Golf Spy X - Outted !

[Sschaffer24]

I think a huge part of a healthy discussion is understanding the other persons point. We aren't arguing, just two men stating their way of thinking and perspective. I respect what you have to say and think completely.

 

I hope my point makes sense to you, and has sparked maybe some different thoughts on this whole thing for you as well.

 

I actually find I am the same way a lot of times, I like giving a different perspective to check people. It's so easy to follow the crowd and "group think" instead of thinking for yourself. So I commend you for doing that!

[jbil8802]

I chose to donate simply because I love this place. Straightforward articles on the blog are what got me here on the first place and I've always been a fan of the reviews.

 

Since getting involved with the forum, it's been a whole different experience. As a fairly new golfer, I can ask arguably dumb questions that are answered by much more knowledgeable people, much better players, etc. in a respectful, non-elitist way. We can also be opinionated and disagree with each other without being silenced. Opportunities to test products and win prizes are pretty sweet too. All of you guys that contribute to the forum are top notch and it's awesome to be a part of.

 

This site has had a huge positive influence on me in my short golf life and for that I am grateful. As much money as I've spent on unnecessary golf related purchases, making a donation toward something like this that Adam and the rest of us feel strongly about was an easy decision.

[GolfSpy_X]

You are absolutely correct $75,000 doesn't get us where we want to be...yet.  But we have to start somewhere.  And I have analyzed where the money would be best spent to help you and other consumers.  Our own test lab is that first and most important piece.  

 

For now what goes over budget I will pay for out of my own pocket.  It would be amazing if we exceed our goal, and if we do we will put that directly in to items that will help you make better decisions about the equipment the industry offers.

 

In all honesty to do things the way I think they need to be done, it would take close to a $1.5 million dollars.  This means the testing equipment, buying all the reviewed equipment outright, staff, etc.

 

 

_{I'm happy for MGS and look forward to the future. I feel good about donating to the "cause". However, I do have a question. Why only $75,000? I realize MGS might even exceed that amount during the 45 day funding period. Great. In my experience $75,000 don't get you very far doing much of anything business-wise. I know that MGS wants to build a state of the art testing facility. I'd be interested in learning more. (The chat feature is not working on my PC/browser in case you wanted to chat.)}

[GolfSpy_X]

Thanks XMass!

 

 

I think the steps that MGS are taking are truly what the golf industry needs. Offering something that is TRULY player focused, where people can come and get the information they need to better their game? Awesome.

 

Having the balls to take a stand and do that is something you wouldn't expect your normal business to do. Think about HOW MUCH more profitable this industry would be for the guys at MGS if they took the ad money? What if they "sold out" and aligned themselves with the big guys, what would that do for these individual people who are behind the scenes?

 

Probably give them a much higher standard of living, and after a few years, they'd forget completely about this "mission" that they are on now.

 

So, to see GolfSpy X taking a stand. Fighting for what's right, and basically giving the rest of the industry a big F#*k you! In the process? I love it. Sure, I'm being solicited.

 

But EVERY single ad you see on every website you visit, every commercial, every post on social media I'm being solicited. Why not give my money to something that matters TO ME, and back the guys who have the stones to do what is RIGHT and not what's easy.

Adam, many props to you. Thank you for using your influence and your career for us. We all owe you that. Now lets see this test facility, and I would LOVE to see more information on this project Triangle. That's very intriguing.

 

You have my money and my support. Thank you.

 

#PowerToThePlayer

[GolfSpy_X]

Sounds like you actually don't have any basis at all for your arguement, and admit to simply desiring being the everyday devil's advocate.  Look you don't know me and what I am about, but if you did, you wouldn't compare me to or doubt that I have yours and others best interest in mind.  

 

I appreciate all members and all opinions, but doesn't mean I have to agree with them all.  You are way off about me, the people who work for MyGolfSpy and the mission we are on for people like yourself. 

 

I am honestly saddened that something meant to be so positive for golfers and an industry could some way be viewed in a negative light the way you have done.

 

Never will get it.

 

Don't get me wrong: I have enjoyed my time on here. And I appreciate that I haven't gotten any ridiculous "warnings" for simply speaking my mind, -unlike other sites, which I have been booted from for doing the same. I have strong opinions at times and never seek for people to necessarily agree with me, but rather, just make people think in a way that perhaps the "group consensus" does not arrive at. So thanks for putting up with it if you don't like it, and I hope that sometimes I make people think about something in a different way. I like doing that.

 

I'll just say that it used to be, you could go to a local clubfitter to get the straight dirt about what performs or not.

 

The curious thing to me is this: why is GolfSpy giving credence to the golf industry in its current state?

