Popular Post Golfspy_CG2 Posted June 20, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 20, 2022 36 minutes ago, mynerds said: Lots of really good points in this thread that I will try not to repeat. Here are some of my thoughts as a relative new-comer to the forum: The "Most Wanted" series is what introduced me to MGS (having realized that other publications were rating new equipment based on aesthetics and demand which seems asinine to me), and from there I found the forum. I was enticed by the testing opportunities but I mostly was looking for a community where I could write and converse with others who share my interests. One positive thing about the relationship between the main site and the forum is that it served as a trickle of water for me before trying to drink from the firehouse of knowledge that is the forum's expertise. A personal example: at the beginning of the year, I wanted to buy a new set of clubs. The main site introduced concepts like game improvement vs plays irons, forgiveness vs distance, and the like. If I were to have just based my purchasing decisions based on the main site and the most wanted posts, I would have blindly purchased a PING G425 MAX driver and Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons. However, because of the forum I decided to do a fitting before making a purchase. I tried to be as educated as possible even as a high handicapper because of the forum. I ended up trying both the Ping G425 MAX driver and Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons during the fitting and they were awful for me. If it wasn't for the forum, I might have bought a driver and iron set that was a bad fit for me and blamed the MGS Most Wanted series for the poor fit. As an extension of that, one potential minority opinion of mine is that the testing opportunities I'm most interested in aren't of the big OEMs but of the smaller gizmos and gadgets. I'm not as engaged with things like club reviews because they really seem so user specific that even controlling for club speed and handicap seems dubious. The official and unofficial reviews that have helped me make purchasing decisions have been for things like launch monitors, speed training, hitting nets, hitting mats, etc... While individual differences in hitting speed and handicap may yield different benefits, there isn't' a barrier to entry in those products like there are with clubs. Lastly, the biggest thing I think that the forum could improve upon is usability. Oh Mylanta, I would deeply love for this to come to fruition. It is so hard to find reviews even when you know what you're looking for, official or otherwise. More broadly, I think the forum would benefit from a reorganization much like @jlukes mentioned. While that may not be the topical structure I would recommend, I think this is a classic example of why User Experience designers are in such high demand right now. A more intuitive structure to find or browse information may not drive initial engagement, but it certainly would help maintain engagement (much in the same way social media breeds addictive ongoing use, for better or for worse). For driving initial engagement, SEO needs to be a priority if things like the current tests aren't showing up in search results. That's the proverbial "leaving money on the table" if you've got existing manufacturers sponsoring content and even people who are actively looking for that content can't find it. I LOVE THIS POST! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences. The process you mentioneed of going from the main blog page to the Forum is exactly what I did when I found the site 7 years ago now, I think. And your comments about relying on the forum reviews more so than the blog piece is what we strive to provide here, and that's why the Fourm Testinng has been such a huge staple of the forum for years. Love hering that you like the smaller items like training and practice aids. I'm sure there will be more of those to come. Glad you're here and thanks for the post! GolfSpy_APH, russtopherb, JohnSmalls and 9 others 11 1 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...
