Honestly, this site lost its luster long ago.

Three reasons.

One. It's too much about equipment. Understand marketing. It's all hype. Please. I could care less about Mizuno's MP 57s. Won't make a difference in my game at all. Neither will the next new product coming out in 2010 UNLESS the USGA alters equipment rules.

Two. There's no focus on this site.

Three. Does the sites' owners have any golf-related credentials? GSED? PGA certified teaching pro? Even play on a college golf team?

Probably not.

Which leads to my last point. How can members respect the authorities that create a website related to golf when they don't even have credentials related to golf?

I think that's why everyone feels like they can be their own king in here. There's no authority here that shows his face, hears his voice, understand his philosophies. ON GOLF.

I lurk to find the focus, to read something appealing, but there aren't many nowadays.

EDIT: I can see why this first post reads as "bashing". My apologies. No offense given to owners of site.

So why are you here then? Serious, if their is a forum or a website that I don't find appealing, I don't visit it. I also don't find the need to bash another site because of my personnel likes or dislikes. Alot of people enjoy this site and I really don't see the harm in it, so if it's not your cup of tea, fine, but it's a little pathetic that you feel the need to come on here and tear the site to shreads because you personnally don't like it.

Wow,

That's a pretty good statement. Richard and I are enthusiast who built a site for members to share ideas and thoughts and bridge the gap with the Golf Industry. The fact that we are outside the industry means we can bring content that more people are interested in and want to talk about. Focus is relative statement and I don't know what you are expecting as far as an authoritative voice. We don't tell people what's the best, we provide information for the educated golfer to decide what is right for them. The site has grown to over 100k visitors a month from around the World. We think we are at least doing some things right.

As far as topic variety, of course the most common topics are equipment and issues related to that. But the Swing, Fitness, and Beginners forum is one of the best I've seen on any site and has grown dramatically. The general topics about Tournaments and players is high up there as well. Our editorial team, lead by Kiran, does a fantastic job of providing commentary on equipment, articles, and travel.

This is a golf forum where people create their own topics and those that choose to discuss them. If you want a didactic learning environment I suggest you enroll in a school somewhere.

What gave the site its luster when you first signed on?

Are there other sites you frequent that have the focus and credentials you want? I'd like to know where they are. Seriously.

Finally, what should the focus be? If not on equipment, then what?

Answers to these questions would be helpful to understanding your critique. Cheers.

I don't think credentials are needed to run a web site. It would be if they were running a club building operation, but with Joe Kwok as a sponsor, that's covered.

If anything, I appreciate the fact that this site isn't a 24 hour informercial for whatever the site owner is trying to sell. Seeing a guy jump in with 100 gay photos of the same brand of clubheads and shafts gets really old. It's like free porn. Sometimes, the popups and commercials don't make it worthwhile.

That said, I think the organization of this site is a little cluttered. We have subforums upon subforums. The 19th hole could stand to be nuked, and since everything in the history of golf has been asked at least once, the difficult decision is whether to tell the poster to do a search or type the same response for the tenth time.

My biggest negative about this site is that negativity in any form is frowned upon. If a club is a POS, it needs to be told. If a poster is a jackass, they need to be called out. The review section is worthless if every posting is nothing but positive. I want to know what people's dislikes are as well to see if it's something that I am going to be critical about in my future club purchases.

Personal attacks are generally not allowed. Negative review on equipment, whether Sponsors or not is allowed and occurs commonly. As for the spread and depth of the site, its done for a variety of reasons. Mostly it's management view and philosophy on site dynamics and marketing.

We can't please everyone and won't try to. We will try to keep the site going in a positive direction. Just about everything we do is community driven and focused. Its not Richard or my voice that needs to heard, its the the GolfWRX community as a whole.

I don't understand the purpose of this post. If you have a problem with the site then you should find another site or something else to divulge your time into.

Some people like seeing info on new equipment and some don't. If you don't like posts about things like that then skip that post and go onto another post.

I am growing tired of people complaining about piddle things like this. It is posts like this one that put a negative spin on the site.

Sorry you don't enjoy the site, but there are plenty of us that do.

As for the moderators and owners, who cares what their background is in golf? They enjoy the sport just as much as we do and they created and run this site for golf nuts like us who want to talk about the in and outs of the sport. I don't care if they are a PGA teacher, former college golfer, or a garbage man (not bashing garbage men).

