MyGolfSpy Forum: How To Be A Tester Guide

[GolfSpy_APH]

MyGolfSpy Forum Guide: How To Be A Tester

As promised I wanted to do an update for our Want To Be A Tester Thread. We take pride in our transparency and member testing platform. 2023 was an incredible season and it continues to provide amazing opportunities to all of our members. 

For those new to the Forum let me break down the keys to becoming a Forum Tester and how to increase your chances at being selected. (I will break down the why afterwards)

It should also be noted that we as staff view member testing opportunities as a way to give back to the members who have contributed so much to our community. It should also be noted that these reviews are a lot of work and take a lot of time to commit to. 

All Forum Members selected for testing must have a profile photo. This is our most basic rule, but the bottom line is no profile photo = no selection. 

Recent Activity - We want to see and have members who are actively engaged in the community. This does not necessarily mean posting everyday 10 plus times a day. But a steady history or pattern of activity is a must. 

Posting an unofficial review. This is not a must, but helps give us an idea for your writing style and overall ability and completing a thorough review for us. 

These are 3 simple, yet very effective ways to being noticed by the Forum Staff and having your name stand out as we go through the tester selection process. 

Now as to why we look for those previous 3 areas of criteria. 

Photos and media content are essential for testing. While some people are good writers, a bunch of text can be a tough slog to read through. We want to see creative photos and media that highlight the product. If someone cannot even bother to post a profile photo it gives us little confidence they could do any photos in a review. 

Photos and media are becoming ever more important for our reviews, especially with our Forum Recap Articles gaining further recognition and popularity with OEMs and MyGolfSpy readers. Good, high quality photos which highlight and feature the product are essential. 

Recent Activity is also extremely important. This shows us reliability to post consistently and take part in conversation throughout the testing period, as well as after the testing period. Being able to see that history gives us added confidence in our selection. Now when I say history I do not mean years of posting. It will be shown a little later in this post, but we actively try to get new people involved. 

Posting an unofficial review is pretty self explanatory, but for us when we are giving out thousands of dollars worth of equipment we want to have a level of confidence in who we are selecting. 

So is that all we look at when selecting testers? No, definitely not. 

The other things we look at and take note of are as follows. 

Post to Reaction Ratio: This is a simple metric, but gives us a slight idea of the value contributions to the community. However posting in the Good Morning Thread is a bit of a cheat code for that. 

Donor Status: For those that have, but don’t have the tag please let one of the staff members know and we can add that for you. While not a deal breaker one way or another, it can be used as a tie breaker. 

OEM requests: This one you can’t really know about ahead of time. However as these companies are providing equipment for free they are within their rights to ask for certain handicaps, situations, swing speeds, geographic regions and more. These questions are asked in the signup form. 

For those with lower post counts we can see login dates to see that someone is visiting the site. Maybe you are someone who loves reading the forum, but are hesitant to post that much or feel as though you do not have a lot to contribute. I ensure that you do have a lot to contribute no matter who you are, but at least this allows us to see that someone is taking an active interest in the forum. 

For those that have tested before. Previous review grades and comments are taken into account. More on that below. 

How long do I have to be a Forum Member before I am considered for Testing?

A week? A month? Longer? I was a member for 2 years before I was selected for my first testing opportunity. However it took me a year to really get involved. There is no magic number for how long it takes to be a tester. Simply put we want to select members who are active contributors within our community. That doesn’t have to mean a long history of posts. 

We also actively try our best to give at least one new tester in on every testing opportunity that happens. In 2023 this happened in nearly every test. 

What else can help me become a tester?

These are small things and are not requirements, but help with us getting to know you a little more or at the very least recognize your forum name. 

Follow us on our social platforms - The Forum has accounts on Instagram and Twitter… or X. 

Join our Community Call: Every Thursday we host a Community Call for our members to have general chit chat and sometimes Live Q&A with different golf companies or people. These are a great way for a member to get to know the staff, ask questions and for us to get to know you a little better. Importantly you don’t have to have your camera or mic on, but can simply sit back and listen or type questions in the chat. It is a great way to quickly get involved and see what our community is all about. 

What are the other rules or guidelines to Member Testing?

Members generally only get one opportunity to test each season. Meaning if you are selected for a set of irons it is unlikely you will be selected for another test during the season. There are some exceptions, however we have a lot of great members and want to spread the opportunities around as best we can. 

