Angel Iligan Out as CEO of Bridgestone Golf. More Changes Coming?

It appears some things are starting to hit the fan down in Georgia. MyGolfSpy has learned that Bridgestone Golf CEO Angel Iligan has been dismissed from his position. In addition, we hear other changes may be forthcoming as Bridgestone's bread and butter ball business has lost market share this year, falling to 4^th place (behind TaylorMade) in balls sales.

Bridgestone announced the move in a prepared statement last evening:

"Bridgestone Golf and its President and Chief Executive Officer, Angel Iligan, have made a mutual decision to part ways. The company greatly appreciates the energy he put into leading Bridgestone Golf over the past two years, and wishes him well in future endeavors. An immediate search is underway to identify a new leader who will help carry Bridgestone Golf's recent momentum forward."

In corporate speak, a mutual decision to part ways, especially without a permanent successor in place, suggests an upper management team less than enamored with recent North American performance and an immediate need to change leadership and direction. It's a polite way of saying you're fired.

Dropping to 4^th in balls, despite Tiger's early season performance, can't be sugar-coated.

Iligan has been Bridgestone's head man since 2016. He brought Tiger into the fold in December of that year and has also signed Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau to ball deals. Iligan has been a vocal supporter of rolling back golf ball performance, at least on the professional level, making Bridgestone the only ball company we're aware of in favor of a rollback. Earlier this year, Bridgestone reported 2017 as a record-setting year for both balls sales and profits, although industry insiders have countered that while Bridgestone may have, in fact, set a record for actual balls sold, those balls were sold at heavy discounts, meaning actual dollar sales were down and the company, in fact, lost money.

Likewise, Bridgestone's golf equipment business has remained non-existent during Ilagan's tenure. The two-year-old premium Tour B line, originally sold exclusively through fitters, is now being sold on the company's website. Bridgestone has also introduced several limited edition clubs for sale online only, including a forged driving iron and a premium priced boxed set - an idea that's been met with plenty of both eye rolls and skepticism. Bridgestone remains firmly in the Other category when it comes to equipment market share.

What Does It Mean?

Changes at the top are sometimes planned, but when sales, profitability, and bread and butter market share are all trending downward, the corporate sphincter tends to tighten. When those trends continue, changes are inevitable. Given the current climate, Iligan's ouster may not be surprising, but making such a move without a replacement ready is, at the very least, curious. Bridgestone bills itself as a golf ball company first and foremost, so losing ground to TaylorMade had to be particularly galling.

In reality, golf gall sales are all about reach and marketing. Titleist, of course, leads the league in reach. It's the #1 Ball in Golf, has extensive tour staff and a death grip on pro shop sales. Callaway backs its Chrome Soft franchise with top-notch marketing that's helped fuel its rise to number two in market share. It's still a distant second, but Callaway's continues to grow while Titleist's overall market share has dropped below 50%. TaylorMade has elbowed its way into the 3^rd position with a decent combination of both reach and marketing prowess.

Bridgestone? It certainly has ball street cred,  but it can't claim the same level of industry reach as Titliest, whose stranglehold on green grass makes life difficult for everyone else. And unlike its three key competitors (and challenger brands like Wilson Staff and Srixon), Bridgestone doesn't have strong equipment sales or promotion to buoy its ball sales. Despite using Tiger this season, and spending on advertising and on select Tour staff, Bridgestone's needle is moving in the wrong direction.

Bridgestone's market share drop also brings into further question Tiger's ability to driver equipment sales in any meaningful way. We know Tiger sells shoes and apparel, but the Nike experiment shows the man who is arguably the world's most recognizable athlete may do little to sell hard goods. Despite Tiger's strong early season, the You're Back There ad campaign may be the most ironic in recent memory.

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Where Does Bridgestone Go Now?

If the rumblings are correct, Iligan's ouster may be the first move in an overall Bridgestone reboot. Globally, Bridgestone is a $32-billion-dollar behemoth, and is a major player in the Asian golf market. Struggles in the UK prompted a withdrawal from that market several years ago (Bridgestone is only now re-entering the UK), and while a similar withdrawal from the North American ball market is highly unlikely, getting out of the equipment business wouldn't come as a surprise. Bridgestone's golf club market share is negligible and despite considerable effort over the past two years,  the company hasn't demonstrated an ability to improve its position through either product innovation or effective marketing.

Bridgestone made its bones in the ball business via its extensive ball fitting program. While you can argue whether ball fitting with a driver is ideal way to determine which ball is for you, you can't argue with the program's effectiveness. For years it was the only ball-fitting game in town and it's important to note that, as Bridgestone's market share has dropped, we've also seen fewer actual live Bridgestone ball fittings in the real world. That can't be a coincidence.

Bridgestone's current position serves as an interesting business lesson. There are some very talented people working at Bridgestone, and the company makes exceptional golf balls and quality forged irons. But for whatever reason, the formula in North America isn't working. Offering good products is one thing, but without effective marketing and distribution strategies it doesn't really matter how good your stuff is; you're going to struggle.