RickyBobby_PR Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 People want to be entertained, educated or find a connection. These 3 things are what make most social media pages or personalities popular. People also love free stuff. If you don’t think so look at people you know on the golf forums and look at their Twitter feed. You will find many that have little to no posts of their own and everything will be reposting or replying to giveaways for anything and everything golf related even if they will never use it, they just want to win and get free stuff then show off what they won. This is why the growth occurs around testing opportunities. The connection part is why many join forums. You can see that in the posts in this thread about liking the people here stay. They want to have someplace to hang out with others that have the same interests. But you have to have something that keeps them there. This is where the education and entertainment come in. If you can’t do either membership won’t grow. WRX offers both the best imo. The wealth of knowledge amongst a core membership there offer a tremendous value to the forum. From highly qualified fitters, teachers and others who have been doing club building or learning of the swing that offer their knowledge. This is lacking to an extent on mgs. There are some fitters and teachers on here who if they would start threads or be more involved in questions it might go along way. The entrainment has to come from the threads themselves. This is from the exchange of conversations within and outside of threads like what did you buy, what equipment are you thinking of, tour events and the fantasy leagues most threads lack ongoing on conversation. null, MyWifesSwingCoach, Golfspy_CG2 and 2 others 4 1 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommc23 Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 The paintball forum I mentioned before is also attached to a blog they do hand and hand. It has some things we have but it also has more and a ton of simpler things. The equipment they have actual manufacture sections to go discuss things about each brand and then they have sections about each type of equipment so you can have as broad or as narrow areas as you like. I am attaching pictures so you can see how it’s laid out for an idea of a non-golf forum layout. I joined that in high school and it has changed slightly but not much because it works. I stopped going there for 10 years went back and found what I wanted in seconds because it’s easy to navigate! cksurfdude, fozcycle, tony@CIC and 5 others 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkj427 Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 5 hours ago, mynerds said: Lots of really good points in this thread that I will try not to repeat. Here are some of my thoughts as a relative new-comer to the forum: The "Most Wanted" series is what introduced me to MGS (having realized that other publications were rating new equipment based on aesthetics and demand which seems asinine to me), and from there I found the forum. I was enticed by the testing opportunities but I mostly was looking for a community where I could write and converse with others who share my interests. One positive thing about the relationship between the main site and the forum is that it served as a trickle of water for me before trying to drink from the firehouse of knowledge that is the forum's expertise. A personal example: at the beginning of the year, I wanted to buy a new set of clubs. The main site introduced concepts like game improvement vs plays irons, forgiveness vs distance, and the like. If I were to have just based my purchasing decisions based on the main site and the most wanted posts, I would have blindly purchased a PING G425 MAX driver and Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons. However, because of the forum I decided to do a fitting before making a purchase. I tried to be as educated as possible even as a high handicapper because of the forum. I ended up trying both the Ping G425 MAX driver and Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal irons during the fitting and they were awful for me. If it wasn't for the forum, I might have bought a driver and iron set that was a bad fit for me and blamed the MGS Most Wanted series for the poor fit. As an extension of that, one potential minority opinion of mine is that the testing opportunities I'm most interested in aren't of the big OEMs but of the smaller gizmos and gadgets. I'm not as engaged with things like club reviews because they really seem so user specific that even controlling for club speed and handicap seems dubious. The official and unofficial reviews that have helped me make purchasing decisions have been for things like launch monitors, speed training, hitting nets, hitting mats, etc... While individual differences in hitting speed and handicap may yield different benefits, there isn't' a barrier to entry in those products like there are with clubs. Lastly, the biggest thing I think that the forum could improve upon is usability. Oh Mylanta, I would deeply love for this to come to fruition. It is so hard to find reviews even when you know what you're looking for, official or otherwise. More broadly, I think the forum would benefit from a reorganization much like @jlukes mentioned. While that may not be the topical structure I would recommend, I think this is a classic example of why User Experience designers are in such high demand right now. A more intuitive structure to find or browse information may not drive initial engagement, but it certainly would help maintain engagement (much in the same way social media breeds addictive ongoing use, for better or for worse). For driving initial engagement, SEO needs to be a priority if things like the current tests aren't showing up in search results. That's the proverbial "leaving money on the table" if you've got existing manufacturers sponsoring content and even people who are actively looking for that content can't find it. This post in particular and many of the others