Smaller tests such as golf balls, gloves, grips and that sort of thing do leave you eligible for other tests later in the season, however members will only be allowed to be involved in one review at a time. Basically no testing two items at once. 

For our testing opportunities like Cobra Challenge and full bag opportunities a member can only take part in these once. Period. These are amazing opportunities and of course a lot of fun and work, but we have too many incredible members to give these to any member multiple times. 

I mention these previous points to highlight a greater point. Please only register or sign up for the testing opportunities you are really excited about and if you are currently testing please do not sign up for other testing opportunities. To be frank it looks greedy and like you are only here for free stuff. 

Are there certain things that would make me ineligible for a testing opportunity?

Outside of not having a profile photo, it should go without saying but all testers must be members of the forum. To that end you must also be a member in good standing. This means no current warnings on your account. 

Another factor that comes into play are poor previous review scores. I will put this bluntly, if a tester have gone mia on a testing opportunity in the past or been a difficult tester missing deadlines, not providing a review or come close to meeting the deadlines. We have very little reason to consider that person for any future review opportunities. We have too many deserving members to go back to that well or take that risk. 

Geo Restrictions are the other factor. It should be highlighted and noted that we encourage all testing opportunities to be eligible for all our members, however some OEMs have certain restrictions and in the end it is their call. I am a lefty and live outside the US so I am in your corner, but we are also not going to deny an opportunity if is just US only. Another factor in this is over 90% of the community is US and Canada based. Getting a larger portion of outside NA members will help increase are chances of getting more worldwide testing. 

I have been selected as a tester, now what?

Your lead Forum Staff Member will guide you throughout the process. If there is a fitting involved or any other requirements they will facilitate those and ensure that everything is run smoothly. 

Most importantly, carefully read all the instructions and documents provided. There is a lot to go over and missing key points can cause you to get behind or miss important deadlines. 

The biggest thing is ask questions if you have them! The forum staff are here to help and work with all the testers throughout the process. 

What Happens After Testing?

Even after an official test is completed it is highly encouraged that testers continue to take part in discussion. There may still be questions and may still activity on the thread which you should engage in. We love seeing ongoing and longer term updates as it helps anyone considering buying the product have a longer term view of how the product performs. 

Your Lead Forum Staff Member will then grade your review and participation and you will be given a survey to fill out. After these have been completed you will get your official tester badge!

Technically speaking you are now eligible to enter in for more testing opportunities, however as we said above for the most part a member will only get to take part in 1 tester per season. Again I repeat it is why anyone should only sign up for the products they are truly interested in. 

_____________________________________________________

FAQ

I never get picked! Why don't I ever get picked?
I hear you, but have you done most of the above? Have you provided worthwhile contributions to the forum? Do you have a profile photo? The answers are all above and we lay out the process pretty clear. The rest is up to you. That being said posting in the TESTERS WANTED pages does not count towards your post count. Also the pick me pick me type posts don't really fly with us. Post them as you like or if you like, but again we want to see members adding value to the forum. Those posts are not. 

What happens if I get sick or injured during testing?
Look this is a lot of work, but at the end of the day we understand things in life happen. TELL THE FORUM STAFF! We can make adjustments and arrange dates to work with everyone's schedule. However you have to tell us first!

I don't have social media accounts, does that mean I can't be a tester?
This is not a requirement for us. It is nice when the forum gets mentioned and a member is able to bring attention to the forum via social channels, but not a requirement. Good photos however are and with phones today there is little reason why anyone wouldn't be able to take a decent photo. 

Why don't we know what tests are coming so we can wait to sign up for the ones we really want and not risk getting picked for one we don't really love?
We build our schedule out starting about now, however it takes time and things move around so there are no guarantees on when a test will be posted or moved. Posting our schedule to everyone also wouldn't be fair to the smaller tests or some of the lesser known brands which come to testing. We want excitement for every test and mystery in whats to come. If you aren't excited about the product up for testing, don't sign up. 

I was picked and the product just didn't work for me. What now?
First I hope that the person enjoyed the review and was able to provide a good thorough and honest review. If it doesn't work, so be it! That being said we do not allow for any reason a member to sell their testing equipment for at least 2 product cycles. If it doesn't work for you, then pass it along to another member and let them try it. This happened several times this season with various products and members were able to get more testing opportunities. Pay it forward!