We get that the kneejerk reaction out there will be Bridgestone should simply cut prices - that way they'll sell more. Well, that's essentially what the company did last year with its extensive Buy 2, Get 1 Free promotion - it moved a lot of golf balls, which is important. Smart Business 101, however, says moving fewer golf balls profitably beats moving more golf balls unprofitably every day of the week.

It will be fascinating to watch how Bridgestone navigates its way through the second half of 2018 and beyond, and to see what kinds of additional changes, if any, are coming. We do know that Bridgestone Sports Senior Officer and Bridgestone Golf Chairman Shigeru Nakayama will return to Covington to serve as Acting President/CEO while the company looks for a permanent replacement. Whoever is chosen will have a tall task in front of them.

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How to Write a Book Using Microsoft Word

If you want to write a book, you’ll need book writing software that’s up to the task. Yes, you can invest in dedicated book writing programs. But you don’t have to: a great writing tool is likely already at your fingertips, if you know how to write a book using Microsoft Word.

There are a lot of writing programs out there. A lot of programs claim to offer intuitive use, help with organization, and even say they’ll keep you from distraction. The options can be overwhelming.

There’s still one tried and true option if you’re not interested in all that (or can’t afford the fancier programs): Microsoft Word.

Word is my go-to for writing and not just for short stories. Here’s the rundown of how to write a book using Microsoft Word, and why that might be your best choice:

The Benefits of Word

You most likely already have it. And so does everybody else. Word is the standard, accepted across platforms, and is easy to access for non-writers (your beta readers). It’s been around forever, so most people know how to use it.

There are templates. A ton of them. They have them for short story format and for manuscript format. Personally, I don’t use those templates, but they’re a nice baseline for beginners, or even old hats that just want to hurry up and write without setting up their document first.

It’s simple and uncluttered. There are a ton of apps and programs out there that will allow you to keep your plot notes close at hand, to rearrange your chapters with the click of a button, and to keep detailed character profiles right in the program. That’s all a little too much for me. I prefer handwritten notes and nothing else blocking my screen while I’m typing and Word gives me that.

It is worth noting that if all that sounds appealing to you, you can do those things in Word as well, it just won’t be as fancy as other programs.

Easy Navigation

When you have an 80,000-word manuscript, navigating becomes daunting. Luckily there are ways to do it in Word that make it easier if you know where to look.

Chapter Headings

Word doesn’t divide your book into chapters for you like some other programs. There will be no easy way to click and drag to rearrange chapters.

What I recommend is using headings. On Word’s Home page, there are already standard headings listed. Definitely mess with them and change their formatting to something simple. No one needs giant blue words as their chapter headings. (You can set your simpler formatting as your default style as well, so you don’t have to change it every time.)

Make the title or number of each chapter a heading. Then you can easily bounce around to different chapters through the navigation pane (check the Navigation Pane box under the View menu).

Bookmarks

These basically work the same way as headings, but they’re for anywhere in your document. Have a specific scene you need to do more research on? You can bookmark it and jump back to it later.

Bookmark by going to the Insert menu and clicking Bookmark. Name your bookmark and voilà. You can delete them easily from the popup menu as well.

Find and Replace

CTRL+F brings up a simple search option to find words and phrases in your document. CTRL+H brings up the full gambit. From that dialogue box, you can search, replace certain words with others (i.e. Jennifer now becomes Julia all through the manuscript), and go to any page, section, heading, bookmark, etc. that you need to go to.

Great Editing

Word has a ton of options for editing, including comments, tracking changes, and comparing documents. All of these are under the Review menu.

I use the comments feature to make notes to myself where I need to recheck facts or add description later. It’s easy to navigate through the comments with the search feature or the buttons under the Review menu. Don’t forget to remove them all before saving your document as a PDF or sending it off to an editor.

Tracking changes is awesome and a lot of editors (for short stories anyway) will use this feature to collaborate with you during the editing process. You can accept or reject changes or even revert back to the original.

Finally, make sure you have grammar and spellcheck on! Grammar check even allows you to check style issues and passive writing. It’s invaluable.

Pro tip: To keep you on track while you’re writing, turn off some of the more fine-tuning features of grammar check. There’s nothing that will ruin your flow more than a bunch of underlining you feel like you need to take care of immediately. I recommend running the full check when you’re done (or at least done for the day).

Formatting

Make sure you’re familiar with standard manuscript format for novels and short stories. Take a look at those links and follow their instructions. You don’t want to get rejected out of hand because you tried some weird formatting that’s hard to look at.

One of the biggest gripes I see from editors is writers using spaces to indent paragraphs. Don’t do this. It makes it super hard on them when they’re putting a book together. Instead, use the ruler in Word (under the View menu) or the paragraph settings (under the Home menu) to adjust your tabs. A half inch is standard.

Despite what most of us were taught in school, the standard is now one space after periods, not two. This is another sticking point with editors, so don’t do it. If you’re used to two, there’s a grammar check feature in Word you can turn on to highlight every time you use two spaces.

Finally, use the page break option to break for a new chapter, not enter or a million spaces. You can find the page break under the Insert menu.

