Popular Post TBS Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 (edited) Background After I took a few months off of MGS due to some work and life things that needed my attention, I finally got some time to log back on and post a long overdue review. After posting, I found myself curious as to how I was selected and the likelihood of being selected again, especially since my product was so niche and did not receive many interactions. So I took the challenge upon myself to do a not so scientific study of how reviewers are selected and compare it to the post (https://forum.mygolfspy.com/faq/testing/how-are-equipment-testers-chosen-r11/) by the Mods on how testers are selected. While there are no bombshells, I think we Spys understand the value of data in telling our story. So, I did my best at pulling all data from the past 18 months of reviews Methods First off, I am no data scientist. From DJ to Bryson, I’m somewhere in the middle. I mainly do very basic data analysis in my role through excel. I know, I know, SQL is much more efficient and I’ll get around to learning it. For this study, I focused on 18 months of product reviews. I chose this timeframe to get some data points outside of the pandemic. I started going through the review pages and noticed it was not as organized as I thought, so I chose to do only 18 months of reviews that were already on the “Past Opportunities” page in the dropdown menu. Like I said, I believe that there may have been a few more reviews that have not been archived to this page, but I don’t think it was significant. I then did the manual labor of data entry and collection. I clicked on each individual “TESTERS ANNOUNCED” within the time frame, recorded the following data points - date of review published - product - rough product MSRP - MGS username - If the User has a Donor badge on their profile - Content count - Total reputation - Month and year MGS account was created - City and State Once all of this information was input into the spreadsheet, I then added a note if they had multiple reviews and I also created an additional metric to measure the quality of the posts. All analysis comes from these data points. Limitations Overall, the main limitation is that this dataset was manually curated, so there could be a mistake, but any mistake would be minor. I have checked that there is not an additional 0 added somewhere but there could be +/- 5 units off when it comes to reputation due to fat fingers on a keyboard. Additionally, the MSRP was calculated off a quick Google search. I get that there could be sales, or the price was actually $25 higher at the time of testing. Finally, the content created, and total reputation numbers are not accurate to the time the member was selected. There is no way for me to go back and see this information, but I proceeded with collecting this because for the most part, I believe that most people’s posts grow linearly. So, the quality of posts metric should not be too far off. I will address that in bigger reviews (Cobraconnect), this ratio can get skewed. Enough with the small talk, let’s take a look at the data. Data: Let’s take a look at the data! By the numbers- - 48 total products - 202 unique testers - ~$119,625 total costs of products tested As I said in the introduction, I will be using the MGS selection criteria as a framework of analysis. Picture – I did not go through and collect this data. This is also the easiest of all of them. Put something up there! I’ve seen pictures of the people (I assume), cartoons, their children, memes, etc. Just put something up. (Inclusive, but probably true) Prove review chops - 71 (35%) of people had more than 1 review. If you get chosen, even for the smallest thing, a pushcart distance tracker, a dozen balls, etc. take it seriously and write a good review. This means good pictures, concise statements that clearly articulate your opinion on a product, timely submissions, and good follow ups. A good first review will go a long way to getting your second review and the data clearly backs this up. Additionally, one anecdotal note, it was very common for there to be a progression of items to review, starting with a smaller item and then growing to more expensive items. (True) Start posting – Please remember that this category is not perfect because I was not able to pull the post and reputation numbers at the time the testers were selected. I am assuming that people post at a linear rate. I looked at three areas for this section. Number of posts, Total reputation, and third metric that I created, Quality of post score. I wanted to look at how many interactions per post the reviewer gets. This metric speaks to higher quality of posts for the forum. Total number of posts Total reputation Quality of Post Score* Range 5 - 14,307 3 - 26,497 0.09 - 5.8 Mean 1,412 2866 1.92 Median 513 824 1.85 Because of such a large range with bunching happening at the higher end of each category, I would suggest forum members look at the Median. The best chance for you to be chosen is to have over 500 posts with over 800 total reputation which comes out to 1.85 interactions per post. Like I said earlier, there were a number of members chosen with less than this number but most under 500 posts were in the 100-200 range. I think the biggest takeaway, is to post frequently and create posts that others want to engage in. I think an average user can get to 200+ posts in 2-3 months. There might be an issue that leads to inequity when it comes to being chosen. As I started reviewing some of the posts and interactions, if you are chosen for a more high-profile test, your posts and interactions will increase at a higher rate than other members. This easily leads to a boost in your profile making it easier to be selected. I don’t think there is a way around smoothing out this distinct increase, but it is something that I hope mods take notice of. (True) Become an MGS Donor This category comes with major limitations. The only public piece of data that I was able to collect was if the member included the MGS Donor badge in their profile. From this information I found 59.9% of testers had a donor badge in their profile. I suspect that this number may be closer to 70-80% but these members have not reached out to get the donor badge added. (Inconclusive but probably true) Overall, MGS is clear about how testers are selected. For the most part their criteria is clear and the data shows that they follow the criteria for selection. Common misconceptions I wanted to add a section that debunked some of the common misconceptions that I had when I first joined the forum. - I have to be a member for a long time before I get anything (FALSE) o Over the past 18 months, members who were selected had profiles created from March 2010 – November 2020. 42 testers (21%) joined in 2020. If you’re new and are contributing to the forum, you have a decent chance of being selected. - Once I get one review, I won’t ever get another (FALSE) o 71 (35%) members had more than 1 review in 18 months. I suspect if I go back even further, they had other reviews too. As I said in the above section, if you get chosen and do a good review, you actually put yourself at an advantage to be selected again. o No reviewer had more than 3 reviews in the past 18 months. It appears that this is the limit, it looks to be extremely rare for a member to have more than 1 review every 6 months. - I have to be good at golf to be selected for a review (FALSE) o This idea is very much false, MGS wants members of all skill levels to be involved in testing. In order to prove this, I pulled the handicaps listed on members’ profiles. This is a limitation because it is member provided information that is most likely not updated regularly. Regardless, here is what I found. Range – (33 - +5) Mean – 10.09 Median – 9.2 o If anything, having an accurate handicap is beneficial to being selected because, it appears that MGS wants to have a broad range of testers for each product, specifically balls and clubs. Conclusion For the most part, MGS sticks to what they say when it comes to choosing testers but it appears that there is some non-measurables that they use when it comes to selecting first time testers. It does not appear that there is a formula or that it is completely random. There seems to be a human element which makes it hard to say exactly why specific members were chosen over others from the outside looking in. Shoutout to @Brian A, @jlukes, @B.Boston, @txgolfjunkie, @gavinski91, @Mtbryant01, @daviddvm for having been selected to review over $3,000 worth of equipment! These individuals were ones who had been selected for this year or last year's Cobraconnect challenge. So each of them had at least one product review in addition to cobra connect in the past 18 months. TL;DR - Overall, post quality content frequently, if you are given a chance