But seriously, I have been here for X amount of years and still never get picked. 
Yeah I bring this up again because you would not believe the emails we get. We picked a lot of testers this year, if a longer term member hasn't been picked the basics of is the timing wasn't right or the activity level just wasn't there. There are some tests we feel some testers would be great for and others not as great, we have thousands of applications and have to pick 4-6, it isn't easy and not a ton of fun. If your name hasn't been called there are some gaps in the above material. 

_______________________________________________

I hope all of you have found this beneficial and productive to go through. The forum staff spend a lot of time going through all the applicants and reviews and so much more. It is not an easy task and we take pride in the selections we make. The testers that don't live up to expectations well that is tough for us and not a great look on us, the forum and this community. Therefore we take a good amount of time and effort to hand pick each tester. There were some testers this year that under performed to a level that they will not be partaking in testing moving forward. On a good note there were a ton of excellent testers and reviews which we are all very proud of. 

If you have questions please just ask! If you have concerns or want to know more then please reach out to one of the forum staff members. The other thread is going to be locked and this will be the main thread moving forward. There will also be subsequent larger drops of information here for all to view as we aim to be as transparent as possible with testing and make sure that anyone who really wants to be a tester will have that chance and ability to be. 

Thank you all for reading!
 

[GolfSpy_APH]

I did promise an update so here it is!

In 2023 we had 44 testing opportunity not counting the Titleist Whitebox (yes counting Odyssey). Needless to say this was a banner year and we had more testers than ever before and more product provided to the community than ever before. 

Thanks to @Lacassem who totaled up much of testing opportunities. MyGolfSpy was able to provide our community with over 100k in golf equipment.... I will let that sink in for a little bit. 

We did of course strike out with a few companies and others preferred to wait, but we already have a good group committed to 2024 and one of the single most impressive testing opportunities ever to come as part of the 2024 season. 

There has also been a lot more attention given to the reviews our members are doing. With social sharing, Forum recaps getting the attention of OEMs and using them on their platforms and so much more our testing platform has become a valuable tool for companies to test their equipment. This is of course fantastic! No question, however it has given the staff reason to evaluate our own processes as we want to continue providing excellent thorough reviews for our community, for the companies providing the reviews and MyGolfSpy overall. 

So what does this mean? Since taking on this role I have made it a goal of mine to be as open and honest with the community about what is going on, what is coming and how we do things to ensure everyone feels they are valued and can be heard. With that being said here are some things we all get to look forward to going into 2024. 

Well before I get into that let me do a breakdown of the testing group in 2023. 

Total Testers: 218 Members Selected
New Testers: 109 Members who had never tested before
Two Time Testers: 34 Members who had tested only once before. 

This means we easily reached our target to get new members involved in testers and make sure that everyone felt as though they had a legitimate opportunity of being chosen. 50% of the testers were new! This also means we are putting a lot of faith in you our members who are new to produce good quality reviews that are located properly, active within threads and include media content as well as being on time. 

Overall it was a successful season, but sadly we did have 4 testers not complete, go missing or simply not produce reviews that were even close to the standard we require. These reviewers will not be testing again anytime soon and received a 1 on our scale. For those that are curious about how the scale works I have included our general template here: General Template Guide

Above is the general guide for how scoring works. Again though as our platform is evolving we also need to and therefore we are adding a few more processes which will help us give a better indication of how someone is as a tester. From reading and following instructions (the template and our guidelines are pretty straight forward and easy to understand for those that decide to read them properly).

As for the other grades we had 11 scores of 2, 61 scores of 3, 50 scores of 4 and 37 scores of 5. There are still several reviews which are awaiting review scores or have yet to be completed which is why all the totals don't add up. 

It does show the majority of the reviews so far were graded favorably and what we want to see. A large portion are pretty standard, which is fine, we want to see better, but we can also work with those that have 3's to improve for next time and a low level of poor scores. Typically a score of a 2 or worse means only a low level test almost like a prove it deal for the next opportunity. Scores of 4 and 5 will boost a testers rep and likely earn them a chance at a better testing opportunity in the next season and a 3 is someone we still trust, but may have some slight hesitations on. 

Keep in mind all of this has nothing to do with whether you liked the product or not. It all has to do with your writing, time, effort, posts, photos and interactions that go into being a tester. The one hiccup we have found with this is it can leave out some key aspects when grading a tester's overall performance. 

Therefore moving forward for all future testing opportunities we are going to be tracking reviews a lot more closely in order to identify the testers that really stand out. 

