The Links Lounge (*** NO POLITICS/RELIGION/LIV ***)

[NCLancer]

38 minutes ago, touch said:

Dman             Rory               Lowry

NJBF             Min Lee          Aberg

chisag           Rory               Scheffler

IMK                Fitzpatrick     Hojgaard

Chef              JT                   Rickie

LP                 Spieth             Woodland

TS                 Xander            Hovland

aen               Rory                 Hovland

BSC              Rory                Scheffler

TL                 Rory                Rickie

DMM             Rory                Rahm 

 

 

Anyone else? 

Still running the simulations...

 

[sunbeltgolfer]

33 minutes ago, TiScape said:

We have some hot weather coming in. Today is ideal! 😊

The lows look beautiful. 

[braincramp52]

These are all over when you get away from the major cities.

[TiScape]

11 minutes ago, sunbeltgolfer said:

The lows look beautiful. 

My favorite aspect of the Bay Area weather is, drive ~20min west and these temps on the right is what ya get. 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by TiScape

[sunbeltgolfer]

1 minute ago, TiScape said:

My favorite aspect of the Bay Area weather is, drive ~20min west and these temps on the right is what ya get. 

Now you're talking. If I had to deal with highs on the left I'd sleep during the day and do my outside stuff at night. Would have to buy a good miners helmet and extra batteries for golf.

[Double Mocha Man]

2 minutes ago, TiScape said:

My favorite aspect of the Bay Area weather is, drive ~20min west and these temps on the right is what ya get. 

 

Looks like you'll be driving a lot this week...

[sunbeltgolfer]

9 minutes ago, braincramp52 said:

These are all over when you get away from the major cities.

Looks familiar. I'm not joking when I say you could lose your bowling ball in the pot holes with our roads, and they are plentiful.

[TiScape]

15 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Looks like you'll be driving a lot this week...

Honestly doubt it. Maybe Saturday when its 100°. I can handle mid 90s. 
Triple digits is my ‘drive west’ barometer! 😆 

Edited July 11, 2023 by TiScape

[TiScape]

1 minute ago, sunbeltgolfer said:

Looks familiar. I'm not joking when I say you could lose your bowling ball in the pot holes with our roads, and they are plentiful.

That’s awful. Can (and I’m sure does) do serious damage to vehicles 😬 Better be paying real good attention when you drive!

[sunbeltgolfer]

Just now, TiScape said:

That’s awful. Can (and I’m sure does) do serious damage to vehicles 😬 Better be paying real good attention when you drive!

We've damaged some expensive wheels and tires. The problem is so bad if you swerve to miss one you may hit one that's worse, or two. The only place in NC I've driven where the roads are good is Raleigh. Of course, it is the State Capitol, so I assume someone there makes the big decision about where road tax is apportioned. We are on the extreme opposite end of the State, so you can do the math.

[TiScape]

16 minutes ago, sunbeltgolfer said:

We've damaged some expensive wheels and tires. The problem is so bad if you swerve to miss one you may hit one that's worse, or two. The only place in NC I've driven where the roads are good is Raleigh. Of course, it is the State Capitol, so I assume someone there makes the big decision about where road tax is apportioned. We are on the extreme opposite end of the State, so you can do the math.

I’d be nervous in those gorgeous Mercedes! 
 

*I second what touch said. That blue is gorgeous 🤩

Edited July 11, 2023 by TiScape

[sunbeltgolfer]

5 minutes ago, TiScape said:

I’d be nervous in those gorgeous Mercedes! 
 

*I second what touch said. That blue is gorgeous 🤩

Thanks. The low profile Summer tires are great until they meet pot holes. 

[braincramp52]

5 minutes ago, sunbeltgolfer said:

Thanks. The low profile Summer tires are great until they meet pot holes. 

Sports cars with low clearance don't do well either.😁 

[TiScape]

1 hour ago, touch said:

 

It was chamber weather for sure for us SB. I was playing just south of Brevard at 3000 feet elevation. The high temperature was 78* with 40% humidity and a 10 mph breeze. It possibly might turn out to be the best weather day for golf that we will have the entire month of July. It was exceptionally lovely out there this afternoon. I was very fortunate to be out playing. 🙂🏌️⛳

 

 

The courses you play look beautiful t. The mountains and tress appeal to my eyes 😊

[Petethreeput]

I feel like I have to pick a few from the UK.

 

I would like to pick up Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood.

 

thank you.