to test an item, take it seriously, and keep posting. If you’re new and you stay involved, your time will come. Okay, I’m tired. Let me know you’re thoughts! Edited May 13, 2021 by TBS Added info on the big winners IDontGiveAchuck, Headhammer, Tarheelvolvo and 37 others 37 3 Quote M6 12* Oban Kiyoshi Purple 65g stiff TS2 16.5* HL Oban Kiyoshi Purple 75g stiff G410 Hybrid 19* Tour stiff i210 KBS tour stiff 4-GW 54* RTX Zipcore 58* glide 3.0 TP Black Copper Juno 34in Oncore elixr or Snell MTBx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_APH Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 Interesting breakdown. I know there is a human element behind it all and that we want to encourage new members join and be active as a chance to become a new tester along with MGS wanting to give new people a opportunity to test products. There are also others (like myself) who have been very fortunate to take part in multiple tests. They are a lot of work and a lot of fun. Another part of it (at least I feel) after testing once we become more selective in what we apply for. Again speaking from personal experience I likely won't be applying for another putter review even if I love the putters that are available. Although I loved doing the review it was very hard and difficult to quantify results. Plus I like the putter so I think it will stay in the bag for a while longer. I would be curious to know what all the Golden Tickets were used on? This is going back a little while, but there have also been testers where OEM's have got MGS to choose them privately (I remember there being a Bridgestone set and the Ping Blueprint Irons) these are likely outside of the 18 months you were looking at. Also there is the fact its important that the OEM get a quality review for the product they are giving away and for MGS it is important to select members who will provide that. In the end personally I feel a good introduction post, being active and taking interest in topics on the site (whatever they may be cooking, fantasy sports, CHA and more) will help get your name noticed. Doing a unofficial review on a product you have is another great way prove you have what it takes to do an Official Review. It certainly would have been interesting if there was a set formula, but much like golf there is a feel and rub of the green element and no way to predict what is going to happen or who will for sure be selected! Great job putting all that data together and good recap as well, it certainly was interesting to go through and see some of those numbers which came up. Golfspy_CG2, GolfSpy_SHARK, TBS and 14 others 17 Quote as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB) Driver: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! Wood: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft Irons: T Series - T200 5 Iron T150 6-9 Iron T100 PW/GW Wedge: Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree Putter: Mezz Max! Balls: Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MattF Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 5 hours ago, Apolloshowl said: This is going back a little while, but there have also been testers where OEM's have got MGS to choose the privately (I remember there being a bridgestone set and the Ping Blueprint Irons) Correct. Myself and @MaxEntropy were both chosen for the Bridgestone one...had to sign an NDA for that one too. tony@CIC, GolfSpy_BOS, GolfSpy_KFT and 9 others 12 Quote In the bag: Driver: Darkspeed X 9° UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X Blue 7F4 Fairway: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5 Irons: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4 Wedges: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4 Putter Sycamore 005 Wide Blade Bag: Fairway 14 stand bag Balls: Chrome Tour X Cart: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBS Posted May 13, 2021 Author Share Posted May 13, 2021 5 minutes ago, MattF said: Correct. Myself and @MaxEntropy were both chosen for the Bridgestone one...had to sign an NDA for that one too. Yes - That should be added somewhere. In all of those cases, these "special" selections were clearly stated in the Tester announcement if I remember correctly. tony@CIC, cksurfdude, JohnSmalls and 4 others 7 Quote M6 12* Oban Kiyoshi Purple 65g stiff TS2 16.5* HL Oban Kiyoshi Purple 75g stiff G410 Hybrid 19* Tour stiff i210 KBS tour stiff 4-GW 54* RTX Zipcore 58* glide 3.0 TP Black Copper Juno 34in Oncore elixr or Snell MTBx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post cnosil Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 What your conclusions seem to indicate is exactly what the moderators state in their posts about how testers are chosen. As you also indicated you had to make some assumptions on things that change over time like post counts and if/when a person became a donor, and their post frequency since becoming a member. I have been a forum member since 2012, but didn’t get engaged until about 2017. There are also quite a few frequent posters that never apply for tests as that isn’t the reason they are on the forum. Even with the selection criteria there are still testers that take the product and don’t perform the reviews or have to be asked multiple times to post the review. I would also guess that the mods keep track of who applies to what test opportunities to see who throws there name in the hat for everything versus those that apply for items they are really interested in and want to review....I know I probably would. as a tester you can’t control how people will respond to the review or even ask questions to help shape your review. That said, part of being a tester is trying to generate that interest by posting comments in the review thread to generate interest. The nice thing about your independent assessment is that it shows that anyone can be selected, being a part of the forum is important, and the criteria isn’t just be best friends with the people making the selections. Kanoito, sirchunksalot, TBS and 21 others 24 Quote Driver: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven Fairway: Paradym AI Smoke Max HL 16.5* w/MCA TENSEI AV Series Blue Hybrids: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 915H 24* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype Irons: TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite Wedge: 54/12D, 60/8M w/Accra iWedge 90 Graphite Putter: Render w/VA Composites Baddazz Backup Putters: Sacks Parente MC 3 Stripe, Milled Collection RSX 2 Member: MGS Hitsquad since 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Headhammer Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 Kudos for doing the work that proves MGS is true to their criteria in selecting testers. I've been lucky enough to be selected twice as a tester and while the reviews are a lot of work, I enjoyed the heck out of the process. One suggestion I have for members that want to be testers is to only apply for opportunities that you are passionate about. Because the reviews are a lot of work, if you are just entering to win something, you will find the process tedious and that will most likely be reflected in the quality of your review. GolfSpy AFG, TR1PTIK, cnosil and 12 others 15 Quote Driver: Speed Zone 9* HZRDUS Smoke Yellow Shaft 3 Wood: King Speedzone 13.5* HZRDUS Smoke Black Shaft 2 & 3 Hybrids: Speedzone Recoil 480 ESX Shaft Irons: Speedzone 5-GW Recoil 460 ESX Shafts Wedges: PM Grind 54* & 58* Putter: Dual Force Rossi II Ball: Whatever I find in the woods HCP:18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JonMUSC08 Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 @TBS Great job with this. Helps verify to everyone that certain criteria are looked at but also you dont have to have 1,000+ posts and reputation to win. I've seen that usually you're first opportunity will be a "smaller" one like a rangefinder/ balls/ shoes/ etc and not necessarily a set of irons or cobraconnect, etc. I have been fortunate enough to test a Precision Pro rangefinder and then was later selected for Ping irons BUT i've held out on applying for Cobra Connect bc i dont think i could keep up with the weekly contests. Mtbryant01, Kenny B, Headhammer and 8 others 11 Quote Charleston, SC HDCP 13.0 Driver: M6 9* with 65g Stiff Mitsubishi Tensei Red shaft 3 wood: G425 stiff shaft 5 wood: Stealth 2 stiff shaft 4-gw irons: JPX 921 Hot Metal w/ X-stiff KBS 130gr shafts (soft stepped) Wedges: MG3 52, 56, 60 Putter: 34" Scotty Cameron 12.5 Ball: ProV-1x Tracked By: MGS Tester '20 - G710 Iron Review MGS Tester '19 - Precision Pro NX9 HD Pro laser rangefinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MaxEntropy Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 hour ago, MattF said: Correct. Myself and @MaxEntropy were both chosen for the Bridgestone one...had to sign an NDA for that one too. Yeah, that was kind of a