As you can see testers (some of you have already done these, but will be required to fill out the google form for the terms and conditions) will fill out a T&C Form which goes along with the Congrats on being a tester PM. Then each stage of your review is going to be tracked and followed. We expect everyone to be able to post at minimum 3 times per week in their testing thread. For small reviews (headcovers etc) we will make adjustments, however the expectation is that testers will be much more involved. 

This may sound daunting, however we have another surprise which will come in a future update on how we will make this easier for testers to achieve. Simple breakdown 0 Posts gets you a red. Meaning you went mia for a week. 1-2 posts is the bare minimum and scrapping by. 3 or more is all good news! 

It should be said the Forum Staff are more than willing to work around schedules, injuries and other things that come up, however we NEED TO BE INFORMED! Not telling us and waiting for us to follow up or us having to make contact means it is too late. 

Reviews are then going to graded in terms of the participation itself, then the media (photos, video, screenshots etc), post review follow up (if there is any) and finally a baseline recommendation if this member should be recommended for future tests. 

This may seem like micro managing, however we know how many eyes are on these reviews and how much attention they are getting. It is not unreasonable for us to have greater expectations of the reviews moving forward. 

As always (and as it says in the template) testers are encouraged to reach out and ask questions if they are having troubles or issues. We are here to help and are working on a full how to series to make everyone's life with videos, photos and other media content easier. 

A question we always get asked is if these review grades are shared. The answer is yes, if you ask for them we will happily share your personal grade with you. 

We are also going to try and help our selected testers by linking reviews we feel are the benchmarks in their categories for testers to see, read and have a good idea of our expectations. Again the template is easy to follow and very indepth, but we still want to make it easier for you to see how you are going to test the product to make a review that is uniquely you while being relatable and effective to membership. 

That is all for now and I may update a little to this post in the future, however a for now a big shout out to all those testers this season who were selected. It was a lot of fun and 2024 looks to be another stellar season with a few surprises along the way!

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

What makes a member qualified for testing?

This came up in a recent thread, so worth diving into it now and clearing the air. 

As we have stated before, you do not need a specific post count or to be a member for that long to be a tester. So what do we look for? I will try to make this as simple as possible in stating our goal when we select testers. (Outside of making sure everyone picked followed all the instructions in the testers wanted post).

Our goal is to find and select the members who will do the best quality reviews for any given opportunity, while providing a diverse group to provide the highest possible value reviews for the broadest group of membership. 

What does this mean?

We actively try to find the best variety of handicaps, abilities, age groups and more to best showcase a product from a wide range of testers. 

Of course there are some tests that have a more narrow spectrum, but generally we try to find a variety of different handicaps. We want reviews to be relatable and feel like you can connect with Tester X because they are a similar player to you. Or they have the same swing speed or whatever else. 

Putter test? Four Testers? We try to find a couple who have putting as a strength and a couple as a weakness. 

Driver test? Same thing, but sometimes it is cool to see a member who has a product that is a few generations old for comparison. This way we can give an idea for all those out there with drivers several years old to potentially see what they are missing out on. 

Training Aid? Same thing, split it up between strengths, weaknesses, handicaps and age groups. 

Some things come down to locations - TPT is a great example. We need 4 testers that were in or willing to travel to a specific region. That limited the field, but we still found 4 great testers of different abilities, ages and handicaps. 

Bottom line - while posting and being active is a given we do look at the big picture for the community as a key contributing factor in our reviews and who we select. 

For those that are selected are expectations are stupid high. Some would say unreasonable.... some have actually said that. However when your review can directly impact someones choice to spend money on a product or not I think the expectation is warranted. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

It's a long one but I hope that this new update answers a lot of the questions asked in one single post. 

[Shlax]

For those wanting the point of view of a grateful first time tester this year, I would summarize this by saying:

Be involved and make sure to enjoy your time on the Forum. Be authentic, polite and supportive of your peers and don’t be shy to open up and share whatever golf related thoughts/projects/worries/achievements/obsessions you might have. An opportunity will organically present itself when the time is right.

Good luck!

Edited October 31, 2023 by Shlax
Typos

[Shrek74]

25 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

It's a long one but I hope that this new update answers a lot of the questions asked in one single post. 

Thanks Jamie. Always love the info you mods give us, on all topics. I can't even fathom the amount of emails and stuff you guys get around this. Makes my brain hurt thinking about it. 