before and after it make very great and valid points. The review format change in my opinion, like many others was a change for the worse. Hard to find them to track them to read, ask questions, etc. I liked the old format better, it was so much easier to navigate. Now as far as what differentiates MGS from the "other" golf forums is the people or participants. They ALL seem more than willing to provide input or answers to questions, not any that I have encountered or interacted with have had "I am better than you" mindset or mentality, as the participants here seem to realize that we all come from various walks of life, at different stages of both age and ability, and yet ALL seem to be more than willing to provide GOOD, relatable input to those asking the questions. To me personally, this golf forum site is the most relevant for those of us who DON"T play the game for a living. Testing opportunities would be of an interest, only if I was looking for a change at the time the test may have been announced. As mentioned, some of the other smaller items should not be overlooked, as many of them could help those of us in cold weather climates keep some resemblance of a good swing through the colder months. tony@CIC, cksurfdude, Golfspy_CG2 and 1 other 3 1 Quote Driver & Fairway: Titleist TSR3 10 degree - Ventus TR Blue & TSR3 15 - Project X Hzrdus Smoke Black Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW 19 - Hzrdus Smoke Black Irons: Titleist T200 3G (4) & T150 - (5-G) - Project X LZ Wedges: Vokey SM8 54, and 58 Putter: Cameron Phantom X 7 Ball: Pro V1 & Maxfli Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom the Golf Nut Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 What brought you to the forum? Honest reviews of equipment. I read reviews for a year or two before I joined the forum. What made you stay? Found some great people to talk about golf with. Still enjoy the equipment reviews (MGS, official testers and unofficial) If testing is more limited in the future (again hopefully not, but if) how would you suggest we grow the forum? The current testing opportunities draw to many (I want a freebie) people. This should be about golf, golfers, and their thoughts and opinions on different subjects. You should publish a standard that is more specific. You must be an active member ( define active ) and be involved for X amount of time ( define X ). After X you qualify to apply to test the smaller items ( balls, putt outs, and similar values ) Upon writing and submitting good reviews and another 6 months you qualify to apply for bigger items to test. I'm all for growing the forum but it needs to be with quality not quantity. Would growth on Social Media help? If yes, what accounts should we look at for the Forum? I'm not a social media fan. 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 have not been on others except to check it out and know that I belong here. What is the core identity of MGS Forum in your opinion. For golfers by golfers. Honest reviews and opinions. Golfers that truly care about one another. sirchunksalot, cnosil, Golfspy_CG2 and 5 others 8 Quote Driver, TSi 1 S Flex 3 wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 5 wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 7 Wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 5 Hybrid King Tec MMT R Flex Irons, Tour UST Recoil 95 R Flex (6 - Gap) Wedges, Snakebite KBS Hi- Rev2.0 54* & 60* Agera 35" Ultralight 14-way Cart Bag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Peaksy68 Posted June 21, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2022 Late to this so most of my thoughts have already been covered. I came to the site to read reviews, joined when I saw a testing opportunity, engaged in the forum and was chosen. At this stage I thought you returned the review item once you were finished with the review. I stayed for the community and the information. Being able to read reviews that were relevant to my game is what separates MGS Forum from most other reviews. Unfortunately the forum has definitely gone backwards over the last couple of years for me. I’m not sure if it’s personnel changes or structural changes or a combination of both. The interaction with the moderators seems to have dropped off significantly, it looks like it all falls on APH and semi retired Rob to do the heavy lifting. It seems like the sense of community has diminished since the appointment of a community manager. At least recently there has been a response to direct questions. Obviously lots going on in the background, but the foreground is where people interact. I really like @jlukes suggestion that equipment threads be renamed and reviews be located in the sub sections. For example it’s time to rename “Shiny metal” With the increase in black iron offerings it’s an even more patently ridiculous title. The totally inaccurate social media posts about “like and share to test xxx” are frustrating and don’t do anything to grow the forum, they probably just increase frustration for active members and those who follow the social media instructions and have no chance of being chosen. Perhaps the HQ staff could be shown this https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/49045-2022-how-to-become-a-mgs-forum-tester/page/8/#comment-845545 Hopefully the sense of community can be reinvigorated ParFore74x, GolfSpy_APH, fozcycle and 15 others 17 1 Quote 849 Pro Evenflow Riptide 6.0 F8 3 & 5 Woods Project X Evenflow Blue 6.0 TS2 7 Wood Project X Evenflow Blue 6.0 MP18 MMC - Project X LZ 5.5 Zipcore Wedges 50,54,58 - Project X LZ 5.5 MLA Tour Mallet 33" Z Star Pioneer bag buggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankster Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Love it. cksurfdude, GolfSpy_SHARK and ParFore74x 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_SHARK Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Just now, Shankster said: Love it. You missed I like it and I want some more of it KC Golf, ParFore74x, Shankster and 5 others 1 7 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...