WOW!!!! this topic is so far off base! I think you are in the minority! I DO care about the new Mizuno MP 57 as well as ALL NEW Titleist, Taylormade, Callaway, Nike, Bridgestone, Cobra, Diamana, Fujikura, Scotty Cameron....you get the point! I find topics and pictures on this site that cant be found anywhere else! I think the owners of this site do a fantastic job with this site. If I have golf questions I come here first! If I have equipment questions I come here first! This is a great site for golfers and ALL related golf issues....anyone who cant see that is foolish!

Just speaking openly and honestly.

I think when Gxgolfer started that thread, it was purposeful. It was a real issue. And I was interested. Because, even though I hadn't realized it, I was lurking for a while now.

And so I thought about it, and wrote reasons why I may have lurked, and why others may have also.

Second, I don't know who split my comment and started it as a new thread, but I guess it's fine.

The fact that your post made it on, wasn't deleted and that you haven't been banned says a bunch about this site. I wont go into licking the boots of the owners here, but I think they're doing a good job being liberal and objective.

I'm glad I dont have to read every post about Ozik and Callaway or whatever they have in stock, being the best since sliced bread.

Press on owners!

Golfwrx is like any forum in that there will be topics that appeal to you and some that won't...that is why you can choose to read or not read a topic. Sure, I don't read a lot of the 'would you choose Mizuno MP such and such irons or the MX such and such' topics, but that is because those topics don't appeal to me. I just ignore those topics and read what I want to read here, as should you.

Like any other forum some people go 'too far' and take things too seriously on this forum, or they type things in response that they would never say face-to-face to a person. People sometimes forget that they are conversing with other real-alive people in a forum.

Like any forum some comments on Golfwrx are very intelligent, some just plain uninformed (OK, stupid or assinine). Kind of like real life, if you think about it.

That is the nature of the beast in any type of forum...

I find Golfwrx to be not only the best golf forum of them all (and I frequent / post at / read maybe half a dozen major golf forums on a regular basis)...overall the most informative, at times entertaining and 99% of the Golfwrx posters just plain like golf and want to help anyone of they can. I check in here every day for a few minutes several times a day when I can and usually find something useful golf-wise.

Kepp up the good work.

Man.. growing pains.

We have a large number of new and active members in the forums every day. I don't mind discussing something that has been discussed before, because if that's the end all, we'd have nothing new to talk about other than current news and upcoming golf equipment. And God nows, there's only so much of that.

I think throwing out such a general term as focus is silly. This forum is about golf. Broad subject. I don't think it needs to have a given direction or underlying motive.

I second the opinion that you don't need any real credentials to run a golf forum. They could, in theory, just make up their own, fake credentials (like the other site ), but why? It's just a forum! That's the general idea of a community -- by shear numbers and odds, we'll at least have someone qualified in a multitude of facets, whether it's swing, fitness, equipment, et cetera.

You seem very frustrated with the lack of interesting material found on the site. Sometimes, I feel the same way, but in a much milder form. I see stuff I didn't originally want to read, but after reading the thread and adding my two cents, I do usually find something remotely thought provoking.

Try not to be such a vegetable man. Just appreciate that you've had a place other than the course to bullshirt about golf.

I'm not even going to argue, but the only lack of focus on this forum seems to have come out of your initial post.

So you have three reasons why you think some luster was lost, big deal. Do you have any constructive ideas on how to make golfwrx better? No? Anyone can criticize a website of 20,000+ users not revolving around their world.

If you really want to be honest and open, tell us how you don't like a website that does not cater to your belittling of other members. You don't lurk because you are shy and just like to soak in the information. You lurk because the general membership doesn't like the name calling that goes on between members which I suppose drained your mental bank of contributions.

My purpose is not to call you out or call you names. I just find your complaints about this site disingenuous and in the absence of any ideas that contribute to the improvement of the site, the complaints are not really worthy of a thread.

It's pretty bold to call out the site owners for having a lack of credentials, lack of focus, and your perceived lack of credibility to create/enforce rules. I think I speak for many members when I say I preferred this site when you just lurked.

