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For those of you who have read my blog posts, you know I’m a huge fan of golf. I went to college on a golf scholarship and played professionally for almost 7 years. But the truth is, golf has never been my favorite sport. That title goes to the game of basketball.

I love basketball, and played it competitively through my junior year of college (until my golf coach threatened to take away my scholarship if I kept going). I played in a weekly competitive game after college all the way up until my early 40s, when I quit because of a fear of injury (old age and a torn achilles don’t work well together). Now that I no longer get my basketball fix from playing, I’ve turned to coaching my kids to fill that niche.

This is my 4th year in a row coaching youth basketball, and I really enjoy it. This year I’m coaching not only my 10 year son’s team, but my 7 year old daughter’s team as well. It’s a lot of practices and games in an 8 week period, but it’s worth it.

When I was a kid, my dad coached my teams for years (the image in this post is my dad and I, a little before my basketball career began). I was a point guard my entire career, and I loved talking about the game of basketball with my dad. Still do. He knows the game, and he recognized my talent and drive to succeed. As a result, he gave me the proverbial keys to run the team as the floor general. I brought the ball up the court, initiated the offense, and either passed to open teammates or scored myself. The ball was always in my hands, and I got to share all of those experiences with my dad. It was a blast, and I wanted my children to have those same experiences that I had growing up.

Fortunately, both of my kids are pretty athletic. They both have good hand-eye coordination, both can run and jump, and they’re both receptive to having their dad coach their teams. I really enjoy teaching the subtleties of the game to the kids, and watching them grow and improve as the season progresses. It doesn’t hurt that (as of this publication) my son’s team is 5-0 and in first place in the league standings! But even if we weren’t having that kind of season, it would still be a lot of fun.

If you have a passion for a sport and you have children, I implore you to volunteer to coach their team. I promise, you will get so much satisfaction out of watching them grow and improve. And years from now, you will look back and smile at all the wonderful memories you made, knowing how much time and effort you put into your child’s development. It really is the best way to spend time with your kids.

Recently, a lot has been made of professional athletes and their struggles with mental health. From Simone Biles at this summer’s Olympics, to Naomi Osaka in professional tennis, to Matthew Wolff in professional golf, star athletes are opening up about their struggles with anxiety, pressure, and mental health. In fact, just this morning I read a great article on golfdigest.com about this. You can find the article here…

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/golf-mental-health

But this got me thinking: what about the rest of us? The non high-profile, anonymous desk-riders with kids, mortgages, and stressful jobs who are struggling as well? I’m not ashamed to admit that, at times, I’m one of these people.

I own a small business. A pretty successful one at that. I don’t say this to be arrogant or boastful, but I know that most people would look at my life and want it for themselves. I have a great and healthy family. A nice house. A nice car. I play golf at nice courses. I have job security, retirement and emergency savings, and we take nice vacations. All the trappings that come with success.

But I also lie awake at night worrying about my business. Not because we’re struggling to make ends meet, but because the work, hours, effort and (most importantly) stress that goes into keeping things afloat is troubling. Today’s marketing world is far different from that of our parent’s generation. The digital world is dynamic and fluid. Clients come and go, and you very much rent them, not own them. The days of longterm, binding contracts for a year or more are over, and likely never coming back. That means you can’t count on this month’s revenue next month. Clients expect results, and some clients live and die with those results week by week, rather than taking the longview. There are deadlines to meet, payroll and vendor bills to cover, and mortgages to pay.

All of this adds up to serious stress. Sleepless nights and the (not so) occasional pit in the stomach in the morning. This isn’t to say that I’m not grateful for what I have. I remind myself almost every day how blessed and lucky I am, but just because a person is successful doesn’t mean that their worries, feelings and stresses aren’t real. It’s entirely possible to be very successful and very miserable at the same time (to be clear, I’m not miserable, but I can see how even very successful people get to that point).

So the question becomes, what do we do about it? How do we care about our jobs, fulfill our responsibilities, and still maintain our sanity in this crazy, high-stress world? We now have mini computers in our pockets that allow us to work 24/7, even when we’re not supposed to be at work. We have social media accounts that induce subtle but very real pressure to keep up with the friends activities that we see in our feeds. We have ever-demanding customers that expect results not just today, but this hour. Sometimes, it all seems like too much.

