How was GOLFWRX Created? (Answer on bottom of pg 1)

[joesgonegolfing]

I don't post as often as I used to, but this is still the first place I go when I need real information. I miss my interactions with many of the guys on this board like Joe Kwok, Texcrom, Ryan and Art (just to name a few). It is amazing how many people know about this site.

Oh well, to the future. Keep it going.

Joe

[mukster]

[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1356803864' post='6134323']
did you guys see I changed my avatar to the old 2004 one?



[attachment=1468295:beyonce.jpg]
[/quote]

Is that...........Stage?

[easyyy]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1356826814' post='6135951']
Easyyy- how were you guys able to get inside the ropes in the early days? Did you or GX have media credentials?
[/quote]

I long zoom lens and hours of waiting near the putting green. I didnt have them. I can remember taking vacation days to go off and do this. I did all of them same day. Wake up 4:00 am drive up to 4-5 hours. Take shots till 4:00 and get home by 8:00 to resize and manually load each image one at a time. Hours of loading. All with an adrenaline rush.

[KPH808]

Great read and def an awesome site. Glad to be a member and thank you guys for all your hard work.

[scratchswinger]

[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1356827200' post='6135983']
[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1356826814' post='6135951']
Easyyy- how were you guys able to get inside the ropes in the early days? Did you or GX have media credentials?
[/quote]

I long zoom lens and hours of waiting near the putting green. I didnt have them. I can remember taking vacation days to go off and do this. I did all of them same day. Wake up 4:00 am drive up to 4-5 hours. Take shots till 4:00 and get home by 8:00 to resize and manually load each image one at a time. Hours of loading. All with an adrenaline rush.
[/quote]

We are all greatful that your are nuts!!! And that your wife is an angel!

[ezgo72]

I think I sold them for a bit more than 5K....wow...ha[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1356826519' post='6135911']
[quote name='ezgo72' timestamp='1356825716' post='6135823']
Boy, it's crazy to see all these old names coming alive. I too was a migrant from GO to BSG. I was quite active back then and even had a close relationship with those guys. I introduced them to some industry people and started the old insiders major pool!!! That was fun! As were the people that helped fuel that site for a long time. People that I see here now. But like the other vets here, i became disenchanted at the direction the site took and came here after Richard invited me. I am very proud to see what GWRX has become thanks to the dedication of those who created it. I am sorry I haven't done as much to contribute as I used to though. I am no longer in the golf business and play very little golf these days. My days of rampant Ho'ing are long gone. I still lurk all the time and feed my GF all the latest scoop as she is tied to a major manufacturer. It makes me happy to see what this has become and I offer a sincere congratulations, both to those who started it and those who continue to fuel it today. This place is a huge part of the golf industry and Richard and the gang should feel very proud of their efforts! Many thank to all those that played a part!!


Anyone remember one of the rarest sets of irons ever that I sold?? The MW TM 300 iron set??? I still see those pics from time to time!! Oh the Ho'ing days...thanks for the stroll down memory lane guys.

Ezgo72
[/quote]

Welcome and look at your join date. LOL. You sold a MW set? How much?

Also did you know we bought GO to protect it and give it the respect it deserves? Its live now... [url="http://www.golfopinions.com"]http://www.golfopinions.com[/url]
[/quote]

[easyyy]

[quote name='J13' timestamp='1356826947' post='6135963']
Richard this site is amazing and it truly is a second home. I was on BSG for a while under a different tag for a little while and grew tired of being pushed to buy a $1500 driver. I wasn't nearly as knowledgeable about equipment as I am now but I knew enough to know that was a very bad joke. Anyway I'm thankful to have a site that has a clear mission and truly sticks to it. Richard and the rest of the admin and mods do a fantastic job of taking the high road. Sometimes I don't know how they do it but they do.

Richard thank you for your determination we have all benefited from it.
[/quote]

Not to get mushy but I thank you for your contribution. I have read so many of your posts and you make WRX a better place. Thank you and many years to come.

R

[easyyy]

[quote name='joesgonegolfing' timestamp='1356827100' post='6135975']
I don't post as often as I used to, but this is still the first place I go when I need real information. I miss my interactions with many of the guys on this board like Joe Kwok, Texcrom, Ryan and Art (just to name a few). It is amazing how many people know about this site.

Oh well, to the future. Keep it going.

Art. Where the hell is he. I used to talk to him at least 3 times a week. True Ho of Ho's.



Joe
[/quote]

[Johnny T]

Great history lesson of the site that has taught me so much. I stumbled on this site via Google back in 2009, looking for some reviews. Before my golf days I was a member of a couple of different motorcycle forums. Over time (usually within 2-4 years) those would either fold or crumble into a miserable place, largely because how they were ran. It is nice to be a part of a place that respects its members and their opinions. Bravo easyyy and Gx!

[Jamboy72]

Like many of you I was an Insider on BSG...loved the insider masters pool and may have even won a couple bucks...thanks EZ...but alas, I got sideways as well after dropping a bunch of cash on some lime green shafts and found I'd still left some yards on the table...had a couple frank conversations and then found I'd been banned until 2036...loved Rareguitars stuff too!

