Star Grips - Made In The USA

I'm not sure how much attention you pay to your grips, but I would say almost all of you don't pay enough attention to them. Grips are a key part of your golf game and if you've every played in the rain and had a club slip out of your hand, you know exactly what I'm talking about. They become hard, slick and feel awful.
Well, about 4 years ago, I had a chance to tour the Star Grip factory in Chandler, Arizona. I was very impressed. Star Grips are the only grips made in the USA (that's a big deal to me). They don't get hard, they are all completely round and they feel great. So, I recently ordered a couple of dozen Star Sidewinders and put them on all my clubs. They are awesome, and I'm so impressed with the way they feel. I will be ordering more and recommending them to all my customers and friends.
While the weather is cold and your poor clubs are in the garage, hanging out with the yard tools, you should order a set of Star Grips and put them on. They will make your clubs feel great and hopefully in return, when spring comes, your clubs will return the favor and help your game feel great.
Here are a few facts from the Star Grip web page....

FEATURE	Star Grips®	Golf Pride®, Winn®, Lamkin®
Made In the USA		No
Seamless True Round Molding		No
Consistent Weight		No
Guaranteed Quality		No

Star Grips will never get hard, slick or absorb moisture

Check them out at www.stargrip.com

Golf Trip Planning

One of the things I wanted to do after leaving Turquoise Valley was to get into planning golf trips. So, I figured the best way to do that was to plan a trip for myself and some friends. I mean what better way to figure out the details. Well, figuring out the details just got a whole lot easier with this great website called "My Golfing Trip.Com". The site is run by my buddy Ben Bleser, who has literally hit a home run on this one.

This site literally makes it so easy even my buddy Wilmont could do it. Sorry, Willmont! I still love ya man.

You get everything you need to plan a weekend trip for you and your wife, to planning a full field tournament. Just a few things you get with this site:

• Golf Trip Locations
• Golf Trip Planning
• Golf Trip Vacations
• Online Voting
• Online Leaderboard
• Upload Trip Photos
• Golf Trip Itinerary
• Message Board
• Accept Online Payments

It is an awesome site and I will be posting some pics after our January trip to Las Cruces, NM. Watch for them....they could be very interesting.......Have a great golf week.

http://www.mygolfingtrip.com/

Great Golf Blogs

There are literally hundreds of golf blogs out there. Some good, some bad and some that haven't been updated in years. I try to read about 10 different blogs weekly. If I read more than that, I get nothing else done.

This past week 4 blogs come to mind that were pretty good. It doesn't hurt that they all recently did a product review for Swing Reminders.

If you get a chance, check out these blogs.......

http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners

http://www.acemakr.com/

http://www.tourgolfblog.com/

http://www.hookedongolfblog.com/

Russell Houston Golf Art

I first saw these great cowboy golf pictures about three years ago. I wanted a set, but couldn't find them. Then about three weeks ago, I saw an advertisement in a golf magazine. I ordered the 2009 calendar and it is awesome.

If you are a golf enthusiast, you need to order this calendar.

www.russellhouston.com

2nd Annual Golf Talk Radio Golf Tournament

The 2nd Annual Golf Talk Radio golf tournament held on Saturday, November 22nd, 2008 at the Avila Beach Golf Resort was a great success! We would like to thank the following people for contributing to the tournament with tee prizes, donations or volunteering their time to the tournament.

Scott with - Swing Reminders - your chips were a hit!

Jim Paradise with - The Glove Grabber - thanks for all you did!

Nick & Crew with - Golfland Warehouse - you guys rock!

Dave Schimandle with - Slickstix - thanks for the GTR putter grips!

Troi & Mike - Inn at Avila Beach & Avila La Fonda Hotel - great party!

Jay & Crew with - Avila Beach Golf Resort - what a course!

Our crew - Tbrew, Margaret and Big E - the best!


The tournament raised over $1500 for Operation Comfort and participants traveled from all over California - Discovery Bay, Santa Barbara, San Jose and Fresno to be part of the event. The money raised will positively change the lives of military Veteran's who lives have been forever changed. Those of you who could not make the event this year we hope that you will be able to join us for next year. You can make a difference by donating to Operation Comfort or a similiar Veteran program. All we ask is that you think of the men and women who serve or have served in our military the next time that you tee it up.

