Friday, March 31, 2017
Odyssey Expands O-Works Lineup
Consider this an FYI rather than any sort of major release announcement.
Odyssey has expanded its 2017 O-Works lineup with the addition White/Black/White versions of its popular #1 Wide, #7 (Fang) and #9 shapes. The additional color schemes raise the total count of O-Works models to 13.
With that many to choose from, if you can't find an O-Works in a shape that suits your eye, it might be time for a new eye. Transplants are expensive. Maybe try Lasik or something.
As with other O-Works putters, the 3 new models feature Callaway's Microhinge face technology for greater topspin immediately after impact.
#1 Wide
#7
#9
Availability for the new models begins April 28th, 2017 for $229.99
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Thursday, March 30, 2017
How Free Writing Helps You Find Your True Creative Voice
If you’re someone who writes regularly—even more so if you write for others as well as your own platform—the demands can easily take their toll, right? You find yourself writing to formula, and if you’re not careful the demands of writing can become a deafening cacophony of noise in your head.
Indeed, if you’re not careful, it’s easy to allow our heads to become detached from our hearts when our writing. Especially when writing professionally, we’re writing for a specific audience, and so our minds can become so focussed on meeting the needs and requirements of the audience, there’s a danger our hearts can be disconnected.
And when this happens, we’re in serious trouble. We can lose all artistic integrity, authenticity, and above all, it’s much more difficult for readers to connect with our work.
Losing Track
This happened to me several years ago. I had a growing blog. I was guest posting for several major blogs, and had written a couple of ebooks, with a print book in the works.
Yet in the process of growing my platform, I began to feel I’d lost my way. People stopped connecting with my work in the way they had. I knew in my gut something was wrong.
I kept going. I tried focussing on different topics. But whilst things didn’t get too much worse, they didn’t get better. So, I did a major relaunch of a free ebook to bring in subscribers.
It barely made a dent. Things were clearly very wrong, and I needed to take action.
To figure out what this should be, and help diagnose the problem, I turned to some key friends. Truth tellers. People I knew would be honest with me in all circumstances. Honestly, these type of people are gold dust. We all need people like this in our lives.
My friends told me flat out: my writing didn’t sound like me anymore. I’d lost my writing voice. And as a result, the quality of my writing was dipping, and it wasn’t connecting with readers at all.
Freeing My Writing
I knew only drastic action was going to solve this problem, so I made a huge decision.
I’d stop writing publicly. Instead, I’d sit and do free writing every day. Private writing, just for me. For just fifteen minutes a day, I’d sit and write without an agenda, without a plan. Just write from the heart.
I’d do this for as long as it took to find my voice again. I had no time span in mind—just as long as it took.
So that’s what I did.
Fifteen minutes of free writing a day.
What I began to notice, was that, almost at random, similar themes were coming up. Themes around exploring creativity, finding your authentic voice, keeping artistic integrity, and how creativity is tied into identity. As I noticed this, ideas began to form in me.
Suddenly I was writing lots of proper blog posts, too. I had ideas for books and ebooks. My creative juices were flowing like never before.
It was, without doubt, one of the most creative seasons of my life. And definitely, the season of writing I look back on with most fondness.
In the end, I was away for three months. But those three months fueled over eighteen months of blog posts and two ebooks, which, ironically, grew my platform more than any work before or since.
Through free writing, I’d connected with my heart again. And I resolved I’d never let this happen again.
A Brief Introduction to Free Writing
So how do you get started free writing? Well, it’s way more simple than you’d think. You sit down, either with your pad or journal, or a document on your smart phone, or a Word or Pages document on your laptop.
And you just write. Without thinking. Without editing. Just write. Just let the words come out.
Resist the temptation to edit, to look back and wonder if it makes sense. It might not. Just keep writing. It might be fifteen minutes; it might be half an hour. It might be more. Just be willing to let it out.
Because what comes out when you free write is the raw truth of who you are. It’s your authentic creative voice speaking.
You can start with fifteen minutes. Just fifteen minutes. Like a train or bus journey to work. A little time on your lunch break. Begin with that.
