What weighs greater on tester selection having 3000 posts or donating 3000 dollars?

[Golfspy_CG2]

18 hours ago, RichL85 said:

Imagine being a certified club builder and having your knowledge of shafts thrown out because a novice player disagrees but has a higher post count. I appreciate this community for allowing the flow of knowledge and opinions to continue respectfully.

LOL!! Great post.  I see you have visited another rather large golf forum.  Ha 

I will echo what my esteemed colleagues @hckymeyer  @GolfSpy Barbajo have said. And I’m grateful I was able to learn under both of them.

In addition I csn tell you as A Moderator Staff many hours are put into each testing opportunity whether it’s Titleist irons or Golfpride Grips.   And there are two primary objectives we seek.   Spreading the wealth among the membership in the fairest way possible and realizing the trust the OEM’s have put in our hands with at times Thousands Of dollars of merchandise.  
 

Neither Donor status or post count will guarantee a testing opportunity.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

Although I don't really have anything new to add I do feel the need to chime in and echo what most everyone has been saying. The true answer is neither.

Again we cannot see donation amounts or the frequency in which you donate. The only thing we can see is your donor tag and that is put there by us IF you request it and give your transaction number. Of course it should go without saying that it is nice when donors apply and are selected for test as it shows some sort of commitment or investment in the site, however being a active, productive member who contributes is worth just as much. You can look back at a variety of test this season where new members have been selected. 

As for post count, sure it can play a part and have a bit of a factor, but the quality of the content is way more important. I've said this countless times on the site, make a thread for a WITB tell us your story and why these clubs are in your bag or why you have that bag. Update it and show us your new gear (photos always are nice to see) I have mine from 2017 and it shows all the changes year over year and driver after driver and I believe is a huge reason of why I was originally selected for testing in the first place. Also if someone is brand new and wants to show they have what it takes doing a unofficial review is a great way to start and of course almost more importantly provides good information for our membership. To sum up quality of quantity is a good way to look at post counts not just getting a big number.

Often the OEM will have certain things they want to see as well that help or aid with the selection process. Example being Duca Del Cosma shoes where they had 4 types of shoes and wanted 2 men and 2 women. We don't have a ton of women on the site, so it was limited and we took the shot on someone who had never posted before, BUT had taken the time to complete a full profile and she has been awesome! There was more for 1 type of shoe then another so the pool was limited a bit, but we were really happy with picking a vet along with 3 newbies and our vet had never tested shoes before so a cool new opportunity for him. 

Of course being selected for a test once doesn't guarantee a spot for testing every season either. In general (very broadly) a member who hasn't tested anything will often sign up for any and all opportunities, but after they find out the work required to put forth a good review generally become more selective. This is something I think hasn't been mentioned in the above posts, but testing something you're not really interested in will show and make the whole experience a lot more difficult. Along with profile, being generally active, selecting opportunities you are excited for will help you give a better review and can potentially lead to further opportunities.

Don't forget demographic can play a part as well. Testing opps late in the season for someone who lives in a shortened golfing season area could be a tougher pick to justify than a member who lives where golfing is year round and will have the opportunity to complete a review in a timely fashion.

As the site grows along with its membership we will continually look to get more people involved for testing. Of course it is nice to have some trusted members who have good reps do testing, but that isn't what this site is all about. We want to include new members and have them experience testing and reviewing products and I believe this is something we have done a good job of to date. 

Finally I will add as a international and lefty myself I feel for all of us and know it can be hard to see the amount of US only tests, however it has been said and I will repeat it again. Often that is instruction on the OEMs side and when we do get international tests we do our best to select at least one. We hope to be able to bring more international opportunities for next season and I know I am working on this on my end here in Europe, but  MGS/Forum is committed to bring as many great review opportunities year in and year out and even though August is just about over we still have several opportunities coming your way!

Ok this novel has gone on long enough... hope that helps clear some stuff up and gives enough insight along with all the other posts above.

[cnosil]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

This is something I think hasn't been mentioned in the above posts, but testing something you're not really interested in will show and make the whole experience a lot more difficult.

