Is testing really testing?

[Brooky03]

On 7/13/2024 at 5:17 PM, PaBr said:

In no way was this topic intended to be an attack on MGS, the testing procedures or anything. More than anything I think it is cool that producers and consumers are getting closer. And post release testing makes sense and are of benefit to consumers, at the very least to go from a very long list to a short(er) list to take into account when testing yourself. 

 

My intend was to merely get a better understanding of the pre-release testing procedures in play. But also, given the fact that producers and consumers are getting closer, connections between MSG and OEM's getting stronger, isn't there an opportunity for pre release testing?

 

At the early ages of youtube golf, I enjoyed product reviews. THey have become pretty nauseating over time. You get a 10, you get a 10, you get a 10. And oh yeah get fitted. Close to useless for the consumer. I see an opportunity for more involvement from real life consumers. 

There is a differentiation between MGS's testing and club reviews.  It seems like you might be putting both in the same bucket.  If you're referring to MGS's articles when a club is released, that is separate from their 'Most Wanted' testing.

As for the pre-release stuff, I doubt there is any opportunity for MGS to; test a club before it hits the market, share that testing data with the public, and/or have the manufacturer do anything with that feedback before releasing the club.  Any club early enough in development to allow for feedback to change the club design is not going to be made available for testing and public feedback.  There's just no way a manufacturer could let that happen.  Any club late enough in development to potentially allow for that is too far along in the process to be changed in any significant way (and has already undergone in-house testing).  It would be the same kind of testing we see post-release, just a little sooner.

[NM01]

On 7/15/2024 at 12:16 PM, Brooky03 said:

There is a differentiation between MGS's testing and club reviews.  It seems like you might be putting both in the same bucket.  If you're referring to MGS's articles when a club is released, that is separate from their 'Most Wanted' testing.

As for the pre-release stuff, I doubt there is any opportunity for MGS to; test a club before it hits the market, share that testing data with the public, and/or have the manufacturer do anything with that feedback before releasing the club.  Any club early enough in development to allow for feedback to change the club design is not going to be made available for testing and public feedback.  There's just no way a manufacturer could let that happen.  Any club late enough in development to potentially allow for that is too far along in the process to be changed in any significant way (and has already undergone in-house testing).  It would be the same kind of testing we see post-release, just a little sooner.

I may be wrong but I believe the op is talking about forum member testing and not the articles or most wanted. But I think his point is applicable to all 3z

For pre released stuff and mgs getting to test it. Are you referring to mgs staff at hq or forum members?

If it’s mgs staff there is lots of opportunities to get stuff pre release. Happens all the time for YouTuber reviewers and various media outlets including forum staff. Staff writers for forums will get equipment pre release, test it and write an article. The article will then be held til the embargo date is up and then it gets published for everyone to see 

[cnosil]

3 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

I may be wrong but I believe the op is talking about forum member testing and not the articles or most wanted. But I think his point is applicable to all 3z

For pre released stuff and mgs getting to test it. Are you referring to mgs staff at hq or forum members?

If it’s mgs staff there is lots of opportunities to get stuff pre release. Happens all the time for YouTuber reviewers and various media outlets including forum staff. Staff writers for forums will get equipment pre release, test it and write an article. The article will then be held til the embargo date is up and then it gets published for everyone to see 

 

I can confirm that most wanted testing includes pre-release clubs especially the early tests.

[Brooky03]

16 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

I may be wrong but I believe the op is talking about forum member testing and not the articles or most wanted. But I think his point is applicable to all 3z

For pre released stuff and mgs getting to test it. Are you referring to mgs staff at hq or forum members?

If it’s mgs staff there is lots of opportunities to get stuff pre release. Happens all the time for YouTuber reviewers and various media outlets including forum staff. Staff writers for forums will get equipment pre release, test it and write an article. The article will then be held til the embargo date is up and then it gets published for everyone to see 

I was referring to MGS staff testing.  I had assumed OP wasn't talking about forum members getting their hands on clubs pre-release.  That's just not something that can happen.  If it can happen, refer to my other point about it being too late in the process for any feedback to change the club in any kind of way.  There would be no tangible benefit over post-release reviews/testing.

As for MGS getting clubs pre-release, you might've misunderstood what I was saying or I didn't say it clearly.  Those were 'and' statements; meaning MGS couldn't get the clubs pre-release AND share them with the public.  Yes, club reviewers get clubs before they're released.  We all know that.  They get the finalized clubs and can't share information with the public until the embargo date, which you mentioned.  I was saying that there isn't an opportunity for MGS to get the club, share the club with the public/forum members, and give any kind of feedback the manufacturer can do anything with that would be any different than post-release.

Edited July 17 by Brooky03

[NM01]

33 minutes ago, Brooky03 said:

I was referring to MGS staff testing.  I had assumed OP wasn't talking about forum members getting their hands on clubs pre-release.  That's just not something that can happen.  If it can happen, refer to my other point about it being too late in the process for any feedback to change the club in any kind of way.  There would be no tangible benefit over post-release reviews/testing.

As for MGS getting clubs pre-release, you might've misunderstood what I was saying or I didn't say it clearly.  Those were 'and' statements; meaning MGS couldn't get the clubs pre-release AND share them with the public.  Yes, club reviewers get clubs before they're released.  We all know that.  They get the finalized clubs and can't share information with the public until the embargo date, which you mentioned.  I was saying that there isn't an opportunity for MGS to get the club, share the club with the public/forum members, and give any kind of feedback the manufacturer can do anything with that would be any different than post-release.

There are times when forum member get access to pre release aka under embargo. Theres another forum where it happened somewhat frequently. 
 

nobody can get prereleased equipment and provide info the public because of the embargos, but all kinds of media outlets do all the time. 
 

As for pre release on time to give feedback that isn’t something that would rarely happen. That type of testing is done at each manufacturers location as explained by golfspycg2 or in the case of titleist whiteboard testing. Some of those balls are prototype and they are looking for regular golfer feedback, but most of the time it’s the soon to be released ball that they wnat feedback on as part of the research for the next release.

[Mike10487]

I've been reading and following this topic for a while. Every time I open it up, I have the same thing run through my mind. Why is this even a topic? Test or Review, who cares? MGS is giving you an opportunity to voice your opinion on new products and help fellow golfers make decisions on purchases. Call it whatever you want. I'll choose to call it one hell of an opportunity to get first-hand accounts of people using a product. I feel this is a unbiased source, because we talk to these people on different threads, and you kind of get a feel for them. Some of these people are an absolute wealth of knowledge and I value their opinions and test results. Thank you to MGS staff and all the "testers".