MyGolfSpy Forum: How To Be A Tester Guide

[sirchunksalot]

1 hour ago, Proimpactclubworx said:

Have you considered allowing bigger file sizes for pictures? Every profile picture I try to upload is too big for allowable size

I use Snapseed for resizing photos for both my profile photo and to post pictures on the forum. 

[Kevlar217]

2 hours ago, Proimpactclubworx said:

Have you considered allowing bigger file sizes for pictures? Every profile picture I try to upload is too big for allowable size

I’ve found a really simple way of doing this is to email yourself the photo and choose the size to send. Then you can download it at the smaller file size within minutes.

[GolfSpy_APH]

We share this thread constantly, and will continue to do so. We want to select new people for testing. 

Why? Because it is a lot of fun and we want to share in the journey and experience with more members of our fantastic community. 

How can you best get noticed? Unofficial reviews of whatever product you have is a great start! Make a WIYB (Whats in Your Bag) post and share whats in your bag, post some photos and a little about the why of your golf bag! 

Introduce yourself! 

These are not random selections, these are hand picks made by the forum staff and we truly want to get as many members and golfers involved as possible! 

If you have questions feel free to reach out to me or any of the other forum staff! 

[Cfhandyman]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

We share this thread constantly, and will continue to do so. We want to select new people for testing. 

Why? Because it is a lot of fun and we want to share in the journey and experience with more members of our fantastic community. 

How can you best get noticed? Unofficial reviews of whatever product you have is a great start! Make a WIYB (Whats in Your Bag) post and share whats in your bag, post some photos and a little about the why of your golf bag! 

Introduce yourself! 

These are not random selections, these are hand picks made by the forum staff and we truly want to get as many members and golfers involved as possible! 

If you have questions feel free to reach out to me or any of the other forum staff! 

Jamie, thank you for these regular reminders, tips and recommendations. Guess, I’m making a WITB post and how TXG got it right with the fitting. Thank you. 

[buckpillar]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

We share this thread constantly, and will continue to do so. We want to select new people for testing. 

Why? Because it is a lot of fun and we want to share in the journey and experience with more members of our fantastic community. 

How can you best get noticed? Unofficial reviews of whatever product you have is a great start! Make a WIYB (Whats in Your Bag) post and share whats in your bag, post some photos and a little about the why of your golf bag! 

Introduce yourself! 

These are not random selections, these are hand picks made by the forum staff and we truly want to get as many members and golfers involved as possible! 

If you have questions feel free to reach out to me or any of the other forum staff! 

Keep putting it out there, it will become second nature once everyone keeps seeing it.

Thank you for sharing this post, I will go in every now and then to check mine out and update need be.

I appreciate you and everything MGS brings to the world of golf!!

[cnosil]

26 minutes ago, buckpillar said:

Keep putting it out there, it will become second nature once everyone keeps seeing it.

 

While that is what the mods hope,  the reality is that people see the testing opportunities as a way to get free stuff and just put their name in the hat.   You can see this from the testers wanted posts on social media where people post that they have entered hundreds of times and are never selected and that it is a scam.  when it is pointed out that they need to be part of the forum community they simply say they don't want to do that and/or don't have time.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

12 minutes ago, cnosil said:

While that is what the mods hope,  the reality is that people see the testing opportunities as a way to get free stuff and just put their name in the hat.   You can see this from the testers wanted posts on social media where people post that they have entered hundreds of times and are never selected and that it is a scam.  when it is pointed out that they need to be part of the forum community they simply say they don't want to do that and/or don't have time.  

Exactly this. 

Many just want to be given free stuff. In fact we have actually lost members due to all the free no obligation stuff that gets given away on socials. They now just spend their time trying to win there, rather than interacting here. Which is fine! To each their own, but we are also acutely aware of that when we see certain names on the testers wanted signups. 

We lay out what we want or look for pretty clearly. We post it often enough that it should ... ugh ... should be easy enough to find and follow. However it may just take a little effort in order for us to trust people with hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of equipment. 

Of course I say all of this and you know all of this already! 

