Baby Checkup

BATH SEAT SAFETY
    Most parents are thrilled when their baby is big enough to graduate to a real bathtub and sit in a handy seat--it's so much easier than trying to hold and bathe a slippery, squirmy tyke in an infant bathtub. But bath seats do require some extra safety vigilance, says Alan Korn, public policy director for Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit organization working to prevent accidental childhood injury. Follow these guidelines to ensure that your baby suds up safely:
    * Never, ever leave your infant's side, even for a second. "Within arm's reach" is the maximum recommended distance.
    * Don't multitask--talk on the phone, organize toiletries--while you're in the bathroom with your baby.
    * Use as little water in the tub as possible. About an inch is enough to clean your baby and allow him to have fun splashing.
    * Stop using the seat as soon as your child attempts to climb or wiggle out of it, or becomes too big to fit comfortably inside it.
Eat your bananas, baby!
    Bananas and sweet potatoes were likely your baby's best-loved first foods, right? Even though those infant favorites are packed with potassium, today's toddlers aren't getting enough of the mineral, according to new findings from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study, a large-scale look at the eating habits of kids under age 2 sponsored by Gerber. As babies try more solid foods--and begin preferring less nutritious fare like doughnuts and sweets--potassium (which helps regulate blood pressure and strengthen bones) seems to fall through the cracks. Try these tricks:
    * Serve pureed bananas as a French toast or waffle dip.
    * Mix pureed carrots into scrambled eggs.
    * Top mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon.
29% of you buy used baby clothing online
    Shopping for infant hand-me-downs has become big business: In a recent Babytalk.com poll, almost a third of our readers said they've bought used togs for their tot on eBay and other auction-type websites. The cost savings are huge, but what about the ick factor? More than a few moms probably wonder, "Where has this garment been?" Relax, most experts say. No matter how many times a tiny romper has been pooped in or spit up on, the germs aren't going to survive a hot-water washing, or a dry cleaning if it's fancier party duds you're after.
LIFE-SAVING PHOTOS
    You probably don't need too much encouragement to take pictures of your child, but how you shoot and store them can make all the difference in an emergency. No one likes to think their baby could one day be missing, but it happens to more than 2,000 children every day, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The best way to help law enforcement officials find your child is by having a clear and recent digital photo of your little one that can be quickly transmitted electronically. Duracell and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children have teamed up to offer a free Child Safety Toolkit, a downloadable guide with advice on the best ways to take and store your child's image. Some tips:
    * The color photo should be no more than six months old.
    * Frame only your child's head and shoulders in the shot.
    * Don't include other people or animals in the photo.
    * Digital ID images should be saved with the highest possible resolution (between 200 and 600 dpi).
    For more information, go to duracell.com/parents.
    JAUNDICE TEST
    The earlier a newborn is checked for jaundice, the less likely the illness is to escalate. An 18-hospital study in Utah found that the rates of newborns with jaundice dropped by nearly half if the babies were given a blood test to detect elevated bilirubin levels before they left the hospital. The lesson? Insist that your newborn be screened before you take her home.
FACT OR FABLE?
    Babies don't get strep throat.
    Fable. Experts aren't sure why, but babies and toddlers usually don't experience the acute throat pain we associate with strep throat. They can become infected, though, with the same bacteria that causes it, says pediatrician David Krol, M.D., director of medical affairs and clinical evaluation at the Children's Health Fund in New York City. What your baby may develop instead: a low-grade fever, a runny nose, irritability, and decreased appetite.
ADDED MATERIAL
    Rosanne Olson/Getty Images
    Shinichi Maruyama
    Corbis
grain of truth
    Infants generally consume as many calories a day as their height in inches multiplied by 40. So if your baby is 20 inches, she should be consuming about 800 calories a day.
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More baby clothing information, check up here!

Golf : 39 WAYS TO FIX Everything

You top shots. You push putts. Your temper rages. Your back aches. Your partners bore you. Your caddie bugs you. You spend too much. You practice too little. Your scores go up. Your motivation goes down. Your blisters have blisters. Take heart, gentle golfer, because for every problem the game can—and ultimately will—throw at you, there's a surefire, time-tested solution.

1 YOU WANT TO PLAY A TOP PRIVATE TRACK BUT DON'T KNOW ANY MEMBERS THERE

With a down economy, gaining access to premier private courses is more feasible than ever. Here are four ways to get behind the gates.

No. 1: Take a lesson with the club's pro; an on-course playing lesson or even a full 18 holes might be the result.

No. 2: Buy a spot in a Monday charity outing. Tough-to-access courses like Winged Foot and Medinah host plenty of them.