Keep it on course,

Mike & Billy
Golftalkradio.com

Life In The Rough Review

Swing Reminders just got another great review. This one comes from Mike at Life In The Rough (www.lifeintherough.com). You can read this review at http://www.lifeintherough.com/2008/11/22/accessory-review-swing-reminders/. Thanks Mike and good luck in your pursuit of a career as a Golf Professional.

Pick Your Target

Here you are on a short, downhill par 3 over water, with sand and trees and a huge drop off left of the green. If that's not enough, the wind is blowing about 15 mph right to left. Where do you aim?

If you can just put all the elements out of your mind (no biggie right), then you can just pick out a target in the distance and put a good swing on it. Is golf that simple? Maybe.....

Something that might work is to not pick a target in the distance, but pick one on the ground, about 12 inches in front of your ball. You can use an old divot, an old tee, a blade of grass, whatever catches your eye. This will help you keep your head down and focus you on the ball and not what's up near the green.

Now just commit to the shot and put a good swing on it. I know it can be done on this hole, I have a buddy named Joe that has 5 (yes 5) hole in ones on this hole. We have a bet (for a drink) that I can hit 100 shots to this hole and not get hole in one. I haven't tried it yet, but maybe someday.

Pick your target and commit to the shot.....golf can be that easy!

Golf Tip Today

Do you come up short on a putts?
Do you notice if your wrists break during the putt?
Do you putt with your shoulders?

If you answered yes to the first two questions, then the third question is your answer.
If you answered no to the first two questions, then then I bet you answered yes to the third question. I'd also bet you're a pretty good putter.

"Putt with your shoulders"

Don’t putt with your wrists or hands, you have to use your shoulders like the
pendulum on a grandfather clock (tick- tock). Only use the big muscles, if your wrists break, you will not hit solid putts. Putts will most likely come up short, but sometimes you'll blast one by six feet. Consistent?

Tighten up those wrists and putt with your shoulders and I'll guarantee you will hit more good putts. Now go out there and spend 30 minutes putting once a week. Then you will take all the quarters from your partners the next time you play. But, they will probably make you buy the drinks. Oh well, that's golf.....

Anthony Kim DQ in China

We can all learn from this one!

This is a great article about Anthony Kim, who disqualified himself during the 4th round at the HSBC Championship in Shanghai, China. I think it shows all golfers that even the best players in the world know the rules and want to follow them as much as possible. I salute Kim for calling a rules violation on himself.

SHANGHAI, China -- Anthony Kim was disqualified Sunday from the HSBC Champions for playing with an altered driver.

Kim, a star in the United States' Ryder Cup victory over Europe two months ago, accidentally hit a sprinkler head as he tapped his driver on the ground while walking down the seventh fairway.

"I wasn't angry or anything, just walking down the fairway," Kim said. "The toe hit the sprinkler, hit the top of the sprinkler, and I looked at it and it looked a little bit different. But I wasn't sure and I put it in my bag."

At the eighth, he hit his first drive only 150 yards, and out of bounds. He then hit a second provisional shot -- also poorly. He took a triple-bogey 8 on the hole and played two more before he found a rules official, who told him he must disqualify himself for playing with an altered club.

Kim was disqualified under rule 4-3b, said Andy McFee, European tour referee.

Kim had an 8-over 44 on the front nine, and parred the 10th hole. He entered the third round at 5 under -- five strokes behind the leaders -- with rounds of 66-73.

The HSBC Champions will be completed Monday after a delay caused by a rain washout on Friday and more rain on Saturday.

"I was pretty shocked," Kim said. "But you know, the rules are the rules and I have no problem with that."

In the last few weeks, Kim said he badly sprained his right ankle -- falling down stairs at a friend's home -- and also bruised his jaw while horseback riding.

Kim said he's played little golf in the last three weeks and has lived on a diet of noodles, unable to chew with the sore jaw.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Winter In Arizona

It's that time of year when all our snow bird friends start showing up at Turquoise Valley. We had dinner tonight with three of our favorite couples. Just a great time of year.....unless you live north of say, Arizona.