strange experience - we were getting the clubs pre-release. I was paired with a bit of a club-ho early on who took way too much of an interest in them, but I could not discuss much about them. That led me to buying some iron covers to help hide them Mtbryant01, tony@CIC, GolfSpy_KFT and 8 others 7 4 Quote Driver: Epic Speed 9* (set -1) MMT 70X 3W: Tour B JGR Recoil 760ES 7W: Epic Flash 19* TourAD (can't remember the exact model) 4H: Tour B JGR 23* Recoil 780ES 5-AW: Tour B JGR HF2 Modus3 Tour 105 54*, 58*: TAIII Black Putter: Scottsdale TR Senita Bag: BigMax Dri Active Lite Ball: TP5x or AVX (yellow) Pushcart: BigMax iQ+ Most Recent Test: Fit For Golf 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Headhammer Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 2 minutes ago, MaxEntropy said: Yeah, that was kind of a strange experience - we were getting the clubs pre-release. I was paired with a bit of a club-ho early on who took way too much of an interest in them, but I could not discuss much about them. That led me to buying some iron covers to help hide them Yeah that was the reason you bought Iron covers! GolfSpy_BOS, EasyPutter, Golfspy_CG2 and 17 others 1 19 Quote Driver: Speed Zone 9* HZRDUS Smoke Yellow Shaft 3 Wood: King Speedzone 13.5* HZRDUS Smoke Black Shaft 2 & 3 Hybrids: Speedzone Recoil 480 ESX Shaft Irons: Speedzone 5-GW Recoil 460 ESX Shafts Wedges: PM Grind 54* & 58* Putter: Dual Force Rossi II Ball: Whatever I find in the woods HCP:18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post StrokerAce Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 HAHAHAHA.... as someone who used to pick testers this is interesting....some of it is right, some of it is close and some of it is, well, I'll leave that up to the current moderators who select the testers now. I will say though, you left one thing out: If you are selected to test something - anything - and you don't post a word at all in the review thread or reach out to one of the mods and explain the extenuating circumstances (yes, they understand people have actual real lives and jobs too) you will never be selected to test again. Not a warning, just some advice.... MattF, GolfSpy AFG, tony@CIC and 20 others 23 Quote Driver- Titleist TSR3 10* Woods- Cobra LTD 3w 15*, 5W 19* Irons- Titleist 718 AP2 (5i-50*) Wedges- Callaway Jaws Raw (54/58) Putter- Wilson Infinite Grant Park Ball- Maxfli Tour X Buggy- Motocaddy M7 GPS Remote Electric Caddy Bag- Motocaddy Dry-Series Proudly testing for 2024: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TBS Posted May 13, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 14 minutes ago, StrokerAce said: HAHAHAHA.... as someone who used to pick testers this is interesting....some of it is right, some of it is close and some of it is, well, I'll leave that up to the current moderators who select the testers now. Go ahead and share... Isn't MGS about providing "the truth and nothing but" and shouldn't their forum fall under the same mission? JohnSmalls, silver & black, cksurfdude and 7 others 7 3 Quote M6 12* Oban Kiyoshi Purple 65g stiff TS2 16.5* HL Oban Kiyoshi Purple 75g stiff G410 Hybrid 19* Tour stiff i210 KBS tour stiff 4-GW 54* RTX Zipcore 58* glide 3.0 TP Black Copper Juno 34in Oncore elixr or Snell MTBx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_SHARK Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 Great information here and doing this as an outside eye is great. If you follow a majority of the tests just following the peak season (right now) reiterates the MGS selection criteria. TBS, MattF, tony@CIC and 5 others 8 Quote Check out my reviews: G710 Irons Official Review I MC Shaft & V Series Putter Official Review 2022 Forged Tec's Official Review I Nitron Push Cart Official Review WITB: Weapons of grass destruction (link to WITB) Traverse is filled with all this shiny metal and tracked by RadSpeed 8* - MotoreX F1 6X SIM 3W - Project X HZRDUS Green U505 Driving Iron 17* - Project X HZRDUS Black SpeedZone 4H - Project X HZRDUS Black 2022 King Forged Tec's 4-PW - KBS $ Tape 130 48 (SM8), 52 & 60 (SM7) - Nippon Modus 125 S ER2VI PROV1X #19 Are you a veteran? Check out the Veterans Golf Association (VGA) Thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_APH Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 hour ago, TBS said: Go ahead and share... Isn't MGS about providing "the truth and nothing but" and shouldn't their forum fall under the same mission? Hopefully not to repeat what I said in my other post, but we know there is a human element to it and I think MGS, mods and the forum community is pretty open as to what in general it takes to be selected. You have mentioned several of those points in your post as well as there are several threads on what it takes to be selected. The forum's mission statement: “MyGolfSpy's Community Forum aspires to continued growth while adhering to its core goal of being a place for serious, honest and fun discussion on both golf and life, and a place to go for product reviews - a true online ‘19th Hole’ where all are welcome and all members are treated with respect and friendship.” For some the opportunities come quicker and others it comes much further down the line. Pretty sure it took a couple years before I was selected for one and it was well worth the wait. There is so much that the forum has to offer and testing is only a small part of it. Yes, most come here to start with because of testing however as has been discussed in many threads it is the community and everything else that the site has to offer which keeps us here. Again a lot of the general guidelines are laid out as you have pointed out, from there provide value in the content you produce. It is one thing to have 1,000 comments in various threads it is another to have valuable content for the members here to read and react to. I still believe as a tester you have a big responsibility to the members, MGS and of course the OEM to provide a quality review. Whether you liked the product or not, a honest quality review is what you sign up for. Not just a piece of free gear (I want to be clear I don't believe you think that either, at all), with that there needs to be a level of trust and it is why I mentioned in my first post that a good intro, unofficial review can go a long way in helping members get noticed and gain that trust. I love seeing new people get selected as it gives me a chance to get to know them a little better. I have built some great friendships through this site and enjoy the community. I hope that all who are selected enjoy the process as well as can assist other new members in guiding them in the right direction to do the proper things to hopefully have them selected in the future as well. edingc, cnosil, sirchunksalot and 12 others 11 4 Quote as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB) Driver: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! Wood: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft Irons: T Series - T200 5 Iron T150 6-9 Iron T100 PW/GW Wedge: Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree Putter: Mezz Max! Balls: Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_SHARK Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 19 minutes ago, Apolloshowl said: Hopefully not to repeat what I said in my other post, but we know there is a human element to it and I think MGS, mods and the forum community is pretty open as to what in general it takes to be selected. You have mentioned several of those points in your post as well as there are several threads on what it takes to be selected. The forum's mission statement: “MyGolfSpy's Community Forum aspires to continued growth while adhering to its core goal of being a place for serious, honest and fun discussion on both golf and life, and a place to go for product reviews - a true online ‘19th Hole’ where all are welcome and all members are treated with respect and friendship.” For some the opportunities come quicker and others it comes much further down the line. Pretty sure it took a couple years before I was selected for one and it was well worth the wait. There is so much that the forum has to offer and testing is only a small part of it. Yes, most come here to start with because of testing however as has been discussed in many threads it is the community and everything else that the site has to offer which keeps us here. Again a lot of the general guidelines are laid out as you have pointed out, from there provide value in the content you produce. It is one thing to have 1,000 comments in various threads it is another to have valuable content for the members here to read and react to. I still believe as a tester you have a big responsibility to the members, MGS and of course the OEM to provide a quality review. Whether you liked the product or not, a honest quality review is what you sign up for. Not just