Book Club Christmas Tea pictures

You can see the pictures on the MountVintage.org web site.

Palmetto Parkway will open to traffic Thursday

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/12/16/met_559733.shtml

The parkway will open up traffic beginning at U.S. Highway 1, tying into Interstate 20 and extending to the Edgefield and North Augusta exit on I-20, Mr. Ipock said.

Highway 25 crosses I-20 at Exit 5. The new Exit 6 goes to the Palmetto Parkway (I-520), which will continue south to the Georgia border where it becomes the Bobby Jones Expressway (I-520). For more information see http://www.palmettoparkway.org/maps.shtml.

[Corrected: I-20 Exit 6 is the Palmetto Parkway.]

AT&T offers DSL in Mount Vintage

I'm not sure if it applies to all of Mount Vintage, but AT&T offered me DSL at my house in the "new nine" section. Previously, they told me that they did not have DSL service in the area. They're having a promotion if you order online. (You can find a link from att.com.)

I got an introductory deal from Comcast for internet service so I'm staying with them for now, but I like the idea that there's some competition. It might keep prices down in the future.

83 Beaver Pond Court

Beaver Pond Court is a street in the new section of Mount Vintage. It doesn't appear on the online map services yet. I've made a custom map at Google to help people find us. Starting from the main entrance to Mount Vintage, follow Mount Vintage Plantation Drive to the first roundabout (near the Town Center) and make a logical left onto Revolutionary Way. That will take you down the hill, past "The Village" to the new roundabout. Make another logical left onto Captain Johnson's Drive, then a quick left onto Militia Loop and finally one more left onto Beaver Pond Court.


View 83 Beaver Pond Court, North Augusta, SC in a larger map

Best spots for spectators at the Masters

http://www.augusta.com/masters/masters/dos_donts.shtml

Best Spots 

Hole 4: Spectators can view action on two holes while behind the No. 4 tee. There are views of the approach to the No. 3 green and the tee shot on the par-3 No. 4.

Hole 7: Behind the green, spectators can see down the No. 2 and No. 3 fairways, the No. 7 green, the No. 8 tee and the No. 17 fairway. Hole 12: In the heart of Amen Corner, spectators behind the tee can see the approach shots to No. 11, the entire 12th hole, and tee shots and second shots on the par-5 No. 13.

Hole 16: A new viewing area (above) was created here thanks to a storm in July 2006 that took down several trees. The natural seating area allows patrons to see the green at Nos. 6, 15 and 16 and the tee shot at No. 17.

Hole 18: If you get a spot early behind the No. 18 green, you can see approach shots to the final green and have a view of several other holes.

Putting green: You can watch as golfers prepare for their round.

Practice tee: Seating is available in the bleachers behind the tee. It is standing room only to the right of the tee. A chipping area, on the other side of Magnolia Lane, is also open to spectators.

Masters new traffic route

The Chronicle covers the new traffic route for the 2009 Masters. The links at the bottom of the article will give you a couple of useful maps (PDF):

• A detailed PDF describing the changes and the new routes to Augusta National.



• A larger PDF map showing the locations of specific lots and handicapped parking at Augusta National.

The official Masters.org web site also has lots of useful information.

Reservations Down for Masters Week

The Aiken Standard reports on the business outlook for Masters week:

And according to a knowledgeable source in the hospitality industry, scalpers who last year got $3,000 to $4,000 for a four-day ticket are getting $1,500 this year. ...

At Mount Vintage Plantation, reservations are down about 20 percent, and that represents the drop in corporate business, said Ryan Mulvey, an assistant professional and a PGA member.