 I've said this countless times on the site, make a thread for a WITB tell us your story and why these clubs are in your bag or why you have that bag. Update it and show us your new gear (photos always are nice to see) I have mine from 2017 and it shows all the changes year over year and driver after driver and I believe is a huge reason of why I was originally selected for testing in the first place. Also if someone is brand new and wants to show they have what it takes doing a unofficial review is a great way to start and of course almost more importantly provides good information for our membership. To sum up quality of quantity is a good way to look at post counts not just getting a big number.

I think this is something that you realize after being selected as a tester and doing a review.  The process of figuring out how to test a product can be difficult and requires some planning.  When a new test is posted, the first thing I do is consider if I would even use the item if it wasn’t part of a “test”, how I would test the item, and can I provide input that would be meaningful and relevant to the community prior to even applying.  You also have to consider that as a tester you may have some out of pocket expenses since you are expected to use the equipment regularly and may have to play more rounds of golf or hit the range more than normal or it may require more time away from family commitments, or even get a fitting.
 

I agree with what you have said about the WITB,  treat your WITB post as a review of your own personal equipment.  Detail,why you picked the club, rangefinder, ball, tee, or ball marker, how they work,  and what they do well and don’t do well.  

[xOldBenKenobiX]

22 hours ago, russtopherb said:

Not a mod, but I'm going to say neither.

There are plenty of testers who have less than 200 posts but were chosen because their quality of content stood out.

When I was chosen to be a tester, I had not become a donor yet. So that didn't weigh in to the equasion.

This poll supposes that there's a "pay to play" model behind the scenes here at MGS. 

Completely agree, the quality of what you post is more important than how often you post.

21 hours ago, hckymeyer said:

 Be active on the forum, be nice, make a profile, get a profile picture.

There are so many testing opportunities available throughout a season that a wide range of people will be selected.  There will be donors, there will be people with lots of posts, there will also be non-donors, and people with much fewer posts.

There most likely will not be people who post only a handful of times a year with the majority of those posts in testing application threads.

That right there is the secret formula, being active.

20 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Agree with Brian's assessment. Can't tell you how much deliberation we would go through to select testers. The one thing we had to be sure of was would the tester actually follow through and, you know, do the test and write the review. The only tool we had to determine that was forum activity - is the person reasonably active in the forum? As Brian mentioned, did they bother to complete a profile and include a picture? We also knew there were plenty of people whose only posts were to apply for testing opportunities (it's easy to check) - so basically if the only time you ever post is to apply for a testing opportunity, you're chances aren't great. 

Another way to seriously limit your chances is to whine or complain about not getting selected. Patience is a virtue, and participation counts. So no, you don't need 3,000 posts, but it helps your chances if you participate outside of simply applying for testing opportunities. 

With all that, we would make mistakes. I can remember a few instances (I'm sure you can, too @hckymeyer, when we selected testers who received the product and were never heard from again. That makes us look bad, so we have to make judgment calls. 

I can also say with certainty the new moderator team is carrying the torch beautifully, and is absolutely committed to making the process fair and inclusive. 

Ultimately, this is a community and it's here to serve as a 19th hole for golfers who enjoy talking about all things golf, and many things non-golf. I can remember applying for many testing opportunities in the old days, and not getting chosen. C'est la vie - it didn't damped my enjoyment of the community and my interaction with the people in it. I've gotten to know many of them personally and play golf with them on occasion, and that makes it all worthwhile. And when I did get chosen - to review the Cobra Amp Cell irons (was it that long ago??) - I made sure to do the best job I could. 

As others have said, "Pay to Play" is utter nonsense. If you want to be selected as a tester, trust is an important element. And the only way mods have of gauging trustworthiness is participation beyond applying to test opportunities. There's no "minimum post" nonsense, but since this isn't a "giveaway", activity does count. 

Many of us take way too long go realize that participation is key.

18 hours ago, Chip Strokes said:

you can donate the $3000 to me. 

i don’t think it’ll improve your chances, but i’ll sure like you a whole lot more 

Can we splint those 3k? that sure will make me like you a lot more too.

17 hours ago, B.Boston said:

I can promise you that I have donated significantly less than $3K.  I also am on here, probably more than I should be and like to share about my experiences on and off the course, or just talk about random things with other members.  

