Forum Staff Announcement - Aug 12th

[GolfSpy_APH]

Although this post/thread is more on a personal note it does in a sense apply to all of the Forum Staff. 

Today marks the 1 year mark since being named as the Forum Directory. A position I am extremely proud to be in and am so grateful to have been put in charge to help lead this community. However this could not have been done alone, we have an amazing staff that work so hard in the background and in truth do more than I think anyone could imagine to keep the community moving forward, bringing new ideas and helping with all the other forum stuff. 

There had been a good amount of turnover within the forum staff and having the stability of this group has made a world of a difference. 

So before I go forward I want to thank them.

@GolfSpy BOS - you were the first new hire since I came on as a Mod and have taken on so many things and been an incredible addition to our leadership group. Thank you for stepping up and helping drive this community forward. 

@GolfSpy TCB - Thank you for bringing all your ideas to the table and being a fresh voice within our group. It is always appreciated and required. The MGSVCT is a clear hit and has added so much to the forum. It has been a pleasure to see it take off in the sense that it has. 

@GolfSpy SAM - The life of the party? Your humor, participation and activity as well as helping lead the community calls has been so much fun and a huge additive to the forum. 

@GolfSpy_BNG - The classifieds section, fantasy sports and a lot more. You bring a ton to the forum which many may not realize at first. You have been a fantastic addition to the forum and we are all truly appreciative of the work and efforts you put forth.

@Golfspy_CG2 - As much as you try to retire or step back, you are always here and getting sucked back it. Not sure we have enough words to type to thank you for the efforts you put forth. You have so many insights and history on the forum that this place would truly not be the same without you.

There is no question the forum went through a downturn for a while there. However we got very fortunate as a new COO was named for MGS and he has (not at all that others at HQ havent been) allowed us to really take the forum in a way we saw best fit. In our first meeting with him he said something that has stuck with me. He said he didnt care about what happened in the past or what had been done right or wrong prior, but wanted us to move forward with fresh light and not look back. 

We have taken this heart and worked to drive all areas on the forum. 

Some of these areas are
- Member Testing - a record number of tests this season, a record number of participants and reviews being posted!
- MGSVCT - What a cool addition to the forum. Special events, weekly championships and a whole lot more! We do also secretly hope we can find a way that members can achieve official handicaps through our VCT, however that could still be a ways down the road. Oh and Bag Tags!
- Classifieds - New system, cleaner look, better method for searching and more. Still working on it taking off, but we are very happy with this platform. 
- Group Buys - So far just the Jones bag, but we may have something else coming your way. 
- Community Calls - One of my favourites and something I am so happy we started. 
- Course Reviews - Another which hasnt taken off, but happy to so all the new reviews there!
- Newsletter Updates and Upgrades - Get Forum Content every weekday and has definitely helped drive more users to the forum. 
- Forum Content on the main site! - This one I am just thrilled about. Period.
- Forum Socials - This we have actually handed over to HQ to handle and we hope that it will take big steps forward as we move forward. 
And more. 

This last year truthfully on the forum has been one of the busiest years period. Participation is up, activity and engagement levels are way up and we have seen so many new members on the forum that simply makes me smile. 

This year has also been, in truth, so so much work and I am so happy for it! The amount of nights I have been up till 1am or later doing work whether front end or back end has been countless, but when we see the excitement for membership and the shock when we release tests or just the overall growth of community it all makes it worth while. As much as this is really a job and work, it really isnt. For me I am proud of what we as a community have done this past year and how we have banded together to bring the forum from where it was a year ago to where we are today. This has not been a solo effort and not even just a staff effort, however the whole community. So a big shout out to all of you who have stuck with us and provided feedback or taken part in anything on the forum. We have this community because of you. 

I am so happy to celebrate 1 year as the lead on the forum and am so excited continue in this role driving the forum forward and ensuring that we continue to stay true to our roots of being a community. 

I could go on a lot longer, and may in future responses in this thread, but just a big thank you to HQ for putting me in this position, to the membership for sticking by us and the staff for contributing how you have and supporting me over this last year. 