Shankster Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Lacassem said: You missed I like it and I want some more of it I tried so hard… sirchunksalot, GolfSpy_SHARK, cksurfdude and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Kenny B Posted June 21, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2022 I honestly don't remember why I came to MGS in the first place; probably equipment related, but back in 2012 there weren't a lot of equipment tests on the forum. I do know that I came to MGS after briefly visiting WRX. I was not into social media (still not except for contact with my swing coach Monte); that has no appeal to me. Like most people that show up on the forum, I read many posts on a number of subjects that I found interesting, and after a short time I got to "know" the members... I felt comfortable here. But it took quite awhile before people interacted with me on a regular basis. I asked questions, but I didn't feel like I had much to contribute to the "regulars". I think that has a lot to do with how newbies feel now. They need to be engaged and encouraged to participate no matter their skill or knowledge levels. We are all different, and sometimes people need a warm welcome to start communicating. The Introduction threads by regions is nice, but after people post there, the interaction generally stops unless members have a connections with the newbie based on what they write. Not sure how to keep their interest up so they don't drop out. People come and go on the forum; people move on to other interests. I made some good friends that haven't posted in years. It happens. Then others come and replace them. I guess it's the nature of a forum... IDK; never belong to one before. One of the first "tests" that I participated in was the SCOR wedge testing, and I wasn't selected!! I had read about SCOR and my golf club had a set of SCOR wedges as demos. I tried them out on the course and ordered a set. During the SCOR forum test, I asked if I could join in and post my thoughts about the clubs; I was happy that I was accepted. I learned a lot from that test, and it led to other forum tests for me. Now I have a bag of clubs that I like, and I don't have an interest in testing anything unless It's something I am considering or am interested in how it might perform for me. If do find something that interests me and I apply but don't get accepted, so be it... I'll probably buy it anyway!! I have to agree with the comments above about how the testing is handled and where the reviews are posted. I don't even look anymore, since the site is too difficult to navigate. I see the posting for testers to apply, but then it's gone and I forget about them. I think that also turns off newbies that might be looking for reviews; IMHO it was much easier when reviewer's posts were part of the Recent feed. Sorry for the ramble... but I hope whatever comes from this endeavor, the forum continues. It's a diversion for me; I like to keep up on y'alls trials and tribulations... golf or otherwise. It's like being in a great big family. GolfSpy_SHARK, ParFore74x, JohnSmalls and 11 others 11 3 Quote “We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_APH Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 8 hours ago, Shankster said: I tried so hard… ... and got so far, but in the end it didn't even matter ... Shankster, cksurfdude, sirchunksalot and 6 others 3 1 5 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 Thin2win Posted June 21, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2022 I'm here to win a 2018 odyssey putter, and I'm not leaving until I do. Really. Something about the running jokes, generally welcoming attitude and people seeking to discuss club minutia that might or might not actually matter has kept me coming back. These forums are the only SM I use. They have been a great community and this week will lead me to the 4th annual pnw spy Meet-up. I like the idea of the new testing format, but in practice it just hasn't engaged me. The lack of major OEM tests, is bad. Really bad. But for me, the biggest issue is that HQ has gone off the deep end and the content it produces is the worst golf content on the internet. Since the first ball test, it has gotten progressively worse. People find the forums from the main page, the main page is Charles Barkley double hitch bad. PMookie, cksurfdude, tommc23 and 9 others 7 1 4 Quote WITB: Driver: SIM2 Max 12° - Accra TZ6 M4 FW Wood: Gen5 0311 7w Fujikura Motore X F3 Irons: ZX7 PW-7i, ZX5 6i-5i Wedges: Zipcore 50°, 58° Putter: MySpider X Cart: Onewheel XR+ Ball: Z-Star Diamond/ Z-Star XV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_APH Posted June 21, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2022 As a quick recap from the responses here are 2 main takeaways of things I can look to address with the mod team. 1. Site Layout - including names or titles of categories/forums 2. Testing Section For what it is worth the Testing now does show up in Recent Content. We made a slight tweak this year in not as much other then the actual review is put in the review tab. This was to hopefully address what many are saying where they don't see it as much as edits to the review (adding in intros, unboxing, updates and such) don't prompt a bump in RC. Again I think it has come a long way, but I will admit that unless I'm involved in the review (moding and such) I haven't read much or any... Kanoito, tony@CIC, sirchunksalot and 7 others 10 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...