We took a trip this summer all the way to upstate New York and into Ontario, Canada. It was a really nice trip. But, it was SUMMER.
I just can't understand why people would want to live in the cold and snow. It's nice to visit, but there is no way I could deal with it. I'm not that old, (no comments from you guys) and it just hurts to be cold, my fingers and knees ache and my skin gets dry and cracked....No way. I'm gonna stay where it looks like this in the winter. Arizona winters are the bestest. I mean come on, which green would you rather be putting on?

Today's Golf Tip

There are millions of golf tips out there. So many that if you linked them all together you could play about 4,598,324 miles of par 5's. But what if you could actually get some tips that would help your game? Not rocket science, but just basic thoughts to help you play just a few shots better.

I think we all get caught up in our score, no matter if we shoot par golf or double bogey golf. If we have a bad hole, it gets in our heads and it's very hard to get that bad thought out of there. What can we do to forget the bad shot or shots? Well, if we had thought it through better, or executed better, or hit a different club, or blah blah blah. It's golf, it's a hard game. It never works out exactly like you want it to, well almost never.

What if you played to your strengths? If you hate 30 yard pitch shots, don’t leave yourself that shot. It goes hand in hand with “play within yourself”. For instance you have 250 yards to a par 5, do you hit a 3 wood (that has no chance of reaching the green) or lay up with a 7 iron and leave yourself a 100 yard full shot. Know your limitations.

There are 9 billion thoughts going through your head as you start to take the club back, don't make it more complicated than it is. Just play your game. If your game is to lay up, then lay up, you're going to feel alot better about a par than double bogey.

Here's a concept, what if we used that same "play to your strengths" thought in our daily lives?

Think about that one, have a great golf day and enjoy a nice evening.

Golf Today Magazine

I had a very pleasant surprise this week. My buddy Joel Metcalf from Cleveland Golf in Central California, e-mailed me this article he saw in Golf Today Magazine (http://www.golftodaymagazine.com/catalog/catalog.php?catalog_id=17).

Bob Kocz0r the owner & publisher of the magazine wrote a great review about Swing Reminders for the October issue. This comes just in time for the Christmas rush....Thanks Bob for the kind words.

Check out this great publication at www.golftodaymagazine.com

Pro Shop Display

We are signing new Pro Shops that want to carry Swing Reminders. We have a new Pro Shop counter display that makes it super easy to make sales. Customers will spend $.99 on almost anything, especially if it's going to help their golf games. The container comes with 4 sets of tokens (100 tokens), for a special introductory price.

Plus there is wholesale pricing on full sets of tokens.

If your Pro Shop is interested in carrying Swing Reminders, just drop us a line at info@swingreminders.com.

Web Page Updates

We made some changes to the main web page over the weekend. Check them out and let me know what you think.

We are running a special for the holidays. If you buy two sets of Swing Reminders, you get free shipping. They make great stocking stuffers.

The Golfaholic Review

My buddy Shelby over at The Golfaholic (http://www.thegolfaholic.com/) did a great review for Swing Reminders, you can read it at: http://thegolfaholic.com/pages/golf-instruction/swing-reminders.php

When you have time, check out his website for unbiased golf product reviews. Thanks Shelby.

Swing Reminders Opens A Lemonade Stand

I have opened a lemonade stand online to promote golf products that I feel can help your game. Plus, they can be bought right from the lemonade stand at great discount prices. Check them out at http://www.lemonade.com/index.php?cID=76976

Have a great golf weekend.

Justin Timberlake Celebrity Pro Am

Swing Reminders are being featured in the celebrity gift bags at the Justin Timberlake Celebrity Pro Am Golf Tournament on October 15th, at the PGA Tour's Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. Check out the tournament webstite at http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r047/.

This is a great opportunity for Swing Reminders to get some huge visibility. Wish us luck....

New Swing Reminders Store @ CafePress

I decided to open a store at CafePress to sell Swing Reminders hats & t-shirts. You can check out the selection at www.cafepress.com/swingreminders.

The stuff is pretty basic, with just the logo. Except for the ladies shirt which has a logo on the front and on the back it says "If your not a PGA or LPGA Professional, don't try to tell me how to golf".