No. 3: Join a web-based "network" that allows access to private tracks. Boxgroove (boxgroove.com) has a network of 746 private clubs; Tour GCX (tourgcx.com) is affiliated with several Top 100 Courses. Fees vary.

No. 4: Call or e-mail a club's general manager and simply ask to tee it up. Request to play during a quieter time to up your chances. If you're traveling, some clubs respond favorably to requests from hotel concierges.

2 YOU'RE A TRIGGER-SHY HEAD CASE OVER THE BALL

Rediscover the kid in you. "When you were young you didn't think about how to shoot a foul shot or throw a baseball—you looked at the target and pulled the trigger," says Top 100 Teacher Keith Lyford. "Try my 'Two-Second Rule,' which requires you to swing within two seconds of your last look at the target. This prevents you from staring at the ball for too long and keeps the image of the target fresh in your mind."

3 YOUR BACK HURTS

Squat down and hug your knees to your chest, or simply bend over and touch your toes, says PGA Tour physical therapist Jeff Hendra. Both exercises loosen your lower-back muscles and can also help relieve pain mid-round. If you're a walker, Hendra recommends that you make sure your bag straps are correctly adjusted so you maintain even pressure on your shoulders.

4 YOU KNOW YOU CAN CARRY 14 CLUBS—BUT WHICH 14?

Proper set makeup is largely a distance-gapping question, so spend time at the range determining how far you hit each of your clubs. You may find you have a 15- or 20-yard hole that a hybrid, driving iron or fairway wood can fill. "More critical, though," says Mark Timms, founder of custom clubmaker Cool Clubs, "is dialing in your scoring clubs, because those are the clubs that will most help you get the ball close to the hole. So don't be afraid to replace a long club (adios, 3-iron!) with a 58- or 60-degree wedge, even if you already have three (or four) wedges in your bag.

5 YOU CATCH YOUR IRONS THIN

"This results either from swinging on a plane that's too flat, or from lifting up through impact," says Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs. "Either way, you need to deliver the club to the ball on a steeper descending path. Move your feet closer together at address and make sure your left shoulder is pointing down toward the ball in your down-swing. As you swing down, rather than using your arms and shoulders to power the club, let the club's weight fall down into the ground. The club should feel heavy through impact and make a nice 'thump' as it passes through the ball."

6 YOU HAVE THE SHANKS!

Shanks happen because your hands moved closer than normal to the ball at impact, says Top 100 Teacher Chris Como. "To fix them, imagine that you're going to stick the butt of the club into your left thigh as you swing through impact," he says. "This simple move ensures that your hands square the clubface and move slightly away from the ball, not at it."

7 YOU MISS TOO MANY FAIRWAYS

Ditch the driver, suggests a fellow named Tom Watson, who won eight majors, including five Open Championships. "You'll hit your 3-wood straighter and possibly just as far." Playing from the fairway, not the forest, is an instant stroke-saver.

8 YOU WANT THE RIGHT BALL FOR YOUR GAME

Ball manufacturers shout about how far their balls fly, but you'd be wiser to concentrate on how different models perform on shots into and on the greens. Mike Gibson, Titleist's golf ball fitting manager, recommends you start by using a ball maker's online selection tool to pare your choices to two models. From there, take a sleeve [or box] of the two recommended balls for an on-course evaluation. Work from the green back to the tee—hit putts and short-game shots while focusing on distance control, feel and accuracy. Next, hit full-swing shots with irons, hybrids, fairway woods and, finally, your driver. It takes time [and a small investment] to find the ideal fit, but in the end, it's worth the effort.

9 YOU HAVE ONLY FIVE MINUTES TO GET LOOSE

If there's only time for a few quick swings on the range, hit your 8-iron, says golf-analytics expert Mark Broadie, the mind behind the PGA Tour's Strokes-Gained Putting stat. "The 8-iron best bridges the gap between short irons and your longer clubs, even your driver."

10 YOU NEED A BREAK FROM YOUR REGULAR FOURSOME

"Exiting that kind of relationship can get pretty messy," says Jason Zacher, a political strategist and co-author of Political Golf, a book devoted to the nuances of on-course relationships. He suggests a more diplomatic approach. "Instead of breaking up, recruit more members. Turn your foursome of potential partners into an eightsome. You bring fresh blood into the mix without causing bad feelings."

11 YOUR TEMPO MAKES CHARLES BARKLEY LOOK LIKE ERNIE ELS

"For better tempo, soften your grip pressure," says Top 100 Teacher and Golf Channel guy Michael Breed. "Imagine you're in your car holding a lidless cup of coffee. To accelerate to 60 mph without spilling the coffee, you'd hold the cup gently and accelerate gradually. This is the combination you want in your swing."