PMookie Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 One thing to note here is that “change” can be for the worse, and companies need to know when to reverse course. Maybe the changes with the forum reviews has turned-out to be one that needs to be reversed. If folks can’t find them, they’re not present where we can just click on them and see where they are like they used to be, and almost everyone is saying they don’t bother looking for them, then maybe a reversal is needed. Lots of time and effort went into the change, so I can understand the frustration of going back, but thank goodness Coca Cola reversed course, eh?! cksurfdude, tony@CIC, MaxEntropy and 4 others 7 Quote 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: SMS 50D/54V/58DModus 130 stiff, +1” Putter: EAS 1.0 Ball: Titleist 2023 AVX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejgaudette Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Just read this whole thread, and like many I found the forums through testing, then stayed as I realized what the community was like and how fun it was to interact and getting lucky enough to join a few for a round last year. I would stay without testing now that I am more into the community. One thing I am thinking of with the testing threads and the hope to get the traffic back up on those. I know the tests are tagged with all sorts of information, likely to organize the database that was mentioned. Can regular threads be tagged as well which moves to a system when searching them is easier using the tags, and then a reviews section with subsections for each product we have a test with all review threads, both official an unofficial under them for review. This would keep the layer to 2 deep, only having to click on Tests, then the product, to get to all the test for those products. This might work for new users that don't use recent content. Probably getting a bit too technical, but I think that might accomplish the organizational goal of the Mods with the navigational concerns brought up here. GolfSpy_APH, JohnSmalls, MyWifesSwingCoach and 1 other 4 Quote Epic Max LS 9° Ventus Blue 6X (2021 Official Review) | Epic Speed 18° Evenflow Riptide 70g 6.0 816 H1 21° Diamana S+ Blue 70 S | SMS 4-5/SMS Pro 6-PW Steelfiber i95 S (2023 Official Review) Glide 4.0 50°.12°S/54°.14°W/58°.6°T PING Z-Z115 Wedge Flex | SOFT 11S Super Stroke Mid-Slim 2.0 Hoofer Bag | Pro V1 | Right Handed | Tracked by V3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankster Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 8 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said: ... and got so far, but in the end it didn't even matter ... A little mix of genre there. Like it even more now. MyWifesSwingCoach, cksurfdude, tommc23 and 4 others 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
null Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 The problem is a lot of the design choices for the forum over the past few years have been tailored to the current members with seemingly no thought about how it impacts prospective members or just browsers of the forum ( cough hall of fame sub forum cough) Snd I have no idea who the testing section changes benefited because now it’s a pain for old, new and prospective members GolfSpy_SHARK, MaxEntropy, RickyBobby_PR and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy BOS Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 On 6/20/2022 at 10:50 AM, jlukes said: Fantastic post, but this part caught my eye and I needed to point something out. On every other golf blog with a forum, when there is a blog post, it almost always ends with a link to a respective forum thread about the club being discussed and it encourages readers to click to continue the discussion in the forum. This almost never happens on MGS HQ. It is like HQ acts as if the forum doesn't even exist. Well you and I can agree on that. We've talked about it before, seems like HQ has no interest in that, which sucks and blows. GolfSpy_SHARK, GolfSpy_APH, cksurfdude and 7 others 8 1 1 Quote Epic Max LS 10.5 - Motore X F3 6X | Speedzone 5-wood - Ventus Blue 8S | TSi3 20* Hybrid - KBS Proto 85S SMS Pro 4-PW - Steelfiber i110S | MG3 Raw Black 50.09, 54.11, 58.11 - DG TI S200 ER2B | Pro V1x | NX9 Slope | Jones Trouper R | CaddyLite EZ v8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_APH Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 Not ready for full release... but sneak peak for those who check in on this thread https://forum.mygolfspy.com/staff/ mynerds, GolfSpy BOS, GrumpyGolf and 4 others 7 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...