Pro tip: When in doubt about your formatting, you can turn on the Show/Hide option under the Home menu (looks like a paragraph symbol) to see all your formatting symbols.

Get to Writing

Don’t let choosing writing software stagnant your writing. Don’t overthink it. You don’t need to keep up with the Joneses with the latest writing technology that’s trotted out on tech forums and in writing chats.

The important think about writing a book is actually writing it. No fancy software is going to help you with that.

So get writing!

Ever used Word to write a book? Do you have any more tips for how to write a book using Word? Let me know in the comments!

PRACTICE

Take fifteen minutes to write. Just write. Don’t worry about page setup, formatting, or which program you’re going to use. Open up Word or get out a pen and paper if you’d like!

When you’re done, share your writing in the comments. Don’t forget to comment on your fellow writers’ work!

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{VIDEO} – Callaway Releases Rogue Pro Black Irons

As it did previously with Apex and Steelhead, Callaway has created an all-black version of its Rogue Pro Black Irons.

In this short video, MyGolfSpy Editor, Tony Covey breaks down what separates the Black version from the original (Spoiler Alert: They're black), explains why companies release products like this, and tells you what you need to consider before buying the Black version.

Pricing and Availability

The Callaway Rogue Pro Black irons are available as a custom option only through from CallawayGolf.com beginning 6/8/18.

Retail price is $825 for 5-iron through PW and $1099 for 4-Iron-AW.

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TaylorMade Launches MySpider Putter Customization Platform

TaylorMade's brand identity is built on the success and more specifically the PGA Tour success of its drivers, so it's interesting that its first foray into consumer customization is with a putter.

Take that in for a moment.

TaylorMade's recently announced MySpider custom program allows golfers to mix and match three hosel types (short slant, double-bend, and L-neck), three sightline options (single line, single dot or T-line) and eight stock colors in whatever combination the consumer desires, though there are some limitations.

No doubt customization templates are cool and engaging because it allows consumers to feel some increased sense of ownership both over the process and the final product. That said, such programs aren't anything new and, in this case, TaylorMade requires you to pay a premium for the privilege.

With a retail price of $360, the MySpider Tour is 20% more expensive than the standard Spider Tour ($299) and though the program touts 250,000 as the number of possible iterations, that's probably overselling it a bit.

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Custom isn't necessarily synonymous with unlimited. Case in point; the MySpider is available in exactly one head weight (355g) and offers multiple colors in a single grip option (SuperStroke GTR 1.0). Both the sole plate and weights are black and face insert options are limited to red or black. The eight stock colors for the body, wings and sightline/logo offer a reasonable menu, though consumers willing to pay the rather steep upcharge might be disappointed if the hope is to honor Wiz Khalifa or any number of professional organizations with yellow, orange, or navy as team colors, which as it turns out is a bit over half of NFL teams.

No doubt, the Spider is TaylorMade's most visible model on tour thanks primarily to Jason Day and his affinity for the color red, but one of the luxuries of being a professional golfer is never having to ask how much clubs cost. Consumers do. So is this one worth it?

Tell us what you think.

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4 Ways Epigenetics Can Make Your Life Better and the Science of Home DNA Tests

Undoubtedly, our DNA has always been one of the favorite topics for the scientists from all over the world! They revealed many interesting facts about the same and the cake got iced when there happened a huge advancement in the study of human genetics during the 20th century with the complete mapping of the human …

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First Look – 2018/2019 Srixon Z-Series Drivers

Five new Srixon drivers have found their way to the USGA’s Conforming list, though it’s unlikely that all of them will make it to retail. Srixon’s current models, the Z765 and 2017 Most Wanted Winning Z565 were released nearly 2-years ago, so new models aren’t unexpected. It’s also true that Srixon has aggressively prototyped in the past, so it’s not particularly surprising that initial model count is high. My guess is that no more than three make it to store shelves.

The Z585 and Z785 are virtual locks for retail. If the past is any indicator of the future, the Z585 will be the higher launch, more forgiving option with a full or even oversized footprint.

The Z785 will likely be regarded as a lower spinning option for better players, though the existence of 3 other models leaves the door open for the standard 785 to be comparatively more forgiving (and less compact) than the Z765.

The Z585 and Z 785 are joined on the USGA list by a Z785 Tour, Z785 Tour LS, and Z785 Tour FL. While discerning relative scale from USGA photos is a dicey proposition at best, the pictures suggest the Tour models may more compact than the non-Tour Z785.

If tradition holds, the Tour models likely offer lower launch and spin, a more open face, and potentially, a flatter lie angle. It’s a reasonable assumption that the LS is Tour LS stands for low spin; no further explanation necessary. The Tour FL is a bit of a mystery, but we’re leaning towards FL standing for Flat Lie as less upright models are often preferred by tour pros and better players. Admittedly, that’s just a guess.

While it’s possible that all three tour models are legitimately tour only, it’s at least possible that one of the three will make it to retail. I’d wager the three tour models are reasonably similar and that Srixon is working with its tour staff to determine which of the three best produces the desired launch characteristics.