This while from long before I was on this site still holds a lot of truth in how testers are selected:

I see you're still pretty new (by post count or rep) despite joining before me back in 2015.  I'd encourage you to go check out some of the on-going threads in the spy chat section of the forums:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/forum/88-spy-chat/

There's always something going on in there and its a great way for everyone to get to know you and your game, which will only help the mods learn about you and how you could be a good tester.

If I donate 3k at once and it is not going to St Jude, my wife is probably making me sleep on the back yard.

I have also donate way less than 3k here and had not donated yet when I was picked for my 1st testing opportunity.

16 hours ago, GolfSpy MPR said:

I'll second (or third) what some of the previous mods mentioned: I don't think any of us have ever had any knowledge whatsoever of how much anyone has donated. All of that information is kept on the blog end; the forum mods and admins do not have access to it. We add the "Donor" badge to those who ask for it; we generally ask for people send us their donation ID before adding the badge, but not the amount of the donation.

We actually address this question directly in the FAQ page. In general, we look at donor status after we have looked at members who have checked all the other boxes. Depending on the test, we're looking for 1) international testers and 2) lefties (these tend to get bumped to the front of the line on any test that is open to them, because we know that they're restricted from a lot of tests). Sometimes we're looking to cover certain handicap ranges or equipment comps (e.g., a GPS device where the OEM wants a comparison with someone who uses a laser).

Only after going through all the other criteria do we typically consider donor status as a tiebreaker.

The donations being more of a tie break should also tell you that the mods are looking for quality first.

15 hours ago, sirchunksalot said:

I'm going to chime in here and agree with what others have said and 

I think the main criteria is to be invested in the community here. I've said many times before, I joined because of the opportunity to test equipment and found a place to talk about this game and life in general with a great group of folks. That's worth more than any testing opportunity, imho. 

I'd encourage you to stick around and become involved, this is a great place to hang out. 

 

Indeed it is, I have made a lot of friends here, some that I have not yet met in person, but that I consider good friends nonetheless, and quite honestly care a lot for.

[russtopherb]

1 minute ago, cnosil said:

I think this is something that you realize after being selected as a tester and doing a review.  The process of figuring out how to test a product can be difficult and requires some planning.  When a new test is posted, the first thing I do is consider if I would even use the item if it wasn’t part of a “test”, how I would test the item, and can I provide input that would be meaningful and relevant to the community prior to even applying.  You also have to consider that as a tester you may have some out of pocket expenses since you are expected to use the equipment regularly and may have to play more rounds of golf or hit the range more than normal or it may require more time away from family commitments, or even get a fitting.

The bolded part is huge. MGS has had some amazing testing opportunities for very high end gear, and I've never tossed my hat into the ring. Why? Because they wouldn't work for me. Why would I waste the OEM's money and the forums time testing something that I couldn't give an honest, fair review of? I know some people like to apply for every opportunity and it's a numbers game. For me, in the years I've been here, I was able to test & review two things that I was able to use on the course and give an honest assessment of. I think too many people overlook all the great points you made when it comes to testing & review opportunities. 

[Shapotomous]

12 minutes ago, russtopherb said:

The bolded part is huge. MGS has had some amazing testing opportunities for very high end gear, and I've never tossed my hat into the ring. Why? Because they wouldn't work for me. Why would I waste the OEM's money and the forums time testing something that I couldn't give an honest, fair review of? I know some people like to apply for every opportunity and it's a numbers game. For me, in the years I've been here, I was able to test & review two things that I was able to use on the course and give an honest assessment of. I think too many people overlook all the great points you made when it comes to testing & review opportunities. 

Completely agree....  I look at the item to be tested to see if it even applied to me and i consider how much time I would currently have to put into testing the item before I decide to apply as a tester.  

[Chip Strokes]

15 minutes ago, xOldBenKenobiX said:

Can we splint those 3k? that sure will make me like you a lot more too.

and here i thought we were already best friends 

**writes check while crying**

[xOldBenKenobiX]

4 minutes ago, Chip Strokes said:

and here i thought we were already best friends 

**writes check while crying**

I didnt know we were best friends.
Dont worry about money.

 

[TR1PTIK]

Lots of great input here. I really don't have much to add, but thought I might try to provide an example of what "engagement" looks like. 