I conducted a ladies clinic a couple of weeks ago and some of the ladies said it was really hard to go to the local range, because the guys just would not leave them alone. So, one of the ladies and I came up with this logo for the back of the t-shirt. If you're having this problem at your local practice facility, just cruise on over to the store and order a shirt.

Working on a ton of other stuff, and hopefully will be getting some more info out to you soon. Have a great golf weekend.

PGA Expo

Just wanted to share a picture from the PGA Expo in Las Vegas. My friend Sheila at Pink Diva Golf (www.pinkdivagolf.com) took this one. More pics and info to come hopefully this weekend. Lots going on at Swing Reminders....Have a great weekend.

Ladies Golf Clinics

I will be teaching Ladies Golf Clinics at Turquoise Valley Golf Course (www.turquoisevalley.com) on the following dates: August 23rd, September 13th, October 18th, and November 22nd. All clinics are 9:30 - 11:30 and cost $25 each. To sign up, e-mail me (scott@swingreminders.com) or call the Pro Shop (520-432-3091) to sign up.

Las Vegas PGA Golf Show

Swing Reminders is headed to the Las Vegas PGA Golf Show. I will be set up in booth #962 on August 26 - 27. If you're in the area, stop by....will have some free stuff to give away.

Check it out at www.pgaexpo.com

My Summer Vacation

Well, I survived 12 days on the road visiting family in Tennessee, Virginia, and New York. I played golf in 4 states and Canada. This brings my totals to 259 courses in 24 states and 14 countries. We drove over 2,200 miles after flying almost 1,500 miles. It was a long trip, but well worth it to see family for the first time in awhile.

Here are the courses I played and a short review for each.....

Glenrochie Country Club, Abingdon, Virginia. I played it with my Dad and two of his good friends. I have played it a couple of times before, and it is always in awesome condition. This year was no different. It was a quick awakening from playing basically flat courses in Arizona, going to a very hilly track. I played okay, not as well as I wanted, but do we ever?

Culbertson Hills Golf Resort, Edinboro, Pennsylvania. The Pro Shop staff put me out first at about 6:45 and the course was great. I had forgotten how much dew can be on the grass when your playing golf back east early in the morning. The greens were fast and I couldn't figure out the breaks at all. But, I shot a 79, with two balls in the water and no birdies. I'll take it. If you're in the area, check the course out, it is a good one. www.clubertsonhills.com

Willowbrook Golf Course, Lockport, New York. Head Golf Professional Mark Doel and his staff were great, they worked me in on a busy Saturday morning with a group of members who showed me all the ins and outs of Willowbrook. This 27 hole facility was in good shape, quick greens and nice lush fairways. I played the South and West courses. We had a couple of lightning delays and quick storms that played through. The restaurant and bar were one of the nicest at a public course I have seen. If you're in Western New York, you should take time to play here. www.willowbrook.biz

Niagara On The Lake Golf Course, Ontario, Canada. I found out that this is the oldest continuously operated golf course in North America and changed my plans to play it. The Pro Shop Man - Al, was very helpful and worked me in right away. I played with a member who helped me keep the ball in play on this short, but very tight track. Very cool course, right on the edge of Lake Ontario in a small village with tons of shops. Excellent restaurant that looks out over Lake Ontario and Fort Niagara. Thanks to Head Pro Billy Simkin and his great staff. www.notlgolf.com

Kenny Perry's Country Creek Golf Course, Franklin, Kentucky. This is the course I really wanted to make sure and play on the trip. We drove from Niagara Falls to Franklin in one day, about 12 hours. I was greeted just as I thought I would be, with southern hospitality. The guys in the shop took excellent care of me and got me out with a couple of great local boys, Chris and Shannon. I had a good round of 76, with a 9 on hole #13, a 573 yard, par 5, where I hit my first ball OB and my 5th shot up against a fence. We had a blast, the course is awesome, the whole atmosphere was just how I wanted to end my vacation. If you ever get to this part of the country, you need to play this course. The Pro Shop is full of Kenny Perry memorabilia, including a signed President's Cup Photo from 2005, with all the team members signatures. Just one of many great pieces on display. If I were to retire anyplace besides Southeastern Arizona, it would be next door to Kenny Perry's Country Creek Golf Course.
www.kpcountrycreek.com

Check out the websites for these courses and put them on your list of places to play.