All of the drivers on the list feature Srixon’s adjustable hosel. Each features a single removable weight which is almost certainly for swing weight purposes. We expect that Srixon will again make alternative weights available.

The new Z series is expected to launch later this year. We don’t expect much more in the way of details until then.

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The Best Premium Gloves of 2018

How to Write a Mystery Novel

So you want to know how to write a mystery novel. I’m delighted to hear it. I’ve been a mystery lover since I hid behind the Lincoln Logs in Mrs. Jenkins third grade classroom so I could finish my first Nancy Drew, undisturbed. Mystery hooked me that day, and has been leading me around by the nose ever since.

The best preparation for writing a mystery novel is to be a mystery reader. You need to be able to rely on reflexes developed after years of reading experience. And you’ll need the devotion of a true fan to get you through the rough spots.

I’ll be honest—there’s a heck of a lot that goes into writing a mystery novel. On the other hand, if you put in the time and effort to make it happen, you’ll get a heck of a lot out of it on the other end. So, let’s get started.

What makes a mystery a mystery?

If you want to know how to write a mystery novel, you have to understand the conventions of the genre; you have to know what makes a mystery a mystery. Dean Wesley Smith, one of the most prolific mystery writers of our day, defines a mystery as a story that involves a crime or puzzle to be solved, and it must be solved by story’s end.

“Do not ignore this convention,” he warns, “unless you want to piss off your readers.”

I can attest to this, from a reader’s perspective. My own fault, I’m sure, but I read Donna Tartt’s The Little Friend, thinking I was reading a mystery, and nearly flung the book against a wall when I reached the end, mystery unsolved.

People who read mysteries like to solve puzzles and anticipate a resolution at the end. But reader expectations go far beyond that. Readers want to identify with the hero, to experience the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of seeing the perpetrator punished.

Fulfilling reader expectation is of paramount importance in writing a novel in any genre, but it’s crucial to writing a mystery. The mystery genre attracts a massive following, accounting for roughly thirty-three percent of fiction sales in the English language. If you can please even a portion of that audience, you’re setting yourself up for success in the mystery field.

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A mystery novel needs a crime or a puzzle, and you’ll have to solve it by the end.

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Which type of mystery best suits your writing style?

Many sub-genres nestle under the mystery umbrella, and different writers are suited to different types of mystery.

Cozies, for instance, require a great deal of setting and character description, maintaining a slow pace while keeping it interesting. Cozies are gentle, characterized by a bloodless crime, often featuring a victim with few emotional ties to any of the characters, and the violence takes place off-stage.

Cozy writers must be able to produce upwards of 60,000 words, without a lot of action, and still make it engaging. Focus is on the main character, rather than the crime.

Police procedurals, as well as medical and legal mysteries, require extensive specialized knowledge. These are suited for professionals in these fields, detail-oriented writers who love the nitty gritty of procedure. Readers will chew you up and spit you out if you get it wrong, and light research is not enough to get you through.

This type of writer should also be good at building teams for their characters, as much of the clue gathering and analysis will fall to a group, each member contributing to the solution of the crime.

In Private Eye/Noir novels, readers expect a really interesting, believable main character. The PI will have interactions with police, and those must be realistic, so knowledge or research in this area is necessary, but not to the exacting degree required for police procedurals.

The protagonist makes a living solving crimes, doing background investigations, and such. Modern PI’s are crack computer experts, so a background in IT or related fields would be helpful to a writer who wants to tackle a PI novel. If the tone of the novel is dark, gritty, particularly bloody, or brazenly urban, it’s probably a noir.

And then there’s suspense—but that’s a subject for another day. Watch for it in my next post, as I couldn’t begin to scratch the surface here.

Know the tropes

Mystery, like all genres, is rife with tropes, common themes or devices readers recognize and understand by implication. Some examples are “the butler did it” or “locked room mystery.” While these may strike you as trite, most of them are time-honored and beloved by mystery fans.

The trick is not to avoid them, but to innovate them, finding fresh ways to approach them so that readers get the best of both worlds—a comfortable familiarity and a rush of surprise.

Have a plan

I’ve heard there are mystery writers who write without an outline, striking boldly into the dark and trusting that all the threads that go into weaving a mystery will align in miraculous fashion. How they accomplish such a thing is the real mystery. I suspect there are more closet plotters than we’ve been led to believe.

Knowing the end from the beginning is particularly important when crafting a mystery, so if you’re adept at using an outline, that’s a big step forward in completing your novel. And crafting the outline for a mystery novel can be a boatload of fun. It may even be my favorite part.

An outline should never be a confining box, but more like a scaffold to support you while you construct the story. I’ll cover outlining in more depth in another post. For now, let’s take a quick look at four suggestions from Lester Dent, creator of the Doc Savage series. Some say he was a hack, but for a hack, he sure got a lot of things right.

