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

[braincramp52]

The company I've worked for for 36 years has a reputation for high quality and high prices with outstanding service. There might be a couple of guys here that have even heard of us. It's Lawson Products. I tell potential customers right up front if they are looking for cheap, I'm not your guy. That way I'm not wasting their time and I'm not wasting mine. To last as long as I have in this business in a rural area you better have service above everybody else or you won't be around very long. There's not a lot I won't do for my customers big or small and they know it and appreciate it. I treat all my customers like family. The only difference between family and customers is the fact that I won't lie to a customer.

[chisag]

26 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

I had two E320's and had very few problems.  Though the serpentine belt breaking on a road trip down the Oregon/California coast was no fun.  But it did give my young son and I a one day layover with more time to explore seafood restaurants.

 

 

 

... Final straw was jut before heading back to Chicago after Pilot Season, the Mercedes dealership in LA changed my oil and left the synthetic oils they were supposed to use in the trunk. They used conventional oil. So they quickly drained the oil and out in the synthetic. They found some mud flaps in the trunk and put them on my car without asking. I didn't have time to wait ... again so left them on and when I got back to Chicago  and they were replacing the brake pads I asked them to pul them off since it would be up on the rack and another MB dealership put them on when I didn't want them. "Happy to" was the service consultants response. 

... Got the bill and they charged me $150 to remove the flaps. This is like '95 so probably $350 today. Literally 8 screws that took less than 30 seconds while the car was on the rack for the brake pads. I told them I wasn't paying and they could put them back on if they were gonna be dicks about it. Clearly the guy didn't think I was MB worthy and replied "Sir, we expect MB owners to understand if we have to check your turn signal you will pay for it and most don't mind because they can afford it".  Glad your E320's were great cars for you but mine rode like a conestoga wagon and the regional service manager took a ride with me and admitted it "didn't have the typical E320 ride but it was within spec". I couldn't get rid of that thing fast enough. 

[touch]

My coworkers and I had a blast. 😊

 

I'm normally not into music playing while golfing but today we wanted to remember Jimmy Buffett so I welcomed it. There was nobody around our group all day so we filled the air with his great music. ❤️

 

 

 

 

I have my NFL Picks to make so my recap from this afternoon will have to wait. It was a very close match. 🏌️‍♀️

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by touch

[Double Mocha Man]

3 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

 

... Final straw was jut before heading back to Chicago after Pilot Season, the Mercedes dealership in LA changed my oil and left the synthetic oils they were supposed to use in the trunk. They used conventional oil. So they quickly drained the oil and out in the synthetic. They found some mud flaps in the trunk and put them on my car without asking. I didn't have time to wait ... again so left them on and when I got back to Chicago  and they were replacing the brake pads I asked them to pul them off since it would be up on the rack and another MB dealership put them on when I didn't want them. "Happy to" was the service consultants response. 

... Got the bill and they charged me $150 to remove the flaps. This is like '95 so probably $350 today. Literally 8 screws that took less than 30 seconds while the car was on the rack for the brake pads. I told them I wasn't paying and they could put them back on if they were gonna be dicks about it. Clearly the guy didn't think I was MB worthy and replied "Sir, we expect MB owners to understand if we have to check your turn signal you will pay for it and most don't mind because they can afford it".  Glad your E320's were great cars for you but mine rode like a conestoga wagon and the regional service manager took a ride with me and admitted it "didn't have the typical E320 ride but it was within spec". I couldn't get rid of that thing fast enough. 

 

I totally hear you, but I bet you looked cool with those mud flaps.  Before I had the two E320's I had a 240D.  Thing ran forever.  319,000 miles when I retired it... still running fine, just wanted a new rig with air conditioning. The only thing I spent money on was 75 cents for replenishing my hydraulic fluid and several bucks keeping the sunroof working.

[Double Mocha Man]

10 minutes ago, touch said:

My coworkers and I had a blast. 😊

 

I'm normally not into music playing while golfing but today we wanted to remember Jimmy Buffett so I welcomed it. There was nobody around our group all day so we filled the air with his great music. ❤️

 

 

Watch the first video to the end.......R with his smooth swing !  