Now I will go back to mostly lurking, which is obvious given my low post count.

1) Yes, there is a lot of equipment talk on Golfwrx. But that is what the majority of people on golf forums spend most of their time on. The General Equipment Forum is the most active. Same thing at pretty much any other golf forum out there. You may not be interested in the new Mizunos (I'm not either), but a lot of other people are. You must have some interest in gear if you list your setup.

Besides, there is; General Golf, Swing/Fitness/Beginners, Golf Style (T&L/accesories), Ladies Golf Talk, Junior Golf talk and Tour info and Equipment has non gear related topics. This covers pretty much anything non gear you would ever want to talk about. So what's the problem?

2) Why should there be a focus? And what would that focus be? The forums are broken down so that it's easy to find talk about whatever you want to talk about. Are you a fan of TGM? Go to Swing/Fitness/Beginners and start a thread (or threads) on TGM topics. If you can't find threads that interest you then start them.

3) And why does that matter? This is a forum for open discussion. We are not getting online classes from the owners/mods here. And there are plenty of members on this board who do have the credentials you talk about.

If you consider the fact that the owners are able to talk to OEM's and other industry players, get online chats and scoops then they do have golf cred. They may not have a piece of paper, but in this day and age who cares?

It would really would help if you'd answer the questions raised in my first post:


What gave the site its luster when you first signed on?

Are there other sites you frequent that have the focus and credentials you want? I'd like to know where they are. Seriously.

Finally, what should the focus be? If not on equipment, then what?

When I first signed on, new equipment pictures gave its luster. The fact that I could start a thread to a question and hundreds can answer. PGA tour pics. Club making threads. Knowledgeable members. Everything. But I've learned a lot now. This site jumpstarted my knowledge in golf.

There are other sites that are focused on the swing only. It's pure gold information. TGM related site. Ran by GSEDs. But their title doesn't matter after you realize that information on that site remains pure.

I don't know what the focus should be. I like getting into and reading about real golf related issues. Not "What irons should I buy - x20s or titleist 755s" Just gets old. And it won't help their game. Believe me.



I do enjoy this site, but I do go on other sites. You should too. You'll learn more about your swing, if that's what you want to improve on.

Is it so bad to say this site lost its luster?

As for the moderators and owners, background is important. What if you found that this site was run by high schoolers?






Pure information. That's what I need. Think about it.

I respect the opinions of many on this board, maybe 20 or so members.

Gxgolfer says this is a member driven site. The 20 or so members I follow, they're gone now! Or they're lurkers too!

So naturally, I lurk.

If all the cute boys weren't going to the club you were going, would you still go?

Your main interest is the swing and TGM, correct? So why not start some threads in Swing/Fitness/Beginners and see what happens?

I have given Gxgolfer suggestions in the past.

I posted videos of my swing. 4 videos in fact. and you posted....zero right?

Sergizmo's right. Gxgolfer's right. I agree with their comments. Some of my comments were broad in nature about the point on focus. There is focus, but because they're so many topic sections, i.e. swing/fitness, equipment, 19th hole, there is focus in some and not in others.

I understand part of what you're saying, but as we have new members join daily, you might be missing out on some of the newer members who have something worthwhile to add.

Complaining about the forum is easy. If you want an answer, seek one out or just start a thread. I don't see too many threads sit by the wayside with zero replies. Someone usually answers and that's what stokes interest.

Kudos to your cajones for posting your beef though. We can all gain a little perspective from threads like this. This thread exemplifies the exact reason why the-wrx is head and shoulders above other golf discussion sites. Nice to see you won't get kicked off the reservation for voicing your qualms.

Do you have any suggestions that might lead to solutions?

I'd be happy to see more merging of redundant threads. How many MP-57 posts have there been? Or the continual "new Cameron" threads.

We've got a first look thread for the new R7 driver, but rather than continue to post in one single thread, there will be thread after thread around the release date. Most will be titled "R7 CGB Max. Gonna buy it?"

The only thread worse than that is the obligatory thread a week after it's public release "R7 CGB Max. Anyone still playing it?"

I do go onto other sites and I like this site much better than other sites. I find the topics here much more interesting.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't care if this site is run by anyone. The site seems to run fairly well right now. So if it was run by high schoolers then it really wouldn't matter to me.