12 YOU'RE NOT MAXING OUT YOUR DISTANCE

Exhale through impact. "Most amateurs unknowingly hold their breath during the downswing," says E.A. Tischler, director of instruction at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. "Think of a weight lifter exhaling when bench-pressing, or a tennis player grunting. Exhaling relaxes your muscles, freeing you to hit it with everything you've got."

13 DOUBLE BOGEYS STIR YOUR INNER-HULK

Get mad. Then get over it, says Dr. Joe Parent, author of Zen Golf. "It's okay to get upset," Parent says. "But Tiger says he only lets himself stay mad for 10 paces from the spot of the last shot." So let your fury build as you count your footfalls. By 10, you should quite literally have moved on.

14 YOU LOVE PLAYING GOLF BUT NOT PAYING FOR GOLF

For short-term or last-minute savings, visit third-party discount tee-time providers such as golfnow.com, ezlinks.com and golfhub.com. GroupOn also offers tee-time deals. Check out individual course websites for daily specials. Call resorts for packages, which often bundle golf, lodging and other amenities—dining, spa services and instruction. And consider off-season dates. You can save up to 75 percent by playing Sun Belt destinations like Florida and Arizona in July versus March.

15 YOU'RE PLAYING WITH A RAGING HANGOVER

Hair of the dog will only make matters worse as the day progresses, says Dr. John Brick, author of The Doctor's Hangover Handbook. You're dehydrated, so guzzle water and maybe an electrolyte-rich sports drink. Ibuprofen can help too.

16 YOUR HANDS BLISTER EASILY

If you can't grip it, it's tough to rip it. "During play, apply a dab of Vaseline to blisters and cover them with athletic tape," says Matt Doles, a trainer for the golf team at Texas A&M. Post-round, wash them with soap and warm water. "But don't remove skin-flaps—they're natural Band-Aids. Apply antibiotic cream and cover them with Band-Aids during the day, but let the blisters air out at night." To avoid blisters in the first place? Weakening your grip pressure can help. And worn-down grips are often the cause.

17 ALLERGIES RUIN YOUR ROUNDS

"To calm the symptoms, splash some cold water on your face and hair," says Dr. Beth Corn, an allergy specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. "If you have an extra shirt handy, change into it, because shirts can carry pollen."

18 YOU FORGOT TO USE SUNSCREEN, AND NOW YOU'RE HURTING

To reduce peeling from sunburn, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends starting with a cool shower or bath, then slathering on a moisturizing cream, ideally one with vitamin C and vitamin E. As for the sting, aspirin or ibuprofen can help, but frequent applications of aloe vera are still the best way to treat sunburn, according to Cory Couture, an athletic trainer at Florida State University. Hydrocortisone cream will also help with the inflammation.

19 YOU'RE TIGER IN 2010: LOST

HERE'S THE SECRET SWING-PLANE SWITCH THAT PUT THE FORMER AND CURRENT WORLD NO. 1 BACK ON TOP

Most swing experts agree that in recent years Tiger hasn't been, well, Tiger—not since his U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines, in 2008. And Woods has admitted that even before that iconic win, his hot putter masked full-swing flaws. In 2013? He claimed five Tour wins by early August. He's as close to being the old Tiger—the one who led the Tour in greens in regulation five times in the 2000s—as ever.

"Credit his coach, Sean Foley, and Tiger's army-like work ethic," says Top 100 Teacher Jon Tattersall, who has been observing the changes that Woods and Foley have been working on since 2010. "Together they've eradicated the error-prone backswing that had Woods missing in every direction—the same type of errant shotmaking that plagues weekend players."

Comparing Tiger's 2008 swing to the one that has already brought him $7 million plus in earnings this year (below) proves that small fixes in key spots can turn slices and hooks—and everything in between—into straighter, longer shots. Woods may have fallen short in the majors this year, but his new swing has him back at No. 1, and back in the game.

2008

ADDRESS

Tiger's weak grip and tall posture look okay, but the taller you stand, the flatter you'll turn your shoulders.

As you'll see later in Woods's old swing, this isn't always a good thing.

BACKSWING

The weaker grip allows the clubface to rotate open to his swing plane. It takes Tiger-like hand-eye coordination to get back to square at impact from this position, and sometimes even he couldn't do it.

TOP

Tiger's arms and shoulders move on completely different planes, with the club across the line. This mismatch requires so many compensations that achieving solid impact takes a bit of luck.

2013

ADDRESS

Tiger has a stronger, less neutral grip and more forward torso bend. With his chest closer to the ball, he can turn his shoulders on a steeper plane and start from a neutral shaft position.