a piece of free gear (I want to be clear I don't believe you think that either, at all), with that there needs to be a level of trust and it is why I mentioned in my first post that a good intro, unofficial review can go a long way in helping members get noticed and gain that trust. I love seeing new people get selected as it gives me a chance to get to know them a little better. I have built some great friendships through this site and enjoy the community. I hope that all who are selected enjoy the process as well as can assist other new members in guiding them in the right direction to do the proper things to hopefully have them selected in the future as well. Your original post hit on once selected you become a little more selective in your choices for applying to tests. I know this is true for me, once I got the first one done and had the lay of how reviews go (was not selected initially but someone had to back out due to the pandemic and gave me the opportunity) I became comfortable with the process and have really tried to focus on things that truly interest me. The site has given me insight into things I never really looked at before. It has prompted a few of my purchases over the past year (push cart and planemate) and has given me some great information along the way. Also some great private chit chats about life in general of note @Shankster@bens197and getting out with some great members @StrokerAce and @Wedgieand of course my main group player @B.Boston. With the new process of getting folks involved to join from social media I hope a lot realize the benefits of the site and are able to enjoy it as much as I do! kardboard.kid, StrokerAce, cnosil and 11 others 14 Quote Check out my reviews: G710 Irons Official Review I MC Shaft & V Series Putter Official Review 2022 Forged Tec's Official Review I Nitron Push Cart Official Review WITB: Weapons of grass destruction (link to WITB) Traverse is filled with all this shiny metal and tracked by RadSpeed 8* - MotoreX F1 6X SIM 3W - Project X HZRDUS Green U505 Driving Iron 17* - Project X HZRDUS Black SpeedZone 4H - Project X HZRDUS Black 2022 King Forged Tec's 4-PW - KBS $ Tape 130 48 (SM8), 52 & 60 (SM7) - Nippon Modus 125 S ER2VI PROV1X #19 Are you a veteran? Check out the Veterans Golf Association (VGA) Thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mpatrickriley Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 Whoa! This is amazing work. As the one who wrote most of the FAQ post and who has a hand in choosing testers, it's certainly reassuring to find data that says that we're doing what we say that we're doing. To be honest, I'd rather see the number of new testers be even higher than it is. We are always looking to get new members involved in testing. I know we have a ton of people who join the Forum just to apply for tests: if you're that guy and you're reading this, please start posting, even a little. It's not feasible for us to pick people who have no posting history; we just don't know if we're going to get a review, and ghosting reviews jeopardizes relationships with the OEMs that make the reviews possible. But if you post, even a little bit, we're going to notice, and we will try to get you involved. On the Donor thing: here's a reminder that the Donor tags aren't automatically applied, and we Forum mods/admins don't have access to the donation history for the blog. If you want to be recognized as a donor to MGS on the Forum, shoot one of us a DM with your transaction ID. That stats bear out what we've said before: donations don't guarantee reviews (this isn't pay for play), but it's a component that we take into account, sometimes to break ties. As others have mentioned: being selective in applications will often help your cause. There are some who apply for everything, even when they've just been picked for something and haven't completed that review yet (hint: you'll never be picked for a review while you're still in process of another review). Selective application guy has a leg up on apply for everything guy. As others have said, we aim to run a pretty open shop here. If you've got any other questions about the selection process, I'm happy to answer them. hartrick11, cksurfdude, StrokerAce and 22 others 24 1 Quote TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue CBX E722 16.5°, Tensei AV RAW Blue 65 S Epic Super Hybrid 19°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S C722 22°, Ventus Blue 8S CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0 Epic Forged 7 27° 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 7–PW Diamond Tour Inazone 3.0 50°, 54°, 58°, Aldila NV 95 Graphite DF3, Counterbalanced 37", TPT shaft, Garsen Quad Tour 17" Full WITB with pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bens197 Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 55 minutes ago, Lacassem said: Your original post hit on once selected you become a little more selective in your choices for applying to tests. I know this is true for me, once I got the first one done and had the lay of how reviews go (was not selected initially but someone had to back out due to the pandemic and gave me the opportunity) I became comfortable with the process and have really tried to focus on things that truly interest me. The site has given me insight into things I never really looked at before. It has prompted a few of my purchases over the past year (push cart and planemate) and has given me some great information along the way. Also some great private chit chats about life in general of note @Shankster@bens197and getting out with some great members @StrokerAce and @Wedgieand of course my main group player @B.Boston. With the new process of getting folks involved to join from social media I hope a lot realize the benefits of the site and are able to enjoy it as much as I do! Spot on ML. Aside from the equipment and content, there are some fantastic humans who occupy this site. The discourse is kind and even in disagreement, it’s always cordial. Nolan220, sirchunksalot, edingc and 4 others 7 Quote PING G400 LST Mitsubishi Tensei White 60X TaylorMade SIM2 3 wood Fujilkura Ventus Blue 7-X Titleist U505 2 Tensei 1K Black 85 X Titleist T100 4-P Nippon Modus 3 120X PING S159 50-S 55-H 59-T DG X100 L.A.B. MEZZ Max Broom Accra 47" 79.5* Srixon Z-Star XV Currently testing the 2024 PING S159 wedges… https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/63483-testers-announced-ping-s159-wedges/ Was testing, still loving the 2023 Titleist T100 Irons 4-P https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/60456-titleist-t-series-irons-2023-forum-review/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kardboard.kid Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 Thanks you, this is very well laid out. As someone who has done reviews, I will also join in with the assertion, "That they are work". The latest for me has been challenging, more so due to personal life issues, than actual product. I also recognize the importance for timely reviews, and since I have only finished and posted half the review, I have decided, I would not put my name in the ring this year for any other review. I enjoy being part of this group, both reading posts, and participating. One other note to that I do not remember reading. If you are selected, plan on spending some $$ on the review. I was going to change out the shaft and grip on the 3I at some point, but the club pushed me along faster. In the end, you want to make it yours, not some generic repost from the website. MaxEntropy, sirchunksalot, Golfspy_CG2 and 7 others 10 Quote F7+ w/Fujikura Pro XLR8 Graphite Shaft 3-I MPF H-Series3B2M graphite Shaft w/Winn Dri-Tac grip mid STi Irons 5-SW KURO KAGE 70IR Flex-R Lamkin Grips King F6 Hybrid Matrix Red Tie HQ4 Graphite Shaft Forged FGT 60* wedge KURO KAGE 70R SS cross Comfort grip O-Putter 1W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnSmalls Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 This was a fun read. Good work on compiling all of this together. Enjoy your time on the forum! 