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MGS Forum Now and Moving Forward


GolfSpy_APH

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What brought you to the forum? 

Saw testing opportunities on social media which caused me to become a member.


What made you stay?

Being selected as a tester made me loyal to the forum and then once I spent more time here it became all about the people who are here. While I still peruse a few other forums now and then the bulk of my onilne golf time is spent here.  I think the people here are more mature, myself excluded, who can carry on a conversation and discuss alternative points of view without name calling or bullying. In another golf forum they go out of their way to say that bullying is not allowed, but the owner is the biggest bully on the board!

If testing is more limited in the future (again hopefully not, but if) how would you suggest we grow the forum?

IMHO, to attract and maintain new members without testing, the site is going to have to be seen as more of an expert resource. HQ is seen as an expert resource, but the forum is not as compared to other forums. Perhaps identify members who are experts, or want to become experts on certain topics, to post on a regular basis and be there to answer questions about said expertise. For example DIY Golf Stuff and Club Building are two of my favorite sections and if each had an expert that posted a project once a month and then was available to answer questions I think that would draw more eyes on a regular basis. 

Would growth on Social Media help? If yes, what accounts should we look at for the Forum?

Social Media is how I and many others found this forum so it only makes sense to continue there. However, the social media interaction has to be both a push and pull of content. My experience with the current MGS Twitter is that it is simply a push mechanism. If you want people to follow you need to be seen as being responsive. I've interacted multiple times with MGS on Twitter, but have never received any response or even a like to my response. There was a post recently where they said something like "I'm really interested in your thoughts on X, but I did not see where they recognized people that took the time to respond to their response. "If you're really interested" in their thoughts show them by simply throwing them a like, it's not rocket science.

What do other forums have which we can use or bring over the MGS Forum which will help grow a productive membership? This could be features, contests, activities or anything. 

I would have to spend more time on other forums to answer this question. But as the famous philosopher Charles Barkley once said- "If you try to change to get the 50% of people that don't like you you're going to alienate the 50% that already do!"

 

What is the core identity of MGS Forum in your opinion?

A golf testing site comprised of mature people who are passionate about golf and want to talk to other like minded people in a respectful manner.

Driver: :cobra-small: Speed Zone 9* HZRDUS Smoke Yellow Shaft

3 Wood: :cobra-small: King Speedzone 13.5* HZRDUS Smoke Black Shaft

2 & 3 Hybrids: :cobra-small: Speedzone Recoil 480 ESX Shaft

Irons: :cobra-small: Speedzone 5-GW Recoil 460 ESX Shafts

Wedges::callaway-logo-1: PM Grind 54* & 58*

Putter: :odyssey-small: Dual Force Rossi II

Ball: Whatever I find in the woods

:Arccos:

HCP:18

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1 hour ago, MattWillGolf said:

Previous posts by those more eloquent than I have expressed much of how I feel about the forum.

I found the forums via the MGS website. I started following to read reviews from average golfers. I also didn’t have a lot of faith in the reviews from the major publications but Golf Magazine did capture my attention when they started using “average” golfers to test equipment and offered a bio on each tester. I love seeing new products as they come out. I’m very much an equipment junkie. I used to look forward to new editions of Golf Equipment magazine. I have been fortunate enough to have been selected as a tester and am most appreciative of the opportunity. 

I have noticed what I’d call a decline equipment that has been made available for testing and have wondered what has led to that as I don’t fully understand what drives what equipment gets made available. I do appreciate the extensive thread on the Tester Selection Process. Maybe a Thread that outlines how equipment becomes available for testing. If this exists I’d love to see it.

But a big reason I like the forum is the banter. Just pop over to the Random Thread and you will see why. I try to find humor in things and in this game we all love there are a lot of opportunities to find it. I tend to look for the positives in things. I have discovered “online” friends here, the list is growing, that I look forward to checking in with, multiple times a day.

Why am I here? In a word, COMMUNITY. 

The what happened to major OEM test thread will go into how stuff becomes available for testing. 

Short version in 2022:  HQ searches, asks, requests and leverages for tests. Most come from sponsors of the blog. 

⛳🛄 as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB
Driver:  :callaway-small: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! 