One year down and a whole lot more to come!

 

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations on your one year anniversary as Forum Director, Jamie. You have done an amazing job in the role and have the forum in the best place that I can remember. Participation is up and it's been great to see a lot of new, active members come aboard in the last year.

The rest of the forum staff has done an amazing job bringing new features to the forum. The virtual tour has been a hit, the classifieds look amazing, and the staff has done an amazing job keeping the testing threads running smoothly.

I want to send a personal shout out to @GolfSpy BOS for the wonderful job he did keeping the Cobra Anniversary challenge running smoothly. It's the biggest thread of the year and he had a lot to keep up with between the main thread and the DM's. 

The Community Calls have become my favorite new feature and I'm glad to see them take off.

I'm truly excited to see what you all have in store for the future. You guys are a fantastic team that just work so well together with your visions for the community. 

[CFreddie]

Hugh congrats Jamie - you and the rest of the Forum Staff continue to raise the bar!  Keep it up!!!

[Golfspy_CG2]

Jamie my thoughts can be summed up simply as, You were the perfect  person at the perfect time.  It’s not hyperbole to say you saved the forum.   Those who were here the first half of 2022 know how it was. 
 

As for me getting continually getting sucked back in as you say, we’ll I can’t quit you .  I appreciate you letting me hang around and help when I can 

I won’t tag them all. But the group of MODS we have are 2nd to none in my time here.  The things you all accomplished on a “side gig” I’s unbelievable.  

Here’s to an even better Year 2! 

[gingerbeast87]

100% love seeing the level of interaction between the mods and the community. Great folks all round

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Congratulations on 1 year Jamie. It has been a privilege to see a little glimpse into the work you have put in to turn MGS around. 
 

Most members won’t see it, but your selflessness and willingness to put MGS and the members first just proves that you are the right man to lead this forum. It’s an honor to help in any way I can as you lead us into a brighter future. 

[Coulter]

I’m brand new to MGS but just wanted to share how impressed I was. A couple of days ago I was searching for the template to do an unofficial review and messaged Golfspy_APH. He had just sat down to eat dinner but took the time to point me in the right direction, wish me luck, and offered to help if I had any more trouble. All in less than 5-10 minutes of sending my question. To have done that over a question that seems so unimportant blew me away and really shows your dedication. Thank you!

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Way to go Jamie. You have had quite the year and really transformed this place. Keep it up. We need more people like you in this world. 

[Preeway]

Congrats to one year, Jamie. I’m so glad I found this place when I did. It has helped rekindle the flame that is my passion for golf. Really excited to see what the next year and beyond has in store. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Congrats on the milestone, Jamie! I’ve been fortunate to have been an active member on the forum since just before you took over and the entire experience has been nothing short of awesome. The entire Mod Staff does a great job with engagement and that really stands out to me! I’ve had a lot of chances to communicate with @GolfSpy BOS namely with the Cobra challenge and he was top notch through all of it. Excited to see where the forum keeps going and continues to build!

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

Congrats Jamie and all staff working the back end.

So many of us saw the forum going in one direction and when you stepped in it was very clear how that changed over the course of the past year and in a single word it was “inspiring” because it is clear to myself and I am sure others the dedication you put in and how much you truly do care. Something so many people do not have, so thank you!

[Caddie1966]

Congratulations Jamie, as a member, I can attest to the great support you have provided.  The mods are very helpful, inventive, positive and just good people.  It makes all the difference in the world to have a forum as open and as fun as this one.  Thanks for your tireless efforts.

[ccostel18]

Congratulations to you and to all the forum staff. A leader is not someone who makes people do things, a true leader inspires people to do things. From what I have seen in only a month as a member you all are a great team, and that starts from the top. Good luck in all your future endeavors and thank you for your dedication to growing this wonderfully frustrating game!

[jbern]

Congrats to you on one year Jamie and great job forum staff! I’ve been a member for under a year and it’s been extremely enjoyable! Brought back my fire for the game of golf! Thanks to you all

Edited August 14, 2023 by jbern
Typos

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congratulations Jamie! 
 