[smartak]

I think it’s a great opportunity to learn from the everyday players like we all are. 
The pros endorse what they want, 
we endorse what works for the avg joe. 
Most of us don’t have the deep pockets to afford some of the high end stuff so it’s great to learn about products from smaller companies that may be just as good!
 

[TJ Hall]

49 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Exactly this. 

Many just want to be given free stuff. In fact we have actually lost members due to all the free no obligation stuff that gets given away on socials. They now just spend their time trying to win there, rather than interacting here. Which is fine! To each their own, but we are also acutely aware of that when we see certain names on the testers wanted signups. 

We lay out what we want or look for pretty clearly. We post it often enough that it should ... ugh ... should be easy enough to find and follow. However it may just take a little effort in order for us to trust people with hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of equipment. 

Of course I say all of this and you know all of this already! 

There is so much work and time involved with being a part of a test.  You really have to be committed and put in the effort to make it successful.

I know the team puts in a ton of effort behind the scenes to make these opportunities even possible.  I’ve posted it before many times…but it really can’t be said enough, the MGS team is awesome and I am thank for your effort and dedication!

[cnosil]

3 minutes ago, TJ Hall said:

There is so much work and time involved with being a part of a test.  You really have to be committed and put in the effort to make it successful.

100%.  I typically apply for 1 or maybe 2 tests a year.  The reasons are:

• I want to test something that I have a serious interest in potentially using in my bag or I have a high interest in verifying/checking out the product claims.
• Testing is hard and I am not sure I can test the product to the level of detail that is needed....basically I don't know how I would test the particular product.   For example I am not sure how I would test a wedge.  I don't personally look for a head to head comparison of a product I already own so that influences my decision.  Prior to signing up I try to make a test plan.
• It is a commitment and by only applying to a few the mod staff knows that I have a personal interest in the product and am dedicated to trying to do the best I can evaluating the product.  
• Until you have tested a product, posted content, and written the various parts of the review you don't really understand how much commitment is necessary to do a good review.

[Rob Person]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Exactly this. 

Many just want to be given free stuff. In fact we have actually lost members due to all the free no obligation stuff that gets given away on socials. They now just spend their time trying to win there, rather than interacting here. Which is fine! To each their own, but we are also acutely aware of that when we see certain names on the testers wanted signups. 

We lay out what we want or look for pretty clearly. We post it often enough that it should ... ugh ... should be easy enough to find and follow. However it may just take a little effort in order for us to trust people with hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of equipment. 

Of course I say all of this and you know all of this already! 

Okay,  im one of those who enters dozens of SM contests. But, I have remained 100% committed to what this forum and it's members bring.  I'm not here for the free $hit. I'm not here for stats either.  I truly learn so much here, and I enjoy engaging the community too. That's not something I normally do.  The knowledge here is valuable. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 minute ago, Rob Person said:

Okay,  im one of those who enters dozens of SM contests. But, I have remained 100% committed to what this forum and it's members bring.  I'm not here for the free $hit. I'm not here for stats either.  I truly learn so much here, and I enjoy engaging the community too. That's not something I normally do.  The knowledge here is valuable. 

Oh we know Rob!

Never had a doubt with you. I was more referencing to many who we don't see anymore. Members who were long time contributors and now have moved on to just tagging me relentlessly in social posts lol

Again to each their own! Nothing wrong with that and good on them for getting those prizes.

You and so many others know the work it takes for a review. It's not a prize, it is a part time job!

I also look at it like this - I got a putter to test (Odyssey) it was valued at $400 so now I need to make sure I provide at least $500 worth of content. That meant a lot of posts and responses and more.

If we give someone a $600 driver and they only post 20 times... Do those posts equal $30 per? Maybe, but they better be big thorough posts.

This is all of course during testing. I would prefer to see near 60 posts and updates or thoughts during then to make it closer to the $10 range.

Pretty sure @GolfSpy_KFT made 500 posts in the Cobra thread for his full bag.

It's not necessarily how we look at it, but it's something to consider.

[TJ Hall]

8 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Oh we know Rob!

Never had a doubt with you. I was more referencing to many who we don't see anymore. Members who were long time contributors and now have moved on to just tagging me relentlessly in social posts lol

Again to each their own! Nothing wrong with that and good on them for getting those prizes.