BACKSWING

The stronger grip limits his forearm rotation and keeps the clubface more square going back. With no compensations required at this point, Woods simply keeps turning to store massive power.

TOP

Tiger's new shoulder-turn and arm swing are a perfect match. Everything lines up: shoulders, left-arm plane, left wrist and clubface. This is your goal on any swing. Now, swing away!

THREE MOVES FOR TIGER-LIKE PERFECTION

If you struggle to hit the ball straight, copy Tiger's new backswing. "When you're square and on plane at the top, like Tiger is now," Tattersall says, "you have a great chance to get square and on-plane at impact."

1. LOOK OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER

Notice how far Tiger has rotated his shoulders without moving his head out of the position it held at setup [photo, above]. "This is a sign of a fully coiled, fundamentally correct backswing," Tattersall says.

You know you're in the right position if you can see the ball while looking over your left shoulder when you reach the top, something you won't be able to do if you move your head off the ball or sway instead of turn.

Tattersall adds a word of caution: "You can't turn and keep your head still if your neck muscles aren't flexible, like Tiger's. Nobody thinks about stretching their neck, but it's critical for optimizing your swing power. Check with your trainer."

2. BEND OVER!

Because a taller posture fuels a too-flat swing, increase your forward bend at address. The trick, as Tiger has done, is to employ the right amount of tilt. "Most Tour players bend forward about 30 degrees," Tattersall says. "You might not know what this feels like, so imagine you have a light attached to the middle of your chest. Now bend over [from your hips, not your waist] into a position where the light would shine just beyond the ball."

3. PUT A KINK IN YOUR RIGHT WRIST

If there's one picture that shows how much Tiger's swing has improved under Sean Foley, it's the one below. "Tiger's left arm, the back of his left wrist and the clubface all line up," Tattersall says. "Not only is this classic Tiger, it's classic ballstriker."

If you copy Tiger's new address position, you shouldn't have much trouble getting your left arm to look like his. The hard part is keeping your left wrist flat. "You have to really focus on it," Tattersall says, "because it doesn't happen by itself."

Letting your left wrist cup [bend backward] is the fast way to hit a slice. "Amateurs struggle with this because most of them focus only on the left wrist," Tattersall adds. The fix? Use your right hand to keep your left wrist flat, or to even bow it [bend it forward] slightly. "As you swing to the top," Tattersall says, "try to move your right-hand knuckles closer to your right forearm, creating wrinkles in the back of your right wrist. This will pull your left wrist into perfect position."

20 YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH WEDGE LOFTS YOU NEED

Build your wedge set around the loft of your pitching wedge. Most amateurs play with clubs that include a 45-degree pitching wedge, which is similar to what 9-irons used to be. As a result, you should strongly consider buying the gap-wedge that goes with your irons-set—it's usually around 50-degrees—and then adding two more lofted wedges, a 55- and 60-degree combo. If you struggle with the severely lofted clubs, consider a 54- and 58-degree tandem instead.

21 YOU TOP LOTS OF TEE SHOTS

"You're probably putting too much weight on your back foot," says Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs. "This moves the bottom of your swing arc behind the ball, making it tough to make solid contact, except with the top of the ball. Make a more rotational backswing—don't sway off the ball—and then focus on making a nice balanced finish with your weight over your front foot."

22 YOUR PLAYING PARTNER MOVES LIKE A SNAIL

Instead of pointing fingers, frame the issue as a group problem. "Say something like, 'Fellas, let's pick it up—the guys behind us are waiting,' " says Tim Scott, executive director of Speed Golf International. "That gets the message across without putting it on one guy." Set an example, too. If you're already marking your ball while Dawdling Doug is back in the fairway, he'll feel the pressure to step on the gas.

23 YOU SHAKE LIKE A KITTEN OVER BIG PUTTS

Feeling nervous on the greens? Top 100 Teacher Marius Filmalter suggests first gripping your putter very tightly, and then releasing your hands completely before regripping with a softer, proper touch. The contrast reminds your brain what a good grip feels like and helps you calibrate the just-right pressure.

24 YOUR HEAD IS OVERFLOWING WITH SWING THOUGHTS

Give yourself a good talking-to, says E.A. Tischler, the director of instruction at Inverness. "On the practice tee, utter a phrase while swinging that captures what you want to do. The phrase should be no more than four or five words and personalized for you. One tall student with a flat swing said, 'Tall Tom Watson!' which fixed his plane. Another student said, 'Turn, draw, finish!' to go from hitting cuts to draws." This works because words have meaning, sending a clear message to your motor skills.