You and the forum staff do a remarkable job! This place is better for having your leadership and all of the staff’s hard work. If a snap shot of the forum today is indicative of your efforts, then I can’t wait to see what the next year brings, because this place is great!

[russtopherb]

Congrats Jamie!! The participation and excitement level on the forum has been noticeable this past year. Kudos to everyone all around. 

[bens197]

Great leaders not only make positive change, they work collectively with their crews to build up morale and make the experience better for everyone.

As Rob said, you (Jamie) were the right person at the right time. 

To all Mods, you guys are only making the experience here better for everyone and it shows. 

Thank you for making time here worthwhile.  

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

10 minutes ago, bens197 said:

Great leaders not only make positive change, they work collectively with their crews to build up morale and make the experience better for everyone.

As Rob said, you (Jamie) were the right person at the right time. 

To all Mods, you guys are only making the experience here better for everyone and it shows. 

Thank you for making time here worthwhile.  

So glad you brought up the great leader point

[bens197]

6 minutes ago, Lacassem said:

So glad you brought up the great leader point

It’s true.  Thanks bro.

[Javs]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Although this post/thread is more on a personal note it does in a sense apply to all of the Forum Staff. 

Today marks the 1 year mark since being named as the Forum Directory. A position I am extremely proud to be in and am so grateful to have been put in charge to help lead this community. However this could not have been done alone, we have an amazing staff that work so hard in the background and in truth do more than I think anyone could imagine to keep the community moving forward, bringing new ideas and helping with all the other forum stuff. 

There had been a good amount of turnover within the forum staff and having the stability of this group has made a world of a difference. 

So before I go forward I want to thank them.

@GolfSpy BOS - you were the first new hire since I came on as a Mod and have taken on so many things and been an incredible addition to our leadership group. Thank you for stepping up and helping drive this community forward. 

@GolfSpy TCB - Thank you for bringing all your ideas to the table and being a fresh voice within our group. It is always appreciated and required. The MGSVCT is a clear hit and has added so much to the forum. It has been a pleasure to see it take off in the sense that it has. 

@GolfSpy SAM - The life of the party? Your humor, participation and activity as well as helping lead the community calls has been so much fun and a huge additive to the forum. 

@GolfSpy_BNG - The classifieds section, fantasy sports and a lot more. You bring a ton to the forum which many may not realize at first. You have been a fantastic addition to the forum and we are all truly appreciative of the work and efforts you put forth.

@Golfspy_CG2 - As much as you try to retire or step back, you are always here and getting sucked back it. Not sure we have enough words to type to thank you for the efforts you put forth. You have so many insights and history on the forum that this place would truly not be the same without you.

There is no question the forum went through a downturn for a while there. However we got very fortunate as a new COO was named for MGS and he has (not at all that others at HQ havent been) allowed us to really take the forum in a way we saw best fit. In our first meeting with him he said something that has stuck with me. He said he didnt care about what happened in the past or what had been done right or wrong prior, but wanted us to move forward with fresh light and not look back. 

We have taken this heart and worked to drive all areas on the forum. 

Some of these areas are
- Member Testing - a record number of tests this season, a record number of participants and reviews being posted!
- MGSVCT - What a cool addition to the forum. Special events, weekly championships and a whole lot more! We do also secretly hope we can find a way that members can achieve official handicaps through our VCT, however that could still be a ways down the road. Oh and Bag Tags!
- Classifieds - New system, cleaner look, better method for searching and more. Still working on it taking off, but we are very happy with this platform. 
- Group Buys - So far just the Jones bag, but we may have something else coming your way. 
- Community Calls - One of my favourites and something I am so happy we started. 
- Course Reviews - Another which hasnt taken off, but happy to so all the new reviews there!
- Newsletter Updates and Upgrades - Get Forum Content every weekday and has definitely helped drive more users to the forum. 
- Forum Content on the main site! - This one I am just thrilled about. Period.
- Forum Socials - This we have actually handed over to HQ to handle and we hope that it will take big steps forward as we move forward. 
And more. 