The owners of the site here are awesome. To me this site is the anti of other sites, it is not based on a company so to speak. We can all tell you about things we have seen and things we would like to see. It has great sponsers and lots of them! The people hear are great people to talk with and i bet even to play golf with. I belong to lots of sites but this is the first one of the day and last one before for i go to check. This site is bar none A no.1!!!!

If there arent any boys at the club i am staying cause the girls are all mine then.

I for one (and I'm sure I'm not alone) do not care what credentials GXGOLFER and EASYYY have. It doesn't matter. They have put together a place where golfers from the beginners to those with a + handicaps can go and exchange thoughts and ideas. Do al;l the forums matter all that much tome? No. That's not to say they do not serve a purpose to others. For example I really am not into the latest JL clothes line but I will not denigrate those that are into that. That being said there is not one forum (including the 19th hole) from which I have not learned something. I will never tell anyone that a particular club is a POS. I will tell you, if I have first hand information, that it does not work for me and why it doesn't. At my work I chair a number of boards and I'll challenge you, as I do the members of those boards when they tell me they don't like how the board is being run, to put forth some constructive ideas and I will take them into consideration. I'm sure that Easyyy and Gxgolfer would do the same.
At the same time I will defend your right to state whats on your mind and by the fact that this topic still exists so do those that run this site.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Thank you for providing yours.

To each their own. I don't think the focus is gone, it's just a little more buried beneath meaningless posts than before.

And "everyone" that works at Golf Digest, Golf Magazine or Golf World is PGA certified?

Heck, I can name 10 PGA Professionals where I live that are considered POOR teaching pros. Please have a little common sense. I think that this golf forum is farther ahead of the crowd and moving farther ahead each day!

Do I read everything on here? No, I surf in and out of exactly what appeals to me. I have stopped 2 magazine subscriptions since joining here, the golf information here is TOUGH TO BEAT.

Do I expect everyone to read everything that I write in Bag Chatter or Course Reviews? Nope, but I would appreciate it if you did.

PS: I wouldn't say that my NXT/NXT Extreme ball review was positive, I disliked the new Titleist NXT Tour and Extreme ball and I even stated so in my article.....

Any forum is going to have some redundant posting, mostly people who are too lazy to search prior to posting. However, I really dont believe it is that commonplace. Skip it, if you are not interested in that particular thread...

Stop lurking and start contributing...

I actually ENJOY that this site is and remains positive, we don't need any of these here:

IMHO you're focusing on the wrong area. Content provided by ownership is fine, but at the end of the day any forum is only as good as its membership. The ownership should 'moderate' membership to keep people comfortable and welcome, but after that it's up to us. So don't take this wrong, but by purely lurking, I find you at fault of not making this a better forum.

Specifically: you want better content? do you want topics that interest you more so? Then post, and initiate the type of 'content' you think is missing.

First and foremost, why complain about the owners of this site or what their credentials are? You know what, I have been here for several months now, and I could not tell you who the owners are. AND THAT'S GREAT! I used to frequent another golf site where the owners were ever-present and completely overbearing. It was almost a communist regime over there. Any negative talk about their latest product in stock, and you got your post edited, or maybe even banned from the site. Give me a break.

If the owners of this site were two computer geeks in high school, who cares. It isnt like you are on here for financial planning or estate planning, or to brush up on the latest tax laws. Point being, this is a website about golf, what credentials do you want?

I think this site is great. Yeah, there are alot of threads I skip over, but it's just like anything else (look at what interests you, and move on).

Keep up the good work boys.

Oh and the only reason I found this site, was because one of the Nazi's over at the 'other site' mentioned WRX in a post about reputable forum sites. Thanks 'other site'.