When writing a mystery, he suggests you consider these four areas:

1. Murder method. Try to find a fresh slant on what’s been done before. I did a quick Google search for innovative murder methods and, as you might imagine, the resulting list was scary long. Explore at your own risk. Another source you might consider for generating unusual ideas is the Darwin Awards.
2. The antagonist’s goal. What is the bad guy ultimately after? Dent describes it as treasure of some sort, literal or metaphorical.
3. The setting for the story should be determined by the crime and the villain. Once you have those nailed down, the setting should follow.
4. The hero’s motivation. Another way of looking at this is to ask, “What’s at stake?” What will the hero gain if he reaches his goal? What will he lose if he is defeated?

One more quick suggestion for outlining, this from Scott Meredith and Algis Budrys. Formulate a…

• Character
• In a setting
• With a problem
• Put your protagonist through a series of try/fail cycles while solving the crime, escalating the stakes with each cycle
• The last try/fail cycle is the most perilous and challenging of all and is followed either by the hero’s success in catching the murderer and bringing him to justice, or his ultimate failure

Remember, in a mystery, the puzzle must be solved by the end. So, if you decide to have a tragic or ironic ending with the hero’s failure, you still have to provide a solution to the puzzle and satisfy your mystery savvy readers.

A few mystery tips

Once you’ve chosen your sub-genre, studied the tropes, and created your plan, you’re ready to write. Here are a few more things to keep in mind when writing a mystery.

Most mysteries open with the crime. It’s a good way to grab reader interest right up front. Cozies are an exception to this rule. If you’re writing a cozy, you need to spend a couple thousand words grounding your reader in the setting, with the character, before you allow the crime to intrude on that world.

Just because you have an outline doesn’t mean you have to write from word one to the end. Writers are unstuck in time. We can move freely through the landscape of our novel, write the climactic scene first, then go back and make sure we set it up right in earlier scenes. Don’t feel like you have to plod forward on a rigid track.

You have to be fair to the reader, putting the clues in plain sight. That said, there are ways to obscure bits of information so readers don’t really see them.

One of the best ways is to use a list. Readers absorb the first three items on a list, and maybe the last one. Anything that occurs between number three and the last item blurs out and virtually disappears from the reader’s memory.

It takes time for a reader to get through a full-length novel. You can practically give the reader the solution up front and by the time they reach the middle of the book, they will have forgotten it.

So don’t be afraid to lay out what the reader needs to know. As long as you don’t surround it with fanfare, it will fade out until the end when the readers thinks, “Oh yeah, I remember now.”

This is not to say that mystery readers are dumb. Not by any stretch of the imagination is that the case. My biggest challenge in writing mysteries has been to find the balance between holding back too much and giving it all away.

The award-winning mystery writer Kristine Kathryn Rusch advises never to hold back information from the reader. Give it all away, she says, but do it skillfully. Experience has proved her right.

Keep learning

How to write a mystery novel is a huge subject, and goes far beyond the scope of this article. For more information, here are a few good resources:

• Writing The Modern Mystery, by Barbara Norville
• How To Write A Damn Good Mystery, by James N. Frey
• Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by The Mystery Writers of America, edited by Sue Grafton
• Writing Mysteries, Online Workshop by Dean Wesley Smith

Keep studying and learning your genre. But don’t let study keep you from writing. The best practice comes through writing, so if you want to write a mystery novel, give it a go!

Do you have an idea for a mystery book? Have you devised a clever puzzle you think would make a great mystery novel? Share something about it in the comments section.

PRACTICE

Consider your writing style and choose a mystery sub-genre you think is a good fit: cozy, police/medical/legal procedural, private eye/noir, or suspense. Write the opening scene for such a mystery, making sure you respect the conventions and reader expectations.

Write for fifteen minutes. When you’re finished, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, please leave feedback for your fellow writers.

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Discover a host of medieval castles in North East Wales

Love medieval castles? Then you’ll be in seventh heaven in North East Wales. There’s a castle round every corner, testimony to the region’s strategic significance in the power battle between the English and Welsh. I’ve been going to North Wales since childhood and am familiar with the big boys – ie Conway and Caernarvon, but I hadn’t seen any of the castles in Flintshire or Denbighshire. During a recent weekend trip, I did the equivalent of Munro-Bagging; I saw as many castles as I could, all within 48 hours … Here they are.

Ewloe Castle

The narrow path from the busy dual carriageway gave no indication of the ruined majesty hidden away in the wooded glade below. Surrounded by trees, its walls crumbling, it’s barely recognisable as a castle and yet Ewloe Castle in Flintshire, possesses a medieval charm that many much bigger and more imposing castles don’t have. Even its history is vague. Probably built by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (‘the Last’) after 1257 (which could mean last year …) According to Wikipedia, Ewloe Castle was, ‘…  abandoned at the beginning of the invasion of Wales by Edward I in 1277. Standing near the Chester, it maintained a strategic position near the Wales–England border. The castle is located on a steeply-sloped promontory within a forested valley.’ It overlooks two streams which could be heard chattering away beneath the ruins.

On the day I visited Ewloe Castle (free entry and held by CADW) there were just three other people there and bird song held sway in this sleepy dell. It was a totally relaxing and great introduction to this fascinating region.