It's not like you're "pulling back the curtain" on the industry. Anyone honest with themselves stopped looking for performance gains many, many years ago.

 

So to me, this iniative about "exposing" the industry is waaaay too little, too late, and you guys get enough free stuff that it sounds rooted in bravado and projecting an image that you guys are "outsiders." You're not.

Remember Bombsquad and "big things are coming?" This is nothing new that other sites haven't done before. Sorry. (Of course, we don't know any details but are supposed to dutifully donate money. Not in my world.)

[Sschaffer24]

X,

 

Can you give some clarification on how these perks are going to work? I don't want to game the system, just trying to decide if I should spread the money out to different perks, or consolidate into one!]

 

Thank you!

[GolfSpy_X]

Sure.  Basically all perks are independent of each other except for the first two.  Meaning if you donate $100 you will get the cover, the space on the founders page and the Desktop wallpaper.   If you get a Berkley putter you will also get the the space on the founders page and the Desktop wallpaper.  

 

However if you got the Berkley putter, you would not also get the cover and the shirt.

 

Hopefully that clarifies it a little better.  If not just let me know.

 

X,

 

Can you give some clarification on how these perks are going to work? I don't want to game the system, just trying to decide if I should spread the money out to different perks, or consolidate into one!]

 

Thank you!

[Sschaffer24]

X,

 

That perfectly clarifies it. That's how I thought it would work, but it never hurts to double check! Haha.

 

Thank you sir!

[GolfSpy_X]

Very welcome.

 

X,

 

That perfectly clarifies it. That's how I thought it would work, but it never hurts to double check! Haha.

 

Thank you sir!

[revkev]

Oh bummer - I didn't check the perks out because I was thinking - I'll just donate something now and something later and I don't need a perk I've already gotten way to many perks by being a member here.

 

I gladly up my donation to $100 if it would get me a shirt though.  Can I do that?

[mr_divots]

Sounds like you actually don't have any basis at all for your arguement, and admit to simply desiring being the everyday devil's advocate.  Look you don't know me and what I am about, but if you did, you wouldn't compare me to or doubt that I have yours and others best interest in mind.  

 

I appreciate all members and all opinions, but doesn't mean I have to agree with them all.  You are way off about me, the people who work for MyGolfSpy and the mission we are on for people like yourself. 

 

I am honestly saddened that something meant to be so positive for golfers and an industry could some way be viewed in a negative light the way you have done.

 

Never will get it.

I wanna know what a $75K golf lab consists of.

 

You'd have to answer much tougher questions for a bank loan.

[GolfSpy_X]

Multiple launch monitors, screens, hitting bays, projectors, multiple types of turf, a building, offices, bathroom, putting green, putting lab equipment, numerous golf club measuring devices, tools, and the list goes on.  

 

The more we raise the more equipment we can purchase to better measure the equipment sold to consumers.  That would include sweat test machinery, bag testing, materials testing, moi, cg, tensile, etc, etc.

 

 

I wanna know what a $75K golf lab consists of.

 

You'd have to answer much tougher questions for a bank loan.

[JBones]

multiple types of turf

LOVE this. Testing clubs (such as fairway woods) from the tee, short grass, and rough will be more indepth than anyone else out there is doing. I'm proud to be associated with MGS, can't wait to see what the future brings.

[Aotearoa_Brad]

Agreed Bones. I'm sssuper excited to be involved in bringing this to reality. A field trip at some stage to the 'bat cave' would be epic!!!

[HighFade]

Where is MGS? That's be a fun trip..

[HighFade]

I could care less what MGS does with my money. I love the site, and I pay a fee to use it. Take my money! Use it to buy a ferris wheel if that keeps the site up.

[Sschaffer24]

Organized field trip? With all of the spies as chaperones? It'd be just like kindergarten all over again! Haha.

 

No seriously though, that would be an amazing experience!

[Mr_Theoo]

I could care less what MGS does with my money. I love the site, and I pay a fee to use it. Take my money! Use it to buy a ferris wheel of that keeps the site up.

Absolutely! Plus how awesome would a MGS ferries wheel be?!

[jbil8802]

I like ferris wheels and beer.

[SPY ZINGER]

Shirts and skins Ryder cup style matches!

[Gotblades]

Shirts and skins Ryder cup style matches!

You'll be skins....right????

[Kenny B]

Well that certainly limits the courses that you can play, but it doesn't eliminate mine!!

[mr_divots]

Multiple launch monitors, screens, hitting bays, projectors, multiple types of turf, a building, offices, bathroom, putting green, putting lab equipment, numerous golf club measuring devices, tools, and the list goes on.  

 

The more we raise the more equipment we can purchase to better measure the equipment sold to consumers.  That would include sweat test machinery, bag testing, materials testing, moi, cg, tensile, etc, etc.