I certainly haven’t figured it all out. I still battle the demons of unrealistic expectations (both internal and external) and near-constant work stress. Hell, even my Yoast plugin tells me the readability for this blog article could be better. Sometimes it has me counting down the years to retirement (which unfortunately is not in the cards for quite some time).

I do try and practice gratitude on a daily basis, by reminding myself of how fortunate I am. I tell myself that everything will work out in the end, and when I’m on my deathbed I’m not going to worry about how many calls and leads a client received this week. But I will also be the first to admit that I have not won this battle, and likely won’t anytime soon. All I can do is resolve to keep plugging away, and trying to enjoy the little (but important nonetheless) things in life.

Here’s to hoping we all find a little more peace along the way…

The game of golf has given me tremendous opportunities in my life.

I was able to attend a fabulous school (Northwestern University, in the Big Ten Conference) on a golf scholarship. I got to play the game for a living (professionally) in my 20’s. I’ve been able to play some of the most desirable and exclusive golf courses in the country, and I’ve met some of my best friends through this great game.

I still play golf whenever I can, though with the demands of running a business, and two young children, that’s not nearly as often as I’d like. And I still compete in a few amateur golf tournaments each year. Last year, I was able to win my club championship at a truly great golf club (Olympia Fields Country Club, near Chicago). It was literally a dream come true, and as I get ready to defend that title I wanted to share my thoughts on competing, especially when you’re nowhere near the player you used to be.

As the great Bobby Jones once said, “golf and tournament golf are two very different things”. He was 100% correct. It’s a lot easier to play well on your home golf course, with your buddies and with nothing on the line, than it is to perform well under the pressure of a tournament. There are no gimmes in a tournament. No mulligans or do-overs. You count each shot, and you feel the pressure to perform. That’s called nerves, and when you’re not playing much tournament golf, it’s easy to let those nerves get the best of you.

For my part, I know that my game will not be at peak form. I just don’t have the time to play and practice like I used to. And since I’m not playing many tournaments, I know that my mind isn’t going to be accustomed to handling the pressure of tournament golf. After all, I’m not doing it week in and week out, like I used to. So how do I get myself ready to compete, to the best of my (limited) ability?

First things first. I prioritize what little practice time I have. That means in the week before an event, I’ll dedicate most of my limited practice time to three areas. 1. Getting my tee shots in play. 2. Being efficient around the greens. 3. Making my short putts.

If I can get my tee shots in the fairway (item # 1), that usually means I’ll have a good opportunity to hit the green in regulation. And if I don’t, I can usually get it around the green, where I have a good opportunity to get it up and down and save a stroke (item # 2). And once I hit that chip shot or bunker shot near the hole, I’ll need to make the short putt for par (item # 3). If I can do those things, I’ll have a chance to post a solid score.

The second part of preparing for tournament play is learning to accept mediocrity on the course. This is much harder than the physical aspects I mentioned above. I’m not nearly the golfer I used to be, which means I’m going to make a lot more mistakes under pressure. It also means that I’m not going to shoot the scores that I was accustomed to shooting in my younger days. Accordingly, I will have to accept my bad shots and not hold myself to the exacting standards that governed my thought process when I was younger. And I have to do all of this while convincing myself that I still belong in competitive golf tournaments. That’s a tough juggling act to pull off.

It’s not easy to put yourself out there, in the heat of competition, when you know you’re playing from behind. Many of the guys I now compete against are younger, fitter, longer off the tee, and have more time to play and practice. Some of them play 3 or 4 times (or more) as many tournaments as I do, which gives them a huge competitive advantage. But I still love the game and I still love to compete, so even with my limited skill set, it’s worth it.