Here is a nice vacation sunset picture looking across Lake Ontario. Nice place to sip a cold one at the end of the day.

How Many Courses?

About 15 years ago I decided to set some golf goals. The goals went like this; play 200 golf courses, in 20 countries, all 50 states. Well, I am proud to say that to date I have played 255 Courses, in 13 Countries, 21 States and 1 Territory. Would you believe I have them all databased and that I have score cards for all but 3 courses? Well, it's true, I am that crazy.
In the coming weeks I will be going on a vacation and hope to get 4 more States and Canada. I have it all mapped out, travel times, hotels, course names, tee times, etc... My wife keeps telling me I need to play more golf, how can I say no to that? When I get back, I'll be doing course reviews on the places I play. Wish me luck....I will need some good weather for this trip......FORE.

Countries: United States, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Kuwait, Laos, Netherlands, Panama, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Thailand

States: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.

Newsletter Winners

The answer to the question in the newsletter was - Mark O'Meara, who won The Open Championship in 1998 at Royal Birkdale, the same year he won his first major championship The Masters.

The winners of the new Swing Reminders Golf Shirt and Hat are:
Larry Pelon - Shirt
Stella McCall - Hat

Here is what the new shirts and hats look like. Have a great golf day......

Tips To Stop Slow Play

Slow play is one of the biggest issues we have today in golf. You can blame it on alot of things, but I really think it comes from players watching golf on television. They see the Pro's taking time to hit shots, line up putts and decide what the wind is doing. So, it just makes sense that they take that to heart and try it themselves. If you're serious about helping to stop slow play, read and follow these simple rules. It will make golf more enjoyable for everyone.

1-Always Be Ready To Hit
-proceed directly to your own ball
-take one practice swing and get set while others are hitting
-hit when ready, even simultaneously if you will not interfere with others
-carry a spare ball in your pocket, when in doubt...hit a provisional
-know the rules of golf, especially those pertaining to out of bounds, water hazards and lost balls

2-Don't Waste Time
-never record your scores on or near the green
-do not leave your cart or bag in front of the green, leave it to the rear of the green on the side nearest the next tee
-give instructions on the driving range, not on the course
-carry an extra ball, tees and ball marker in your pocket
-don't delay your shot when the group ahead is realistically out of range
-lost ball, 5 minutes per group per hole, maximum time

3-On The Tee
-the first player ready to hit should
-other players should wait right next to the tee markers
-after hitting, each player should return to his clubs and be ready to proceed to his ball

4-On The Green
-park your cart and clubs to the rear of the green, in line with the next tee
-line up your putt before it is your turn to putt
-follow the continuous putting rules until you hole out, unless restricted by another players line

5-If The Course Is Busy Do Not Wave Players Through, Instead, KEEP PACE With The Group Ahead
-if the course is quiet, let faster players through, as long as there are open holes ahead and to the rear

6-Use Tees, Bunkers And Other Known Landmarks To Make Errant Shots Easier To Find

The Swing Reminders Idea

Swing Reminders are hardwood tokens with a helpful golf tip on each side. This product helps golfers of all skill levels play better golf, by focusing on specific areas they want to improve.

I woke up on November 19, 2006 at 3:30 A.M. and all I could think about was Swing Reminders. I went to my desk and started to write down ideas. In a few minutes I had the basic idea of the round wooden tokens, and a list of about 20 reminders. I tried to go back to bed, but my mind just kept thinking of new ideas. So, I went back to the computer and started to write more things down. I sent my brother an e-mail with the idea and he fired up his laser cutter and cut the first set of demo Swing Reminders.

Since then, the list of reminders has grown to 50 and the actual tokens have evolved from wood to metal and then back to wood. They have taken off, I have sent Swing Reminders to over 30 states and 10 countries.

Swing Reminders were invented by

Turquoise Valley Golf Course

Head Golf Professional Scott Jessee

Visit the website at

www.swingreminders.com

How To Fix A Ball Mark

Have you ever wondered how to correctly repair a ball mark? Well, here is the best example I have seen in a long time. Take the time to fix your ball mark and two others each time you walk onto a green. Your fellow golfers will appreciate it.