*Disclaimer* I am not now, nor have I ever been a forum mod. I'm just speaking to what I've experienced, and what I personally would like to see on a commitment level from anyone selected for testing.

Going through your activity I can see you've participated in some great discussions, but some of it honestly comes across as just surface level engagement. Of the posts I looked at, the one that shows the most thought, the most personality, and the most commitment; the one post that truly gives other members an idea of who you are is your WITB (nice setup BTW!). Those are the kinds of posts that will help your case in testing applications IMO.

The MGS forums - probably more so than any other forum I've been a member of - is all about building a community of like-minded individuals. We're all golf nerds who love the game and the many nuances of it; from how it's played at the amateur and professional levels, to rules discussion, to every piece of golf equipment in your bag, in your garage, and even hiding out in that junk drawer in the kitchen. If it pertains to golf, we geek out over it in these forums and along the way we reveal what gets us excited, what makes us frustrated or angry, and (hopefully) we evolve in our knowledge, our perceptions, and build some friendships.

I've had the pleasure of getting to meet some fellow spies and play golf with them. Those experiences have shown me we truly have some of the best people participating in discussion here and we can all learn from each other. If you seek community first, you'll find much more value in this forum than getting some free gear to review, but perhaps you'll also find yourself on the receiving end of some incredible testing opportunities. 

Best of luck!

[Tom the Golf Nut]

There is not much more I can add to this topic. I think the point has been clearly made by all.

But one thing I would recommend is that you do an un-official review of a product that you came across and found interesting enough to purchase.  Do a good review and post it. This way everyone can see what you are capable of evaluating. It also shows your writing style and such. I'm doing an un-official review right now on a very unique golf glove. I am also doing the Maxfli Tour and Tour X golf ball official review. 

Be selective! If you not going to use the item, don't apply. If and when you do get selected, do a good job and be honest with your evaluation. You have to remember that other people are making decisions based on your review. 

 

  

[Golfspy_CG2]

3 hours ago, russtopherb said:

The bolded part is huge. MGS has had some amazing testing opportunities for very high end gear, and I've never tossed my hat into the ring. Why? Because they wouldn't work for me. Why would I waste the OEM's money and the forums time testing something that I couldn't give an honest, fair review of? I know some people like to apply for every opportunity and it's a numbers game. For me, in the years I've been here, I was able to test & review two things that I was able to use on the course and give an honest assessment of. I think too many people overlook all the great points you made when it comes to testing & review opportunities. 

 

2 hours ago, Shapotomous said:

Completely agree....  I look at the item to be tested to see if it even applied to me and i consider how much time I would currently have to put into testing the item before I decide to apply as a tester.  

Great point by both of you, and to give a perfect example of this on my end.  Most of the forum knows that as a Moderator we are able to participate in a testing each year.  When the MOD decides on a testing, we will go to the OEM and ask for one  more of that item, as to not take away a spot form the forum, most times that's granted without an issue.

That happened last year for me when it was my time to pick a testing, I was going to do the Ben Hogan PTX/Pro Combo and I reached out to Hogan and was able to get the extra set.   But before committing, I really thought about both these factors, would I be able to give them a fair test, given they are probably a bit outside my handicap range, and how would that benefit the readers.  So I decided it wouldn't be in the forums best interest, and certainly not mine to have to play a set of irons that potentially I might not be able to play well and my game suffer as a result. 

So I encourage everyone to take this approach, be honest to yourself before applying for a testing.  Does it fit your game, its it something you would consider buying if you had to purchase it.  Will the forum benefit from reading about your experience with it.  

And to those that apply for every testing that comes along, and even those that apply for a testing while the are currently testing something....yes that happens more than you would think...the staff notices those things

 

 

[Larryd3]

I had an opportunity to test the Sqairz golf shoes last year and I was fairly new to the forum,  It was a great experience and I really appreciated the opportunity to give my opinion on the shoes.  I also keep up with the test thread in case somebody has a question or makes any new comments.  And yes I donated previously and continue to donate but I don't do it because i want to be a tester, I do it to support the great group here.  So thanks again to MGS for letting me be a tester previously and hopefully I can contribute again in the future in another test.  And btw, just a plug for Sqairz, they are awesome shoes and all I wear now.  