You and so many others know the work it takes for a review. It's not a prize, it is a part time job!

I also look at it like this - I got a putter to test (Odyssey) it was valued at $400 so now I need to make sure I provide at least $500 worth of content. That meant a lot of posts and responses and more.

If we give someone a $600 driver and they only post 20 times... Do those posts equal $30 per? Maybe, but they better be big thorough posts.

This is all of course during testing. I would prefer to see near 60 posts and updates or thoughts during then to make it closer to the $10 range.

Pretty sure @GolfSpy_KFT made 500 posts in the Cobra thread for his full bag.

It's not necessarily how we look at it, but it's something to consider.

I really like what @cnosilmentioned earlier about having a plan before signing up.  With all of the updates, it has to be engaging for others…writing a book isn’t necessarily the best way to keep someone following.  Words, pictures and data all go together in my opinion.

[bens197]

12 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Introduce yourself! 

These are not random selections, these are hand picks made by the forum staff and we truly want to get as many members and golfers involved as possible! 

Bookmark this folks.  Put yourself out there and engage…it’s worth it!  And not just for the opportunity to test…you meet some really great folks along the way

 

[Cagolfer]

Great insight into how people are selected and the tracking that goes into each review.  Bummer that there are those that get an opportunity and do not put in the time or do not submit a review at all.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

16 hours ago, Cagolfer said:

Great insight into how people are selected and the tracking that goes into each review.  Bummer that there are those that get an opportunity and do not put in the time or do not submit a review at all.  

It is rare. Maybe 1% and we make note of that so they are never selected again. 

Too many other good be members to risk that happening again. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Just going to say this once here - If you are already testing something don't sign up for more testing opportunities. It looks greedy and selfish. Members will typically only get one opportunity per season. We also will not select someone if they are currently in another testing period. 

We have a ton of great members and want to spread the opportunities around. 

Signing up for test after test after test (especially when you have been selected) is something we notice... and not in a good way. 

 

Edit: We used to send out messages saying hey, just so you know this looks bad etc. However we aren't doing that any longer. It is up to you all to see and understand it as we lay it out. 

[J5hort]

Would it be better practice not to sign up if you have already been selected?

I have not heard back from any testing opportunities and assume that I have not been selected.

[GolfSpy_APH]

2 minutes ago, J5hort said:

Would it be better practice not to sign up if you have already been selected?

I have not heard back from any testing opportunities and assume that I have not been selected.

For sure, if taking part in an opportunity then we should not expect to see your name on the sign up list.

We mention this time and time again, but testing is a lot of work and being selective in testing opportunities (by that meaning selective in what a member signs up for) shows us they are really interested in that particular opportunity.

Of course if someone has never tested before we more or less expect to see them register for every opportunity as there is the excitement for being a tester or becoming one.

You would know if you were selected as you would receive a PM from us and we would be going through the process afterwards.

My message is more for those currently taking part in tests - or those who do get selected soon. Finish your current test first, see how that goes then consider putting your name back in. 

[Swood1994]

17 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

For sure, if taking part in an opportunity then we should not expect to see your name on the sign up list.

We mention this time and time again, but testing is a lot of work and being selective in testing opportunities (by that meaning selective in what a member signs up for) shows us they are really interested in that particular opportunity.

Of course if someone has never tested before we more or less expect to see them register for every opportunity as there is the excitement for being a tester or becoming one.

You would know if you were selected as you would receive a PM from us and we would be going through the process afterwards.

My message is more for those currently taking part in tests - or those who do get selected soon. Finish your current test first, see how that goes then consider putting your name back in. 

I think I know the answer to this already but may be good to call out or answer for others. While signing up for multiple tests is frowned upon in the scenario you outlined. Does commenting on the sign up thread with thoughts, opinions, and wishing everyone good luck on the sign up thread help generate visibility to the test which can be done without signing up and is sort of encouraged?

[Jimg15]

I too have signed up to be a tester and have not had the opportunity.  I recently got back into Golf because of the Pandemic.  As always it is a process to get better everyday and it really never stops.  I would like to have the opportunity to test at lease one product.  

Thank you,

Jim G.