Friends Of Swing Reminders

Swing Reminders has really taken off in the past 6 months or so and it could not have happened without some very good friends. There are alot of folks out there helping me get this dream going, but I really wanted to thank the following sites for helping out tremendously.

The Golf Space www.tgc.com
Scruffy & Friends www.golfaccordingtoscruffy.com
Georgia Golf Marketing www.georgia-pgs-golfmarketing.com
Pink Diva Golf www.pinkdivagolf.com
Golf Blogger www.golfblogger.com
Cardboard Safari www.cardboardsafari.com
Turquoise Valley Golf & RV www.turquoisevalley.com

Please check out their sites, they have some great stuff and these folks are awesome....

Do You Have A Pre-Shot Routine?

I have been playing golf over 25 years, and teaching golf for over five years and it never ceases to amaze me that people can stand over a golf shot and not have a pre-shot routine. Having a pre-shot routine, that’s the same every time you step up to a shot is a huge deal. Watch any professional or single digit handicapper and each time they step up to a shot, they do the same things.

Do you have a routine when you shoot a free throw? How about when you get ready to roll a bowling ball? Golf is no different, it's actually harder, because there are way too many things running through golfers heads. If we could make golf less of a thinking game and more of a reactionary game, we would all be better players.

Having a pre-shot routine will help you to not think, just react. It will help you stay focused. Think about this, if you spend a few seconds on doing your pre-shot routine each time you stand over a shot, which will take longer, no pre-shot routine and hitting it all over the place or having a pre-shot routine and hitting the ball more consistently?

Get a routine……it will make you a better golfer and better golfers have more fun.

World #1

With Tiger out for the rest of the season and possibly more, will anyone step into his World #1 position? Currently the top 10 are:

Tiger Woods
Phil Mickelson
Adam Scott
Ernie Els
Geoff Ogilvy
Justin Rose
Sergio Garcia
Steve Stricker
Vijay Singh
Jim Furyk

Do you see anyone on this list that can step up and dominate enough to move into the #1 position? I do not, I mean Phil is probably the most likely candidate and I really like him, but I'm not convinced he can take control. Unless one of the other eight guys gets on a hot streak and wins a couple of majors or five tournaments, I just don't see it happening. I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time and certainly not the last.

What do you think?

Junior Golf Pics

Just a few pics from Junior Golf so far this year.....

Junior Golf - It Must Be Summer

It must be summer because I'm doing Junior Golf 4 days a week.....it is so cool to watch a kid at the beginning of camp not be able to hit the ball at all and then a month later schwack the heck out of it.

Down here in Naco, Arizona on the border (we are actually a driver and 5 iron from the Mexican border), the kids don't have alot. I get a huge amount of clubs donated by local folks and for a measly $40 (if they can pay or not) the kids each get 8 days of lessons, a tournament with lunch, trophies, and a set of clubs. They aren't always the best clubs or the newest, but it gets kids involved in golf and isn't that the bottom line? Then they can hit balls all summer on the range, if they pick up their own balls. Plus, most of the time we just let them play free golf too. That's not to say we don't have problems sometimes when they decide to hit new range balls into the pond on #3, or hit shots into the #18 green from the range, but they are just kids. If we keep one kid from getting involved in some kind of trouble, then we have succeeded in our efforts to spread the great game of golf.

Turquoise Valley Hole #15

Today's Golfer Magazine out of the UK just ranked the 18 longest golf holes on the planet. The longest hole is 964 yards and par 7....are they insane? This course is in Japan, the next two longest holes are on the same course in Thailand...can you imagine playing hole #4 at 878 yards, par 6 and then playing hole #13 861 yards, par 6? What are the rest, par 3s?

At any rate, my home course Turquoise Valley in Naco, Arizona has the longest hole in Arizona and 5th longest hole in the United States. It is the 747 yard, par 6 "Rattler", it is a great hole, just a driver, 3 wood and 5 iron for an eagle putt....just remember the hole is narrow and has a pond next to the green....no problemo.......

Great Start to PGA Season

What a great way to start the season. Without Tiger and Phil (who needs them anyway), it was a fantastic 4 hole playoff with two great PGA players. Congrats to Mr. Chopra and Mr. Stricker both.