Flint Castle

With its massive walls, enormous stone keep, curtain wall and three-storey corner tower, Flint Castle stands testimony to its powerful past. It was the first of the Welsh castles built by Edward I to dominate the locals. It was ideally placed near Chester in England, on the River Dee.  As I walked through the entrance gate, the sound of stone being cut reverberated around the site; a team of conservationists was repairing one of the towers was being repaired. A few people walked dogs or gazed out across the water to the Wirral opposite.

The sun shone as I ate my lunch and enjoyed the view; my first visit to Flint Castle and well worth driving through the unprepossessing town of Flint to see.

Rhuddlan Castle

Another of Edward I’s castles is in the little town of Rhuddlan in Denbighshire. Completed in 1277, not only did Edward live in Rhuddlan Castle, he also ordered the River Clwyd to be straightened and dredged to enable ships to sail inland along a man-made channel. This ensured that provisions and troops could reach the castle even if hostile forces or a siege prevented overland travel. I saw Rhuddlan Castle from the A547 en route to Ruthin; I’m saving it for another time.

Denbigh Castle

The sun beat down on the grass within the walls of Denbigh Castle. A crow hopped about in front of me. Apart from the guy in the Visitor’s Centre (entrance £4), there wasn’t a soul about. There was an air of tranquility here that defied its martial past. It was built to control the lordship of Denbigh after the conquest of Wales. Denbigh Castle sits above the best set of town walls in Wales; they stretch for around 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) from the north edge of the castle to its southeastern tip.

I climbed up to the top of the ramparts and got a splendid view towards the Clywdian Range. The castle hosts a variety of events throughout the summer, but I really enjoyed the luxury of having the place to myself on that sunny May day.

Bodelwyddan Castle

Seen from the very busy A55 this castle looks medieval but isn’t. It was built as a manor house in 1460 by the Humphreys family. Its most important association was with the Williams-Wynn family, which lasted for around 200 years from 1690. Bodelwyddan Castle is now a Grade II* Listed Building with part of it a hotel. I spent a fascinating afternoon exploring its rooms, admiring Welsh artworks, learning about its history during the First World War (you can go on a tour of a WWI replica trench in the grounds) and as a Girls School before it opened to the public. I found the Maze and children’s Adventure Playground and sat in the garden admiring the wisteria just coming into bloom

And finally, the ideal combination of castle and hotel …

Ruthin Castle Hotel

If you REALLY love castles then there is no better place to stay in North East Wales than Ruthin Castle. Built in the late 13th century by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, brother of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, sections of the ancient walls remain and now form part of the Ruthin Castle Hotel and Spa. Having been left to ruin for many years, in 1849  it was extended and partially rebuilt in local red sandstone. As a private home it become the centre of many romantic intrigues. The owner’s wife, ‘Patsy’ Cornwallis-West was said to be in a lengthy love-affair with HRH Edward, Prince of Wales; he visited regularly. Bertie’s Restaurant is named after him; appropriately I watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle in that very restaurant.

With a genteel air of faded elegance, acres of attractive parkland, an Italian-style garden with a lovely view down to Ruthin Town and peacocks strutting their stuff around the romantic ruins, Ruthin Castle has everything the avid castle-bagger could wish for.

Further Info on North East Wales

I visited the area courtesy of North East Wales Tourism. Their website North East Wales Tourism has got plenty of really useful information to help you plan your own trip to see the castles – and much more. You can follow them on social media channels on Twitter @NthEastWales, on Instagram and Facebook. Also check out websites Discover Flintshire – Explore Flintshire – Discover Denbighshire – Visit Wales.

If you like this, you’ll enjoy these articles about Wales

 

Heritage Steam Train journeys in North Wales

Take a historic train to the top of Snowdon

A world away from it all in Portmeirion

A Tantalising Glimpse of Pembrokeshire

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How One Writer Finished Her Book

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Maybe you’ve thought about it. Maybe you’ve even started writing, but got stumped halfway through.

Recently, I took a poll of writers in our community. What I found is that 85% of writers have had a great idea for a book, have even tried to write it, but haven’t been able to finish it.

Yes, finishing a book is hard. Trust me, I know just how frustrating and overwhelming it can be.

But it’s not impossible.

Here’s the story of how one author finally finished her book.

How You Write a Book

Sue had dreamed for years of writing a book, but despite her years of experience writing as a journalist, she couldn’t seem to finish a book.

She knew if she tried to write her book alone, she would join the ranks of aspiring writers who never make it to the final page.

She needed accountability, deadlines, and support along the way, so she joined the 100 Day Book program.

And it worked.

“Coming up on the holidays, it would have been really easy to just skip a few deadlines and just let go. That program is what kept me in line.”

That didn’t mean the process was easy. But the encouraging community of writers and editors kept her going when she got stuck.

“I did miss two deadlines, I will admit, and there were people both times who emailed me and said, ‘Where’s your story? What’s going on?’ That really kind of cemented that it’s not really my own arbitrary, ‘oh I’d lose a hundred bucks’ deadline. People are expecting [my writing].”

By the final deadline, she held her finished book in her hands.

“

Stop thinking about writing a book—sit down and write!

