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nerfny said:
Don't mind my husband he loves to give nicknames. For the first 6 months or so we dated he called me stinky. I was also playing college soccer at the time and rightly earned that nickname after practices.
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Nerfny I'm actually the one that started the goat stuff. I seriously thought that was part of his forum name. Growing up around goats (my dad raised them along with other animals ) I am fond if them. I even had a pet goat??


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Brianbigoats said:
I understand it is a business but if people think you only cater to oneside of the country they will not be active on your site i have had friends check out the site and come back and tell me that" everyone is from Florida on that site why would i want to go there i will just stay on Golfwrx" granted i know this is not true but i have had a few people tell me this.
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Let's elaborate on this.

What do you mean by cater?

If we are talking posting presence one could argue that Florida is no more representative than most the other states out there, speaking purely on number of posts of course. I'd venture to say if you looked at the top 100 posters on here wr would have a nice little distribution of states.

If by cater you mean events, then it goes back to my post previous to this.

I appreciate your openness and am just trying to understand more where you are coming from.
 
DevRickus said:
To be fair, I discount anything you say because you are a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. :)
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I discount anything I say for the same reason. Can't say I blame you.

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nerfny said:
Don't mind my husband he loves to give nicknames. For the first 6 months or so we dated he called me stinky. I was also playing college soccer at the time and rightly earned that nickname after practices.
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Nerfny I'm actually the one that started the goat stuff. I seriously thought that was part of his forum name. Growing up around goats (my dad raised them along with other animals ) I am fond of them. I even had a pet goat??


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Ole Gray said:
Nerfny I'm actually the one that started the goat stuff. I seriously thought that was part of his forum name. Growing up around goats (my dad raised them along with other animals ) I am fond if them. I even had a pet goat


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Coming from you it was a compliment :D
 
Ole Gray said:
Nerfny I'm actually the one that started the goat stuff. I seriously thought that was part of his forum name. Growing up around goats (my dad raised them along with other animals ) I am fond of them. I even had a pet goat??


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Lol, we get it Bill, you like goats. No need to tell us twice! :alien:
 
As one of only a few active AZ members, the distribution of events is representative of the activity. I can't get a foursome of members together in a top 5 golf state, so what incentive is there to bring the tour van and sponsors here? I went to Vegas last year and it was predominately easy coasters.

Want to change it? Recruit new members. Organize informal events. Make it known that there is the backing to support an event and it will happen.
 
mikedean441 said:
Let's elaborate on this.

What do you mean by cater?

If we are talking posting presence one could argue that Florida is no more representative than most the other states out there, speaking purely on number of posts of course. I'd venture to say if you looked at the top 100 posters on here wr would have a nice little distribution of states.

If by cater you mean events, then it goes back to my post previous to this.

I appreciate your openness and am just trying to understand more where you are coming from.
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Cater = to server

I do not know what they are talking about that was what i was told by several people you i told to check out the site
 
dcbrad said:
Lol, we get it Bill, you like goats. No need to tell us twice! :alien:
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Dang phone posting ?


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Social Levels of Forums

To be honest, I spent last weekend playing in an informal get together of 24 local Wrx members. I spent the entire round talking about the Morgan Cup and other events I was attending. I had an agenda.
 
dcbrad said:
I think I can admit that I get tunnel vision every once in awhile on THP. I've made a lot of great friends and interacting with them is a lot of fun. I think we could probably all do a better job of it if we sit back and be honest with ourselves. Thanks for bringing it up Brian, I am going to work harder at being better at it!
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I'm going to quote this because it was a great post and shouldn't be looked over IMO.
 
My take on this is THP has a lot more to offer than its events. Yes they are awesome and yes they are a great way to get to know some of the folks here, but there are so many other ways to be a part of the community. Equipment, training aids, you name it are being gifted from member to member, out of sheer kindness. My set of wedges is from a member I've never met; he just saw me post about them and had an extra set to send. Freddie helps anyone who asks with their swing. Guys post about their practice session and get feedback and encouragement. If you have a question about a club or a shaft, hat, shirt, course, etc., you can get insightful answers in less than an hour.

My advice to you is to get involved as much as you can. THP is a great place and the more you interact here, the more it will pay off. We all want to get in to the events and it's easy to feel left out when you're not attending any of them, but that's the majority of us. Take advantage of everything else this place offers and once you're able to make an event, it'll be that much better.


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Brianbigoats said:
Cater = to server

I do not know what they are talking about that was what i was told by several people you i told to check out the site
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Yeah I'd be curious to know what they were talking about. Outside of the local gatherings threads there aren't really any setup that are region specific.

The Great part here is that this place can be whatever u want. If u want to come in and just read so be it. If u wanna come in and post every now and then so be it. Everyone is different.

I wanted more, chose to put myself out there and have had amazing experiences and great friendships because of it.

Just depends on what people want out of it...just like most things in life you gotta put yourself out there every now and then.
 