Here’s to hoping I have a few more good tournaments left in the old body…

It’s summer, which means golf season is in full swing (no pun intended). As a former professional golfer who still competes a bit on the amateur circuit, I thought I’d offer my tips on how to practice to improve your golf game…

1. ALWAYS practice with a purpose

I can’t tell you how many times I see golfers at the driving range swinging away, with no real purpose or target. Every single golf ball you hit should be aimed at something. It could be a flag, a green, or just a tree in the distance, but you should always be aiming at something during your practice sessions.

Along those same lines, it helps to put a club or alignment stick at your feet to ensure that your aim is spot on. I have a tendency to aim right of my target, so this really helps me. You should always have a target, and you should always make sure you are properly aimed at that target.

2. 3/4 of your practice time should be with a wedge and putter

I fight the same problems you do. Namely, not enough time to play and practice. So when I do get the time to practice, I want to ensure that I’m getting the most out of my practice sessions.

I tell people that for every hour you spend practicing, 40 of those minutes should involve short game or putting. It might be hitting 3/4 wedge shots to a target on the range, or chipping and bunker play, or putting practice, but most of your practice time should involve having a wedge or putter in your hands. It’s the fastest way to improve.

3. 95% of the practice putts you hit should be within 10 feet of the hole

This is another thing that drives me nuts. On the rare occasion when most people actually practice their putting, I see them 30 or more feet from the hole. Why spend your time practicing putts that don’t really matter?

95% of the putts I hit in practice are within 10 feet of the hole, and 80% of the putts I hit in practice are within 6 feet of the hole. Why? Because I like seeing the ball go into the hole, and I want to stand over those putts with rock solid confidence. The putts inside 6 feet are the ones that really matter.

4. Lastly, don’t forsake the value of practicing versus playing

This is especially difficult if you’re a member of a private club and you’re trying to get your money’s worth, or you have friends that play in a regular game on the weekends. Time on the course is fun and important (after all, golf is played on the course and not the driving range) but you have to find balance between the two.

When you’re on the golf course, you’re thinking about score. You’re trying to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. That’s why the golf course is a terrible place to work on your game. For every round of golf you play, you should make sure you spend another day at the range, putting and chipping green. That’s where you’ll be able to work on your swing, your short game, and your putting.

So, if you play golf on Saturdays, try to get out one night a week after work to practice. It doesn’t need to be for more than an hour, but that efficient one hour practice session each week will go a long way towards better rounds on the course.

Hopefully these tips help you to practice and score better. Enjoy the game!

Setting up a new reef aquarium is a lot of fun. And it’s not cheap either. There are a few pieces of equipment that you absolutely, positively must have. And then there are a lot of things that are nice to have, but not required.

So how do you know what you need and what you don’t? I’ve got you covered…

The equipment you MUST have…

First things first. You need a tank. It can be glass or acrylic, but I prefer glass. Glass tanks scratch a lot less easily, and are a lot less expensive than acrylic tanks. When you’re setting up any fish tank, always get the largest model you can afford and accommodate. Larger tanks offer greater stability and more room for livestock.

Depending on the size (and more importantly the weight) of your tank, you’ll probably want/need a stand. Saltwater weighs over 8 pounds per gallon, and that doesn’t include the weight of the tank and any rock work you have in there. Best to purchase a sturdy aquarium stand for anything larger than 10 gallons.

Now that you have your tank and stand, you’ll need three other critical pieces of equipment. The first is a heater. Unless your house is kept at a constant 75-77 degrees, a heater is a necessity. Next, you’ll need powerhead or two, or a powerful return pump if you have a sump, to move water around your aquarium. All corals require water movement, and some require a great deal of water movement. At a minimum, you should have 20X per hour as much turnover as water volume in your tank.

Finally, you’ll need a good, full spectrum, reef-capable lighting system. The corals you’re going to keep will be photosynthetic, and they derive the majority of their nutrition from the light. These days, you basically have two options in reef tank lighting. LEDs, and T-5s.

LEDs are my choice. They’re inexpensive to run and don’t put out much heat. Best of all, you don’t need to purchase replacement bulbs every 6-12 months. If you’re not keeping light-loving SPS corals or Tridacna clams, you can get away with something that isn’t overly powerful. But you’ll still a system that is full-spectrum and provides enough PAR (Photosynthetic Active Radiation) to satisfy your coral’s needs.