1 hour ago, Lacassem said: Your original post hit on once selected you become a little more selective in your choices for applying to tests. I know this is true for me, once I got the first one done and had the lay of how reviews go (was not selected initially but someone had to back out due to the pandemic and gave me the opportunity) I became comfortable with the process and have really tried to focus on things that truly interest me. The site has given me insight into things I never really looked at before. It has prompted a few of my purchases over the past year (push cart and planemate) and has given me some great information along the way. Also some great private chit chats about life in general of note @Shankster@bens197and getting out with some great members @StrokerAce and @Wedgieand of course my main group player @B.Boston. With the new process of getting folks involved to join from social media I hope a lot realize the benefits of the site and are able to enjoy it as much as I do! Just wait until you venture to the south! cksurfdude, GolfSpy_BOS, sirchunksalot and 3 others 5 1 Quote Gameday Vessel Sunday 2.0/ Ogio Silencer Dynapwr Carbon | Hzrdus Smoke Black Mavrik 3w | Evenflow Riptide FG Tour F5 Hybrid(20,23) | MCA Fubuki Staff Model CB 5-PW | DG 120 Vokey SM7 (50, 54, 58) | DG 120 Studio Stock 15 -ProV1x (left dash) Romans 10:9 Classic Bag Jones Collegiate Clemson Stand Bag Eye 2 Laminate 1973 Staff Dynapower 4-PW Anser DUO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_SHARK Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 2 minutes ago, JohnSmalls said: This was a fun read. Good work on compiling all of this together. Enjoy your time on the forum! Just wait until you venture to the south! My wife is well aware when we are able to travel and eventually move I have a whole crew of folks I will be getting rounds in with lol! She always says shes a golf widow in the summer....Atleast its not 12 months right?! tony@CIC, JohnSmalls, cksurfdude and 1 other 4 Quote Check out my reviews: G710 Irons Official Review I MC Shaft & V Series Putter Official Review 2022 Forged Tec's Official Review I Nitron Push Cart Official Review WITB: Weapons of grass destruction (link to WITB) Traverse is filled with all this shiny metal and tracked by RadSpeed 8* - MotoreX F1 6X SIM 3W - Project X HZRDUS Green U505 Driving Iron 17* - Project X HZRDUS Black SpeedZone 4H - Project X HZRDUS Black 2022 King Forged Tec's 4-PW - KBS $ Tape 130 48 (SM8), 52 & 60 (SM7) - Nippon Modus 125 S ER2VI PROV1X #19 Are you a veteran? Check out the Veterans Golf Association (VGA) Thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post golfish! Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 Definitely agree on the topic of getting selected for small things first then getting selected for bigger items. I started with a test for CBD oil, then got selected for a Ben Hogan 3W test, and now I am testing the Motocaddy electric push cart. Makes sense that the admins will bring you in on testing with a relatively lower value item to make sure you are reliable and can write a coherent review then put you in the hat for bigger ticket items. Also agree that as I have been selected for testing, I become more selective on my applications. Before my first test, I applied for everything! After actually completing a test, I realized how much work goes into an actual review and now I only apply for items I am actually interested in and willing to put in the work. Plus, I am a perfectionist so I end up writing this huge review and then have to pare it down to keep it within the guidelines of the review so extra work for me xp. The way that I approach testing opportunities is also from the perspective of sharing is caring. There are only so many testing opportunities and many times more eligible forum members. As a courtesy, if you have already been chosen ( as @GolfSpy MPR mentioned, if you are currently testing you won't be selected but that should be a given!) for some testing opportunities you should give others an opportunity (and give the admins less applications they have to go through lol) Overall great post @TBS! Golfspy_CG2, TBS, MattF and 9 others 12 Quote Driver : SIM2 Max 9* MC Kuro Kago Silver 60 Stiff Woods : GS53 3 Wood 14* Mitsubish Tensei Blue 73g Regular Hybrids: 949X Project X HZRDUS RDX Black Irons : 699 Pro Black 5-AW 1* flat KBS Tour V 90 Stiff Shafts Wedges : 52, 56, 60 Putter : Spider Red Bag : lightweight cart bag | Dry Series Bag Ball : TP5 PIX (2019) | ProV1x (2021) Rangefinder : ULT-X Pushcart : M5 GPS DHC Electric Push Cart SoCal, USA Right handed HDCP 16.4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_BOS Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 This has been a nice thread. I've been very fortunate to take part in 3 tests for the forums to date. As others have already mentioned I only apply for something that I am really interested in. The reviews are work and you'll be expected to follow through and be active throughout the process. Even in testing a dozen balls with a line on them I had to really think about how it effected my game and if I liked it or not. I think one of the best things you can do to prep yourself to be selected to test is to post an unofficial test or two using the scoring system from prior official tests. It will give you a good gauge on the amount of work time required for tests. Also, please post in the WITB thread! If for nothing else I like to see what other members are playing and have had some good conversations in there. It's also a good spot to show case some of your photo/multimedia talents. I always enjoy reviews better if there are good photos/videos to go along with it, and testers are generally expected to have a good balance of text and media in reviews. Maybe most importantly... Be Honest! I've been fortunate that most of everything I tested worked well for me and I liked. I'm still using the rangefinder I tested, I continue to order balls with the AlignXL aid, and have all of the Cobra clubs still in my bag. At the same time, I've been honest about my struggles with the Cobra hybrid. I even got to tell Cobra what I liked, and more importantly did not like about the equipment last year... which is super cool. Add to that the number of things I've added to my bag and found out about due to the forum tests/reviews... SuperSpeed, Planemate, Snell balls, Evnroll putters, PuttOUT training aids, etc. I hope a lot of the new members this year stumble across this and get active outside of the testing threads. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There's so much more to this forum than the official testing threads! kardboard.kid, golfish!, Chip Strokes and 12 others 13 2 Quote Qi10 - Terra Forza White | Speedzone 5-wood - Ventus Blue 8S | G430 3-Hybrid - Kai'li White 80s SMS Pro 4-PW - Steelfiber i110S | MG3 Raw Black 50.09, 54.11, 58.11 - DG TI S200 Mezz Max | Pro V1x | Vortex Blade | Ghost Maverick Black Ops - Forum Edition | CaddyLite EZ v8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Golfspy_CG2 Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 As someone who has had hand in selecting testers for the past four years, I found this research and post very interesting. I think all of the MODS had to take a deep breath when we saw the title and the beginning of the thread. While I am confident in the system that has been handed down form the moderators before us and continued under our management works, you never know what the numbers may say. I think MPR said most everything above better than I can say it. But one thing I will add on to his post and it's in reference to some of the stats that @TBS mentioned. I think the number of post-Median- is a bit high. While he did a very good job of explaining he has no way to know the number of posts when they were selected, I can tell you from 4 years history, the number of posts after being selected for a test the first time increases much faster than the numbers indicate. There are many caes where the number is in the 100's and more than a handful with less than 100--granted those are the smaller tests that he mentioned. Where he was probably close to spot on is the reputation mean of 1.92 This is a number we look at as it separates those members who may have a high volume of posts just due to the number of years they've been hear and applying for 30 tests a year will add up. But the reputation points that are earned for providing quality posts will be indicated in this number. Reputations of 2.0 or higher will go a long way in breaking any possible tie breakers when it comes down to the last spot in a test. Vegan_Golfer_PNW, TBS, xOldBenKenobiX and 13 others 16 Quote G430 Max 10K TSiR1 15.0 Aldlia Ascent 60g TSR2 18.0 PX Aldila Ascent 6og TSi1 20 Aldila Ascent Shafts R T350 5-GW SteelFiber I80 SM10 48F/54M and58K S159 48S/52S/56W/60B Select 5.5 Flowback 35" ProV1 Play number 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post xOldBenKenobiX Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 15 hours ago, TBS said: Background After I took a few months off of MGS due to some work and life things that needed my attention, I finally got some time to log back on and post a long overdue review. After posting, I found myself curious as to how I was selected and the likelihood of being selected again, especially since my product was so niche and did not receive many interactions. So I took the challenge upon myself to do a not so scientific study of how reviewers are selected and compare it to the post (https://forum.mygolfspy.com/faq/testing/how-are-equipment-testers-chosen-r11/) by the Mods on how testers are selected. While there are no