And keep going. If you give it time, then you’ll find you’ll need longer than fifteen minutes. You’ll find words pouring out like water from a new spring.
Free writing set my creative side free and connected my writers head with my heart. I believe if you give it a go for just fifteen minutes today, and maybe more regularly in the long term, it can do the same for you, and transform your writing in the process.
Do you free write? How has free writing helped you in your writing process? Let us know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Take fifteen minutes to sit down and free write. Write with no plan, no agenda, no forethought, and no edit button. Don’t engage the head; simply listen to the heart and let the words flow. Sometimes, believe it or not, avoiding looking at the screen itself can be helpful.
When your time is up, share your reflections on this in the comments below. How did it feel? What ideas sprung from it? What surprised you? You can even be bold and share the piece itself. And if you share, please leave feedback and encouragement for your fellow writers as we all grow together.
I can’t wait to read your responses!
The post How Free Writing Helps You Find Your True Creative Voice appeared first on The Write Practice.
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Quirky Travel Photo: blue-footed booby on Galapagos Islands
Razor-sharp beak pointing towards the sky, the blue-footed booby flaps its wings in a couple of wide-angled swooshes, then returns to preening its brown and white feathers. Its bright blue feet seem to be suckered onto the rock, never slipping as it grooms and turns about, having a good wash. Beside it, flopped out as if totally exhausted, lies a young chick, all white, fluffy down and head akimbo.
I’m realising a life-long ambition to see one of these very quirky birds in their island home of the Galapagos Islands. Actually, it’s my Mum’s dream to see them. She loved birds, especially the blue-footed booby with its blue beak and feet. We were probably watching a David Attenborough documentary the first time she showed me one, laughing at its comical appearance and hilarious name. Sadly, she never got to see them in the wild, but I am remembering her as I take photos of this one with its young.
I’m in Ecuador on a trip with Metropolitan Touring, specialists in South America travel. We’ve already seen the historic sights of Quito, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site and spent a few days in the cloud forest at Mashpi Eco Lodge. But the highlight of this life-enhancing trip is a four day cruise on Yacht La Pinta to see the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. On the first day we visited San Cristobal Island and the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Centre, where the highly-endangered giant tortoises are bred. Day 2 took us to Punta Pitt with its large colony of bachelor sea -lions; one of the main highlights was swimming with sea lions, something I’ll never forget. On the third day I finally got to see the blue-footed booby and many other birds, including rare waved albatrosses, red-footed and nazca boobies and thousands of red and black marine iguanas. Our final day was spent at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, to see the giant tortoises, reared here to be released onto the islands in a unique breeding programme.
The Blue Footed Booby and Galapagos wildlife on video
The blue-footed booby settles down on the rock beside its chick, takes a brief look at the English woman grinning at it, sticks its beak in its feathers and goes to sleep. My dream is realised; and reality is a thousand times better than the dream …
More Quirky Travel Photos here
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Survey: The Best Training Aids in Golf
Which Training Aids Actually Work?
There are hundreds if not thousands of golf training aids on the market right now, and it seems as if more are being added by the minute.
Smooth your tempo, make better impact, hit it farther, and shave enough strokes of your card to earn a spot on the PGA Tour. There are training aids designed to improve literally every aspect of your game.
Some come cheap (less than 20 bucks), while the cost of others can creep well into the hundreds. Technology comes at a cost, right?
But which training aids actually work? Which ones actually help you play better golf?
We want to cut through the garbage and help narrow your focus on a select few of the very best training aids in golf.
To that end, we want to know a little bit about your game and the training aids you've used to improve your game.
Please take this brief survey and let us know about your experience with golf training aids.
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Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Best Book Writing Software: The 6 Documents You Always Need Open As a Writer
If you’ve been around The Write Practice long, you’ll have noticed we’ve recently talked a lot about which book writing software you should use. While I’m a strong believer in “use whatever works for you,” I’m also a strong believer in Scrivener.
So today, instead of giving you more reasons why I think you should use Scrivener (because there have already been plenty…) I’m going to tell you which tabs/notes you’ll want to create and have open while you’re writing.
Side note, if you don’t use Scrivener, you’ll want to have these as separate documents or pages on Word or Google Docs (or whichever book writing software you use).