KC Golf Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 I agree with the major thrust of the comments made on this thread. I remain concerned that HQ needs take more of an interest in what the grass roots MGS members want. I really hope official testing goes back to where it was. Not sure a hitting robot even comes to replacing actual member reviews! I came for the reviews. Tried the Srixon because MGS liked the Z Star. It was a great ball and I knew no one up here that used one. Then I stayed for the testing reviews which were detailed but also fun to read. Would love to see the NPG be revamped and made more interesting again. It’s current format is very uninspired! Bring Miranda back! Paul Hedrick, MyWifesSwingCoach, cksurfdude and 4 others 6 1 Quote TSR 3 9.0 GD Tour AD - DI 6S Stiff TSi 3 15.0 GD Tour AD - DI 6S Stiff Utility 2 Iron 18.0 - Nippon NS Pro 650GH Stiff / TS3 21 Hybrid Tensei AV Blue 65 HY Stiff 5 - 9 101T Irons - KBS Tour Lite Stiff - Official Tester 2023 Vokey SM9 46 F - 10 BV105 Vokey SM9 52 F - 12 Nippon NS Pro 950 Stiff Vokey Forged 56 M - 10 DG S200 MG3 60 - 12 - Nippon NS Modus3 Tour 105 Stiff Scotty Special Select - Squareback 2 - 35” / Super Stroke Slim 3.0 Z-Star Diamond Players 4 bag Official Tester - 2021 & Current MCC Plus 4 Sensor / Club Sensor User Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_SHARK Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 3 minutes ago, KC Golf said: I remain concerned that HQ needs take more of an interest in what the grass roots MGS members want. I really hope official testing goes back to where it was. Not sure a hitting robot even comes to replacing actual member reviews! This 110%, definitely feel like there is no finger on the pulse right now. Peaksy68, tony@CIC, GolfSpy_APH and 4 others 7 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...
hartrick11 Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 Just read through this whole thread and I share the sentiments and frustrations of most everyone here, with 99% of my ire directed at HQ not the forum. As for forum-specific feedback I think I am probably the 10th person to "second" @jlukes organizational suggestions, so that seems like a natural focus area to the extent feasible for the mods. The only thing I would add is on testing threads specifically, it would be nice to be able to filter for a certain tester's posts - both their review stages and their ongoing thread posts with new updates and responses to questions which in my experience are just as informative as the review itself. I have always found that there are 1-2 testers that I gravitate to throughout a review period, either because they are similar to my game or I recognize and trust their thoughtful posts/feedback. I know I can "follow" certain users but in my experience that doesn't allow me to focus my reading on the one area I am looking for information on, and for new members looking to learn about a new product that is being tested it could help them arrive at their desired content much more quickly and make them more likely to keep coming back. For example, I was lucky enough to be a tester for the TSi driver a couple of years ago and we had 40-something pages on that thread. Other threads over the years instantly come to mind like the i210/i500 review, the t100 review, and the various CCC threads. If the intro to the topic had a simple table with high level information on each tester (Handicap & Driver SS) and then a link to filter for just each tester's posts in the thread you could save readers a TON of time in finding the information they might be looking for. null, GaDawg, tony@CIC and 5 others 7 1 Quote Driver: TSi 3 10* w/ Graphite Design AD IZ 7X Fairway/Hybrid: TSi 2 15* & 18* w/ Graphite Design AD IZ 7X, AD IZ 95X Irons: P790 4i, P770 5-7i, P7MC 8-P, $ Taper 120 Wedges: SM7 52F/54 S, 58 M w/ Modus 125 Putter: California Hollywood 34" Circle H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GrumpyGolf Posted June 21, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2022 I have followed this thread and have been reluctant to comment since I am such a newbie here. I wanted to see what the old timers had to say. As someone getting back into golf after an extreme layoff and without the desire to be quite a committed to the game as most of the users here, I do have some opinions that may leave some here with a bad taste in their mouth. First kudos to the MODs!! You guys are doing the best you can with the resources you have. I know that sometimes it is a thankless job and that it is always a payless job so big props to you all for stepping up. As to why I cam to the site, it was a search engine driver that led me here. I was looking for club reviews online and one of the first links was to the MGS forum. Didn't know anything about this site prior to that. So as to what led me here, it was a search engine. As to why I have stuck around comes to a couple of factors. I was reading the forum threads for info and enjoyed the fact that it was user driven content that was organic and not being driven by MODs or outside influences. I also enjoyed the positive comments and the