bombshells, I think we Spys understand the value of data in telling our story. So, I did my best at pulling all data from the past 18 months of reviews Methods First off, I am no data scientist. From DJ to Bryson, I’m somewhere in the middle. I mainly do very basic data analysis in my role through excel. I know, I know, SQL is much more efficient and I’ll get around to learning it. For this study, I focused on 18 months of product reviews. I chose this timeframe to get some data points outside of the pandemic. I started going through the review pages and noticed it was not as organized as I thought, so I chose to do only 18 months of reviews that were already on the “Past Opportunities” page in the dropdown menu. Like I said, I believe that there may have been a few more reviews that have not been archived to this page, but I don’t think it was significant. I then did the manual labor of data entry and collection. I clicked on each individual “TESTERS ANNOUNCED” within the time frame, recorded the following data points - date of review published - product - rough product MSRP - MGS username - If the User has a Donor badge on their profile - Content count - Total reputation - Month and year MGS account was created - City and State Once all of this information was input into the spreadsheet, I then added a note if they had multiple reviews and I also created an additional metric to measure the quality of the posts. All analysis comes from these data points. Limitations Overall, the main limitation is that this dataset was manually curated, so there could be a mistake, but any mistake would be minor. I have checked that there is not an additional 0 added somewhere but there could be +/- 5 units off when it comes to reputation due to fat fingers on a keyboard. Additionally, the MSRP was calculated off a quick Google search. I get that there could be sales, or the price was actually $25 higher at the time of testing. Finally, the content created, and total reputation numbers are not accurate to the time the member was selected. There is no way for me to go back and see this information, but I proceeded with collecting this because for the most part, I believe that most people’s posts grow linearly. So, the quality of posts metric should not be too far off. I will address that in bigger reviews (Cobraconnect), this ratio can get skewed. Enough with the small talk, let’s take a look at the data. Data: Let’s take a look at the data! By the numbers- - 48 total products - 202 unique testers - ~$119,625 total costs of products tested As I said in the introduction, I will be using the MGS selection criteria as a framework of analysis. Picture – I did not go through and collect this data. This is also the easiest of all of them. Put something up there! I’ve seen pictures of the people (I assume), cartoons, their children, memes, etc. Just put something up. (Inclusive, but probably true) Prove review chops - 71 (35%) of people had more than 1 review. If you get chosen, even for the smallest thing, a pushcart distance tracker, a dozen balls, etc. take it seriously and write a good review. This means good pictures, concise statements that clearly articulate your opinion on a product, timely submissions, and good follow ups. A good first review will go a long way to getting your second review and the data clearly backs this up. Additionally, one anecdotal note, it was very common for there to be a progression of items to review, starting with a smaller item and then growing to more expensive items. (True) Start posting – Please remember that this category is not perfect because I was not able to pull the post and reputation numbers at the time the testers were selected. I am assuming that people post at a linear rate. I looked at three areas for this section. Number of posts, Total reputation, and third metric that I created, Quality of post score. I wanted to look at how many interactions per post the reviewer gets. This metric speaks to higher quality of posts for the forum. Total number of posts Total reputation Quality of Post Score* Range 5 - 14,307 3 - 26,497 0.09 - 5.8 Mean 1,412 2866 1.92 Median 513 824 1.85 Because of such a large range with bunching happening at the higher end of each category, I would suggest forum members look at the Median. The best chance for you to be chosen is to have over 500 posts with over 800 total reputation which comes out to 1.85 interactions per post. Like I said earlier, there were a number of members chosen with less than this number but most under 500 posts were in the 100-200 range. I think the biggest takeaway, is to post frequently and create posts that others want to engage in. I think an average user can get to 200+ posts in 2-3 months. There might be an issue that leads to inequity when it comes to being chosen. As I started reviewing some of the posts and interactions, if you are chosen for a more high-profile test, your posts and interactions will increase at a higher rate than other members. This easily leads to a boost in your profile making it easier to be selected. I don’t think there is a way around smoothing out this distinct increase, but it is something that I hope mods take notice of. (True) Become an MGS Donor This category comes with major limitations. The only public piece of data that I was able to collect was if the member included the MGS Donor badge in their profile. From this information I found 59.9% of testers had a donor badge in their profile. I suspect that this number may be closer to 70-80% but these members have not reached out to get the donor badge added. (Inconclusive but probably true) Overall, MGS is clear about how testers are selected. For the most part their criteria is clear and the data shows that they follow the criteria for selection. Common misconceptions I wanted to add a section that debunked some of the common misconceptions that I had when I first joined the forum. - I have to be a member for a long time before I get anything (FALSE) o Over the past 18 months, members who were selected had profiles created from March 2010 – November 2020. 42 testers (21%) joined in 2020. If you’re new and are contributing to the forum, you have a decent chance of being selected. - Once I get one review, I won’t ever get another (FALSE) o 71 (35%) members had more than 1 review in 18 months. I suspect if I go back even further, they had other reviews too. As I said in the above section, if you get chosen and do a good review, you actually put yourself at an advantage to be selected again. o No reviewer had more than 3 reviews in the past 18 months. It appears that this is the limit, it looks to be extremely rare for a member to have more than 1 review every 6 months. - I have to be good at golf to be selected for a review (FALSE) o This idea is very much false, MGS wants members of all skill levels to be involved in testing. In order to prove this, I pulled the handicaps listed on members’ profiles. This is a limitation because it is member provided information that is most likely not updated regularly. Regardless, here is what I found. Range – (33 - +5) Mean – 10.09 Median – 9.2 o If anything, having an accurate handicap is beneficial to being selected because, it appears that MGS wants to have a broad range of testers for each product, specifically balls and clubs. Conclusion For the most part, MGS sticks to what they say when it comes to choosing testers but it appears that there is some non-measurables that they use when it comes to selecting first time testers. It does not appear that there is a formula or that it is completely random. There seems to be a human element which makes it hard to say exactly why specific members were chosen over others from the outside looking in. Shoutout to @Brian A, @jlukes, @B.Boston, @txgolfjunkie, @gavinski91, @Mtbryant01, @daviddvm for having been selected to review over $3,000 worth of equipment! These individuals were ones who had been selected for this year or last year's Cobraconnect challenge. So each of them had at least one product review in addition to cobra connect in the past 18 months. TL;DR - Overall, post quality content frequently, if you are given a chance to test an item, take it seriously, and keep posting. If you’re new and you stay involved, your time will come. Okay, I’m tired. Let me know you’re thoughts! @TBS That is some awesome work. I appreciate the data insight that you have compiled. I am guilty to initially have came to this forum just for testing opportunities, now I really enjoying being around and reading all of the great content that other members like yourself put out. cksurfdude, golfish!, TBS and 9 others 12 Quote My Reviews: 2023 Official review - Rapsodo MLM2Pro! 2022 Official Review - Edel SMS Wedges 2021 Official Review - Tommy Armour Impact 3 Putter 2020 Official Member Review - BagBoy Chiller Cart Bag Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Honma