6 Essential Documents for Writers
Here are the six tabs, documents, or pages you’ll need open all the time if you want to really get your writing done.
1. To Do List
I LOVE lists. It’s most likely because I’m a goal oriented human and love being able to check things off as finished.
This works incredibly well for my writing as well. I have certain projects that I want to make headway on and I give myself specific, measurable goals to cross off.
For creative writing, I try to stick with time limits instead of word counts since the writing is so unpredictable. For projects and nonfiction, I break them up into sections and work on each part specifically. Here’s an example from my To Do List today:
2. Distraction Bucket
I wasn’t the originator of the “bucket method,” but I’ve adapted it for writing and it has been a lifesaver.
Here’s the problem: We’re all writers, but we are also all humans. That means that while we’ve committed time and energy to writing, life can often get in the way. Before I used the “bucket” I would gaze out the window and think of all the important things in my life that weren’t writing.
The “bucket method” is almost exactly what is sounds like. It’s a note in your project labeled “BUCKET” that you dump all your important but not relevant thoughts into. These aren’t necessarily action items that go into a to-do list but rather things that keep distracting you from your writing.
A few recent examples for me:
- Money
- Friendships and Relationships
- Spirituality
With each item you put into your bucket, also write a few sentences to go along with it that will help you temporarily let go of the thought so you can focus on your writing.
3. Words to Use
Writers love words. I love words. I hope you love words, too.
In the event that you love words, I propose that you need an entire note devoted to good words. These are words you might want to include in future writing or words that you like to use often in your everyday writing. It’s a simple list that you can pull up when you’re stuck or looking for inspiration. They don’t need to make sense or be in any particular order.
Here are a few of mine:
4. Darlings
You’ve heard this famous writing advice from Stephen King and William Faulkner and retold in thousands of other places (including here).
When you kill your darlings, aka those sentences you love that get in the way, you don’t have to delete them forever. You just need a place to put them.
5. Musings
Musings is one of my favorite notes to have open. The writing you put in here can be anything; the only requirement is that it’s dreamy. When you’re staring off into space, because all writers do, you’ll see the glint in the window and the ray of sun poking through the dusty shade and you’ll have to write about it. These are what I call musings.
Keep a page open to write your dreamy, deep pieces that might help get your creative juices flowing again.
6. The Piece You’re Actually Writing
Oh, how could we almost forget this one? You’re sitting down to write something specific most days. A short story? A novel? A series of poems?
Well, have this open too. Or you won’t really get anything done. We wouldn’t want that.
Writer, Write
You might have noticed a theme here: all these documents are meant to remove distractions and preserve inspiration so you can write. If you find one of these documents is getting in your way, get rid of it! Or if you need a place to record something not mentioned on this list, create it.
It’s your workspace, your thoughts, your book writing software, your imagination. Organize it in the way that works for you.
And if you do nothing else, do this one thing:
Writer, write!
What pages or notes do you keep open while writing? Which of these are you going to try? Let us know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Today, spend the first fifteen minutes of your writing time creating and organizing pages or notes like these to remove distractions and set yourself up for success. When you’re done, share your favorite notes. I’m especially looking forward to seeing what you have on your “words” note.
In the comments below, share your words, darlings, musings, to-do’s, distractions, or even the actual piece you’re working on. And don’t forget to leave feedback for your fellow writers—let’s all inspire each other!
The post Best Book Writing Software: The 6 Documents You Always Need Open As a Writer appeared first on The Write Practice.
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First Look: PXG X Collection Drivers, Fairway Woods, and Hybrids
20 Second Intro
Product Name: PXG X Collection
X Collection Models:
- Drivers: 0811X, 0811LX ($850)
- Fairway Woods: 03411X ($650)
- Hybrids: 0317X ($550)
*Price include any shaft in the PXG lineup.
Timing is Nothing
It’s been just a bit more than two years since PXG officially launched its inaugural collection. For a good bit of the industry, 2 years might be considered an extended release window, but in this case, any correlation between today’s announcement and the date on the calendar is pure coincidence.
Unlike the mainstream wing of the equipment industry, PXG doesn’t do release cycles.