[GolfSpy_APH]

3 minutes ago, Swood1994 said:

I think I know the answer to this already but may be good to call out or answer for others. While signing up for multiple tests is frowned upon in the scenario you outlined. Does commenting on the sign up thread with thoughts, opinions, and wishing everyone good luck on the sign up thread help generate visibility to the test which can be done without signing up and is sort of encouraged?

I hardly look at the signup threads haha go for it!

[Swood1994]

1 minute ago, Jimg15 said:

I too have signed up to be a tester and have not had the opportunity.  I recently got back into Golf because of the Pandemic.  As always it is a process to get better everyday and it really never stops.  I would like to have the opportunity to test at lease one product.  

Thank you,

Jim G.

Welcome to the forum! Looks like this is your first post. If you truly want to be a tester check out the first post in this thread from @GolfSpy_APH which explains how you can accomplish that. Main things are to complete your profile and get involved with with the forum outside of the testing threads. head over to the good morning thread to say hi, start a thread with WITB and introduce yourself. there are a lot of great people here on the forum and its a lot more than just testing. looking forward to seeing you around!

[GolfSpy_APH]

3 minutes ago, Swood1994 said:

I think I know the answer to this already but may be good to call out or answer for others. While signing up for multiple tests is frowned upon in the scenario you outlined. Does commenting on the sign up thread with thoughts, opinions, and wishing everyone good luck on the sign up thread help generate visibility to the test which can be done without signing up and is sort of encouraged?

I hardly look at the signup threads haha go for it!

[J5hort]

Would a lottery style work better for this, with a limit on how many tests you are selected for in a given time period?

[Rob Person]

9 minutes ago, J5hort said:

Would a lottery style work better for this, with a limit on how many tests you are selected for in a given time period?

I believe it was stated that you might only be selected once per testing season. However, there may be certain tests designed for specific types of players and you may have the opportunity to be selected again if you meet the criteria the manufacturer is looking for.

Edited March 14 by Rob Person

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, J5hort said:

Would a lottery style work better for this, with a limit on how many tests you are selected for in a given time period?

Jumping and answering for the mods but the short answer is no.   Longer answer, If you have read the first post and this thread you will see part of the selection criteria is how much you participate on the forum.   This is done to avoid people that just want free stuff and could potentially not do the required review.   Participating on the forum shows commitment, gives the selection team and idea about your ability to write a review, and builds confidence that the selected person will actually do a review.   The OEMs, are providing a significant amount of equipment and this is just part of what the mod team does to ensure the OEMs get what they were promised.    You don’t have to have thousands of posts to be considered, many of the testers have less than 100.   

Edited March 14 by cnosil

[Triple_Putt]

55 minutes ago, J5hort said:

Would a lottery style work better for this, with a limit on how many tests you are selected for in a given time period?

That could be a disaster, for the same reason employers interview candidates, MGS needs to try their best to ensure the people they are choosing will actually provide a review, and an insightful one at that, which will resonate with a wide group of people. The OEMs provide the equipment with those intentions, and if we the forum users fail, it only lessens our future opportunities. From the 20+ handicaps to scratch golfers, they try to have a range for each and every test. 

Edited March 14 by Triple_Putt

[J5hort]

I see. Perhaps an "must be a member for x months" or x many of posts". I am an email junkie, so if an offer or reminder of a post happens, I address it. I am a very active member of forums in general and was lured here by an advertisement for testing. I am assuming there is a certain amount of click bait involved to grow membership. Constant reminders in email about testing seem to be the norm.  Assuming that persons like myself will post as time permits which is the case as I have many questions/comments about new gear, the game and courses as I return to the game.

 

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 hour ago, J5hort said:

Would a lottery style work better for this, with a limit on how many tests you are selected for in a given time period?

100% no.

We get these opportunities from OEMs because they trust our selections and our process. 

Last year we were able to provide over 100k in equipment and this year we will easily clear that. 

If you want contests that's what IG and Twitter or X are for.

Testing opportunities are provided from contributing members who are active and engaged in our community. The ones that will provide valuable in depth reviews we can trust and our community can count on.

We may adapt some things but a lottery will never happen.