TR21 4 Wood - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 and TW GS 5 Wood Vixard FD 55 301 Combo 301CB and 301MB . SMS 48*, 56*, 60* Putter: Lucky golf putter. Ball: : ProV1, :: Smart Sensors. Shoes: a couple :: A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction.:: Started at 79mph, finished 1st stage at 91mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post xOldBenKenobiX Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 28 minutes ago, B.Boston said: This has been a nice thread. I've been very fortunate to take part in 3 tests for the forums to date. As others have already mentioned I only apply for something that I am really interested in. The reviews are work and you'll be expected to follow through and be active throughout the process. Even in testing a dozen balls with a line on them I had to really think about how it effected my game and if I liked it or not. I think one of the best things you can do to prep yourself to be selected to test is to post an unofficial test or two using the scoring system from prior official tests. It will give you a good gauge on the amount of work time required for tests. Also, please post in the WITB thread! If for nothing else I like to see what other members are playing and have had some good conversations in there. It's also a good spot to show case some of your photo/multimedia talents. I always enjoy reviews better if there are good photos/videos to go along with it, and testers are generally expected to have a good balance of text and media in reviews. Maybe most importantly... Be Honest! I've been fortunate that most of everything I tested worked well for me and I liked. I'm still using the rangefinder I tested, I continue to order balls with the AlignXL aid, and have all of the Cobra clubs still in my bag. At the same time, I've been honest about my struggles with the Cobra hybrid. I even got to tell Cobra what I liked, and more importantly did not like about the equipment last year... which is super cool. Add to that the number of things I've added to my bag and found out about due to the forum tests/reviews... SuperSpeed, Planemate, Snell balls, Evnroll putters, PuttOUT training aids, etc. I hope a lot of the new members this year stumble across this and get active outside of the testing threads. I've said it before and I'll say it again. There's so much more to this forum than the official testing threads! Well said Bryan, I picked up my super speed system exclusively due to the member testing that was done right here. Often when I see some new golf gear or gadget, that interests me, I will come to the forum and search to see if there have been past reviews of those items, official or unofficial, I am a big fan of the unofficial reviews, as many of us, buy a lot new equipment all of the time, or win it from Instagram golfish!, MattF, sirchunksalot and 7 others 10 Quote My Reviews: 2023 Official review - Rapsodo MLM2Pro! 2022 Official Review - Edel SMS Wedges 2021 Official Review - Tommy Armour Impact 3 Putter 2020 Official Member Review - BagBoy Chiller Cart Bag Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Honma TR21 4 Wood - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 and TW GS 5 Wood Vixard FD 55 301 Combo 301CB and 301MB . SMS 48*, 56*, 60* Putter: Lucky golf putter. Ball: : ProV1, :: Smart Sensors. Shoes: a couple :: A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction.:: Started at 79mph, finished 1st stage at 91mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TBT Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 I found this interesting, only because it goes to show that what MGS set out to do is actually working. They have to be very selective when it comes to handing out items for review, with all tests there are risks of someone taking the item and “ghosting“ and never being heard from again. There are also those that have to be prodded along and reminded to make comments and complete their reviews. If you go back and look at most of the review threads you will see that some of the testers were much more engaged than others and constantly made updates and answered questions in the thread, I’m sure the moderators look at that and make note of those testers and I’m sure if you did some research you would find that the testers that are more engaged in their review are probably more likely to get selected much quicker to do another review. I saw it mentioned by somebody above, but most people don’t realize how much work goes into a good equipment review, it’s much more than just taking a new piece of equipment and using it and giving your opinion. A good reviewer goes out of their way to get out and use the piece of equipment they were given and provide their thoughts on it, they are also available for questions and comments on a regular basis and they end up learning how to take better photos and videos because of it. I can only imagine how difficult it is to go through the number of applicants that show interest in testing some items, for instants the Callaway driver Testing just ended sign-ups with 5701 people showing interest..... The moderators have to pick 4 people out of 5700.... that alone is a massive undertaking and I tip my hat to them for all the hard work they do. i’ve been lucky enough to participate in a couple of testings here at MGS and I take them very seriously, it always aggravates me to see someone selected to review something and then not really follow through with it. I always think that they took an opportunity away from someone who would’ve done a much better job. So if I have one piece of advice to give a potential new tester it would be to take that responsibility seriously and remember that you were lucky enough to be selected out of the thousands that applied, if you keep that in mind and do a good job eventually you’ll get selected for another review. MattF, kardboard.kid, sirchunksalot and 8 others 11 Quote XR Driver Matrix Ozik 8m3 Black Tie Shaft King F7 3W UST Mamiya Chrome Elements 7F4 Shaft King F7 5W UST Mamiya Chrome Elements 7F4 Shaft King F7 4 Hybrid Graphite Designs Tour AD-HY 95 Shaft PXG 0211 DC 5-PW Mitsubishi MMT 80 Shafts RTX ZIPCORE 50*,54*,58* UST Mamiya Recoil 95 Shafts Metal X Milled #7 with SuperStroke 2.0 grip MTB Twitter: @timldotson Instagram: timldotson Facebook: TimDotson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy AFG Posted May 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2021 This has been a really interesting thread to read. Only other thing I'd offer, and it's more of a pile on to @B.Boston's WITB comment, but a sufficiently high post volume isn't just a measure of dedication to the forum and whether you're a danger of ghosting the review (although obviously that's a big part of it), but it also helps other forum members identify whose games are more relatable and similar to my own. In other words, while I read pretty much every review, I tend to find and focus in on a particular tester if I get a general sense of a reasonably comparable game between him and I. And the mods always do a good job of selecting testers from a range of skill sets to make that possible. edingc, GolfSpy_BOS, kardboard.kid and 8 others 9 2 Quote Driver: TSR2, Ventus Blue 6 S, 65g Stiff FW: TSR2 3w, 15, Ventus Blue 7 S, 70g Stiff Qi10 7w, 21, Ventus Blue 7 S, 70g Stiff Hybrids: Stealth DHY 4H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Irons: SMS 6, SMS Pro 7-PW, Accra TZ 95 stiff Wedges: SM9 48 F Grind, 52 F Grind, 56 M Grind, 60 T Grind, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Putter: EV8 Ball: Pro V1 Click here for my Edel SMS & SMS Pro Irons Official Review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xOldBenKenobiX Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 12 hours ago, Apolloshowl said: Interesting breakdown. I know there is a human element behind it all and that we want to encourage new members join and be active as a chance to become a new tester along with MGS wanting to give new people a opportunity to test products. There are also others (like myself) who have been very fortunate to take part in multiple tests. They are a lot of work and a lot of fun. Another part of it (at least I feel) after testing once we become more selective in what we apply for. Again speaking from personal experience I likely won't be applying for another putter review even if I love the putters that are available. Although I loved doing the review it was very hard and difficult to quantify results. Plus I like the putter so I think it will stay in the bag for a while longer. I would be curious to know what all the Golden Tickets were used on? This is going back a little while, but there have also been testers where OEM's have got MGS to choose them privately (I remember there being a Bridgestone set and the Ping Blueprint Irons) these are likely