helpfulness that everyone showed to one another. Then throw in that there didn't seem to be any trolls lurking around was just icing on the cake. I enjoyed that aspect of it and came back a few times without signing up or commenting. Then I found the testing. After looking into it and seeing what was happening, that is what drove me to actually signup as a user and try and get a chance to be a tester. I followed the rules needed for setting up my account and adding a pic. I became active as a contributor to the threads, mostly for comic relief and not to add in the technical details as I left that to the guys who know what they are talking about. I entered the testing submissions and was chosen to test the Edel wedges, which is in progress and if you haven't followed you really should. So why am I sticking around? I have the wedges that I am testing, I probably won't contribute on the level that most of the regulars are from a technical stand point, and I know that chances of getting back to back test opportunities are slim at best (especially considering the lack of testing opps that seem to happening). I could just walk at this point, no harm no foul. Two very distinct reasons - personal drive and social camaraderie. As for my personal drive, I an not the type of person to swoop in, get something for free, and leave. I was chosen to provide a review for the wedges, hopefully one that will be read and enjoyed for its practical content as much as its lack of technical content (though it seems from the previous entries in this thread less and less people read the reviews, which may in all honesty be a reason for less opportunities, just saying). I will do my best to provide a review that reflects how I tested and what my feelings about the product is. I know we have a template that the review is supposed to follow and I will follow it (as best I can), but I hope as well that everyone enjoys the review for what it is, a non-professional review for a high-end industry product. The social camaraderie aspect of this site is the main reason I am sticking around. I am enjoying seeing people post their round info and their best shots. I like reading people's opinions on topics that help me to work out my opinions. I like the helpfulness of everyone and how users congratulate and provide solace as needed. This site is an oasis in a desert of sites that are driven by trolls, instigators, and influencers. So keeping the core users here intact and happy should be the driving force for how to evolve the forum and drive its visibility to those not yet familiar with it. Could the forum be updated? Yes. Could the layout be changed? Yes. Should the users have more say in its content? We already do as we drive the threads, but we could have a feedback section that is more visible than the suggestion box channel that is currently in use or even a dedicated feedback focus group (much like the MODs) that provides info for changes that are in progress or that would like to be seen. As far as HQ goes, nothing we say or do here will probably be a driver for what they want to do going forward, so why even bother to bring them into the equation with regards to the forum itself. Testing is a different matter and we should all be as vocal as possible on that front. Send emails, snail mails, text messages, whatever is needed to get out the message to them about testing. Outie like Kurt Gowdy. Peace. PMookie, tony@CIC, Thin2win and 7 others 7 3 Quote Driver: Ping G410 10.5 degree ALTA CB 55 RED STIFF Fairway: Cobra FLYXL 3 & 5 Hybrid: Cobra FLYXL 4 & 5 Irons: Cobra FLYXL 6 - P w/ Mitsubishi Rayon KURO KAGE Black Parallel Graphite Iron Shaft STIFF Wedges: Edel SMS 50, 54, 58 degree with KBS STIFF 2g/8g/10g Weight Setup Putter: Odyssey Stroke Lab 7 Putter w/ Graphite & Steel Shaft and Pistol Grip Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X GPS: Shot Scope V3 w/ Trackers "You don't HAVE to go play golf, you GET to go play golf." - Harvey Penick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 The question to ask is what value is provided to whatever is added to or changed on the forum side. Example: when the decision was made to change how review threads were going to be done. What was the driving factor for the change? What was the value added to the current and future forum members by doing it that way. Now that the reviews are a topic of discussion in this thread we can see there was no value added as less current members are reading them and interacting and that more than likely new members don’t know they exist or when they look for something online there’s nothing in search engines that send them to MGS. The value of the reviews from MGS perspective is supposed to be unbiased everyday golfer reviews. But if nobody is reading them there is no value in them to either the general golfing audience or the manufacturer who is providing the equipment. So for the growth of the forum those in charge need to find a way to increase the value of the forum to attract more members. Determining what golfers want is going to be key and then finding people who can help provide that information and have it out there to attract