I enjoyed some reefer, but I passed on the margarita's and shots of rum. 

 

I have my NFL Picks to make so my recap from this afternoon will have to wait. It was a very close match. 🏌️‍♀️

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice tribute.

[aenemated]

36 minutes ago, braincramp52 said:

Guess I shouldn't have sold my 91 Mustang GT convertible.

 

BC and TS all ...

 

[braincramp52]

1 minute ago, aenemated said:

 

BC and TS all ...

 

Right on!🤣

[Double Mocha Man]

6 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Nice tribute.

 

I had an intern who was a Jimmy Buffet fan who called him (hell if I know how he got his number) and talked with the guy for an hour, in his prime!  Charles was ahead of himself and ahead of the game... he was trying to get Mr. Buffet to be in a short film he was making.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Double Mocha Man

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, Soloman1 said:

 

I think it’s great that you’re a dedicated Mustang guy, and I’m sure you’re dedicated to doing things right.

 

Kudos to people doing things right. At the end of our lives, all we have is our integrity.

Yes sir… more I live  the more apparent that becomes.  
 

I hate to say it. But when I first started out ( at 20) I used to have an issue with saying no. I’d let anyone talk me into anything.  And often at their price ideal.  I did a lot of free work being that nice.  Dealing with the public beat that out of me.  I still have the polite core personality.  I’d give someone in need anything I could ….. but not these playboys who can afford it.  Not anymore.  And it’s funny.  As soon as you cull the Leaches.  You get a better class of clientele knocking.  I wish I had someone to tell me that early on.  But the best lessons are often learned the hard way too.  But you can bet I’ve poured every ounce of my bad decision lessons into my sons head.  Trying to show him that doing it correctly the first time is very valuable.  “ hacks “ and shortcuts to anything is the way to failure.  It’s the part of ourselves that we have to fight.  

[Double Mocha Man]

3 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Yes sir… more I live  the more apparent that becomes.  
 

I hate to say it. But when I first started out ( at 20) I used to have an issue with saying no. I’d let anyone talk me into anything.  And often at their price ideal.  I did a lot of free work being that nice.  Dealing with the public beat that out of me.  I still have the polite core personality.  I’d give someone in need anything I could ….. but not these playboys who can afford it.  Not anymore.  And it’s funny.  As soon as you cull the Leaches.  You get a better class of clientele knocking.  I wish I had someone to tell me that early on.  But the best lessons are often learned the hard way too.  But you can bet I’ve poured every ounce of my bad decision lessons into my sons head.  Trying to show him that doing it correctly the first time is very valuable.  “ hacks “ and shortcuts to anything is the way to failure.  It’s the part of ourselves that we have to fight.  

 

Your son hears you but he will still want to learn some of the hard things on his own.  All he is doing is testing out your advice.  Innocent, naive and totally expected of a younger generation.

[bladehunter]

48 minutes ago, braincramp52 said:

Guess I shouldn't have sold my 91 Mustang GT convertible.

They’re definitely going up.  I’ve had a couple I wish I’d kept. Uncle Sam got my 86 GT t top  car in 1999 …. I’ll never forget. I came up owing $2300 in taxes. 😂. Young guy not married yet. So they were hammering me as single. I had two 5.0s then. The 86 and a 92 lx hatch 5.0 5 speed.  The 86 had a 347 stroker and a c4 automatic.  With weld 3.5 inch skinnies up front.  She’d scoot.  But it was a really cherry car. Original paint in good shape and a mint interior.  Anyway.  I sold it to pay the tax bill.  Every damn time I see an IRS envelope since then I cuss them under my breath.   If I were married I wouldn’t have owed.  Anything.  

[bladehunter]

2 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Your son hears you but he will still want to learn some of the hard things on his own.  All he is doing is testing out your advice.  Innocent, naive and totally expected of a younger generation.

