

I’ve enjoyed great relationships with mentors in the past, whether they were formally declared as such or not. I’ve also mentored others, both formally – having been asked to mentor – and informally, which just happens.

I’ve also worked with advisory boards in the past. A good advisory board can be like a mentor. In my case, my advisors helped launch a business and kept me focused on the most critical tasks. Sometimes they were gentle and, well, nurturing. At other times they were brutally honest, and even angry. At all times, they cared and were very much engaged.

I’m looking for the same dynamic from any mentor that I approach. I’m looking for honesty. A kind and positive word when appropriate. A kick in the butt when appropriate.

My only concern as I take this path is ensuring that the time is well spent and well worth it, both for me and for the mentor. I will receive business coaching. The mentor will receive the satisfaction of having helped, and perhaps a free breakfast periodically.

However, if I don’t listen to the coaching, or don’t follow at least some of the advice offered, them I’m not really receiving business coaching. And, in that case, my mentor clearly won’t receive any satisfaction from having helped.

Thus, clearly, it’s back to my list. It’s critically important that I approach the right individual. Hopefully he’ll say yes.

Healthy Habits

We’ve made some significant progress on my fronts this week. It’s an exciting time. We’ve started designing our space, our floor plan. We’re talking to suppliers about the larger pieces of equipment we will need, arranging any required financing, etc. And of course, we continue to work closely with our landlord on a variety of details.

I received a rather vague email from a friend’s assistant yesterday. My colleague wants to book a meeting to talk about a job/role that I’ve never heard of. I’m not sure if it’s his company or mine. But, the fact is, this colleague is a “rainmaker.” He makes things happen, lots of things, lots of very good things. It’s a distinct pleasure to have him in my network of friends. I’m hoping he needs a favour, as he’s helped me immeasurably lately. We’ll book the meeting!

Another friend, Jim Estill, posted a blog entry recently that focused on an article on healthy habits from Web MD. These are the habits, along with how I’m doing on each.

1 – Eat breakfast every morning – I never miss either a bowl of cold cereal (Shreddies) with skim milk or peameal bacon and eggs over medium with whole wheat toast.

2 – Get enough Omega-3 – I rarely eat fish, and while I do take a vitamin supplement, it likely doesn’t satisfy my Omega-3 requirements.

3 – Get enough sleep – I’m currently only getting 5.5 to 6.5 hours per night, with the odd night of 7 or 8 hours, and also the odd night of 4 hours or so.

4 – Make social connections – I’ve fallen down on this lately, focusing on the business.

5 – Exercise – I tend to workout (resistance training) three days a week for close to an hour each day, and I try to run once a week but have definitely missed many weeks lately.

6 – Practice good dental hygiene – I’m doing ok on this front.

7 – Take up a hobby – Do sports count? I golf in the summer and play hockey in the winter.

8 – Protect your skin – Again, I think I’m fairly diligent.

9 – Snack the healthy way – I could improve here. I don’t snack often, but when I do it’s usually toast, or something worse, like a few chips or desserts.

10 – Drink water and eat dairy – I drink a lot of water, eat some cheese, and enjoy skim milk with my breakfast cereal.

11 – Drink tea – I took up the coffee habit fairly recently. I’ve tried green tea, but don’t enjoy it. I may have to rethink this after reading the article.

12 – Take a daily walk – I generally walk when golfing, but rarely otherwise. I do get the odd hike in, the last of which was, by far, the most incredible experience I’ve ever had in the wilderness! I’d like to hike a lot more! I find some of my best ideas come to me while walking, and yet I rarely make time for it. I should make a change.

13 – Plan – This I do diligently. I’m a “planner”, in this sense, unlike some people I know. ;)

Strong Trees

I’ve had two quotes, both previously mentioned within this blog, rolling around in my mind lately.

"Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees." -unknown

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." -John Quincy Adams

I love what I do. I love this business, and the task of building this business, Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo. There are times when that strong wind seems to be at my back, and others when it seems to be coming right at me (like during a very long, steep uphill portion of my run this past Sunday morning, when the wind was quite definitely coming right at me).

But, of course, the combination of the wind and the incline helped me get more out of my run. And I ultimately turned in one of my best times for 5k.