new members and get them to stay. Another example that I think has fallen flat since the inception is the role of content creator. The initial mod provided nothing in this role and no offense to the current mod but I don’t see where there is anything if value added now either. There were a couple threads early on like the weekly happening in golf or whatever it was but that died quickly, there may have been one other thread which also had a short life span. Since I don’t recall anything new being posted or anything that the rest of the forum isn’t already aware of because of 24 hour news cycles and social media. MyWifesSwingCoach, null, cksurfdude and 6 others 9 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBS Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 On 6/21/2022 at 11:06 AM, GolfSpy_BOS said: Well you and I can agree on that. We've talked about it before, seems like HQ has no interest in that, which sucks and blows. Not trying to stir the pot. I enjoy MGS content and MGS Forum a lot - but if this is the case, why can't we do our own forum? Especially if they use the forum #s as a way to market their reach. Seems pretty 1 sided IMO. tony@CIC, tommc23 and cksurfdude 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...
RickyBobby_PR Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 14 minutes ago, TBS said: Not trying to stir the pot. I enjoy MGS content and MGS Forum a lot - but if this is the case, why can't we do our own forum? Especially if they use the forum #s as a way to market their reach. Seems pretty 1 sided IMO. Good luck with that. Guys a few years back left another forum and tried to start their own. That site didn’t last long. null, cksurfdude, Golfspy_CG2 and 3 others 5 1 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_APH Posted June 23, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 23, 2022 11 minutes ago, TBS said: Not trying to stir the pot. I enjoy MGS content and MGS Forum a lot - but if this is the case, why can't we do our own forum? Especially if they use the forum #s as a way to market their reach. Seems pretty 1 sided IMO. There are many many reasons to not go down that road. MGS blog has done so much for this forum including it's creation that even with this hiccup we will find ways to better the forum with the support from HQ. They continue to do a lot for the forum. All of us as members would love to see some more activity from the staff there here and we have requested that. There are significant costs to running the forum and all the other things surrounding it. It may not be perfect, but the community we have here is stellar and together we can continue to strive to make the forum a better place if not just on community reputation alone. sirchunksalot, bens197, tony@CIC and 13 others 16 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 null Posted June 23, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 23, 2022 On 6/21/2022 at 2:43 PM, RickyBobby_PR said: Example: when the decision was made to change how review threads were going to be done. What was the driving factor for the change? What was the value added to the current and future forum members by doing it that way. See this happen so often in corporate america. Somebody new comes in and they want to change things to put their mark on things. No voice of customer was done. No surveys done prior to the changes to see what people actually wanted. It was a selfish "look at me" change that nobody wanted or asked for russtopherb, GaDawg, MattF and 8 others 9 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post null Posted June 23, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 23, 2022 8 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said: There are many many reasons to not go down that road. MGS blog has done so much for this forum including it's creation that even with this hiccup we will find ways to better the forum with the support from HQ. They continue to do a lot for the forum. All of us as members would love to see some more activity from the staff there here and we have requested that. There are significant costs to running the forum and all the other things surrounding it. It may not be perfect, but the community we have here is stellar and together we can continue to strive to make the forum a better place if not just on community reputation alone. Agreed big time. A standalone forum without a "front end" blog and no relationships with OEMs and other golf companies is basically just r/golf on reddit. tommc23, MattF, Headhammer and 9 others 10 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 3 minutes ago, jlukes said: See this happen so often in corporate america. Somebody new comes in and they want to change things to put their mark on things. No voice of customer was done. No surveys done prior to the changes to see what people actually wanted. It was a selfish "look at me" change that nobody wanted or asked for Yep, seen it several times in different types of corporations. tony@CIC, GrumpyGolf, cksurfdude and 1 other 4 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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