[chisag]

3 hours ago, sunbeltgolfer said:

The wife and I decided to drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Switzerland Inn for lunch outside on the terrace. Great long range mountain views and 73* made for an enjoyable outing. It is a good ride with the car in sport+ mode. Unfortunately, we are at max population for what Big Stu calls tourons. Flatlanders come here and drive white knuckled from fear of the mountain roads. They seem to want their half out of the middle. Couldn't get close to the speed limit anywhere and it is a crime how bad the road surface is on the Parkway. Looks like the Army has been using it for mortar practice. Still a nice ride and lunch, followed by truffles from Nancy's Candies, in the Switzerland Inn sweet shop. If you've never had them you're missing a real treat. 

 

 

... Beautiful! I am assuming you have played Mt Mitchell. One of the first courses I played where mostly the only hole you see is the one you are playing. You just don't see that in Chicago or Phoenix. 

[sunbeltgolfer]

8 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

... Beautiful! I am assuming you have played Mt Mitchell. One of the first courses I played where mostly the only hole you see is the one you are playing. You just don't see that in Chicago or Phoenix. 

Yes, I've played there quite  a few times in the past. Great course and setting. I also enjoy not seeing other holes while you play. The last time I was there they needed to trim some of the trees on the fairway side of the holes. It was closing in so much it was almost claustrophobic. 

[aenemated]

3 hours ago, sunbeltgolfer said:

Yes, but I-40 is a train wreck. We drove out there in a Mercedes GL450 with off road package. It's 6000lb SUV that is built well. Damaged two tires on the way to AZ and had to replace all four. On the way home we had problems with vibration, front tires wobbling and the clunking from the lower control arms and bushings being destroyed. It had 50,000 miles on it when we left home and drove/rode like a dream. Between the tires and front end damage it was close to $3500 in repairs when we got home.

 

Oh yeah, 40 itself is bad enough. 
 

Say what one will about NV; the roads are pretty great. And when they're not; they fix them.

 

 

[TiScape]

8 minutes ago, aenemated said:

 

Oh yeah, 40 itself is bad enough. 
 

Say what one will about NV; the roads are pretty great. And when they're not; they fix them.

 

 

Who would say anything derogatory about where another person chooses to make their home. That would just be rude and show a lack of common decency 😇

 

😂

[aenemated]

1 minute ago, TiScape said:

Who would say anything derogatory about where another person chooses to make their home. That would just be rude and show a lack of common decency 😇

 

😂

 

See ya at Bottom of the Hill, buddy! 😂

[chisag]

4 hours ago, aenemated said:

Oh man, yeah ... some of them AZ roads are like driving on the surface of the moon. What is it, 93 that runs between I-40 and Phoenix? 

 

I freakin HATE that road. 

 

... I have obviously led a sheltered life. Coming from Chicago where pot holes are the roads and in a perpetual state of construction, Phoenix has the nicest roads I have ever experienced. The worst drivers, but the best roads. I haven't ventured out onto the AZ highways and sounds like I should keep it that way. 😳

[TiScape]

13 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... I have obviously led a sheltered life. Coming from Chicago where pot holes are the roads and in a perpetual state of construction, Phoenix has the nicest roads I have ever experienced. The worst drivers, but the best roads. I haven't ventured out onto the AZ highways and sounds like I should keep it that way. 😳

Clearly you have not driven in Los Angeles! 😂 
 

*I bet aenemated will concur. 

[chisag]

14 minutes ago, TiScape said:

Clearly you have not driven in Los Angeles! 😂 
 

*I bet aenemated will concur. 

 

 

... LOL, I spent several Pilot Seasons in LA and not so bad in the late 90's and early 2000's but I spent a month with my son out there in 2017 and it had changed pretty radically so I hear ya. But I find LA drivers to just be clueless while Phoenix drivers are aggressively confrontational and too many are carrying making them even bolder. There is also an element of immigrant and older citizens driving under the speed limit and that just seems to aggravate those thinking they are in Death Race 2000. 

 

 

 

[aenemated]

1 hour ago, TiScape said:

Clearly you have not driven in Los Angeles! 😂 
 

*I bet aenemated will concur. 

 

The only LA drivers to really fear are the ones with 2 tons of junk tied down to a 90's Ford pickup bed with some bailing twine. 😂

 

As nuts as they can be; they're really not that bad. Not like you can ever go too fast anywhere at anytime in LA anyway!

 

It's a consensus of madness. 

[aenemated]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

 I haven't ventured out onto the AZ highways and sounds like I should keep it that way. 😳

 

Legit the worst roads for many, many, many miles I can even think of. 

 

I can get surface roads being a nightmare. But highways? Man. Brutal. 