If the golf industry has become so "corrupt" that you can't take anyone at their word to at least some extent, its time to question the support of such an industry, rather than a means to have others fund your own golf shop to "out" an industry that really needs no "outting."

 

There are ways to accomplish at least some of what you're proposing using your own available resources in a more creative way without asking people for $75K up front.

 

I'm still waiting to learn something about who you are, your qualifications, your background. That should have been in that video if we were to learn something about you. I learned you want $75K.

[Sschaffer24]

Divots,

 

I can't speak for X, But I can respond to your point. 

 

I, as well as everyone here on this website I'm sure would like to know more about Adam. Have I done the simple Google search that would probably give me some answers to that? No, I haven't. But it would be nice to hear from the man himself at least some backstory on his career, what lead to these feelings he so strongly has, and how this site came to be. As well as hopefully some credentials on the whole deal.

 

Now with that being said, I think your statement about the industry at the whole is giving way too much credence to the people we are talking about. It's not nearly as complicated as your making it. Corrupt implies criminal, and I don't think a company has any sanctions coming against them for any criminal activities in their advertising.

 

What the whole message is about is the misleading nature of the advertising, and the buzz words that spew out of the big companies mouths every time they talk. How those words and statements can then be misconstrued into ultimately people believing they need to spend more money.

 

MyGolfSpy is here to challenge that. You, yourself said you don't believe a word that they say, and that you are intelligent enough to come to those conclusions on your own. So in essence you support the message these people are trying to spread.

 

And really I believe have a problem with being solicited. Which, this is a free country and as always you don't have to support what you choose not to. I think that X clearly stated what he is planning to use the money for, and it just makes sense that to disprove inaccurate claims you have to have accurate testing proving the contrary point.

 

Hence the testing facility. 

[GolfSpy_X]

Maybe you are confused about the message.

 

MyGolfSpy is not anti-business.  We want companies to do well.  We are simply saying we hope they can be more focused on the actual needs and desires of the players in this game.  We not only believe this is what golfers want we know this.  We have done extensive studies on our readers and golf consumers.  In overwhelming numbers they support our message as their own.   

 

If you don't believe me ask the largest golf company in the world why they are changing their entire branding and messaging to fit this same message.  Taylormade is trying to be ahead of the curve with the changing demands and desires of the consumer.  And that is that they want more honesty over deception, transparency over secrecy, authenticity over hype, and ultimately, players over profits.

 

You don;t have to agree with this business model of ours.  But if you want honest datacratic based reviews this is the only way it will happen.  My competition is 100% supported by the ads in their mags and websites.  We refuse those. We give up what runs 100% of those other businesses.  Sites our size make $1,000,000's of dollars every years in ad sales.

 

Doing things takes money, and doing what I want to do is no different.  We have a lot of great ideas we want to show you, but they cost me money.  And up until this point I have done it all out of my own pocket.  I have never asked you or others for anything.  Matter of fact all we do is give.  We give you content for free, contests for free, product testing for free, etc.  

 

But here is the brutal honesty, I want to make everything about performance and that runs incredibly contrary to how this out of hand hype of an industry has gotten itself in to.  To do that, to go up against billion dollar corporations, it will take money, resources and much more to make that change happen.  And when we turn down those $1,000,000 ads we are going to have to find places to replace those resources that are needed to run a business.  

 

Consumer reports asks for donations and other money from its readers in numerous ways, are you saying you do not support them?  This is a modern hybrid version of that same model.

 

At the end of the day, if you don't support MyGolfSpy and what we are trying to do, why are you even here? and why not just not donate?   Turn the channel?

 

 

If the golf industry has become so "corrupt" that you can't take anyone at their word to at least some extent, its time to question the support of such an industry, rather than a means to have others fund your own golf shop to "out" an industry that really needs no "outting."

 

There are ways to accomplish at least some of what you're proposing using your own available resources in a more creative way without asking people for $75K up front.

 

I'm still waiting to learn something about who you are, your qualifications, your background. That should have been in that video if we were to learn something about you. I learned you want $75K.

[jmwils81]

I think what X is bringing to light is that the regular players will have the voice that hasn't been there. It has always been, Hey our clubs are Bada$$ pay me $500. I particularly like going to the Member review section to see what other people think about the golf products that are out there. Sure I can go google and find out which range finder is rated the best but, here I can get actual feedback and create a conversation about it.

 

I am lucky enough to take part in the Paderson review. I recently had a conversation with my best friend who recently became a PGA apprentice about the test. His first response was "yea I am sure they are going to be thrilled with average information" Which in his credit, my swing is not 100% on all the time and he knows that. My smash factor is rarely at 1.49/1.50 but after I explained to him what MGS is and what they are out to accomplish he was on board.