IMHO, this is the best site. It has a diverse amount of information as mentioned in detail above. if you are tired of reading about what clubs to play, there are plenty of topics to enjoy. if you want to learn about your golf swing why don't you p.m. some of the instructors. They would be more than happy to help you. Keep in mind, they are busy guys. If you create a relationship, you will get a lot farther. Really, this site covers just about every topic related to golf. As far as questioning the owners regarding their credentials, that has no validity. They are hosting and managing the website. They are doing an outstanding job. it is like saying what are the credentials of the owners of CBS. How dare they cover sports when they have no credentials in this area. They do what we do here. if we need experts, we bring them in. Have you read the interviews with the top executives from the OEMs talking about their products? Have you read the comments about swing changes by the teaching pros in our swing fix section? Did you question those people for their credentials? Geez, these guys love golf and manage the site. It is easy to complain and make generalizations. If you are truly interested in helping the site, we welcome and encourage suggestions. You stated that you have given suggestions in the past, what were they? I suggest that we take this post and turn it into specific comments of changes that you would like to see, otherwise the post is pointless if we just complain. if you want to really see change, now is the time to state your case.

I am just not getting this topic at all. Everything in life doesn't go the way you want it exactly every time. Some of the topics that pop up on boards are just plain silly IMO. If you don't like a web page, try another or something and maybe you will find something closer to what you want............. I know I did when I found WRX. Keep up the good work guys and remember that you can't please everyone all the time..............and at least we CAN disagree with the owners of this place!

CP

The site has been very helpful especially with so many choices of clubs out there on the market.

until you realize about the constant proliferation of new threads... and the thread you wanted to read is three pages back.

organization is a good thing. i can only imagine how many threads would end up in a "general talk" forum where just about anything flies.

this place is and has been on the right track ever since i started posting here.

we're all ragging on the original poster, but he did the exact thing he was complaining about. he started a thought-provoking thread that gets people involved. kudos man. it's unlikely he's that sly, but either way... nice work.

I don't really understand the complaint, as it is a free place to belong, and roam on. If you don't like it and feel that other sites are better, good luck and don't let the door hit you in the a**.

Also if you are relying on a website to improve your golf game....you are in trouble my friend. That is found in the dirt and not on some 17 inch computer screen....just as an FYI!!!!! You might be able to find some tips, but there is no substitute for a qualified instructor to look over your action and make sure you are doing the right things and understanding them as well.....that is what you miss out on via the internet.

DG

To understand the quote, you would have to understand the poster and none of us do. He has had more than one run in with the mods and other members for statements he has made. Here is my suggestion for improving the site. Ban him...

This thread is hilarious - does the original poster walk into coffee shops and complain to the owners that the other customers don't look very interesting, or aren't talking about things that he finds appealing?

As for the "lack" of credentials of the owners, they aren't claiming to be "qualified", and aren't offering some sort of bespoke Tour-only niche service. That's another website you're thinking of mate.

Brilliant.

Guys let us try to focus on ideas. I know a lot of people that complain all the time even when things are going well. THEY like to stir the pot, THEY have no direction, THEY have no point. It is simple. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution. We can sit here and talk about a problem until we are blue in the face anf get nowhere.

Golfwrx is ever growing and ever changing. We are always looking for ideas to make this a better website. Golfwrx has been wildly successful because it is unbiased, fair and interesting. If anyone has any ideas, we welcome your help! This is our site.

I read the first post on this one, and that is all I need to read. If you don't like the site then don't be here and don't post. GolfWRX is a great site. Gxgolfer and easyyy have made an awesome site and the members here make it even better. To say this site has lost its luster is ludicrous.

Please give me an example. Maybe there is a lack of awareness on how to use the search features on the forums.

I hope this isn't an issue The search function is great on this site. Works very well. I often search to find info on past clubs on here.

I was in the raw material business for years that supplied to the golf industry. I played on a Big Ten championship team. I finished in the top 20 at the NCAAs. I've won amateur golf tournaments. I've played with more PGA and LPGA pros than you can probably name. But that probably isn't squat compared to your (I'm sure) wonderful qualifications. What's wrong with people being their own king in here?? With my piss ant involvement in golf, I still think this is one of the better sites available. I certainly don't think anyone has to be a certified PGA teaching pro to run this site (by the way do you know what that involves?). They've certainly had a number of big names in the industry give interviews.

As for landing a big name that never works due to the jealous nature of people. Many other sites had PGA pros and well known reps. that were eventually driven away with the constant nasty barrage of questions--usually of a personal not equipment nature.

By the number of your posts you seem to have spent a lot of time here, so you must be getting something out of it. Just stay away from the equipment posts.