One of the questions in Jamie's details above happened to me. I was selected to test the Stack System, but due to an elbow injury that didn't like the heavy/hard swinging, I had to bow out. I alerted my Mod contact about it right away and there was no fuss about it at all. They helped take care of getting the next person in line and for me to get the product shipped over to them. As Jamie mentioned, just stay in contact and be honest and open. Just my $0.02.

Edited October 31, 2023 by Shrek74
Added content

[GolfSpy_KFT]

As a first time tester this year who was selected for the Cobra Challenge, the best advice I can give is essentially just repetitive of what Jamie posted above. Get involved throughout the forum and share your thoughts on threads. You will NOT be put down or belittled on this forum. If that does happen, odds are the individual responsible for it will be contacted in short order by the mod staff here. I have never had an interaction where I felt that someone was going after me. Getting involved is the quickest way to getting on your way to a testing opportunity. 

Secondly, I did an unofficial review last year to get my feet wet in understanding some of the processes of reviews. I reached out to a mod to ask for some guidance as to how reviews were formatted, etc., and went with it. It's a great way to get a feel for it and to show your writing skills. These can be done on any product, I currently have one going on a Mevo launch monitor and the FJ Hyperflex BOA. 

Now lastly, did I apply for multiple tests and not get selected? Yes, and more often than not you'll apply and not be selected. Don't get discouraged, try not to let it frustrate you, and keep in mind that if you are actively engaged and visiting the forum, you WILL be given an opportunity. Once you do, make the most of it! It's a lot of work but equally a ton of fun.

[xOldBenKenobiX]

Another great summary Jamie, this should be a great read to all who want to become testers, thank you for summarizing it.

[Josh Parker]

The breakdown is perfect. This community is more than just testing and the people in the forum have built a great community without alot of the other junk that you see in social media. 

Be involved and chat. Everyone I have encountered has been great.  

This is a MUST read for anyone wanting to be a tester.

[TJ Hall]

Great write up and description…appreciate all of the effort that goes into this forum and testing overall.  It is an amazing opportunity and while I am disappointed to not get selected for the “big” tests, I am happy for those that do.  All have provided excellent feedback and have been worthy of their selection.

You all are awesome!

[skraeling]

6 hours ago, Jnoble89 said:

As a first time tester this year who was selected for the Cobra Challenge, the best advice I can give is essentially just repetitive of what Jamie posted above. Get involved throughout the forum and share your thoughts on threads. You will NOT be put down or belittled on this forum. If that does happen, odds are the individual responsible for it will be contacted in short order by the mod staff here. I have never had an interaction where I felt that someone was going after me. Getting involved is the quickest way to getting on your way to a testing opportunity. 

Secondly, I did an unofficial review last year to get my feet wet in understanding some of the processes of reviews. I reached out to a mod to ask for some guidance as to how reviews were formatted, etc., and went with it. It's a great way to get a feel for it and to show your writing skills. These can be done on any product, I currently have one going on a Mevo launch monitor and the FJ Hyperflex BOA. 

Now lastly, did I apply for multiple tests and not get selected? Yes, and more often than not you'll apply and not be selected. Don't get discouraged, try not to let it frustrate you, and keep in mind that if you are actively engaged and visiting the forum, you WILL be given an opportunity. Once you do, make the most of it! It's a lot of work but equally a ton of fun.

Ive not once seen any sort of aggression here or belittling even on questions or posts that have been seen before.  Hell one of my first posts was a pet thread or something that I derped and didnt see first.  Everyone is beyond chill here.  This is funny as golf is one of the most infuriatingly challenging sports out there

[Rob Person]

thanks forum mods for maintaining the boards and the testing opportunities.  I joined from seeing a post in IG, but have read so much more than anticipated.   love the layout and the feedback from everyone.

[bens197]

Jamie nailed it.  OEM’s rely upon Mods to select testers based upon credibility and reliability.  Especially when it comes to your ability to tell a relatable story that documents your experience.  

[Berg Ryman]

As someone else who always tried to help when these posts come up, I don't think I have to anymore. This spells everything out better than I could

[GolfSpy_APH]

Have another update to come soon now that testing is wrapped up and I can dive into the data a bit more.

[Derek9rx]

Thanks for the updated information. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

So the Forum Staff are hard at work and I know 2023 was great... 2024 may just end up being better. 

[xOldBenKenobiX]

9 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

So the Forum Staff are hard at work and I know 2023 was great... 2024 may just end up being better. 

 

I'm kidding this year was already great, I can't wait to see what 2024 will bring us.