Wood:    :cobra-small: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft

Irons:   :titleist-small: T Series - T200 5 Iron
                                          T150 6-9 Iron
                                          T100 PW/GW

Wedge:  Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree 

Putter:  Screenshot 2023-06-02 13.10.30.png Mezz Max!

Balls:     Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange)

 

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1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Again i feel it necessary to reiterate that the goal is not anything with HQ or their SM platforms. 

It is how do be build on what we have existing and make it better?

What features have you liked that have been introduced? What other features on other sites have you seen that were catchy or ones which could be brought here?

If this just turns into complaining about various things I'll shut it down. There is enough of that sort of stuff in the LIV thread. I don't need that here. 

For reference (on my end) ads are way better then they have been and I don't see them often or notice them. No pop up ads and compared to WRX way less annoying. So a win there in my books.

So moving forward in this thread, what do we do to bring meaningful membership and help the forum grow as a whole. 

Finally for what it's worth my idea for forum identify is community and testing. Both a great engaged community and awesome tests both official and non where golfers can go and get good honest reviews.

How do you make things better? You address the reasons why things haven't gone so well, or have gone downhill.

Like it or not, HQ is an extension of this forum, especially since they've inserted themselves into forum testing which we've all acknowledged is a growing concern. 

If you feel like this is just "complaining about various things" then that tells me there's an even bigger issue going on. 

Slapping a new coat of paint on a car with a busted engine still means you have a car that doesn't work. It just looks shiny. But it won't go anywhere. 

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

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Just now, russtopherb said:

How do you make things better? You address the reasons why things haven't gone so well, or have gone downhill.

Like it or not, HQ is an extension of this forum, especially since they've inserted themselves into forum testing which we've all acknowledged is a growing concern. 

If you feel like this is just "complaining about various things" then that tells me there's an even bigger issue going on. 

Slapping a new coat of paint on a car with a busted engine still means you have a car that doesn't work. It just looks shiny. But it won't go anywhere. 

Maybe it should be stated as how can we as mods make things better that are within our control. 

The testing discussion is valid, but we have been trying to work with it for literally months. We have done all that we can and in the end that isn't in our hands. 

We have other ideas which can aid it and will disclose when we actually have something. 

So again what can we as mods to help improve this community that is in our control.

⛳🛄 as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB
Driver:  :callaway-small: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! 

Wood:    :cobra-small: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft

Irons:   :titleist-small: T Series - T200 5 Iron
                                          T150 6-9 Iron
                                          T100 PW/GW

Wedge:  Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree 

Putter:  Screenshot 2023-06-02 13.10.30.png Mezz Max!

Balls:     Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange)

 

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2 minutes ago, CarlH said:

Firm but fair oversight,

 

👍

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Maybe it should be stated as how can we as mods make things better that are within our control. 

The testing discussion is valid, but we have been trying to work with it for literally months. We have done all that we can and in the end that isn't in our hands. 

We have other ideas which can aid it and will disclose when we actually have something. 

So again what can we as mods to help improve this community that is in our control.

I think it’s in a good place as a forum. Plenty of knowledgeable people that provide bountiful information. 
 

unofficial reviews are fantastic and those that make this forum great will continue to do those great unofficials and continue to be engaged. Unfortunately testing is what brings folks here I think. To expand the forum you need valuable testing.

You mods do a fantastic job and keep things on the rails and continue to bring innovative ways to keep the forum organized and fun. I love the fantasy leagues and contests are a blast. Hopefully people stick around to find that out but there has to be a bait to do that IMO.

Check out my reviews:

:ping-small:  G710 Irons Official Review I :Fuji: MC Shaft & :EVNROLL: V Series Putter Official Review

:cobra-small: 2022 Forged Tec's Official Review I Logo.png.7f297574516267afc6959b36be364cf9.pngNitron Push Cart Official Review

WITB:

Weapons of grass destruction (link to WITB)

:ping-small: Traverse is filled with all this shiny metal and tracked by :Arccos:

:cobra-small: RadSpeed 8* - MotoreX F1 6X :taylormade-small: SIM 3W - Project X HZRDUS Green

:titleist-small: U505 Driving Iron 17* - Project X HZRDUS Black :cobra-small: SpeedZone 4H - Project X HZRDUS Black

:cobra-small: 2022 King Forged Tec's 4-PW - KBS $ Tape 130 :titelist-small: 48 (SM8), 52 & 60 (SM7) - Nippon Modus 125 S 

:EVNROLL: ER2VI :titelist-small: PROV1X #19 

Are you a veteran? Check out the Veterans Golf Association (VGA) Thread!