This last year truthfully on the forum has been one of the busiest years period. Participation is up, activity and engagement levels are way up and we have seen so many new members on the forum that simply makes me smile. 

This year has also been, in truth, so so much work and I am so happy for it! The amount of nights I have been up till 1am or later doing work whether front end or back end has been countless, but when we see the excitement for membership and the shock when we release tests or just the overall growth of community it all makes it worth while. As much as this is really a job and work, it really isnt. For me I am proud of what we as a community have done this past year and how we have banded together to bring the forum from where it was a year ago to where we are today. This has not been a solo effort and not even just a staff effort, however the whole community. So a big shout out to all of you who have stuck with us and provided feedback or taken part in anything on the forum. We have this community because of you. 

I am so happy to celebrate 1 year as the lead on the forum and am so excited continue in this role driving the forum forward and ensuring that we continue to stay true to our roots of being a community. 

I could go on a lot longer, and may in future responses in this thread, but just a big thank you to HQ for putting me in this position, to the membership for sticking by us and the staff for contributing how you have and supporting me over this last year. 

One year down and a whole lot more to come!

 

Congratulations on your one year anniversary as Forum Director, Jamie. All of the Mods rock! You all work your butt off to make this site and the experience the best it can be for all!! I do not do any other type of social media or forum other than this site. Everyone is engaging and helpful. I have gained a lot of knowledge and insight to the game here. Not to mention all the unique opportunities that have been nothing short of amazing. I want to personally thank all of you!

[tony@CIC]

8 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Although this post/thread is more on a personal note it does in a sense apply to all of the Forum Staff. 

Today marks the 1 year mark since being named as the Forum Directory. A position I am extremely proud to be in and am so grateful to have been put in charge to help lead this community. However this could not have been done alone, we have an amazing staff that work so hard in the background and in truth do more than I think anyone could imagine to keep the community moving forward, bringing new ideas and helping with all the other forum stuff. 

There had been a good amount of turnover within the forum staff and having the stability of this group has made a world of a difference. 

So before I go forward I want to thank them.

@GolfSpy BOS - you were the first new hire since I came on as a Mod and have taken on so many things and been an incredible addition to our leadership group. Thank you for stepping up and helping drive this community forward. 

@GolfSpy TCB - Thank you for bringing all your ideas to the table and being a fresh voice within our group. It is always appreciated and required. The MGSVCT is a clear hit and has added so much to the forum. It has been a pleasure to see it take off in the sense that it has. 

@GolfSpy SAM - The life of the party? Your humor, participation and activity as well as helping lead the community calls has been so much fun and a huge additive to the forum. 

@GolfSpy_BNG - The classifieds section, fantasy sports and a lot more. You bring a ton to the forum which many may not realize at first. You have been a fantastic addition to the forum and we are all truly appreciative of the work and efforts you put forth.

@Golfspy_CG2 - As much as you try to retire or step back, you are always here and getting sucked back it. Not sure we have enough words to type to thank you for the efforts you put forth. You have so many insights and history on the forum that this place would truly not be the same without you.

There is no question the forum went through a downturn for a while there. However we got very fortunate as a new COO was named for MGS and he has (not at all that others at HQ havent been) allowed us to really take the forum in a way we saw best fit. In our first meeting with him he said something that has stuck with me. He said he didnt care about what happened in the past or what had been done right or wrong prior, but wanted us to move forward with fresh light and not look back. 

We have taken this heart and worked to drive all areas on the forum. 