[TiScape]

11 minutes ago, aenemated said:

 

The only LA drivers to really fear are the ones with 2 tons of junk tied down to a 90's Ford pickup bed with some bailing twine. 😂

 

As nuts as they can be; they're really not that bad. Not like you can ever go too fast anywhere at anytime in LA anyway!

 

It's a consensus of madness. 

It wasn’t as bad back when I was in college. But when I visit my son down there now, there are lots of incidents of crazy drivers cutting ppl off with zero regard for anyone’s safety. It really catches me off guard And that includes on the freeways. It’s not always bumper to bumper. It’s next level down there compared to up here. My son says the same. He’s lived there going on 6 years now. 

[Fellaheen51]

9 hours ago, touch said:

For a second I thought I was in Arizona.

😄

Cool plant. 

 

 

FWIW.  Common Mullein.  A biennial.  That's what they look like the second growth year.  

[touch]

14 minutes ago, Fellaheen51 said:

 

FWIW.  Common Mullein.  A biennial.  That's what they look like the second growth year.  

 

Good Morning Fella and thank you. 

I just looked it up to learn more.

 

Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus

 

 

In midsummer, the tall flower stalks of common mullein, Verbascum thapsus, begin to poke up, making this common weed in the family Scrophulariaceae highly noticeable in the road cuts and waste areas where it thrives. Native to Europe, northern Africa and Asia, it was probably introduced to North America several times as a medicinal herb. In the mid‑1700’s it was used in Virginia as a piscicide (fish poison). It spread rapidly and had become so well established by 1818 that a flora of the East Coast at that time described it as a native. It had reached the Midwest by 1839 and became widely naturalized on the Pacific Coast by 1876. Today common mullein is distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada wherever the growing season is at least 140 days and rainfall is sufficient (50-150 cm), especially on dry sandy soils.
Common mullein is typically found in neglected meadows and pasture lands, along fence rows and roadsides, in vacant lots, wood edges, forest openings and industrial areas.

 

In the second year plants produce a flower stalk 5-10 feet tall. The inflorescence is a spike-like raceme, usually singular, but sometimes branched. The alternate leaves on the flower stalk are larger at the base and decrease in size toward the top. The stalk’s growth is indeterminate and the length of the flowering period is related to stalk height, with taller stalks blooming longer. Small yellow, 5-petaled flowers are grouped densely on the leafy spike. White flowers are seen only rarely. They bloom a few at a time throughout the summer, maturing on the stalk from the bottom to the top in successive spirals. Each individual flower opens before dawn and closes by mid-afternoon. The flowers attract a wide variety of insects (bees, flies, butterflies and other insects, only short- and long-tongued bees are effective in cross‑pollination. Flowers are also autogamous, so self-pollination occurs at the end of the day if the flowers were not cross‑pollinated.

 

 

[Fellaheen51]

Peak orange barrel season around here.  Road repair and overhaul is everywhere.  The governor ran on a motto of "Fix the damn roads."  And that's what the state has been doing.  The state portion of the gas tax went up again In January to 28.6 cents.  We now pay a total of 68.6 cents per gallon in total taxes.  Although the price for a gallon of gas remains relatively reasonable.  Was $3.29 when I filled up yesterday.  Beginning to see a noticeable improvement in the quality of the road surfaces.  

 

Massive 10 year project taking place on I-75.  They aren't just resurfacing, but rebuilding the entire road surface.  Adding lanes, taking down bridges and reconstructing.  Reconstructing entire interchanges.  And doing it smart this time.  Engineered a thicker cement road surface based on the Autobahn model.  That significantly increases the life of the road.  At least that's what I've read. 

 

In a ~7 mile stretch, two sections of the nearby highway are under repair, down to one lane controlled by a traffic light.  Navigating them is a PITA and causes significant backups at certain times of the day.  Avoid the project by taking a dirt back road route around the entire work zone.  Unfortunately, I'm not the only one that's figure this out.  Lots of traffic on these rural back roads.  If one wants the damn roads fixed, this is what one must tolerate.  

 

FWIW.  Depending on the source, Michigan ranks first or second in states with the best drivers.  Sure, there's always the yahoo factor present.  Driver's doing stupid sizzle.  But my observation is by and large we know how to roll down the highway pretty good.  Quite noticeable by way of comparison when I've had to drive in other states over the years.  

 

 

[sunbeltgolfer]

We drove through LV a couple times while we were out West in January and February. I did notice that road conditions were much better that AZ. It is a crime what they've allowed I-40 to become.