“We don’t actually care what when we launch says,” PXG’s Chief Product Officer, Brad Schweigert. “We don’t have this big five-year roadmap where we’re saying we need this here, that here, and that over here. It’s where can we make a noticeable improvement to help make the products significantly better.”
The timing is irrelevant.
With no specific due date, there’s no need for good ideas to be left in reserve for the next model either. Development continues until PXG’s engineers run out of ideas for ways to make the product better. And while Founder & CEO, Bob Parsons, is the final arbiter of what moves forward (if he’s not wowed in a handful of swings or less, the team isn’t done), the lack of time constraints coupled with PXG’s notoriously unlimited R&D budget allows the company, says Schweigert, to be more innovative than traditional golf companies.
Case in point, the new X collection. Parsons says X could have been released 2 or 3 iterations ago - and it would have been really good, but PXG’s R&D team, which includes former PING and Cobra engineers among others, kept coming up with more ideas.
The result is a collection of metalwoods that leverages semi-exotic materials to push design – and driver design in particular - into uncharted territory.
It's Expensive, and that Pisses Some People Off
This is a PXG story and I know what's coming. I’m certain some of you are already rolling your eyes as you prepare to bang angry strokes nearly through your keyboards. So yeah, it costs what it costs and it is what it is. All I ask is that before you pass final judgment, allow me to take a stab at answering some of your likely questions.
Is the 0811X a replacement for the 0811?
No. According to Bob Parsons, the 0811X augments the 0811. The latter will remain in the lineup, price unchanged. PXG believes the new model will be a better fit for the majority of golfers; however, the original remains the better option for low spin golfers. To give you some small frame of reference, both Ryan Moore and Zach Johnson are expected to continue playing the 0811.
It’s also worth noting; Parsons was assertive in saying that, unlike nearly everyone else in the industry, PXG will never discount its products.
What’s new/different/better about the 0811X?
When PXG launched the 0811, it thought it had something special. It was certainly a competent driver; offering performance as good as anything in the mid/back CG space. That said, the sound wasn’t the best, and for a good bit of golfers, the single prevailing adjective was spinny (even with all eight heavy weights forward).
With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, even PXG would likely concede that the 0811 didn’t wow like a PXG product is supposed to.
The company believes that has changed with the 0811X. The new modely features three significant changes (four, if you like fewer weights) from the 0811, each implemented with the goal of creating a product that offers more distance, tighter dispersion, and better sound and feel.
Here’s what’s new.
Carbon Fiber Construction
The overwhelming majority of low/back CG designs feature some form of Carbon fiber construction. Notably, Callaway, TaylorMade, and Cobra rely on Carbon Fiber to free the discretionary mass necessary to power their back and sometimes low CG designs.
PXG claims its new carbon crown weighs only 8.2 grams. There's almost always nuance in these sort of numbers, but by nearly any measure, it qualifies as exceptionally light, even by carbon fiber standards. PXG's crown ranks among the lightest in the industry, and a quick check of the numbers suggests a nearly 22 grams savings over the titanium construction of the 0811. We’re talking about a sizable chunk of weight for PXG to play with it.
Honeycomb TPE Insert
I’m not a guy who hated the sound of the 0811 (full disclosure, mine has the sound dampening benefit of hotmelt), but it’s an area where PXG felt it had an opportunity, if not a need, for improvement. Not surprisingly, to solve the sound issue the company turned to the same TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) technology it uses in its irons. After trying several different approaches (putting the TPE directly behind the face, different thicknesses, etc.), the company settled on a honeycomb TPE sheet anchored to the interior sole.
Score another one for biomimicry.
The insert achieves the desired result of minimizing vibrations, particularly around PXG’s signature weights. Not only does the inclusion of TPE solve the sound problem, but it also eliminates the need for the often-complex rib structures used in other manufacturers’ designs. Gram for gram, the TPE insert saves weight over other methods of vibration control.
Variable Face Design
It’s fair to say that every manufacturer claims some sort of benefit from proprietary face technology. PXG is no different. In this particular case, the focus isn’t ball speed. PXG says its complex variable face design saves weight by way of an improved strength to mass ratio while at the same time helping promote tighter dispersion. Once again, we’re talking about taking weight out of the heavy part of a club so it can be placed where it will benefit the golfer.