Of for sure.  But I have to believe it’s better than what I had. Which was “ you’re old enough to feed yourself now “. Said at 14.   
 

the one talk i ever had with my  idiot father on business went like this before I ever had a shop to work in.  ….. “ Im working on a guys 69 Mach 1 …. He wants me to weld up some rust and get it running “.    Him - “ you can’t do that.  You don’t know what you’re doing “.   Thanks for the words of encouragement .  If I’m lying I’m dying.  That was the extent of my eduction on life.  The one lesson was “ do the opposite of the examples you’ve seen “.    I just don’t want my guy to have to fake it till he makes it.  We talk daily.  Sort of like a good coach treats a player.  I listen as much as I talk. But I stay involved and hold him and myself accountable for our agreed upon game plans.  
 

look at me. Just rambling on.  Must be time to shut up.  Lol. 

[aenemated]

22 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Every damn time I see an IRS envelope since then I cuss them under my breath.

 

Ya know what's worse than the IRS?

 

California Franchise Tax Board.

 

Folks at the IRS are nice. They'll work with you. CAFTB? They will ruin your life and laugh at you about it. 

[chisag]

50 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

 Dealing with the public beat that out of me.  I still have the polite core personality.  I’d give someone in need anything I could ….. but not these playboys who can afford it.  Not anymore.  And it’s funny.  As soon as you cull the Leaches.  You get a better class of clientele knocking.

 

 

... Those same playboys and playgirls riding in 1st Class and eating that sh!t that comes out of a microwave because it's free. Just blows my mind. 

[bladehunter]

18 minutes ago, aenemated said:

 

Ya know what's worse than the IRS?

 

California Franchise Tax Board.

 

Folks at the IRS are nice. They'll work with you. CAFTB? They will ruin your life and laugh at you about it. 

Oh my.  I’m way too much Yosemite sam to put up with that.  🧨

[Mrgreen36]

Hopefully the last ridiculously hot day of the year, next week looks to be upper 60s low 70s and 50 at night, ahhhh. 

 

I'm lame and after I finished up some prior obligations with my children, I went back to work to finish up a major service on a forklift so I can do brakes and side shift hoses on one tomorrow (side shift hoses are 20 feet long and wrap up and down mast 3 times)

 

Couldn't leave without putting a couple coats of primer on a sash. 

 

Exterior trim will be painted tomorrow, hopefully have 4 storms back from being glazed at the local hardware store. 

[Mrgreen36]

Also, found picture of where these all go. 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Mrgreen36

[aenemated]

48 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Oh my.  I’m way too much Yosemite sam to put up with that.  🧨

 

I've noted my Hollywood ad days many times. 10 years of my life! And for a good bit of it, I was just a nerd for hire. Meaning freelance. Meaning 1099s.

 

For a good programmer, I make a pretty terrible accountant. Ms. aenemated is a freelancer and every time she asks me about money stuff I'm like "Don't take financial advice from me." 

 

Basically, I wasn't very good at paying my taxes for a while. One morning years back when I was in my little cave in West Hollywood, I woke up and walked up to Gil Turner's for a 6 pack and a pack of smokes. That's how most days started back then. Swiped my debit card and ... declined. Was like "WTF? There's like 10 grand in that account." Happened to have cash on me so I put up a $20 to the clerk who knew me well and walked on back home to pull up my bank info.

 

Did so to see my balance was exactly $0. Totally freaked out, called the bank and learned ... it was a debit from CAFTB. I call THEM and was like "Hey, yeah um ... I got rent to pay. I got a car payment to make. I kinda need food. Can we work something out to get some of my money back?"

 

"We worked it out already. Pay your taxes next time." And hung up.

 

I don't lend people money except for ONE guy. And I think conversely, he'll only lend money to one person. 

 

"Dude um ... need to borrow a couple grand."

"Why?"

"Franchise Tax Board."

"OH. Gotcha."

 

I've gotten that exact call from him 😂

[touch]

2 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Nice tribute.

 

 

I already had a fantastic afternoon on the course, and then I read this evening that the Director enjoyed how I panned from the dashboard to the action shot in my video. 😁

 

Now isn't that just the cherry on top !  What a day. ⚡

 

RIP Jimmy

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by touch

[TiScape]

5 hours ago, Soloman1 said:

Good, reliable cars are like comfortable shoes. The older I get, the more I appreciate them.

 

But I’d sure enjoy a Shelby. So cool.