25 AFTER A FEW GOOD HOLES, YOUR WHEELS COME OFF

To sustain focus, play mini-rounds within your full round. "I have my students play six three-hole rounds," says Top 100 Teacher Michael Breed. "For each mini-round, set specific goals like fairways or greens hit, or pick a target score for each one. This helps you reset your focus multiple times over 18 holes."

26 YOU NEED A PUTTING LESSON

Want immediate feedback on your putting stroke? Bypass that $500-an-hour teaching pro and pick up a Putter Wheel. Essentially a ball with two sides lopped off, the device wobbles like a drunken sailor when you hit it with anything less than a pure stroke. Catch it just right, though—in the center of your putterface and with a slightly ascending blow—and it rolls like a dream. $17.95 per wheel; 3-packs are $39.95; putterwheel.com

27 YOU'RE NOT SURE HOW OFTEN YOU NEED TO REGRIP YOUR CLUBS

If you play once a week, regrip your sticks once a year, says clubfitter Mitch Voges. If you play twice a week or more, regrip 'em and rip 'em every six months.

28 WARNING! SLOW PLAYERS AHEAD

YOU'RE STUCK BEHIND A SEEMINGLY SLOW GROUP

Don't let yourself get agitated. Assume that the ranger is doing all he can to keep things moving, says Doug Hodge, the head pro at Grayhawk in Scottsdale, Ariz. "It might not be the group directly in front of you that's the problem," Hodge says. "It may just be one of those slow days." Keep your rhythm by stretching, and sharpen your short game with closest-to-the-tee-marker chipping contests.

29 BLOW-UP HOLES RUIN YOUR ROUNDS

Often, big numbers happen when you try to hit a green that's too far away, says Top 100 Teacher Keith Lyford. Are you sure you can rip that 3-wood 235 yards to a green ringed by pot bunkers? Instead, divide and conquer. Divide the distance by two and hit two safe shots instead of one overly ambitious one that will probably end up in the sand, rough, or water.

30 YOUR CADDIE WON'T STOP YAKKING

Be frank but friendly, says Ken Brooke, director of caddie services at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. No need to create tension. Try, "Hey, bud, I'm not a big talker on the course. I like putting all my focus on shooting my best score, and I'll need your help to do that." Now you're making him a partner—a silent partner.

31 YOUR MONEY GAME NEEDS SOME SPICING UP

Need a change of pace from the old skins game? Try "Lakewood golf," a game that Lee Trevino cut his teeth on in Texas, according to golf-gambling historian Michael Bohn. Lakewood allows all manner of distractions: coughing, sneezing, name-calling, you name it. (The only no-no: touching a player or his ball while he's hitting.) It's not for the timid, and it will teach you to block out distractions, too.

32 YOU CAN'T ESCAPE GREENSIDE BUNKERS

Forget the laundry-list of bunker do's and don'ts, says A.J. Bonar, of AJ Golf School in San Diego. "Keep it simple. Set up like any other wedge shot. Then imagine that your ball is resting on top of a tee that's hidden beneath the surface. When you swing, just break the tee. It's that easy."

33 YOU CATCH YOUR IRONS FAT

"Fatties occur when you play the ball too far back in your stance and make a backswing that's too vertical," says Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs. "This terrible tandem creates a super steep path that buries the club in the ground. Try this: Move the ball closer to the instep of your left foot and rotate your hips clockwise in the backswing. This flattens your backswing and helps you approach the ball with a shallower attack."

34 YOU MISS LOTS OF PUTTS BUT AREN'T SURE WHY

You may have a stroke-posture disconnect. The more upright you stand, the more the putterhead rotates, says putting expert Marius Filmalter. Players like Tiger who want the clubhead to "release" through impact get better results with a more upright posture, while the straight-back-and-straight-through boys, like Jack Nicklaus, do better from a more bent-over posture. Experiment to see if your stance and your stroke are a good match.

35 IT'S UP TO YOU TO PLAN THE NEXT BUDDY TRIP

There are three basic rules: fun courses, good eats, fair prices. "Make sure you know a course's cancellation/no-show policy," says Tedd Maitland, golf sales manager at Arizona's Zona Hotel and Suites, in Scottsdale. Don't overschedule. Build in plenty of cocktail-and-story-telling time. "Establish payment parameters in advance. And appoint a group leader—dissension and confusion are buddy-trip busters."

36 YOU GET MID-ROUND FATIGUE

The keys to keeping up your energy are balanced snacks and good hydration, says Sally Bowman, a dietitian with Central Texas Nutrition Consultants. "Don't wait until you get hungry or feel thirsty," Bowman says. "By then, it's too late. Instead, eat and drink in anticipation. Bring some extra snacks—energy bars, snack mix—to the course and have one at the sixth hole and the other at the 12th." Proper spacing, she says, will keep you focused, hydrated and ready to finish with a flourish.