The equipment you SHOULD have…

I’ve seen plenty of successful reef aquariums that don’t employ a protein skimmer, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Protein skimmers remove dissolved organic compounds before they have a chance to break down and pollute your tank, and they add a TON of dissolved oxygen to your system. It’s certainly possible to keep corals without one, but I can’t recommend that approach. Get yourself a high quality and properly sized skimmer for the tank, and you’ll be glad you did.

Like a skimmer, a RODI water purification system is really a good idea for your reef tank. Yes, you can use dechlorinated tap water, but it’s full of things you don’t want in your system (chlorine, nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals, etc). A water purification system will remove all of that nastiness, and your corals will thank you for it. You should use RODI water not only for your water changes, but for freshwater top off as well.

The equipment you MIGHT want to consider…

There is a ton of other equipment that isn’t necessary, but will make your life a lot easier.

An ATO (Auto Top Off Unit) will keep your salinity stable and eliminate having to manually add water to the tank each day. Media reactors can add calcium and alkalinity directly to the system on a regular basis. They can also be used to remove nitrates and phosphates from the system. A dosing pump can be used for adding supplements to the tank. Automatic water change systems can perform your water changes for you. A controller can monitor every aspect of your system, alert you when a problem exists, and even shut off a malfunctioning piece of equipment. A chiller can cool your water in the event that your aquarium runs too hot. And the list goes on and on…

As you can see, there aren’t all that many pieces of equipment that you MUST have to successfully keep corals and invertebrates. Personally, out of all the equipment in the last category, the only one that I employ is the ATO. The rest are useful, but I prefer keeping things decidedly low tech.

Beyond equipment, the three things you really need to be successful in this hobby are: 1. Research, 2. Patience, and 3. Dedication. If you have those three things, the equipment is far less important. Happy reefing!

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down in a very short time, and all of us at DanMatt Media wish you health and safety during these crazy times.

For my part, in addition to juggling work and taking care of my young kids, I’ve been using this forced stay-at-home to bring my old reef aquarium back to life. I’ve purchased a new reef lighting system and several new corals, and I thought I’d use this month’s blog post to address a critical care component of all marine corals. That being nutrient export.

What is nutrient export?

Simply put, nutrient export is the removal of dissolved organic compounds from the water. You can think of this as filtration, etc. Everything you add to the tank, whether fish food, coral food, or supplements, has an adverse effect on the water quality. When enough organic compounds and nutrients build up in the tank, water quality begins to diminish and fish and corals suffer. We have to get those dissolved organic compounds out of the water, but how to do it?

Protein skimming. Your primary means of nutrient export

When it comes to removing dissolved organic compounds, a protein skimmer is your best friend. These vital pieces of equipment are wonderful at removing organic sludge from your aquarium. You can expect to spend $200 to $300 on a quality hang-on protein skimmer, and $400+ on a larger in-sump model. Don’t skimp on quality in favor of an inferior, less expensive product. Buy a good skimmer, keep it well maintained, and you’d be amazed what it can pull out of your tank on a daily basis.

Water changes. Your secondary means of nutrient export

Another effective way to lower your nitrates and organic compounds is through water changes. Essentially, a water change involves taking aged saltwater out of the aquarium and replacing it with newly mixed saltwater. Frequent partial water changes will lower your nitrates and dissolved organic compounds, and provide a good way to re-introduce essential trace elements like calcium and magnesium that have been depleted by corals. I change 10% of my reef aquarium water every 10-14 days.

A word about adding organic compounds to the water in the first place

While it makes sense to remove as many dissolved organics as possible, it makes even more sense to avoid adding those compounds to your tank in the first place. Fish and corals need to eat, but how you go about feeding them can make a huge difference in how much pollution you’re putting into your aquarium.

I would ALWAYS suggest that you target feed your corals, rather than simply adding coral food to the tank en masse. Target feeding your corals, with the pumps turned off, it a great way to get them the food they need without polluting your tank in the process.

Hopefully these tips help to keep your reef aquarium healthy and thriving.