Fewer Weights
It’s hard to talk about any PXG product without discussing the weights. Of no particular significance (consider it a bonus), I suppose it’s worth mentioning that PXG has simplified fitting a bit by reducing the number of screws from 16 to 10. The change still allows for front, back, draw, and fade settings, without being quite as wrench intensive as the 0811.
If there’s so much Tech in the 0811X, why can’t I see any of it?
It’s true that golfers love visible technology (I’m guilty of it) - that’s not a fact lost on PXG, nor Bob Parsons in particular. During the design phase, there were discussions about whether or not to make certain aspects of the 0811X’s technology more apparent on the exterior of the club. Ultimately Parsons decided against it. He’s of the opinion that visible technology is about marketing hype more than anything else, so PXG has a simpler idea.
“We’ll let the performance of the club speak for everything.” – Bob Parsons, Founder & CEO, PXG
What Are the Mass Properties of the 0811X
We haven’t measured the 0811X (yet), so we’re not able to independently verify the mass properties of the new driver. What I can tell you is that PXG is well-aware of our mass properties chart, and it wants the dot for the 0811X to exist in near isolation from everybody else. To that end, the company is making some bold statements about where it believes the 0811X fits.
The specific claim is a CG location that’s 1mm below the neutral axis within a Moment of Inertia (MOI) of 4800 g-cm^2. Plugging the estimates into our chart (above) we see that, if true, the 0811X would have the lowest CGNA of any driver measured, with an MOI (forgiveness) in the vicinity of the Callaway XR16, PING G LS and SFTec, Cobra F6/F7 (depending on weight position), and the 0811.
That would be uncharted territory - a unicorn of sorts - and it would make the 0811X special. Exceptional, really.
What Does that Mean for Performance?
In terms of the numbers, the biggest difference between the 0811 and the 0811X is spin. The 0811X should spin significantly less, launch marginally higher, and offer the added benefit of being easier to turn over. That means a driver that’s longer, and a bit more anti-slice than its predecessor.
The Robot Numbers
In PXG's robot testing, the company found that the 0811X launches .25°-.05° higher and spins 600-800 RPM less (depending on relative weight placement).
The stated distance gains are 8-12 yards of carry and 10-15 yards of total distance.
An additional 10 yards of left/right dispersion are produced by the respective draw and fade settings.
What’s the Deal with the LX Model?
In addition to the standard X model, PXG is also releasing a 0811LX. The LX is 8 grams (199g total weight) and five swing weight points lighter than the standard model. The LX is intended to fit golfers seeking a lighter driver and those looking to leverage longer shafts.
A good bit of the weight savings is attributable to a lighter TPE insert (8 grams instead of 14), but given the swing speed range of the anticipated demographic, it’s unlikely the smaller insert will hurt sound and feel.
What are the Specifications of the 0811X and 0811LX Drivers?
The PXG 0811X and 0811LX drivers are available exclusively through PXG’s network of custom fitters. The price is $850 with any shaft in the PXG catalog.
PXG X Collection Fairways and Hybrids
What’s a driver release without accompanying fairways and hybrids?
What’s intriguing about the 0341X (fairway) and 0317X (hybrids) is that unlike most OEM lines, the majority of the 0811X’s signature technology is consistent throughout the entire metalwoods lineup.
Both the 0341X and 0317X feature both carbon fiber crowns and TP honeycomb inserts.
PXG 0341X Fairway
From a design perspective, they key design detail is that the lighter crown has allowed PXG to drive the CG down and a bit forward. That’s right, forward, not back.
There’s a school of thought in fairway design that says that if you can’t hit a fairway wood, your best bet for success comes from a back CG design. If, however, you’re already competent with a fairway wood, front CG designs will often produce better results.
The 0341X has a longer heel to toe width than the 0341, which maintains the MOI of the original, despite the more forward CG.
In robot testing, the 0341X showed faster ball speeds (1.5-2MPH), launched higher (1°), spun less (300-400 RPM lower), and produced more distance (7-10 yards carry, and 8-11 yards total).