[sirchunksalot]

9 hours ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

You have to remember that other people are making decisions based on your review. 

This. 

I don't think I've ever shared this on the forum, so I'm going to share it now. I first time I got the email that I had been chosen for a review there was happiness then the sheer, utter terror set in. I started thinking about the people who might make a decision based on my thoughts to spend their hard earned money. My hands literally started shaking as I was reading about my selection. 

Honestly, I read the reviews and base any decision about what to buy on them. I know there are a lot of resources out there, but getting a varied group of golfers opinions means more to me than any professionals when it comes to buying something. 

[El Chivo]

Thanks for your responses! 

[Tyler86]

I wont vote on this poll because its neither of the above. Im in the middle of my first test/review. I think i had like 30 posts and have donated nothing when i was selected. Maybe i slipped through the cracks? I don't volunteer for every available test/review either, just the ones that I think i could actually contribute to. But im not here for that either. Its just a great community that seems to be based on honesty and golf. I like both of those things so i hang around and learn what i can. If i get to test stuff, cool. If not, cool. 

[Headhammer]

On 8/26/2021 at 3:07 PM, B.Boston said:

I can promise you that I have donated significantly less than $3K.  I also am on here, probably more than I should be and like to share about my experiences on and off the course, or just talk about random things with other members.  

 

Yes, but based on the number of times you've been selected as a tester one can only assume you have pictures of many of the mods in compromising positions! 

[GolfSpy BOS]

5 minutes ago, Headhammer said:

Yes, but based on the number of times you've been selected as a tester one can only assume you have pictures of many of the mods in compromising positions! 

Crap my secret is out!

[juspoole]

Many have already said it better than I will, but hopefully you do find that becoming a part of this community is really what can help you to get selected.

Also, if you do get selected, know that being a tester is a privilege and something I personally take extremely serious.  The forum expects a lot of the testing group and you must give your best effort to give feedback and answer questions.

For my history of testing, I was chosen a couple years ago for the Odyssey Stroke Lab Putter when I had around 400 posts.  Recently I was selected for the Titleist Iron testing and will get that under way soon.  

Because I know the time it will take and commitment for testing, I usually throw my name in for a test about 3/4 times per year.  

[GregGarner]

On 8/27/2021 at 6:47 PM, sirchunksalot said:

I first time I got the email that I had been chosen for a review there was happiness then the sheer, utter terror set in. I started thinking about the people who might make a decision based on my thoughts to spend their hard earned money. My hands literally started shaking as I was reading about my selection.

Hard same.

Being a tester is an incredible responsibility. In my review of the Wilson D7 Forged, I was pretty much the only tester who didn't love them. I sweated bullets about marking them down in certain areas because I was afraid it would reflect poorly on me or that I had missed the spirit of the review. But I decided that folks needed to know what my actual experience was as I know in my own purchase decisions I spend as much time reading the critical reviews as the positive ones, looking for things that sound like what I might experience. (i.e. a decent ballstriker who has inconsistencies in carry yards? I'm all ears)

I don't know how many posts I had when I was selected, but it was <1000 and I hadn't donated anything. FWIW.

[GolfSpy_APH]

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread. It has not only been a good read, but holds some valuable information for everyone to read. Both past testers, people who have never tested and the likes can all learn a little something from this thread. It has brought up a question for me though which I would be curious to see some answers to... yes probably better in poll format which I may do at a later date however here it is.

For those who HAVE already donated and tested did you BEFORE or AFTER you tested?

For those who have NOT donated (of course nobody is pressured at all to donate and please do not feel pressured to whatsoever), would you be more inclined to after you have been selected for a test?

Speaking from my own experience I donated before I tested as the site had given me so much and I wanted to contribute in a way that I could. I do recall also thinking maybe if it helps get me selected for something great, if not I'm sure I'll still get a lot out of it. Of course half my bag now is MGS testing kit and I have donated back more times after as I could when I could afford to. 

[CarlH]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread. It has not only been a good read, but holds some valuable information for everyone to read. Both past testers, people who have never tested and the likes can all learn a little something from this thread. It has brought up a question for me though which I would be curious to see some answers to... yes probably better in poll format which I may do at a later date however here it is.