Solo from his Hyundai to like… 

[TiScape]

9 hours ago, chisag said:

 

 

...  If a golf store is gonna stock clubs for me to demo, I will do so without guilt. If they wanna turn on their LM and walk away, that's cool too. I will still have no incentive to buy from them if I can find the same item for substantially less elsewhere. However, given a similar price I will always support them. $1399 for some irons I could buy elsewhere for $1359 I will support the B&M store. But someone else selling them for $1299 I am not giving away $100. 

... To me, that is a different scenario from asking to use their LM and excepting their help. I needed some numbers before ordering all my free Cobra gear from another forum and went to the PGA SS and asked them to turn on their LM and told them my situation. I already had free clubs coming and needed to see what kind of driver spin each head produced. The store was empty and the guy was bored, said that was cool and he actually wanted to watch. The Aerojet LS was around 1700-1800 and we both got a kick out of me swinging at 96mph and watching it carry under 200yds because I couldn't keep the ball in the air. Without a word he took the club and put in the Aerojet head and the spin jumped to 2300-2400 and after about 5 swings he says "give me that" and then puts in the Aerojet Max and bingo, we were at 2600-2700 and he asked if I wanted to try different shafts than the tock Kai'Li Blue and I said thanks, but I can only order the stock shaft. 

... Now the interesting part is he thanked me for both entertaining him and solidifying that the Aerojet heads were pretty radically different for spin with a repeatable wing and it would help his fittings in the future. He admittedly sucked at golf and was dealing with some arthritis so had never even hit them. So few people even look at Cobra clubs so this actually helped him. 

 

That’s awesome. I woulda went and bought dude a nice GC for a local lunch spot or something. Notching crazy, just an I appreciate ur time and effort kinda thing. 

[aenemated]

 

There's a non-zero chance I'll wind up looking like Steve some day. Which is fine. Could do worse. 

 

Challenge? Can't stand when the beard starts getting a bit long. It's why I could never do the hipster thing.

 

Got the hairline though 😂

[BIG STU]

7 hours ago, braincramp52 said:

The company I've worked for for 36 years has a reputation for high quality and high prices with outstanding service. There might be a couple of guys here that have even heard of us. It's Lawson Products. I tell potential customers right up front if they are looking for cheap, I'm not your guy. That way I'm not wasting their time and I'm not wasting mine. To last as long as I have in this business in a rural area you better have service above everybody else or you won't be around very long. There's not a lot I won't do for my customers big or small and they know it and appreciate it. I treat all my customers like family. The only difference between family and customers is the fact that I won't lie to a customer.

What is Ironic is my running partner Stush worked for Lawson for years. When I set up shops and maintenance programs Lawson was the Fastner products I insisted on. I actually used Lawson products on my race cars. My bud Stush and I met on a course down here and he was wearing a Lawson hat and we started talking and became friends and golf buds.

Edited September 6, 2023 by BIG STU

[BIG STU]

7 hours ago, touch said:

My coworkers and I had a blast. 😊

 

I'm normally not into music playing while golfing but today we wanted to remember Jimmy Buffett so I welcomed it. There was nobody around our group all day so we filled the air with his great music. ❤️

 

 

Watch the first video to the end.......R with his smooth swing !  

I enjoyed some reefer, but I passed on the margarita's and shots of rum. 

 

I have my NFL Picks to make so my recap from this afternoon will have to wait. It was a very close match. 🏌️‍♀️

 

 

 

 

 

It was a tale of 2 different days for me. After my great round (for me) Monday yesterday I sucked and ended up hurting myself back wise. Our rough is mixed Bermuda and what ever and this year it is thick an gnarly. On top of that the course does not have a proper reel type mower for the rough they use a deck mower. I had hit a little 9 wood into our 7th hole and it had not held and went back left. It was buried in the rough. I had to go after it and try to flop it. Yeah I went at it hard got it out but hurt myself. I soldiered on and our last 3 holes I could hardly get the club back. Ended up shooting 88. I went home and indulged a little bit and got a real good nights sleep. I had planned on playing the small money game today but told them to scratch me for today. I honestly do not know if playing 2 days straight or that chop shot got my back started again or the combination of both. I am on the schedule for tomorrow in the regular league play. I talked to the Comp/Handicap director last night and told him I know golf is golf but either the league needs to start not playing it down in the rough or the course needs to do something about the mower situation. I told him we are not in the US Open and are not pros just old farts having fun. I know a couple of the guys have hurt their backs and one guy hurt his wrist. I told him if they did not find a solution that I was going to pull out of the League and both games. I told him I did not want to sound like sour grapes but I was not going to hurt myself. I told him I was on the Thursday play schedule and we would see how it goes. Right now after medicating and 10 hrs straight sleep I feel ok. I will rest today and piddle around the shop some and I will see. Our Comp guy is a good guy and honest and he assured me they were doing something to address the rough issue