PXG also says the new model should prove a bit easier to hit, while offering tighter dispersion and, because of the TPE insert, generally better feel.
In addition to standard 3, 7, 5, and 9-wood models, the 0341X is also available in a 13° 2-wood. While still reasonably compact, the 2-wood features a taller face than the standard 15° 3-wood, which makes it more suitable for use off the tee, without compromising playability from the fairway.
PXG 0341X Fairway Specs
PXG’s 0341X Fairway is available exclusively through PXG’s network of custom fitters. The price is $650 per club with any shaft in the PXG catalog.
PXG 0317X Hybrid
I’ve already mentioned it, but it bears repeating: the PXG 0317X hybrid features the same TPE insert and Carbon fiber crown technology as the 0311X Driver.
Carbon fiber crown… in a hybrid.
While the resulting weight savings (nearly 10 grams vs. steel) aren’t as significant as they are in larger clubs, every gram counts.
The carbon fiber crown and TPE insert give the 0317X a technology upgrade, but other design changes are intentionally subtle. The 0317 is immensely popular with PXG’s Tour staff, so there was little motivation to create anything radically different.
As with the 0341X Fairway, PXG’s engineers got an MOI boost by extending the 0317X from toe to heel, but the design remains shallow from front to back, and look at address doesn’t deviate much from that of the 0341.
Where relative performance is concerned; in robot testing the 0341X produced 0.5 MPH more ball speed, launched 0.5° higher, spun 200-300 RPM less, while producing more distance (3-5 yards carry and 5-7 yards total).
For those who like their hybrids to spin a bit more for better green stopping power, the original 0341 might still be the better option.
PXG 0317X Hybrid Specs
PXG’s 0317X Hybrid is available exclusively through PXG’s network of custom fitters. The price is $550 per club with any shaft in the PXG catalog.
Coming Soon?
Bob Parsons tells us that PXG will be releasing another driver coming in the coming months. Uncharacteristically tight-lipped, Parsons says the next one well be aimed at a very specific segment of the market.
For more information on PXG’s new X Collection, visit PXG.com.
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017
(2) Testers Wanted: Cobra F7/F7+ Drivers
Well, Spring is here. And as you well know, every Spring young golfer's fancy turns to....drivers!
After a relentless winter of reading about CG, MOI, moveable weights and carbon fiber crowns, it's time to let the Big Dog eat.
And if the last three years have taught us anything, Cobra needs to be on your short list of drivers to demo. The list has been impressive: Bio Cell, FlyZ, King and King F6 have all be top performers in MyGolfSpy's Most Wanted Testing, with the FlyZ taking home the overall title in 2015.
This year's models - the King F7 and King F7+ - are as colorful as ever and come with something extra (more on that in a sec). Bottom line is, we want your help in finding out how these suckers perform.
TESTERS WANTED!
Cobra touts the new F7/F7+ drivers as being three drivers in one due to a moveable Center of Gravity, and when you combine that with the MyFly 8 hosel, you may very well have the most adjustable driver in golf.
And that something extra we talked about? The new Cobra's come standard with Cobra Connect - a joint venture between Cobra and Arccos. An Arccos sensor is built right in to the grip, giving you the ability to track your driving statistics automatically through the magic of your SmartPhone. Once you pair the sensor to the free Arccos Driver app you'll be able to track your performance, as well as access GPS info, on over 40,000 golf courses worldwide.
Does all this add up to a driver you'll want in your bag? That's where you guys come in. We need two avid golfers to test (and keep) the F7/F7+ and tell us what you think.
HOW TO APPLY:
We take our product testing very seriously here at MyGolfSpy, so if you'd like to test and review the new Cobra F7 or F7+ driver, please read and follow these instructions carefully:
First, if you haven't already, you must register for the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here to sign up)
Second, to apply, visit and follow the instructions in the Official Cobra F7/F7+ Driver Testers Application Thread in the Forum (click here to visit the thread).
That's all there is to it.
We'll announce the testers in the Official MyGolfSpy Forum thread next week, and remember: you must apply in the Official Forum Application thread to be eligible.
Good luck!
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