For those who HAVE already donated and tested did you BEFORE or AFTER you tested?

For those who have NOT donated (of course nobody is pressured at all to donate and please do not feel pressured to whatsoever), would you be more inclined to after you have been selected for a test?

Speaking from my own experience I donated before I tested as the site had given me so much and I wanted to contribute in a way that I could. I do recall also thinking maybe if it helps get me selected for something great, if not I'm sure I'll still get a lot out of it. Of course half my bag now is MGS testing kit and I have donated back more times after as I could when I could afford to. 

I'm fairly sure that I had donated prior to the first item I tested.  I have since donated again because I appreciate everything that this site is doing.  I only put my name in the hat for testing for items that I'd really like to test.  I've tested two items, one of which I passed on to another MSG member for a nominal fee to cover my shipping costs.  The other item, I am still using.  

[sirchunksalot]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread. It has not only been a good read, but holds some valuable information for everyone to read. Both past testers, people who have never tested and the likes can all learn a little something from this thread. It has brought up a question for me though which I would be curious to see some answers to... yes probably better in poll format which I may do at a later date however here it is.

For those who HAVE already donated and tested did you BEFORE or AFTER you tested?

For those who have NOT donated (of course nobody is pressured at all to donate and please do not feel pressured to whatsoever), would you be more inclined to after you have been selected for a test?

Speaking from my own experience I donated before I tested as the site had given me so much and I wanted to contribute in a way that I could. I do recall also thinking maybe if it helps get me selected for something great, if not I'm sure I'll still get a lot out of it. Of course half my bag now is MGS testing kit and I have donated back more times after as I could when I could afford to. 

I donated before getting picked for my first test which was in 2018. I continue to donate because of my belief in the methods both the main site and this forum use to test. It's the personal connection to the site that makes the decision to help out an easy one. 

[Larryd3]

I donated prior and also recently.  Just think it's a great site and want to help support it.

[tommc23]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread. It has not only been a good read, but holds some valuable information for everyone to read. Both past testers, people who have never tested and the likes can all learn a little something from this thread. It has brought up a question for me though which I would be curious to see some answers to... yes probably better in poll format which I may do at a later date however here it is.

For those who HAVE already donated and tested did you BEFORE or AFTER you tested?

For those who have NOT donated (of course nobody is pressured at all to donate and please do not feel pressured to whatsoever), would you be more inclined to after you have been selected for a test?

Speaking from my own experience I donated before I tested as the site had given me so much and I wanted to contribute in a way that I could. I do recall also thinking maybe if it helps get me selected for something great, if not I'm sure I'll still get a lot out of it. Of course half my bag now is MGS testing kit and I have donated back more times after as I could when I could afford to. 

I donated after being selected for my first test. I also passed those onto another member for free because I did not use them and they were looking for what I had and I was not going to let them sit stagnant at any point

[MNUte]

20 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread. It has not only been a good read, but holds some valuable information for everyone to read. Both past testers, people who have never tested and the likes can all learn a little something from this thread. It has brought up a question for me though which I would be curious to see some answers to... yes probably better in poll format which I may do at a later date however here it is.

For those who HAVE already donated and tested did you BEFORE or AFTER you tested?

For those who have NOT donated (of course nobody is pressured at all to donate and please do not feel pressured to whatsoever), would you be more inclined to after you have been selected for a test?

Speaking from my own experience I donated before I tested as the site had given me so much and I wanted to contribute in a way that I could. I do recall also thinking maybe if it helps get me selected for something great, if not I'm sure I'll still get a lot out of it. Of course half my bag now is MGS testing kit and I have donated back more times after as I could when I could afford to. 

I don't think being selected for a test would make me feel more inclined to donate in and of itself. Being selected for a test would make me feel as though I needed to return the trust MGS was putting in me by putting as much time and effort as needed into writing the best review possible. I think serving the people on here by putting out an incredible review would have far more value than the minor sum I'd be able to contribute. 