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4 Things You Need to Write a Book

Writing a book is a major undertaking, and it requires a holistic solution. We’ve found that you need four things to finish writing a book.

1. Incentive

Sure, you want to write a book now. But halfway through, when you’re stuck and every word is a painful chore to write, your enthusiasm will wane.

Instead, create incentives and consequences to keep you focused on your goal.

For me, this looked like writing out a check for $1,000 to the presidential candidate I didn’t want to win, to be sent only if I failed to finish my book. This consequence made me more focused than I ever have been on my writing.

For Sue, her incentive was $100 back from the 100 Day Book program if she met all her deadlines and finish her book. If she didn’t finish, that money would go to one of the most hated organizations in the world: the American IRS.

Sometimes, you need a little extra motivation, and for Sue, this worked.

2. Deadlines

If you’re like me, you need deadlines to finish your projects, whether that’s your homework or something due for your boss or a writing project.

“I want to finish my book sometime soon” isn’t a useful goal. Instead, set a firm deadline for when you’ll finish your book. Then, break up the book writing process down into smaller weekly deadlines so you can write your book in manageable pieces.

For Sue, this meant finishing a chapter of her book by Friday of each week. As she completed each chapter, she was able to see her word count build and track her progress toward her final deadline.

3. Accountability

When the writing gets tough, even deadlines and $100 might not be enough to keep you going.

That’s why it’s important to find a community to support you as you write. Alone, you might quit. (If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably quit.)

But when you’re surrounded by a community of other writers, their encouragement can keep you going even through the toughest parts of the process.

Personally, I almost didn’t meet my final deadline to finish my book. But my community reminded me that if I didn’t finish, they would hold me to my worst consequence.

4. Expert Guidance

Writing a book is one thing. Getting invaluable feedback on your book from start to finish to keep you on track and inspired is even better.

I know it’s scary to share your writing, especially when you know just how rough that rough draft is.

But the feedback you’ll get when you do will empower you to keep writing, enable you to address hiccups before they become major problems, and even inspire you with new ideas that can make your book even better.

Challenge yourself to share your draft with at least one other writer as you write your book. No, it won’t be easy.

But it will be worth it.

Your Next Step

Ready to write a book? Before you sit down to write, surround yourself with the tools and support you need to be successful.

Starting a book is exciting and fun. But when you reach the middle and have to press through to the end, you’ll find that support might just be exactly what you need to keep going.

Your dream of writing a book, like Sue’s dream, is absolutely worth pursuing. Find your incentive, create your deadlines, ask for accountability, and follow expert guidance to make it a reality.

And then, sit down and write!

Have you ever tried to write a book? What do you find most challenging? Let us know in the comments.

PRACTICE

Take fifteen minutes to think through your book idea. What’s the story you want to tell? Write a summary of your story from beginning to end (or as much of the story as you know right now).

When you’re done, share the highlights with us in the comments. And if you share, be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!

If so, I hope you’ll invest in yourself and join us in the 100 Day Book program.

Hurry, though—enrollment for the course closes tomorrow.

If you’re ready to finish your book, you can sign up here:

Join us and write your book »

But whether you join us or not, I hope you’ll use the steps above and commit to finishing your book. It won’t be easy, but it will absolutely be worth it.

I believe in you. Now go write!

What’s holding you back from writing your book? Let us know in the comments.

PRACTICE

One of the most effective parts of the 100 Day Book program is the lesson on creating a book plan. We’ve found that people who finish a book plan before they start writing their book are 52 percent more likely to finish their books.

The most important part of the book plan is your book’s premise, and while we go into depth on how to write your premise and create a book plan in the full 100 Day Book program, you can get started right now with this free premise lesson here:

Want to Write a Book? Do This First

Get started on your book right. Write your premise, get a solid foundation for your book, and then use the tips above to finish.

And if you’re ready to take the next step with the 100 Day Book program, we would love to go on this journey to a finished book with you.

Have fun and happy writing!

The post How One Writer Finished Her Book appeared first on The Write Practice.

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The Bettinardi BB56 Armageddon Limited Edition Putter

In honor of Memorial Day and our military, Bettinardi Golf is releasing the second putter in their military-themed Armageddon Limited Edition series, the BB56 Armageddon. Like it’s predecessor, this Armageddon putter features a military motif, but putter also features maybe the coolest metal that I have ever seen used to build a putter.

It was about a year ago when Bob Bettinardi and crew unveiled their first military-themed putter, the BB1 Armageddon Limited Edition putter. That putter featured a military color palate, and other military-inspired design elements, like the Picatinny Rail top line. Combine that with their first uPatch headcover, and you had a truly unique putter offering.

This new Armageddon putter blows away its predecessor. Not because the BB56 placed third in this year's Most Wanted Mallet Test. Not because of how precisely it’s made, we are talking about Bettinardi after all. Instead what sets it apart is what its materials.