[GolfSpy_APH]

One of several updates to come as we continue to keep you informed and provide our community with incredible opportunities. If you want to learn how to be a tester it is all here for you to find and read. Or if we haven't covered something just ask! 

[BringerofRain]

You have provided the keys to success. Excellent information. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

52 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

You have provided the keys to success. Excellent information. 

While we have made great friends here on the forum as staff and know many of the members quite well, we still really want to get new people involved so we can grow our tester field and contine to push for more testing opportunities. 

Truthfully we won't be having a year like this one with 40+ tests. The field got pretty small and we want to avoid selecting the same member for multiple tests per season. This may mean we see a slight decrease in tests next season, maybe. However there will still be plenty and those who are active and engaged will get their opportunities. 

[Gary DeMarchi]

I join this forum as I heard people talking about it at a golf outing. There is a learning curve for someone like me. I don't know the acronyms like OEM and others might be simple for the younger crowd but I am 66 retired and finally able to play golf. I played in the virtual team that was a lot of fun! I am just learning to get around this site sometimes it is a bit confusing but I am sure this is just me and thanks for the info.

[Josh Parker]

3 minutes ago, Gary DeMarchi said:

I join this forum as I heard people talking about it at a golf outing. There is a learning curve for someone like me. I don't know the acronyms like OEM and others might be simple for the younger crowd but I am 66 retired and finally able to play golf. I played in the virtual team that was a lot of fun! I am just learning to get around this site sometimes it is a bit confusing but I am sure this is just me and thanks for the info.

Welcome Gary!  We have all ages on here and the nice part of it is everyone gets along pretty well.  It's been one of the more friendly sites I have been on.

Helpful Link  

The link above is for the Streams tab and has a lot of the topics that are being chatted in for the day.  

We also have the MGS Virtual Tour that is a lot of fun.

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

7 minutes ago, Gary DeMarchi said:

I join this forum as I heard people talking about it at a golf outing. There is a learning curve for someone like me. I don't know the acronyms like OEM and others might be simple for the younger crowd but I am 66 retired and finally able to play golf. I played in the virtual team that was a lot of fun! I am just learning to get around this site sometimes it is a bit confusing but I am sure this is just me and thanks for the info.

Use the recent content and search functions. They are both very useful tools.

Other important things we put as announcements so they are a single click away.

As for the short forms, they will become second nature before you know it. OEM being golf equipment manufacturers. 

Of course if you have questions just ask! We are a friendly group and happy to help where we can.

[Gary DeMarchi]

Great info guys thanks!

[Mike Brown]

On 10/30/2023 at 8:20 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

MyGolfSpy Forum Guide: How To Be A Tester

As promised I wanted to do an update for our Want To Be A Tester Thread. We take pride in our transparency and member testing platform. 2023 was an incredible season and it continues to provide amazing opportunities to all of our members. 

For those new to the Forum let me break down the keys to becoming a Forum Tester and how to increase your chances at being selected. (I will break down the why afterwards)

It should also be noted that we as staff view member testing opportunities as a way to give back to the members who have contributed so much to our community. It should also be noted that these reviews are a lot of work and take a lot of time to commit to. 

All Forum Members selected for testing must have a profile photo. This is our most basic rule, but the bottom line is no profile photo = no selection. 

Recent Activity - We want to see and have members who are actively engaged in the community. This does not necessarily mean posting everyday 10 plus times a day. But a steady history or pattern of activity is a must. 

Posting an unofficial review. This is not a must, but helps give us an idea for your writing style and overall ability and completing a thorough review for us. 

These are 3 simple, yet very effective ways to being noticed by the Forum Staff and having your name stand out as we go through the tester selection process. 

Now as to why we look for those previous 3 areas of criteria. 

Photos and media content are essential for testing. While some people are good writers, a bunch of text can be a tough slog to read through. We want to see creative photos and media that highlight the product. If someone cannot even bother to post a profile photo it gives us little confidence they could do any photos in a review. 

Photos and media are becoming ever more important for our reviews, especially with our Forum Recap Articles gaining further recognition and popularity with OEMs and MyGolfSpy readers. Good, high quality photos which highlight and feature the product are essential. 

Recent Activity is also extremely important. This shows us reliability to post consistently and take part in conversation throughout the testing period, as well as after the testing period. Being able to see that history gives us added confidence in our selection. Now when I say history I do not mean years of posting. It will be shown a little later in this post, but we actively try to get new people involved. 