That being said, putting that much time and effort into something is a very personal project that can really create a deep connection. E.g., I spent months making a 5ft by 3ft tee art image of a golfer for my FIL where i had to drill each hole for thousands of tees and insert each tee by hand. Basically a more dense version of the image below. After the last tee was in, I was so proud and relieved and my FIL loved it, so I did another major tee-art piece for my wife's stepdad. Similarly, putting my all into a review for MGS and seeing everyone's responses would be a very strong tie to the board, would probably have me making a lot more unofficial ones and other posts, etc. And THAT connection to the board might get me donating down the road. 

Tldr; maybe? But not quite directly. 

[Golfspy_CG2]

On 9/1/2021 at 10:35 AM, MNUte said:

I don't think being selected for a test would make me feel more inclined to donate in and of itself. Being selected for a test would make me feel as though I needed to return the trust MGS was putting in me by putting as much time and effort as needed into writing the best review possible. I think serving the people on here by putting out an incredible review would have far more value than the minor sum I'd be able to contribute. 

That being said, putting that much time and effort into something is a very personal project that can really create a deep connection. E.g., I spent months making a 5ft by 3ft tee art image of a golfer for my FIL where i had to drill each hole for thousands of tees and insert each tee by hand. Basically a more dense version of the image below. After the last tee was in, I was so proud and relieved and my FIL loved it, so I did another major tee-art piece for my wife's stepdad. Similarly, putting my all into a review for MGS and seeing everyone's responses would be a very strong tie to the board, would probably have me making a lot more unofficial ones and other posts, etc. And THAT connection to the board might get me donating down the road. 

Tldr; maybe? But not quite directly. 

Holy Cow.   That’s incredible.  I’m curious how the thought or inspiration to do that even occurred.  Had you seen it elsewhere?

Really Cool!   I bet your FIL and StepDad-In law— loved them.  

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

So much here, will keep mine short and sweet. Came to the site of course wanting to test but quickly became my go to for my day to day. I love coming here to talk about my kids, my life, read others day to day good or bad. Quite literally a support group if you will. Of course there is golf but it’s so much more the testing is just a bonus. 

My first test I was a “backup” and had less than 300 posts and it was an iron set, pretty big deal.

Get involved it’s what it’s all about, golf or not.

On 8/31/2021 at 1:53 PM, GolfSpy_APH said:

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread. It has not only been a good read, but holds some valuable information for everyone to read. Both past testers, people who have never tested and the likes can all learn a little something from this thread. It has brought up a question for me though which I would be curious to see some answers to... yes probably better in poll format which I may do at a later date however here it is.

For those who HAVE already donated and tested did you BEFORE or AFTER you tested?

For those who have NOT donated (of course nobody is pressured at all to donate and please do not feel pressured to whatsoever), would you be more inclined to after you have been selected for a test?

Speaking from my own experience I donated before I tested as the site had given me so much and I wanted to contribute in a way that I could. I do recall also thinking maybe if it helps get me selected for something great, if not I'm sure I'll still get a lot out of it. Of course half my bag now is MGS testing kit and I have donated back more times after as I could when I could afford to. 

I believe I donated prior to my first test. And it was because it was recommend to become a tester, I have donated since because of the quality and how much I enjoy it.

[MNUte]

11 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Holy Cow.   That’s incredible.  I’m curious how the thought or inspiration to do that even occurred.  Had you seen it elsewhere?

Really Cool!   I bet your FIL and StepDad-In law— loved them.  

Stupidity mostly. My wife and I saw it at a store for over $500 and I told her "I can make that myself for a fraction of the price." .... Yeah, that many tees is about $100 alone, let alone the wood and fabric and the time.

But they did love the pieces, so definitely worth it! Especially seeing their faces when they realized I made it for them instead of just buying something. 

[TR1PTIK]

I donated after being selected for a couple tests. I should have donated before that though. I wanted to, but prioritized other things first - if I'm being honest.

[Tom D.]

Donated before I was selected as a tester (Voice Caddie SL2).  Once I was selected I wanted to do a really good job on the review.

So I was pissed when I had two vehicles go kaput on me near the end of the testing window, and I had to spend a big chunk of time getting back on the road, instead of concentrating on the review, as intended.  Got it done, and think it turned out OK, and learned a bunch while doing it, so really grateful for being selected.