Yes, I’ve just teased about the metal for the second time. I feel no guilt about that. The metal in this putter is next-level cool

BB56 Armageddon Specifications:

• Material: High-grade (Military) Kaiser 6061 Aluminum
• Insert: 303 Stainless Steel Topline
• Face Milling: Floating Fit-face
• Weight: 350 grams
• Finish: Stealth Desert Sand TPT
• Lie: 70 degree
• Loft: 2 degrees
• Grip: Bettinardi Lamkin Deep Etched Cord Orange Grip
• Number Made: 125
• MSRP: $500.00
• Release Date: May 24, 2018 (10:00AM CDT)

So, About That Metal...

Some of you metal heads out there may be poised to strike at your keyboards, sharpening your wrath as you prepare to explain to me how this Kaiser 6061 aluminum is not different from the typical 6061 aluminum of the stock BB56.

Maybe you have a point. I’ll defer to your metal expertise, but you are dead wrong about the metal in the BB56 Armageddon being typical aluminum.

I’ll let Specialist Ryan Finch explain about the metal.

The material came from the shop my Dad worked at. They cut door armor for Humvees. There were blanks that were the window cut outs that normally would be scraped. Dad asked the owner if he could save some to do a project for me. He always took pride in making the armor and the deployment was hard on the family. We sat on the material for 10 years trying to come up with something to make.

So Ryan’s dad worked at the factory (Magna Machine Company) where they manufactured the armor that was protecting his son while he was deployed. His dad saved this metal, and that is the metal that the BB56 Armageddon putters were milled from.

How amazing is that? That is so amazing to me that I’m at a loss for words to express my amazement. I’m not often awestruck by putters, but reading the email from Ryan stopped me in my tracks.

But why putters, and why Bettinardi? Again, I’ll let Ryan tell his story.

I started golfing with Dad when I got back home, at first it was a way to hang with dad and drink beer. More I played the more I grew to love it. As my PTSD really started kicking in it was a good forum of therapy.

I reached out to Bettinardi because Dad’s a big Bettinardi fan and they're the perfect company. Big enough to be in retail stores and across the globe but small enough to do cool projects and actually answer emails. Robert and the crew are big military supporter and awesome to work with. I couldn't have picked a better company to work with. Bettinardi is more of a family than just a company, Dad and I are proud to be a small part of that family now.

Again, I’m pretty much speechless about all of this, which is not so helpful when trying to tell a story, but what else can I say? I am amazed, impressed, and in no small way touched by the story of how these putters came to be.

Armageddon vs. The Stock BB56

As if the story of the metal was not enough to establish the uniqueness of the BB56 Armageddon, there are also some design elements that separate it from its stock brother.

Color Scheme

Like the BB1 Armageddon, the BB56 Armageddon features a previously unreleased finish. The Stealth Desert Sand finish is a bit lighter, and less Earthy when compared to the Flat Dark Earth finish of the BB1 Armageddon.

Looking at the photos of military Humvees, I’d say that this Stealth Desert Sand finish is a pretty good match, which is likely the point after all.

Design Changes

In addition to the different color, there are a few other design modifications worth pointing out. First of all, the stock BB56’s flymill face has been replaced with a Floating F.I.T. Face. The F.I.T. face milling removes material (and mass) from the face, which will make the putter feel softer.

When you look at the address position, you will also notice that the milling pattern in the side cavities has changed. The BB56 Armageddon features five ridges per side, compared to the far more numerous, and smaller ridges found on the stock BB56. The bottom of the BB56 Armageddon also lacks the milled furrows found on the stock BB56. And yes, the sight line is bright orange.

MOLLE Headcover

Once again, the Bettinardi Armageddon release comes with a one of a kind headcover. This time, rather using the uPatch Velcro design again, Bettinardi designed the headcover to look like the MOLLE webbing system found on military packs. My civilian self had no clue about the MOLLE system, but thankfully there is Wikipedia.

MOLLE is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. The system's modularity is derived from the use of Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS) webbing as rows of heavy-duty nylon stitched onto the vest to allow for the attachment of various compatible pouches and accessories.

Not only does this headcover keep with the military theme, but you have spots to lash things to it as well. Sure, you could probably just slide a pitch tool or tees in there, but I’m sure that there is a little pouch out there just begging to be attached to this headcover.

It’ll be a Rapid Deployment

With only 125 of these being made, you can expect them to sell out quickly, so head over to Bettinardi, or contact your local authorized Bettinardi dealer. Some of you are going to be turned off at the $500 price tag on these, but in the land of limited edition putters, $500 seems a bit low even.

Custom BB56 putters have been instantly selling out in The Hive for $900, leading me to believe that these Armageddon BB56s, with the amazing metal pedigree, Bettinardi could have sold for more.

Just like last year, Bettinardi will again be donating a portion of the proceeds to the Warriors for Freedom Foundation, who provides support for veterans and their families.

So, with the BB56 Armageddon, you get a performance-tested design, metal sourced from actual Humvees, a solid father-son story, and some of your purchase goes to a deserving charity.

Well done Bettinardi Golf, well done.

Win a BB56 Armageddon

Do you know a veteran or someone currently serving in the military who would like to bag this putter? Well, you will have a chance to win one for him or her! Just keep an eye on the Bettinardi Instagram page this weekend for your chance to win.

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