 

I get that you like to swim upstream Divot but it seems to me that you're a little jaded about the process. As massacre pointed out this is America, you aren't being forced to donate and support the whole MGS dream. I believe that this process will out a lot of discrepancies with what the big companies are telling us in Ads and reviews they pay for.

 

#powertotheplayer

[GolfSpy_X]

Here is just a fraction of what really goes on, thought this might interest you:

http://www.mygolfspy.com/the-truth-they-dont-want-you-to-know/

 

 

 

 

If the golf industry has become so "corrupt" that you can't take anyone at their word to at least some extent, its time to question the support of such an industry, rather than a means to have others fund your own golf shop to "out" an industry that really needs no "outting."

 

There are ways to accomplish at least some of what you're proposing using your own available resources in a more creative way without asking people for $75K up front.

 

I'm still waiting to learn something about who you are, your qualifications, your background. That should have been in that video if we were to learn something about you. I learned you want $75K.

[mr_divots]

I'm here because I was enjoying sharing ideas and experiences about golf. And like every other golf site that wants money and free parade of stuff, if anyone questions anything, it's time to suggest the person should leave.

 

With all due respect, I have contributed a lot to your site in a short while, and its people like ME and the other members that YOU depend on to go to companies and say "I get XXX,XXX" # of unique views per month. Please send me free gear. Please send free things for giveaways." When you lose site of this, your decline is here and ready to begin.

 

And if "sites this size" bring in "millions in ad revenue per year," I suggest tapping those funds? You have ad banners and whatnot. So what if they aren't from the largest OEM's? Use that money. $75K is chump change then. 

 

You have memberships. That is asking for people to pay for the site upkeep. Everything after that is gravy.

Been around the block. It doesn't cost a mint to run a golf forum.

 

Accepting a "niche" position in the industry, if it means remaining commiitted to your goals, and being true to members, is not a bad thing. Sites like this get some success and suddenly think they have to be the "biggest." We're here because the "biggest" sucks rocks. Why be them?

[GolfSpy_X]

What exactly are you even arguing at this point? 

 

 

I'm here because I was enjoying sharing ideas and experiences about golf. And like every other golf site that wants money and free parade of stuff, if anyone questions anything, it's time to suggest the person should leave.

 

With all due respect, I have contributed a lot to your site in a short while, and its people like ME and the other members that YOU depend on to go to companies and say "I get XXX,XXX" # of unique views per month. Please send me free gear. Please send free things for giveaways." When you lose site of this, your decline is here and ready to begin.

 

And if "sites this size" bring in "millions in ad revenue per year," I suggest tapping those funds? You have ad banners and whatnot. So what if they aren't from the largest OEM's? Use that money. $75K is chump change then. 

 

You have memberships. That is asking for people to pay for the site upkeep. Everything after that is gravy.

Been around the block. It doesn't cost a mint to run a golf forum.

 

Accepting a "niche" position in the industry, if it means remaining commiitted to your goals, and being true to members, is not a bad thing. Sites like this get some success and suddenly think they have to be the "biggest." We're here because the "biggest" sucks rocks. Why be them?

[Blade]

I'm here because I was enjoying sharing ideas and experiences about golf. And like every other golf site that wants money and free parade of stuff, if anyone questions anything, it's time to suggest the person should leave.

 

With all due respect, I have contributed a lot to your site in a short while, and its people like ME and the other members that YOU depend on to go to companies and say "I get XXX,XXX" # of unique views per month. Please send me free gear. Please send free things for giveaways." When you lose site of this, your decline is here and ready to begin.

 

And if "sites this size" bring in "millions in ad revenue per year," I suggest tapping those funds? You have ad banners and whatnot. So what if they aren't from the largest OEM's? Use that money. $75K is chump change then.

 

You have memberships. That is asking for people to pay for the site upkeep. Everything after that is gravy.

Been around the block. It doesn't cost a mint to run a golf forum.

 

Accepting a "niche" position in the industry, if it means remaining commiitted to your goals, and being true to members, is not a bad thing. Sites like this get some success and suddenly think they have to be the "biggest." We're here because the "biggest" sucks rocks. Why be them?

Yea what is your point? You seem to have this uncontrollable need to be confrontational. I began to think you put that behind you and decided to be postive with something worthwhile to contribute, but you proved me wrong.

 

If you don't want anything to do with what he's working on, so be it. You won't hurt anyone's feelings. But he's not covertly trying to get people's money leaving you with the responsibility to warn people about it. It's not a scam. What the site has done up to this point should provide more than enough "credentials". If you don't want in, fair enough. That's as far as that needs to go.