37 THE AIRLINE LOST YOUR STICKS

Don't panic. "Most luggage is just delayed, not lost," says Gordon Dalgleish, the founding director of PerryGolf, one of the industry's leading custom travel service companies. "Submit your claim within 24 hours." Follow the process described for tracking luggage. Most airlines update lost-luggage status online. Also, keep receipts for all expenses you incur—rental clubs, for example. If your sticks never resurface, the airline will reimburse you for their value (less any applicable depreciation). And don't forget to claim other stuff that was in your golf bag—shoes, that box of pricey balls, that Rolex. . .uh, never mind.

38 YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP YOUR ANCHORED PUTTING STROKE

Not every type of anchoring will be illegal in 2016. Try a grip that places the handle of the putter against your left forearm. This gives you a similar feel of stability without connecting the club to your sternum. Just hold the grip of the putter against the inside of your left forearm with your right palm, and you're good to go.

39 YOUR HANDICAP JUST WON'T BUDGE

If your game's in a rut, identify your biggest weakness and turn it into a strength, suggests PGA Tour winner Robert Garrigus. "Two years ago, my coach, Jim Ahern, asked me what my weakness was, and I told him, 'My wedge game,' " Garrigus says. "He said, 'Why isn't that your strength?' We made it a strength, and it's helped my game tremendously."

~~~~~~~~

By Ryan Galvin; Graylyn Loomis; Joe Passov; Josh Sens and Sean Zak

MEC WITHOUT THE MOUNTAIN

Mountain Equipment Co-op became a massive Canadian success story by appealing to hard-core adventurers. Now it's dumping the 'mountain' to get suburban soccer moms and joggers. Is the co-op being co-opted?

Careening down a steep, narrow, rocky trail amid the towering trees of North Vancouver's Mount Fromme is not my idea of relaxing. But my guide, Jesse Macdonald, is convinced it will be fun. Terrifying and a bit nauseating, sure, but fun? The most hazardous thing I've encountered on a bike before this moment is rush-hour traffic.

"C 'mon, don't worry about it," he says with an encouraging smile. "There's no rush. Every few feet you make it is a win." His friendly patter -- like action sports banter delivered by the world's friendliest kindergarten teacher -- gradually coaxes me down the mountain trail with only a few mishaps; by the time we coast to the bottom, my gritted teeth resemble a smile.

Macdonald, a fixture in Vancouver's robust community of mountain bikers, is also a product manager with outdoorsy Vancouver-based retailer Mountain Equipment Co-op. Though plunging headlong down mountains is how he likes to spend his weekends, he's also in charge of MEC's less extreme lifestyle categories, like running, cycling, yoga and fitness. Why would this hard-core mountain biker want to spend the afternoon hand-holding a wobbly urbanite like me down a mountain? In part, because he loves it and wants to spread the gospel. But it's also because he -- along with the rest of the company -- is engaged in a massive, years-long transformation to try to appeal to more to people like me: people who have never climbed a mountain or hurtled down one on a bike. MEC loves its intrepid adventurers, and it wants to keep them happy, for sure. But it also increasingly welcomes joggers, yoga enthusiasts, urban cyclists, fitness buffs and casual campers. Now it's making its most audacious move: taking the mountain right out of its name.

On June 18, MEC's CEO David Labistour wrote a blog post on the company's website to unveil the organization's new brand identity and strategy to its more than four million members. Entitled "Looking Toward MEC's Future," he outlined how the co-op was evolving to include more urban activities and, more visibly, changing its iconic logo. The bulk of the responding 472 comments weren't exactly a standing ovation.

"Oh MEC! Best publicity stunt ever! Can't wait for the announcement that this is all a big joke any day now…"

"The 'Co-op' is losing grasp of its roots and trying to be everything to everyone."

"Man, that new logo sucks."

The wood beams and exposed brick that line the inside of MEC's Vancouver headquarters make it feel like someone decided to convert one of the co-op's meticulously groomed stores into a workspace. But instead of a climbing wall and kayaks, it's lined with cubicles for almost 300 employees. Sitting in his office, the 58-year-old CEO and native South African is dressed in a crisp white shirt, faded jeans and a pair of black Chuck Taylors, and looks about as lean and fit as you'd expect a former competitive windsurfer to be. He smiles broadly and dismisses the blog furor with a shrug. "When I first came to Canada, people spoke incredibly glowingly about a Vancouver retailer called Woodwards," says Labistour. "They talked about how awesome Woodwards was, but you know what? Woodwards went out of business. Things change. Very often you need to let go of something before you can take hold of something new."

That something new for MEC goes deeper than the new logo being raised over its 17 stores across Canada this fall. Over the years, MEC shelves have subtly reflected a changing consumer base, with products reaching outside its traditional backcountry and wilderness core -- from messenger bags to bicycles to yoga mats -- but this is the first time the organization is loudly and proudly wrapping itself in that broader identity, embracing the urban jogger as much as the ice climber.