[BIG STU]

21 hours ago, miamistomp said:

 Franklin is my Frenchie's official name from the breeder

 But in the neighborhood he is know as " Frank the Tank" as he likes to bulldoze through stuff

Oh so you have a Frenchie too!!! GREAT DOGS!! I renamed ours Tank after we adopted him from my late friend Little Bear. Bear had been calling him Damper which was the name the breeder had given him. He had not been her 10 minutes when he brought me his knotted rope to play with. He reminded me of a friend's English Bulldog from years gone buy named Tank. I started calling him that and he responded to it right off the bat. He was like 6 months old when we got him and he has grown into the Tank look. He really took up with the old lady and is Mammas boy actually he is a Ladies man in general. Really he is a great dog and behaves and minds quite well. I can tell stories for hours on how he and the 12 year old (at the time) Chiwawa took up and bonded with each other. We lost the Chiwawa July last year and Tank knew he was gone and the tears rolled down those big brown eyes. Since then I have became his play buddy and the wife is his cuddle buddy. I had his name changed on the AKC papers and it is officially Mack Bulldog Tank

[aenemated]

16 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

It was a tale of 2 different days for me. After my great round (for me) Monday yesterday I sucked and ended up hurting myself back wise. Our rough is mixed Bermuda and what ever and this year it is thick an gnarly. On top of that the course does not have a proper reel type mower for the rough they use a deck mower. I had hit a little 9 wood into our 7th hole and it had not held and went back left. It was buried in the rough. I had to go after it and try to flop it. Yeah I went at it hard got it out but hurt myself. I soldiered on and our last 3 holes I could hardly get the club back. Ended up shooting 88. I went home and indulged a little bit and got a real good nights sleep. I had planned on playing the small money game today but told them to scratch me for today. I honestly do not know if playing 2 days straight or that chop shot got my back started again or the combination of both. I am on the schedule for tomorrow in the regular league play. I talked to the Comp/Handicap director last night and told him I know golf is golf but either the league needs to start not playing it down in the rough or the course needs to do something about the mower situation. I told him we are not in the US Open and are not pros just old farts having fun. I know a couple of the guys have hurt their backs and one guy hurt his wrist. I told him if they did not find a solution that I was going to pull out of the League and both games. I told him I did not want to sound like sour grapes but I was not going to hurt myself. I told him I was on the Thursday play schedule and we would see how it goes. Right now after medicating and 10 hrs straight sleep I feel ok. I will rest today and piddle around the shop some and I will see. Our Comp guy is a good guy and honest and he assured me they were doing something to address the rough issue

 

Damn Stu, take care of yourself brother!

 

Paiute's about the only course here that has REAL rough. It's on a Native American reservation so they can skirt some water laws ... so they water the hell outta that place. It's why it's always in such great condition. I've been told there's an aquifer that runs outta the mountains above it and they can just use all they want. Due to the aforementioned.

 

The only better conditioned course I've played in this town is the Wynn; which is probably as close to Augusta conditions as I'll ever get. I'm sure Shadow Creek is up there but I'm still not pals with Danielle Kang so I still haven't played it 😂 One day. 

[BIG STU]

20 hours ago, miamistomp said:

 He just turned 9

 I lucked out as he was going to be too big to be a show dog( biggest in the litter) so I got him when Frenchie's became hard to get

  Show males are supposed to be under 30 lbs and he is a muscular 37 lbs

Oh he is larger than my Tank---- Mine is much shorter leg wise and body wise and weighs only 27 lbs but he is short and muscular

[aenemated]

#16 at Paiute: Snow Mountain.