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What about some virtual team events? Could make teams, play courses at certain distances, use handicaps or not, and have some fun? Sort course length to be played by handicap or age, or both, have a period of time to get the round in, and then post attested scores. There has to be an app where we can play live… 

Driver: Ping G430 Max 9*, Ping Tour 70X

Fairway: Ping G425 15*, Ping Tour 70X

Hybrid: Ping G425 22*, Ping Tour 80X

Irons:  Ping i230 4-GW, TT DG X100

Wedges: :edel-golf-1: SMS 50D/54V/58D:Nippon:Modus 130 stiff, +1”

Putter:  :edel-golf-1: EAS 1.0

Ball: Titleist 2023 AVX

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3 minutes ago, PMookie said:

What about some virtual team events? Could make teams, play courses at certain distances, use handicaps or not, and have some fun? Sort course length to be played by handicap or age, or both, have a period of time to get the round in, and then post attested scores. There has to be an app where we can play live… 

I think Grint hosted something like this... but never knew what became of it...

:cobra-small: SpeedZone 9* w/ Aldila Rogue Silver 60 S
:callaway-small: X2 Hot 3 Deep 14.5* w/ Aldila Tour Green 75 S
:taylormade-small: JetSpeed 5W 19* w/ Matrix Velox T 69 S OR :adams-small: Super LS 3H 19* w/ Kuro Kage Black 80 S
:mizuno-small: JPX919 Forged 4-PW w/ Modus3 105 S
:titelist-small: Vokey SM7 50/08F, 54/14F & 58/08M w/ Modus3 115 Wedge
:EVNROLL: ER1 34" w/ SuperStroke Fatso 2.0
MfleKCg.jpg Pro / 9dZCgaF.jpgH2NO Lite Cart Bag / :Clicgear: 3.0 / :918457628_PrecisionPro: NX7 Pro LRF

My reviews: MLA Putter // Titleist SM7 // PING i500 // PuttOUT

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6 minutes ago, Kanoito said:

I think Grint hosted something like this... but never knew what became of it...

They tried to do some monthly competitions, but got confusing and not sure what else came of it.

We have enough shot scope and arccos users there could be something there we can do...

⛳🛄 as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB
Driver:  :callaway-small: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! 

Wood:    :cobra-small: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft

Irons:   :titleist-small: T Series - T200 5 Iron
                                          T150 6-9 Iron
                                          T100 PW/GW

Wedge:  Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree 

Putter:  Screenshot 2023-06-02 13.10.30.png Mezz Max!

Balls:     Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange)

 

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34 minutes ago, PMookie said:

 There has to be an app where we can play live… 

GolfGenius is an app for both Apple and Android that can do that.  We use it at our club for live scoring.  I know the app is free, but I don't know if administration of it involves anything beyond setup.

Driver: :callaway-small: Rogue ST Max (10.5* set at -1 and neutral) -- Mitsubishi Tensai Blue 55g R shaft

Fairway: :callaway-small: Rogue ST Max 3 wood (16.5*) and Heaven Wood (20*)-- Tensai Blue 55g R shaft

Hybrids: :callaway-small: Rogue ST Max 5H (23*)--Tensai Blue 55g R shaft

Irons:  :callaway-small: Apex CF19 6-9, PW, AW -- KBS Tour Graphite  TGI 70 shafts R +1/2 inch 3* upright

Wedges: Edison 53* and  57* KBS PGI 80 Graphite +1/2 inch 2* upright

Putter: L.A.B. DF 2.1 -- BGT Stability shaft

Ball:  Maxfli TourX...Golf Bag: :ping-small: Pioneer...Shoes: :footjoy-small: Hyperflex... Glove: Red Rooster Feather

 

My Photography can be seen at Smugmug

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