Posting an unofficial review is pretty self explanatory, but for us when we are giving out thousands of dollars worth of equipment we want to have a level of confidence in who we are selecting. 

So is that all we look at when selecting testers? No, definitely not. 

The other things we look at and take note of are as follows. 

Post to Reaction Ratio: This is a simple metric, but gives us a slight idea of the value contributions to the community. However posting in the Good Morning Thread is a bit of a cheat code for that. 

Donor Status: For those that have, but don’t have the tag please let one of the staff members know and we can add that for you. While not a deal breaker one way or another, it can be used as a tie breaker. 

OEM requests: This one you can’t really know about ahead of time. However as these companies are providing equipment for free they are within their rights to ask for certain handicaps, situations, swing speeds, geographic regions and more. These questions are asked in the signup form. 

For those with lower post counts we can see login dates to see that someone is visiting the site. Maybe you are someone who loves reading the forum, but are hesitant to post that much or feel as though you do not have a lot to contribute. I ensure that you do have a lot to contribute no matter who you are, but at least this allows us to see that someone is taking an active interest in the forum. 

For those that have tested before. Previous review grades and comments are taken into account. More on that below. 

How long do I have to be a Forum Member before I am considered for Testing?

A week? A month? Longer? I was a member for 2 years before I was selected for my first testing opportunity. However it took me a year to really get involved. There is no magic number for how long it takes to be a tester. Simply put we want to select members who are active contributors within our community. That doesn’t have to mean a long history of posts. 

We also actively try our best to give at least one new tester in on every testing opportunity that happens. In 2023 this happened in nearly every test. 

What else can help me become a tester?

These are small things and are not requirements, but help with us getting to know you a little more or at the very least recognize your forum name. 

Follow us on our social platforms - The Forum has accounts on Instagram and Twitter… or X. 

Join our Community Call: Every Thursday we host a Community Call for our members to have general chit chat and sometimes Live Q&A with different golf companies or people. These are a great way for a member to get to know the staff, ask questions and for us to get to know you a little better. Importantly you don’t have to have your camera or mic on, but can simply sit back and listen or type questions in the chat. It is a great way to quickly get involved and see what our community is all about. 

What are the other rules or guidelines to Member Testing?

Members generally only get one opportunity to test each season. Meaning if you are selected for a set of irons it is unlikely you will be selected for another test during the season. There are some exceptions, however we have a lot of great members and want to spread the opportunities around as best we can. 

Smaller tests such as golf balls, gloves, grips and that sort of thing do leave you eligible for other tests later in the season, however members will only be allowed to be involved in one review at a time. Basically no testing two items at once. 

For our testing opportunities like Cobra Challenge and full bag opportunities a member can only take part in these once. Period. These are amazing opportunities and of course a lot of fun and work, but we have too many incredible members to give these to any member multiple times. 

I mention these previous points to highlight a greater point. Please only register or sign up for the testing opportunities you are really excited about and if you are currently testing please do not sign up for other testing opportunities. To be frank it looks greedy and like you are only here for free stuff. 

Are there certain things that would make me ineligible for a testing opportunity?

Outside of not having a profile photo, it should go without saying but all testers must be members of the forum. To that end you must also be a member in good standing. This means no current warnings on your account. 

Another factor that comes into play are poor previous review scores. I will put this bluntly, if a tester have gone mia on a testing opportunity in the past or been a difficult tester missing deadlines, not providing a review or come close to meeting the deadlines. We have very little reason to consider that person for any future review opportunities. We have too many deserving members to go back to that well or take that risk. 

Geo Restrictions are the other factor. It should be highlighted and noted that we encourage all testing opportunities to be eligible for all our members, however some OEMs have certain restrictions and in the end it is their call. I am a lefty and live outside the US so I am in your corner, but we are also not going to deny an opportunity if is just US only. Another factor in this is over 90% of the community is US and Canada based. Getting a larger portion of outside NA members will help increase are chances of getting more worldwide testing. 

I have been selected as a tester, now what?

Your lead Forum Staff Member will guide you throughout the process. If there is a fitting involved or any other requirements they will facilitate those and ensure that everything is run smoothly. 

Most importantly, carefully read all the instructions and documents provided. There is a lot to go over and missing key points can cause you to get behind or miss important deadlines. 

The biggest thing is ask questions if you have them! The forum staff are here to help and work with all the testers throughout the process. 