The new logo is actually the final stage of a five-year existential struggle within MEC, with Labistour and a handful of other executives orchestrating a cultural shift at this iconic Canadian brand from something perceived as elitist and exclusive to what they hope will be the ultimate outdoor lifestyle organization.

But why? Why would a 40-year-old co-op retailer that has so successfully served outdoor enthusiasts and die-hard adventurers need to change? Why not let the Sport Cheks and Lululemons of the world cater to urban joggers and yogis?

If you think the blog comments were harsh, it's nothing compared to the cries, criticisms and worse that Labistour had to weather from another group of stakeholders who definitely didn't like the sound of MEC's proposed overhaul: his own employees.

"We have members who are runners or cyclists who have no interest whatsoever in ever going to Everest, and that's OK," chief product officer Jeff Crook told his team during an early meeting about MEC's new direction. That didn't go over too well. "Bullshit!" came the response from one employee. "If they don't want to climb Everest one day, we don't want them as a customer," said another. MEC's strength since its beginning was attracting employees who were enthusiastic for extreme outdoor activities; as Crook quickly found out, not all of them liked the idea of making the tent bigger. "That kind of elitist attitude definitely existed here," says Crook, who joined MEC in 1993.

Mountain Equipment Co-op began in 1970 on Washington's Mount Baker. Thanks to terrible weather, four Canadian climbers were stuck in their tent at the base of a glacier and came up with an idea to bring all the best parts of Seattle's popular REI outdoor co-op to Canada, so climbers and outdoor enthusiasts wouldn't have to cross the border to get their goods.

What started with six members and $65 of operating capital has since grown to 1,785 employees and more than $300 million in annual revenue. But even with such a massive gulf between the co-op's past and present, the idea of real change was a tough sell.

Asked why an independent co-op is even trying to compete with traditional sports and lifestyle retailers, Labistour says MEC made that decision long before his time. "If MEC had decided to stop at one or two stores and run like a little independent co-op that focused on just a few activities, it could have," says Labistour. "But as soon as the organization got to a certain size, it became subject to market forces."

The CEO argues that if the co-op wants any real progress in achieving its goals of encouraging Canadians to lead active lifestyles, working with industry on more sustainable manufacturing processes and investing in community programs, it needs influence. "You have to be successful to do the things you want to do," says Labistour. "You can't separate the two."

It took three years to sell MEC's new strategy internally, but Crook and Labistour had a secret weapon: data, and lots of it. As a co-op, MEC customers must buy a membership to shop there, including filling out an application form and handing over their membership card when they shop. With more than four million members, MEC had a lot of data, more than most retailers can boast: who was buying what products, from which stores, how often, where they live, household demographics and more. It was the kind of data that can stand in the face of any blog comment, anecdotal opinion or focus group. Despite the foot-dragging they could see among some employees who didn't like their proposed changes, the executive team could clearly see a pattern forming among their customers. In 2008, store sales were declining, and MEC lost 5% of its female customers. Meanwhile, international retailers and new domestic competitors like SAIL were opening across the country, coupled with the rise of e-commerce options like Backcountry.com and Amazon. "The writing was on the wall," says Labistour. "We had to move."

So far, a broader product offering has been very good for MEC's business. While 2012 marked the initial product expansion into more urban activities like yoga, running and road cycling, MEC also had record sales in whitewater paddling, backcountry ski and climbing equipment. Between 2011 and 2012, overall revenues grew by 11.8%.

Christie Hickman, vice-president of market research for the U.S.-based Outdoor Industry Association, says her organization just this year began a multi-year research project on the shift occurring in the marketplace, in part inspired by watching MEC. "We're thrilled to see the direction MEC is going because, frankly, it's where I think a lot of the market in general needs to go," says Hickman.

Though MEC's largest changes by far are happening on store shelves, the co-op's new logo -- completely mountain-free -- has been the most polarizing transformation. One glance at MEC's Facebook page and it's clear that even members who are fine with broadening the co-op's appeal are puzzled by the logo change. The company decided it needed to update its look to reflect its own cultural shift and tapped Toronto's Concrete Design to come up with options. The firm went through thousands of iterations before whittling the candidates down to three. Of those, two prominently featured some sort of mountain graphic. They picked the third.

"I don't think they ever thought that we'd choose this one," says MEC chief marketing officer Anne Donohoe. "But in order to shake up perceptions and reach new audiences, something needed to shift. Keeping the mountains wasn't going to help us achieve our broader goals."