outside of the 18 months you were looking at. Also there is the fact its important that the OEM get a quality review for the product they are giving away and for MGS it is important to select members who will provide that. In the end personally I feel a good introduction post, being active and taking interest in topics on the site (whatever they may be cooking, fantasy sports, CHA and more) will help get your name noticed. Doing a unofficial review on a product you have is another great way prove you have what it takes to do an Official Review. It certainly would have been interesting if there was a set formula, but much like golf there is a feel and rub of the green element and no way to predict what is going to happen or who will for sure be selected! Great job putting all that data together and good recap as well, it certainly was interesting to go through and see some of those numbers which came up. One thing to note, is that there is a common misconception for most of the new or non testers, testing takes time and dedication, a lot of times it is not just about gaming a new item, it is about noticing those subtle differences between what we are used to use and what you are testing, and try to show others those differences. @Apolloshowl you already know how much I love data breakdowns and excel, so I am really pleased with this thread. kardboard.kid, cksurfdude, GolfSpy_APH and 4 others 6 1 Quote My Reviews: 2023 Official review - Rapsodo MLM2Pro! 2022 Official Review - Edel SMS Wedges 2021 Official Review - Tommy Armour Impact 3 Putter 2020 Official Member Review - BagBoy Chiller Cart Bag Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Honma TR21 4 Wood - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 and TW GS 5 Wood Vixard FD 55 301 Combo 301CB and 301MB . SMS 48*, 56*, 60* Putter: Lucky golf putter. Ball: : ProV1, :: Smart Sensors. Shoes: a couple :: A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction.:: Started at 79mph, finished 1st stage at 91mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xOldBenKenobiX Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 1 minute ago, Getoffmylawn said: This has been a really interesting thread to read. Only other thing I'd offer, and it's more of a pile on to @B.BostonWITB comment, but a sufficiently high post volume isn't just a measure of dedication to the forum and whether you're a danger of ghosting the review (although obviously that's a big part of it), but it also helps other forum members identify whose games are more relatable and similar to my own. In other words, while I read pretty much every review, I tend to find and focus in on a particular tester if I get a general sense of a reasonably comparable game between him and I. And the mods always do a good job of selecting testers from a range of skill sets to make that possible. It is the same way with me, when new round of testing is published, although I read them all, I concentrate and pay close attention to members that I know have a similar game to mine and by all means to the ones who I know from the forums personal interactions. GolfSpy_SHARK, Vegan_Golfer_PNW, cksurfdude and 4 others 7 Quote My Reviews: 2023 Official review - Rapsodo MLM2Pro! 2022 Official Review - Edel SMS Wedges 2021 Official Review - Tommy Armour Impact 3 Putter 2020 Official Member Review - BagBoy Chiller Cart Bag Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Honma TR21 4 Wood - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 and TW GS 5 Wood Vixard FD 55 301 Combo 301CB and 301MB . SMS 48*, 56*, 60* Putter: Lucky golf putter. Ball: : ProV1, :: Smart Sensors. Shoes: a couple :: A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction.:: Started at 79mph, finished 1st stage at 91mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegan_Golfer_PNW Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 7 hours ago, MattF said: Correct. Myself and @MaxEntropy were both chosen for the Bridgestone one...had to sign an NDA for that one too. Quite interesting. I need to dig that test out. kardboard.kid, MattF, MaxEntropy and 3 others 6 Quote Follow my journey to enjoying golf and going low Driver: Epic Max LS TD Cat 4 60g 3wHL: Rogue ST LS 75x Tensei AV Blue w/ xlink 7w: Apex UW 21* MMT 80S DI: Caley 01X 18* with PGH Stiff plus 95g 4-AW: 0211 with Tour Stiff 2.5* up 3/4" long, Soft stepped, MOI matched Wedges Zipcore Putter:Directed Force 2.1 69*/35" in blue Ball: Prime 4.0 Shot Tracking: Bag: Vessel VLX 2.0 Grip: Lamkin Sonar + Midsize Glove: My Reviews: Caley 01X Driving Iron Review 2023 Max Swing Speed Training and Speed Progress: Current Speed 120 in the MGS Speed Challenge (updated 3/15/23) TAIII #2 Review here: TAIII Impact #2 Putter ) Zipcore Tour Rack 54/full and 58/mid (review here) 0211 2019 Unofficial Review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xOldBenKenobiX Posted May 13, 2021 Share Posted May 13, 2021 14 minutes ago, TBT said: I found this interesting, only because it goes to show that what MGS set out to do is actually working. They have to be very selective when it comes to handing out items review, with all tests there are risks of someone taking the item and “ghosting“ and never being heard from again. There are also those that have to be prodded along and reminded to make comments and complete their reviews. If you go back and look at most of the review threads you will see that some of the testers were much more engaged than others and constantly made updates and answered questions in the thread, I’m sure the moderators look at that and make note of those testers and I’m sure if you did some research you would fine that the testers that are more engaged in their review are probably more likely to get selected much quicker to do another review. I saw it and mentioned by somebody above, but most people don’t realize how much work goes into a good equipment review, it’s much more than just taking a new piece of equipment and using it and giving your opinion. A good reviewer goes out of their way to get out and use the piece of equipment they were given and provide their thoughts on it, they are also available for questions and comments on a regular basis and they end up learning how to take better photos and videos because of it. I can only imagine how difficult it is to go through the number of applicants that show interest in testing some items, for instants the Callaway driver Testing just ended sign-ups with 5701 people showing interest..... The moderators have to pick 4 people out of 5700.... that alone is a massive undertaking and I tip my hat to them for all the hard work they do. i’ve been lucky enough to participate in a couple of testings here at MGS and I take them very seriously, it always aggravates me to see someone selected to review something and then not really follow through with it. I always think that they took an opportunity away from someone who would’ve done a much better job. So if I have one piece of advice to give a potential new tester it would be to take that responsibility seriously and remember that you were lucky enough to be selected out of the thousands that applied, if you keep that in mind and do a good job eventually you’ll get selected for another review. I am super impressed and happy that the new way to apply for testing opportunities is driving so much traffic to the forum, I do not the details of how that data is extracted by the mods, but I would assume that with the new format, there are filters that can be applied to make that almost 6k applications, so the mods have a more manageable list of applicants to look at. I had mentioned to @GolfSpy_THV how pleased I was on the new application process when it first went live. And maybe with the forum growing and we hopefully retaining some of the traffic that comes in just for testing opportunities, there will be more official testing from different OEMs, as well as new opportunities for new MODs and behind the scenes staff. As for the 5701 applications I would think that in the past it meant that Rob @Golfspy_CG2 and the other mods spent countess hours looking and researching applicants to narrow down the field. MattF, TBT, cksurfdude and 4 others 7 Quote My Reviews: 2023 Official review - Rapsodo MLM2Pro! 2022 Official Review - Edel SMS Wedges 2021 Official Review - Tommy Armour Impact 3 Putter 2020 Official Member Review - BagBoy Chiller Cart Bag Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Honma TR21 4 Wood - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 and TW GS 5 Wood Vixard FD 55 301 Combo 301CB and 301MB . SMS 48*, 56*, 60* Putter: Lucky golf putter. Ball: : ProV1, :: Smart Sensors. Shoes: a couple :: A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction.:: Started at 79mph, finished 1st stage at 91mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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