I like the freedom here and the ability for anyone to ask the dumbest question and fairly unbiased opinions .
I think the poster of this thread seems to have slightly hypercritical opinions .
Having said that , there does not need to be "my review of Mx 27" new thread , when there is a review section already. Also we should attempt to make some negative reviews as well to keep things balanced.
It is great to have experts running the forums , however they are always not necessary . What works for a computer related forum does not hold true a golf website.

Either "Unaswered" at the top or >>>>"Replies to My Post" will show topics you posted in.

I do 99% of my reading of Golfwrx via the "New Posts" or "Replies to My Posts" buttons.

Ditto.

It's probably one of the most underutilized features of the forum.

Personally I don't think the site has lost any of its luster at all. Far from that. There is something here for everyone, be it equipment eye-candy (by far my favorite), swing theory, clubmaking advice (just ask a question there, you get 12 responses by the next day), and even totally non golf related stuff in the 19th hole. It works for me. If it didn't, then I would go and visit one of the other golf forums that I belong to and don't bother with. As for the owners, if you have an issue, PM them. They actually get back to you promptly and help work with it. I kinda like that. I don't care about their qualifications as they relate to golf, they seem to know their role here and they execute it well. And no I don't say that just because they sent me a putter in a drawing to show my support for the site, but that was a heck of a nice gesture that was totally not expected.

What does being a PGA member have to do with running a golf related web site? Was the guy that invented Napster a musician??? I mean he created a website that revolved around music?

DG

I still disagree with a lot of you, but let bygones be bygones.

I had a frame of reference I forgot to share, when I made my "site lost its luster" talk.

I found other sites:

lynnblakegolf.com

brianmanzella.com/forum

I'm sure many of you heard of them.

Not sure about many of you, but one of my goals in life...is to break par...and then try to do it consistently. With all my heart, soul and mind.

I'm hoping that's why we're all on these wonderfully managed forums. Not just to kill time. And if you break par consistently, or break 80 consistently and are satisfied, good for you. But you're still probably timing your flip.

Now it makes sense. All you are looking for is free advice for your game. What is laughable is how you hide behind these initial accusations and insults to the owners. You clearly did not answer any of the responses to your unsupported claims. All that proves is that you mislead us from the start. What makes it even more laughable is your following responses.

1. I forgot to share my point of reference.
2. I found other sites
3. If anyone on this site is not breaking 80, you are still timing your flip.

First of all, by you not directly answering our responses to your intial claims tells me that you have no validity to your points. Second of all, your real reason for the post is out of frustration for not getting enough FREE help for your swing. Thirdly, your responses are ridiculous. You didn't really forget to share your reference. You insulted us by not telling the truth and making up some invalid claims about this website. Then you stated you found other sites. Yeah, I know the other sites well. In fact we have one of Brian's instructors actively posting on this site. Then your final insulting blow. Rather than directly responding to our factual supported statements, you finish off your defense by taking a personal shot at anyone who hasn't broke 80 and said "you are still timing you flip" First of all what credentials do you have to make such a statement? You don't, so don't waste your time making such a ridiculous statement. Second of all, it shows your true colors, when you have to divert so much from your original accusations that you have to insult the members of this site.
Furrankke, I don't know you, but this I know. You are really only interested in helping your golf swing. Then you've got the nerve to fire of unsupported statements about this site. If you are going to open your mouth and bash this site, you better be ready to defend your position. You clearly didn't know that we were going to see through your initial misleading statements. You know, I'd have some respect for you if you would just come out and say, hey I screwed up with my initial comments and I am really just looking for help with my swing. Who are the good instructors that I should talk to on this site. You know what, you don't have the maturity to do that, do you?

As someone who is employed in the golf industry, this site is a valuable asset. The introduction of new clubs, industry trends relating to rounds and merchandiese, and too many other things to name that help us dictate what it is our customers (all of you) truely want. IMO if a golf professional is not a member of this site, there are behind the 8 ball so to speak. Forums such as Golf Style and General Equipment seem to have been the most beneficial to me personally, especially the posts with polls. Basically, I think this site is wonderful, because it is not one-sided. There are thousands of different points of view, and that is what makes it special, because no two people think the same.

Ryan, great insights. We are blessed to have several excellent instructors who are members and active posters at this site. Thanks for your support. It is great having guys like you in the industry here to contribute valuable advice.