 

 

My favorite hole I've played in this whole state. 

[BIG STU]

19 hours ago, touch said:

 

 

 

 

Finally damn it I get to play some golf today. 🙂

I got short changed last week with only one round played and that round was a marathon paced two hours for 18 holes screamer. I had some fun yes, but it wasn't too relaxing.

Today will be my 60th round of the year. I have set up something that I think will be a fun challenge. I will be playing with coworkers and we are playing Broadmoor. Many of the courses in the Asheville are are punching their greens (if they have bent grass) this week so our choice of golf courses is limited. 

 

Two man teams.

Myself and R are taking on A and D. Better Ball format. 

 

A and D are getting 18 stokes. A is a 16 index and D is a 23.

R is scratch and I am currently a 6.4. 

R and D are playing the way backs and A and myself with be playing the white tees.

The losing team picks up the check for beers and burgers afterwards.

 

I am somewhat tired after working 6 days in a row, but I will dig deep and give it all I have.

I'm grateful that I am going to be spending the afternoon on the course with friends. 🏌️‍♀️

 

 

I am at 64 rounds this year as of yesterday. That includes the Shootouts and putting the 9 & Dines into one round.

[BIG STU]

11 hours ago, aenemated said:

On this discussion ... a great example is my beloved 2112 Percussion in Raleigh, NC. 

 

That shop holds an incredibly special place in my little black heart. Bought my very first drum kit there. And I didn't know the first damn thing about drums but one of the guys working that day went above and beyond to help out this dumb 16 y/o. Gave me advice I still use to this day and pass one when folks ask me about their kid wanting to play. The way the founder - who we sadly lost to cancer several years back - set the shop up is it wasn't just a STORE but a community. There were literally bar stools at the counter where the register lived. 

 

So I just started hanging out. Got to be friends with everyone there and met some incredible folks. Started taking lessons from one of the teachers there - a fella who's still one of my best friends. Hell, MOST of the guys are. When my dad passed away, every single person from that shop came to his funeral. When I moved west, I didn't even bring my drums. When I got into the Double Down scene early on and wanted to play again; I had no idea how to get a drumkit from NC to NV. Called up the shop and was like "Dudes, can someone help this happen?"

 

My buddy Tony - who's run the shop for years now after Steve passed - was like "I got ya, dude." He drove from Raleigh to Lillington, met up with mom to get to my kit, boxed it up and shipped it out. "Just cover the shipping costs." 

 

There used to be a bunch of cool little music shops in Raleigh. Guitar Center and Sam Ash moved in and pretty much shut all of them down. Except 2112.

 

I'll always prefer a local shop. Bummer there aren't more left. 

You would have liked our golf shop. Big John my partner was a showman and always kept the party going. We actually had a counter in the corner that lead to the repair shop and we had a huge fridge. All the locals came in and got a Beer and shot the breeze. If you talked real nice to John he would mix you something with Makers Mark. And no it was not illegal because we did not charge for any beverages. When guys would leave they would say like "oh yeah this is the $20 balance I owe you on that putter from last week" I know they had undercover guys try to bust us because we had 3 LEOs as regular beer drinking customers. Rainy days it was one big party John would order pizza or wings or such to eat. And yes we sold a lot of equipment too. John was marketing genius and an E-Bay master. He knew people from all over and had contacts in Asia and could get stuff others could not. Good example he got genuine PRGR hybrid heads direct when most did not know what they were.  When all the pre release hype on the Nike Square was going on we had the clone heads direct from Asia 4 months before the real thing hit the public. The recession and overhead hit us hard in 08 and we closed. In the business world John was a turnaround specialist and a hustler. A huge regional tire and wheel outlet offered him big money to do the turnaround on like 30 stores. He did that plus brokered used construction equipment from his huge office at home. Even though we closed the brick and mortar store I was still partners with him on internet sales and equipment repairs on golf stuff. I had set up my shop here at the house and he would still buy stuff and I would fix it and he would resale it. Our last big deal was we bought out a golf shop here and one in Gaffney SC where I used to live. We flipped 95% of the inventory to one store that was starting here. The other stuff we flipped on the net. Sadly he passed away in his sleep about a month later at only 60 yoa