What is it about this place?

[azgreg]

I've noticed an increase in new members lately. DFH, the site's starting to grow organically. Good work.

That's it, shut it down.

 

[dedicatedhacker]

Just don't mention throwing clubs and you should be ok here...

Or blue waffles

 

[William Tipton]

Yep, that's right - what is it about Shottalk? Or more to the point, what is it about the good culture here.

A more decent bunch of online people, I've never "met". I'm a member of a couple of other forums and words fail me at the crap that's gone on in them over the last few weeks. I've never seen so many online arguments. The belly putter saga featured highly in those arguments but if a person expressed a viewpoint, someone with an opposing view would come in with personal insults and put downs. ... and there was plenty of it going on. So much so, that I'm checking into those places less & less.

Having said that ... it never happens here. Not everyone disagrees about things but generally the right to a viewpoint is well respected by the members. For me, it's a bit of an online oasis.

Why do you think it is?

Im betting I can name off a few of those other forums. One was so nasty that there were a few thousand members but only a few dozen active members whom Im betting were making the place unbearable for everyone else.
Its been a long while since I risked signing up on another golf forum because of it. Its supposed to be a gentlemans game but even on the course it doesnt often seem like that.

Hell, I watched 2 old men on the practice green some weeks ago at my home course who were cussing and threatening each other over one guys ball accidentally getting knocked over by the other guys balls.
I thought we loved the game because it was a good time.

 

[eclark53520]

Im always gentlemanly with my balls.

 

[TEA Time]

Im betting I can name off a few of those other forums. One was so nasty that there were a few thousand members but only a few dozen active members whom Im betting were making the place unbearable for everyone else.
Its been a long while since I risked signing up on another golf forum because of it. Its supposed to be a gentlemans game but even on the course it doesnt often seem like that.

Hell, I watched 2 old men on the practice green some weeks ago at my home course who were cussing and threatening each other over one guys ball accidentally getting knocked over by the other guys balls.
I thought we loved the game because it was a good time.

I know you've only been playing a short while, so this post makes sense. I'm glad to hear that players new to the game expect a higher standard, it really is good for the game. But golf down at the muni is not the same as what you see on TV; normal jagoffs tend to drag their issues onto the course. I've been playing for 30+ years and I've seen it from every angle - from highly competitive tournaments where people respect the game and each other, to haggard scrambles where people are hammered by 9am and think doing donuts on the green is hysterical. You have to rise above that and play your game with the integrity you know the game deserves. If you do that, hopefully it will rub off on the people around you and they'll be a little more respectful next time. That's all you can hope for.

As for internet forums, well... it's the internet, dude. Thick skin and a sense of humor is paramount. Some free ShotTalk advice: don't eat blue waffles or eclark's oatmeal.

 

[dedicatedhacker]

I do donuts on the green all the time, its cause I'm usually chasing my putts around

 

[TEA Time]

I do donuts on the green all the time, its cause I'm usually chasing my putts around

Just tap down your spike marks when you're done.

 

[TheTrueReview]

Just tap down your spike marks when you're done.

Grrr ... putting over spike marks. My pet peeve. Please change the rules golfing authorities to allow them to be tapped down.

 

[William Tipton]

Grrr ... putting over spike marks. My pet peeve. Please change the rules golfing authorities to allow them to be tapped down.

Ive got a friend you should meet.
He has been known to drag his feet a bit and he's scuffed up the green more than once.
I told him that something horrible is going to happen to one of his clubs next time I see scuff marks on the green. And then the guys who leave those 2 inch deep ball marks unrepaired. I know its public courses, but come on, I'll buy the tools and hand them out at the clubhouse for free.
and the cigarette butts. Thats gotten annoying as hell. Like a giant green ashtray. Im just waiting to see beer cans and bottles tossed into the bunkers.

 

[dedicatedhacker]

Just tap down your spike marks when you're done.

Heck I've never even worn cleated shoes playing golf. Speaking of marks though, came up to a hole once and it looked like someone used their putter and made a moat around the damn hole! We didn't even bother putting it out because it was worse than divots

 

[TheTrueReview]

I see we've had some new sign ups lately, which is great. This place has a great culture & far and away my favourite golf discussion forum. Love the stuff of guys like Azgreg, Tea Time, McDavis, IG & the list goes on.

I'm a member of two other forums & quite frankly they're starting to get a bit "old" with the goings on at both. Unfortunately both forums are infected by one character who is a serial troll. He was banned twice from one of them for trolling, the latest time allegedly never to return ... But now FMD they've just let him back. Aargh!! Just can't stand forums anymore where they keep putting up with serial trolls and baiters of the other forum members.

Sorry guys, i think you might see a bit more of me around here.

 

[dedicatedhacker]

Good! We like having you around these parts

 

[Nikonut]

Other forums, some times the shilling of golf wares and "technology" gets really old.

this one OTOH, makes me scroll the page veryyyy carefully...... lol.

 

[TrickyPutt]

So golf is a game of opposites and you think this place is great so that means....

 

[limpalong]

So golf is a game of opposites and you think this place is great so that means....

Golf IS a game of opposites. You aim left to go right... right to go left. You hit down to get the ball up... try to hit up and you'll rape a squirrel. You go to a golf discussion board, expecting to find egotistical, better-than-though, mouthy, a**holes. You come to ShotTalk and you get........... Hmmm, I see what you mean!!!