I will build a strong business. I won’t have it any other way.

As for the second quote, for me, it speaks to momentum. As long as progress is made each and every day, as long as you never quit, you will achieve.

It’s simply the Law of Inertia. I mentioned this back in the very early days of this blog, here.

The Future

This past weekend was a bit of whirlwind. Friends from high school get together annually, generally a weekend in August, at a cottage owned by one of the gang. We used to play football in the shallow water, swim, hang out on the raft, water ski, etc. Now, as parents, we watch the children play football, swim, hang out on the raft, and water ski or wake board. At least we’re all still somewhat involved. We also sit around a campfire at night and tell all the same jokes and stories that we tell every year.

The cottage is near Minden, Ontario, a good 3.5 hour drive. We left at 6:00am and were in my home town shortly after 8:00am. From there it was only another hour to the cottage. After a day by the water we left around 12:30am and were home by 4:00am. A long day, but it was nice to see everyone.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the future lately, both business and personal. They’re clearly intertwined. Both my Saturday driving and a free Sunday afforded time for quiet contemplation.

Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo will open in early 2008.

I am contracted with Parmasters Golf Training Centers to open four other locations in southwestern Ontario by July 2014. I believe the schedule will go something like this:
- London – Summer 2010
- Third Location – Summer 2011
- Fourth Location – Summer 2012
- Fifth Location – Summer 2013

Candidates for locations Three, Four and Five include Windsor, Cambridge, Guelph, Chatham, Sarnia, Woodstock and Brantford. I have a lot of golf and population analysis work to complete before final decisions will be made. I’ll also consider things like economics, the availability of suitable locations and local interest.

By targeting 2013 for completion, I’ve left myself a buffer of one year.

Change is a good thing, but not change simply for the sake of change. Moving forward, making progress, working towards a goal, growing, these are the changes that will happen over coming years. In speaking with a friend today, we both agreed that the pace of change, and the timing of major changes/openings, had to be manageable. While I’m eager to open these centers and simply get into a comfortable life of living with them daily, it’s critical that we get it right from the beginning, that we be sure when it’s time to move forward, and that we make sure all parties are consulted and all opinions are heard. Clearly, it’s also important to listen to wise advisors.

For now, I must get back to working on location One, Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo.

The Early Years

It’s an exciting time in the Parmasters world. And those of us that are fairly new to the franchise owe a debt of gratitude to those that made those first few inroads.

Parmasters was founded some six or more years ago. Matt Jeffrey was the first franchise owner in Canada. Parmasters Memphis just opened in June 2006. Parmasters Kitchener-Waterloo will likely open as the fourth or fifth center in the Parmasters family.

There were many lean and sparse years in the early 2000’s. Years during which many early Parmasters pioneers helped build systems, develop concepts, build supplier relationships, etc. Those were years when there weren’t any sites under development. No one knew when the first Parmasters center would open. The pressure was no doubt immense, and yet the successes were small, the progress seemingly very slow.

I wasn’t part of the Parmasters family during those very lean years. I became involved in 2006, a time when successes were and are becoming larger and more fulfilling. The Memphis center opened. Every month it seems more franchise sites are awarded. We now have locations under development in many different cities across North America and the world.

I was involved in approximately 40 different phone conversations today. One of those conversations included discussion about the early years for a franchise system. As I’ve noted, I wasn’t involved in the very early and lean years, but Parmasters is still a young franchise. We have two sites open, not 200!

Ten years from now, some young entrepreneur is going to come to the Parmasters world and purchase franchise rights for some location. He/she will learn about the early years within Parmasters and I have no doubt that he/she will consider 2007 an “early year” and he/she will include me in that list of Parmasters pioneers. I’m not sure that distinction will be warranted or justified, but I’m quite sure the label will be affixed.

Whether we are involved in a “pioneering” effort, or something more tried and true, is really of little consequence. Each day I rise and there are tasks to tackle, priorities to focus on and relationships to build.

I do hope future Parmasters franchise owners have an easier go of it. And if I can contribute to fleshing out some systems, processes, etc., that will help make it easier for those that follow, that’s very rewarding. But of course, as I remind myself daily, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.