Why the name FiveIron?

Yes, it is golf-related, but probably not how you might think.

When I was growing up, my dad loved to play golf - and my two older brothers also got into the game. I didn't. Golf was an old person's game.

After I moved away from my parents after college, I began to communicate with my dad over the phone - and, not surprisingly, we didn't have much to talk about. So, I took it upon myself to start watching some golf to give us some common ground.

Fast-forward 10 years - when my (then) fiancé and I were planning our wedding. We invited friends and family to join us at The North Star Resort at Lake Tahoe - one of our favorite spots. My wife's father was also an avid golfer, so the two of us started taking lessons so that we could play a round of golf at the resort with our dads the day before the wedding.

We had a wonderful time but, despite the lessons, I hadn't really hit a good shot all day. Then, on the 18th hole, I hit a perfect 5-iron from 220 yards out right onto the green. Okay, it's possible it rolled off the back of the green but the story is much better if it stays on.

My dad was beaming with pride - and all of the time spent on lessons was more than worth it.

A little more than a year from that day, my dad passed away from an unexpected heart attack - while he was playing golf.

So, when I was thinking about a name for my company, I wanted to honor my dad - and the 5-iron that he was so proud of - and the game of golf in general for giving us a way to communicate.