What Happens After Testing?

Even after an official test is completed it is highly encouraged that testers continue to take part in discussion. There may still be questions and may still activity on the thread which you should engage in. We love seeing ongoing and longer term updates as it helps anyone considering buying the product have a longer term view of how the product performs. 

Your Lead Forum Staff Member will then grade your review and participation and you will be given a survey to fill out. After these have been completed you will get your official tester badge!

Technically speaking you are now eligible to enter in for more testing opportunities, however as we said above for the most part a member will only get to take part in 1 tester per season. Again I repeat it is why anyone should only sign up for the products they are truly interested in. 

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FAQ

I never get picked! Why don't I ever get picked?
I hear you, but have you done most of the above? Have you provided worthwhile contributions to the forum? Do you have a profile photo? The answers are all above and we lay out the process pretty clear. The rest is up to you. That being said posting in the TESTERS WANTED pages does not count towards your post count. Also the pick me pick me type posts don't really fly with us. Post them as you like or if you like, but again we want to see members adding value to the forum. Those posts are not. 

What happens if I get sick or injured during testing?
Look this is a lot of work, but at the end of the day we understand things in life happen. TELL THE FORUM STAFF! We can make adjustments and arrange dates to work with everyone's schedule. However you have to tell us first!

I don't have social media accounts, does that mean I can't be a tester?
This is not a requirement for us. It is nice when the forum gets mentioned and a member is able to bring attention to the forum via social channels, but not a requirement. Good photos however are and with phones today there is little reason why anyone wouldn't be able to take a decent photo. 

Why don't we know what tests are coming so we can wait to sign up for the ones we really want and not risk getting picked for one we don't really love?
We build our schedule out starting about now, however it takes time and things move around so there are no guarantees on when a test will be posted or moved. Posting our schedule to everyone also wouldn't be fair to the smaller tests or some of the lesser known brands which come to testing. We want excitement for every test and mystery in whats to come. If you aren't excited about the product up for testing, don't sign up. 

I was picked and the product just didn't work for me. What now?
First I hope that the person enjoyed the review and was able to provide a good thorough and honest review. If it doesn't work, so be it! That being said we do not allow for any reason a member to sell their testing equipment for at least 2 product cycles. If it doesn't work for you, then pass it along to another member and let them try it. This happened several times this season with various products and members were able to get more testing opportunities. Pay it forward!

But seriously, I have been here for X amount of years and still never get picked. 
Yeah I bring this up again because you would not believe the emails we get. We picked a lot of testers this year, if a longer term member hasn't been picked the basics of is the timing wasn't right or the activity level just wasn't there. There are some tests we feel some testers would be great for and others not as great, we have thousands of applications and have to pick 4-6, it isn't easy and not a ton of fun. If your name hasn't been called there are some gaps in the above material. 

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I hope all of you have found this beneficial and productive to go through. The forum staff spend a lot of time going through all the applicants and reviews and so much more. It is not an easy task and we take pride in the selections we make. The testers that don't live up to expectations well that is tough for us and not a great look on us, the forum and this community. Therefore we take a good amount of time and effort to hand pick each tester. There were some testers this year that under performed to a level that they will not be partaking in testing moving forward. On a good note there were a ton of excellent testers and reviews which we are all very proud of. 

If you have questions please just ask! If you have concerns or want to know more then please reach out to one of the forum staff members. The other thread is going to be locked and this will be the main thread moving forward. There will also be subsequent larger drops of information here for all to view as we aim to be as transparent as possible with testing and make sure that anyone who really wants to be a tester will have that chance and ability to be. 

Thank you all for reading!
 

 

[Mike Brown]

I just signed up and it seems there is a high level of professionalism in what you do. I am a life member of The PGA of America and when I see equipment tests they often don't say much to help senior players. Since I am one and play with and know hundreds of seniors with handicaps from scratch to whatever I would like to lend my expertise to help them gain information for their game.

Thanks for being there

Mike Brown L/M PGA

[BringerofRain]

1 hour ago, Mike Brown said:

 

I have said this before and will say it again. Thank you for posting the keys of success.  Can’t wait for the 2024 season. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

We do everything we can to be as forthcoming and transparent to make everyone who really wants to be a tester easier. 

It's not hard, but paying attention and actually reading versus just sign up and hope goes a long way.

[GolfSpy_APH]

For all the new members joining please give this a read! 2024 is not a season you are going to want to miss out on!