Some of these areas are
- Member Testing - a record number of tests this season, a record number of participants and reviews being posted!
- MGSVCT - What a cool addition to the forum. Special events, weekly championships and a whole lot more! We do also secretly hope we can find a way that members can achieve official handicaps through our VCT, however that could still be a ways down the road. Oh and Bag Tags!
- Classifieds - New system, cleaner look, better method for searching and more. Still working on it taking off, but we are very happy with this platform. 
- Group Buys - So far just the Jones bag, but we may have something else coming your way. 
- Community Calls - One of my favourites and something I am so happy we started. 
- Course Reviews - Another which hasnt taken off, but happy to so all the new reviews there!
- Newsletter Updates and Upgrades - Get Forum Content every weekday and has definitely helped drive more users to the forum. 
- Forum Content on the main site! - This one I am just thrilled about. Period.
- Forum Socials - This we have actually handed over to HQ to handle and we hope that it will take big steps forward as we move forward. 
And more. 

This last year truthfully on the forum has been one of the busiest years period. Participation is up, activity and engagement levels are way up and we have seen so many new members on the forum that simply makes me smile. 

This year has also been, in truth, so so much work and I am so happy for it! The amount of nights I have been up till 1am or later doing work whether front end or back end has been countless, but when we see the excitement for membership and the shock when we release tests or just the overall growth of community it all makes it worth while. As much as this is really a job and work, it really isnt. For me I am proud of what we as a community have done this past year and how we have banded together to bring the forum from where it was a year ago to where we are today. This has not been a solo effort and not even just a staff effort, however the whole community. So a big shout out to all of you who have stuck with us and provided feedback or taken part in anything on the forum. We have this community because of you. 

I am so happy to celebrate 1 year as the lead on the forum and am so excited continue in this role driving the forum forward and ensuring that we continue to stay true to our roots of being a community. 

I could go on a lot longer, and may in future responses in this thread, but just a big thank you to HQ for putting me in this position, to the membership for sticking by us and the staff for contributing how you have and supporting me over this last year. 

One year down and a whole lot more to come!

 

Congrats to the entire team AND also to the new COO who had the good sense to let the team do their 'thing'

 

 

[GolfSpy SAM]

Congrats on a year, boss

 So happy to be a part of this group - not just the mod team, but the forum as a whole. It really has become my happy place!

 Here's to many more amazing years to come!

[TSauer]

Congrats on the year, Jamie!

Also, a HUGE thank you to you and everyone else for the incredible work you do on here, keeping this place organized and respectful. Your efforts in creating an awesome environment for all new and old members to share, learn, and communicate are truly invaluable.

This place wouldn’t be the same without you all! 

[fozcycle]

Congrats on the milestone, Jamie…..and to the entire MGS team. You are the direct result of Adam’s vision.

[funkyjudge]

Jamie- You and the entire forum staff do a fantastic job! I have a good idea how much work is involved, having been a longtime moderator on two different forums (one golf equipment oriented, and one having nothing to do with golf, as I am also a musician and musical instrument geek).

Keep up your great work, and rest assured that we the members truly appreciate all that you do for this great community!

[Placasse61]

You guys ROCK !!!!

[skraeling]

The forum was always kind of on the periphery for me.  I’m not new to forums (they used to be all the rage in the early 2000’s).  Forum use seemed to kind of really taper off across any subject matter.

changing tastes? Changing ways to interact with new social media types?  Maybe all of em.

dunno what it is about this forum that sucked me back in so hard to using one again.

 

either way enjoying participant ass off.  Really love the morning thread.  That and coffee really start my work days off on a good note.

Edited August 12, 2023 by skraeling

[GolfSpy_APH]

Thank you all for the incredible messages! Means a lot and again I am just proud that this community has rebounded the way it has this last year. 

I have to say The Good Morning Thread encompasses everything I personally want this forum to be about. It speaks volumes to the kind of people we have here on the forum and truly how awesome this community is!

[MattWillGolf]

Congratulations Jamie,

The forum has really exploded in the last year. The testing opportunities have simply been incredible. The engagement among the our fellow spies has been so great and it has sparked many friendships far and wide. I am truly grateful for this community. Treads like the Good Morning thread in particular are must visits for me and many as evidenced by the activity. The mods have been super helpful in keeping member testing moving and engaging. You all are greatly appreciated.

[Dead Solid Bogey]

This forum is the only social media that my female superior/ probation officer will allow me to engage with. Thank you all for the lifeline.