The outcry over the logo and MEC's overall direction hasn't gone unnoticed within the company, but Labistour and his team are confident that they can diffuse any doubt among shoppers the same way they did internally: communication and numbers. The company painstakingly explained the motivations behind each of its moves, showing the data, then working to implement the change into operations.

Now, it's time to do that with members. In September, MEC launched a new marketing campaign under the tag line, "We are all outsiders," which celebrates yoga alongside rock climbing, backcountry skiing and dog-walking.

When Labistour first joined MEC, the co-op offered employees a whitewater paddling course, and only four people signed up. Last year, the same course had to be capped at 40 people because there was no more room. "I asked people why they signed up this time as opposed to before," says Labistour. "They said back in the day they thought it was only for the hard-core people. But now the culture of the organization is more encouraging and inclusive, which means they don't feel stupid trying something new."

Critics of both the logo and MEC's big-tent approach tend to wax nostalgic about the co-op's past and founding goals. But Tom Herbst, who served as CEO of MEC from 1974 to 1976 and again from 1978 to 1992, says the "mountain" in the name wasn't even there to begin with. "The original name it applied for was Outdoor Equipment Co-op," says Herbst. "It was intended to be a broad sort of thing, but was actually rejected by the B.C. Registry for being too broad!"

Herbst also dispels any notion that Labistour and the current leadership have committed heresy with the new strategy. In fact, it looks a lot more like the original plan than you might think. "We always expected it to be big, even 40 years ago," says Herbst. "In those days, outdoors stores were uncharted territory, but today it's pretty sensible for MEC to be where it is."

"There are people who define themselves by their exclusivity, and we're going to probably lose those people," says Labistour. But he sees a bigger opportunity in throwing open MEC's doors to anyone who wants to get outside -- whether to bike down a mountain or walk the dog. "Those are the people I want."

How to compete in the era of "smart."

For five years, IBMers have been working with companies, cities and communities to build a Smarter Planet. We've seen enormous advances, as leaders have begun using the vast supply of Big Data to transform their enterprises and institutions through mobile technology, social business and the cloud.

Big Data has changed how these leaders work, how they make decisions and how they serve their customers. And the ability to harness Big Data is giving their enterprises a new competitive edge in today's era of "smart."

Decisions based on analytics, not on instinct.

Decision makers once viewed their intuition and experience as the keys to formulating strategy and assessing risk. But analytics increasingly helps them discern real patterns and anticipate events.

Using analytics, The Ottawa Hospital can manage patient discharge dates with real time information and build a predictive model to plan resources weeks in advance. This innovation allows them to improve patient flow and resource management.

The social network is the new production line.

In this knowledge economy, the exchange of ideas has become the new means of production. The advent of social and mobile technology is shifting the competitive edge from having workers who amass knowledge to having workers who impart it.

Cemex, a $15 billion cement maker, wanted to create its first global brand of concrete, which required a coordination of stakeholders from each country. Cemex didn't build a new lab. It built a social business network. Employees in 50 countries formed one global active community whose collaboration helped launch its first global brand in a third of the anticipated time.

From you as a segment to you as you.

The age of Big Data and analytics is revealing customers not as demographic "segments" but as individuals. And that's changing how companies serve customers. Call centres, once evaluated by how quickly they got callers off the phone, are training employees to engage more with customers by starting conversations and serving individuals.

Finding success on a Smarter Planet.

An organization that adopts these principles is a Smarter Enterprise. But using emerging technology is only part of the story. The real challenge now is to use these new insights to change entrenched work practices. To learn more about the new principles of the Smarter Enterprise, visit us at ibm.com/progress/ca

LET'S BUILD A SMARTER PLANET.

NOT FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

To appeal to urbanites as well as back-country adventurers, MEC is adding clothes that skew toward high fashion rather than high altitudes

PRANA TALLY TOP

This prestige fitness label is a new addition to MEC stores

MEC GEORGETTE TOTE

A fashionable bag with built-in straps to hold a yoga mat

MEC FRANKLIN JACKET

Warmth against the cold, but with quilted lining for a "vintage vibe"

MEC IGNITE ZIP-T

Mountain-tech specs, but designed for running city streets

MEC CROSSTOWN JACKET

Reflective patches for cycling tuck away for fashion's sake

MEC OFF THE GRID SHIRT

Asymmetrical pockets and contrast stitching is form, not function

IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, Smarter Planet and the planet icon are trademarks of International Business Machines Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web at www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.