There are valid points being made throughout the las test postings in this thread. I can identify with Brian in some ways, there are times that I don't feel accepted too. I know that those feeling I have are more than often off base, but regardless, I get that feeling from time to time. I wouldn't say it's necessarily a product of cliques, as much as it is a group of people that've shared the same experiences, or are in the process of experiencing the same sort of thing. It may be a THP event, or similar events in their lives. These things are based in how you feel, and nobody can tell you those feelings are not valid, it's our job as a community to work on fixing these perceptions. I appreciate your post Brian, we continue to grow, and we will continue to grow as long as we can discuss these sort of things.
 
This has been interesting reading and so many things were touched on, both a while ago and here more recently. One thing I would touch on is the clique issue. Here is one definition of a clique:

In the social sciences, a clique (CanE, UK /ˈkliːk/ or US /ˈklɪk/) is a group of "persons who interact with each other more regularly and intensely than others in the same setting."[1] Interacting with cliques is part of normative social development regardless of gender, ethnicity, or popularity. Although cliques are most commonly studied during adolescence and middle childhood, they exist in all age groups.

Basically, what I read there is friends interacting with each other......and it's normal. I have a friend here I discussed this very topic with last year when another forum member brought it up. His advice was very simple. If you are active and focus on quality content in topic areas that interest you, it is only natural that you will develop relationships. Now, events are one thing and are a great way to meet people who you have been talking with for x number of months or years, but from what I have seen here it is not necessary. It has been my experience that if you make an effort to be involved and participate here, it is almost difficult to NOT to make friends. We are all human and we gravitate to people of like mind. The only way to understand if someone is of like mind is if they participate.

Like I said, this thread has talked about event dispersion, cliques and other variations on those themes. My point is to address thoughts on the clique point. I would encourage anyone who believes there are cliques to please consider that for the most part they are not intended to be exclusionary, rather they are groups of friends interacting in a social setting. THP is one of the most welcoming and least exclusive places I have ever been on the net.

Just my .02.

JM
 
I'll through this out there, just my opinion.
I took up golf in July/August of 2012 & started a thread regarding my lessons. Brand new member, brand new to the game. People I have still yet to meet greeted me with encouragement & support. Then I moved to DFW from Georgia. I saw a bunch of people from the area posting here & thought why not? They're so much better than me but we share a common ground. I saw a post about them getting together, asked if I could join them & was told in no uncertain terms that they'd love to have me. I stunk up Riverchase. I mean bad. AFWCardinal, DTak & TrueFX gave me some tips, were friendly & encouraging the whole round, no matter how bad I was playing. After the round Nate, #Cookie and the rest of the group shook my hand and told me they were glad I came out. The 1st friends I made when I moved were THPers.
Not once on this forum have I felt left out. I truly believe that these 5-6 guys are the reason the DFW crew are some of the most active here.
That said, I can understand how it can be overwhelming.
I don't know the answer but the conversations I've had with JB, GG and others lead me to believe that they're making every effort to include everyone. Not everybody can get into every event, review equipment, have regional gatherings, etc...... But we all have the same opportunities.


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I joined THP just over 3 months ago. Since I've been here I was chosen to review the new B330 for Bridgestone, won a TaylorMade SLDR TP Driver, and selected to test the PING i25 irons. All of this and I was a fresh new face and not part of any cliques.

I have yet to meet any THP members in person but I'm working hard to make that happen locally and also at the Bridgestone event I was lucky to get into. Yes, a lot goes on this side of the Mississippi but they have events down in Texas as well.

Even though I haven't met anyone yet I have felt welcome here since I started reading the site a year or so a go, so much so that I actually joined the site and started posting =). We all make THP what we want, and it's good you voiced your opinion, maybe some of us can help you make THP what you want as well. Just throw out some thoughts and see what happens.
 
Figured id add my 2 cents on this one because after about 1 months on this site I kinda had a similar thought. Maybe not so much as catering to others but I did feel as if I wasnt making any headway in fitting in.
The second month of my journey was slightly different. People started responding more, recieved my first friend request (thanks sox) and I was starting to feel more welcome. Did THP change? Nope I did. One thing ive learned is that Thp can often encourage you to get out of your comfort zone. As many will say you get oit what you put in. Sure there are times when things take awhile for a response or people jist mihht not have the answer.
I hate linking anything I started, but after my two months here I made a thread of my observation. MANY people responded and put some info in there that encouraged me to try and become a better THP'r. Ironically ill be updating it with a 6 month response next month.
As many have said bringing this up is a good thing, and tone isnt well taken over the net, but I have yet to talk shop or banter with one thp'r that was intentionally bejng rash or mean..
Here's the link to the thread.
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51072
 
Ole Gray said:
Nerfny I'm actually the one that started the goat stuff. I seriously thought that was part of his forum name. Growing up around goats (my dad raised them along with other animals ) I am fond of them. I even had a pet goat����


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This explains a lot. :alien:

I don't really think there is a lot of cliques just guys who have gone out of their way to attend an event and know each other more than a forum name. No bother to me and the members here answer my dumb question and are helpful. Don't get BluTrollled it's not a group you want to be part of. :alien2: (dancing alien, you can't be mad)
 
Matthew said:
I'll through this out there, just my opinion.
I took up golf in July/August of 2012 & started a thread regarding my lessons. Brand new member, brand new to the game. People I have still yet to meet greeted me with encouragement & support. Then I moved to DFW from Georgia. I saw a bunch of people from the area posting here & thought why not? They're so much better than me but we share a common ground. I saw a post about them getting together, asked if I could join them & was told in no uncertain terms that they'd love to have me. I stunk up Riverchase. I mean bad. AFWCardinal, DTak & TrueFX gave me some tips, were friendly & encouraging the whole round, no matter how bad I was playing. After the round Nate, #Cookie and the rest of the group shook my hand and told me they were glad I came out. The 1st friends I made when I moved were THPers.
Not once on this forum have I felt left out. I truly believe that these 5-6 guys are the reason the DFW crew are some of the most active here.
That said, I can understand how it can be overwhelming.
I don't know the answer but the conversations I've had with JB, GG and others lead me to believe that they're making every effort to include everyone. Not everybody can get into every event, review equipment, have regional gatherings, etc...... But we all have the same opportunities.


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pretty close to the same experience I've had, with a few differences. I think we're fortunate here in DFW though. we have local THP ambassadors that are truly credits to the site and to golf as a whole. I think if not for those folks, I wouldn't have stuck around. There are others like that in other areas, but not every city can be so lucky.

in regards to cliques and newcomers feeling unwelcome on the forums, I agree to a certain extent. any tightly knit group is going to be hard to break into and there is always a period of "integration" where you get used to them and they get used to you. If you're willing to push through that, though, I think it is well worth the price of admission.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
My take on this is THP has a lot more to offer than its events. Yes they are awesome and yes they are a great way to get to know some of the folks here, but there are so many other ways to be a part of the community. Equipment, training aids, you name it are being gifted from member to member, out of sheer kindness. My set of wedges is from a member I've never met; he just saw me post about them and had an extra set to send. Freddie helps anyone who asks with their swing. Guys post about their practice session and get feedback and encouragement. If you have a question about a club or a shaft, hat, shirt, course, etc., you can get insightful answers in less than an hour.

My advice to you is to get involved as much as you can. THP is a great place and the more you interact here, the more it will pay off. We all want to get in to the events and it's easy to feel left out when you're not attending any of them, but that's the majority of us. Take advantage of everything else this place offers and once you're able to make an event, it'll be that much better.


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Great post PhillyGolfGuy. THP events are great BUT they are only one small part of THP. Percentage wise the number of readers of THP that make events is small. There is so much more to this site. Jump in a contest or two. Write a course review. You'll make friends here, I guarantee it. There are guys from half way across the world like Lopsta and Saffaclint (New Zealand) that are active on THP, and it's not because of events.

Jump in man, it's worth it.
 
Even though things are much better for one thing I noticed at first is when I would make a post it would get ignored then someone else would make essentially the same post and get 5 quotes and 10 replies and my post (value added to me as I try not to post unless its value added) was basically lost to history. It is exhausting to keep up with the volume of posting and stay on top of the general conversation on here but it will get easier once you find your place on here. Just an opinion from a relative newby outside the core area. My enjoyment on here has grown a lot since those first few months.
 
cpljohnst said:
Great post PhillyGolfGuy. THP events are great BUT they are only one small part of THP. Percentage wise the number of readers of THP that make events is small. There is so much more to this site. Jump in a contest or two. Write a course review. You'll make friends here, I guarantee it. There are guys from half way across the world like Lopsta and Saffaclint (New Zealand) that are active on THP, and it's not because of events.

Jump in man, it's worth it.
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Well said man, well said.
 
Hi guys, first time, long time.

This is a great thread and actually made me LOL at the first couple of posts at the beginning of the thread from the old crew. Boy, how times have changed.
 
This was a good read and it's similar to how I felt at first. It at first seemed like unless I attended a THP event I am doomed to be a fringe member with an inferior opinion, and once that mentality sets in it's tough to contribute positively. After sticking it out and just continuing to post in the threads that peak my interest most of that has gone away. I have a great group of friends on here now that is small, but growing, and TheKing is probably going to make this experience blow up to the next level.

The most important thing is to not take it personally when it seems like your post has been passed over. There are many close friends on this board and it's just human nature that they are way more likely to hand out a 'thanks', quote and respond to their friend as opposed to a stranger even if the posts were the same. It's something I am going to work on as I am more than likely closer to being part of the problem as opposed to the solution.

CS Lewis' speech "The Inner Ring" is a great read and it touches on many of the elements you find on an online message board, or any large group of people really.
 
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