This site is indeed special and thanks to all of those who make it possible!

[jaiello]

Great thread here. I just checked and I have been a member here since Oct 2007 but for some reason I think I joined before that but somehow lost my log in creds and had to rejoin. I also came over from BSG and have enjoyed watching this site grow into something with real credibility. BSG really went downhill over the time I was there and while I never got banned by BH it was clear that he was running it into the ground. I still have some of the over priced stuff I bought there. I love this site and it's always open in one of the tabs on my desktop. Great discussions and run with integrity. Keep up the great work.

[Kadin 25]

[i][b]"For Golfers By Golfers"[/b][/i]


It just doesn't get any better than that!!

[Skaffa77]

I'm guessing I'm closer to an elder on this site than I originally thought...joined officially on Christmas Eve 2006 after stumbling onto this site...yep...stumbled via a Google search. I never knew about BSG...never really knew others shared the same crazy passion I had for golf and golf equipment.

Anyway, I quickly learned I knew very little about golf equipment compared to many people who where on this site (even back then during it's infancy). Since that time, I've gone through countless golf clubs, improved my game and spent way more time than I ever imaged on any internet forum. The truth of the matter is that this forum feels like home to me...a community of sorts where I feel like I belong. I check-in and read some great info or get a glimpse of some tour scoops...catch up on the posts of some GolfWRX regulars who add a bit a flare and add my input when I feel it brings value.

I'm glad this site is here and glad I've been a part of it for so long! Here's to many more years! Cheers!

[br61]

[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1356826240' post='6135887']
[quote name='br61' timestamp='1356824760' post='6135705']
Oh boy, reading few comments brought some good memories(and few bad ones). I first started browsing golf forums in 2000(I think) while searching for Cameron putters, GolfOpinions popped up and I joined there. I still have this same user name on all of golf boards that I frequent. It wasn't my 1st choice as an user name that I wanted was already taken on GO.

BH got into a rift with Paul Radetsky of GO so I was one of the first GO members that he emailed about joining BSG. I did enjoy being on BSG at first though. I played a round with Paul when I was in Orlando, got the whole story about the rift. Oh man, I'm not gonna repeat it.

I was an active member at BSG for few years but never really bought anything from him as his prices were always outrageous and that I could get the same items cheaper elsewhere. Got to know Easyyy and few other old-timers over at BSG. Later on, I was less active as I got disgusted with BH's tactics and what he did to me also for reasons that I won't get into as it's all in the past. He even put me on read only for a while for just being a member here. My online friends were getting banned by BH that I was running out of people to converse with. Few funny people such as Stage and few others started to disappear.

Just before WRX went online to public, the founders invited me to check it out. I liked it. Sure traffic was slow at first but I knew if the content grows and being run the proper way if it's possible to say that, the membership will grow. I'm kinda proud that I'm 49th member to join GolfWRX and still very active here. I do see few former mods and administrators of GO and BSG as members here.

I'm sure as long as I'm still living, I'll still be a member here. No doubt of it.
[/quote]

Look out... Bill is in the house. Nice to see you Bill. Did you know we (WRX) bought Golf Opinions? It is live and well. We bought it to preserve it as it was. GO and the original founders there deserve that. I owe that to them and the original name.

I will never forget PRad's WITB with those Firesole Forged TMAg but Miura forged irons. JoshWhit, Mitch2. So many inspired me.
[/quote]
Richard,

Yes, you informed me earlier this year that GO is now under WRX ownership. I need to go over there more often. I got to hit those "famous" Firesole Forged irons, ha. I did have a set or few of those irons. Nice sticks. Thanks to golf forums, I can't think of a player's set from TM that I haven't owned.

Speaking of those, I remember Seaport selling those sweet JDM clubs from Japan, also spent too much $$$ with him. So many good guys that I've gotten to know online over the years. One must know that there are many good moderators over there and here too. It's a thankless job trying to make everyone happy.

You guys are doing a great job and I appreciated all the time you guys have put in.


Pitbull,
You aren't only one that regretted selling a favorite club or few.

[stage1350]

The Rareguitar outing in Va Beach was another example of the moron showing his true colors. Rareguitar (Brad) put out a lot of time and money to make that happen and those of us who went were treated to a TPC course set up for PGA. We played TPC Virginia Beach the week before the Va Beach Open.

Where Mandal-boy could have shown up with a bucket of clubs and had a good chance of selling them all, he didn't show at all. Didn't support the outing with prizes or discounted prizes. And later, turned on Brad when he was showing off his different clubs and toys. (His Ferrari was sweet!)

That was a tough pill to swallow for those of us that had been invited into his home to meet his wife and children and enjoy a nice BBQ/kegger that he set up. It was easy to see who the good guy was and who was the POS.

After that, every time he would ban/alienate a good member, a dozen other members would leave with the good guy.

[LeftRev]

I remember the day WRX became a reality. By the time I logged in...44 others had already joined [among the new parishioners...br61, madball, hifade]. All of us were excited to be part of the new forum. I told Richard early on that I volunteered to be the designated chaplain for their venture--the Left Reverend. Little did I know that through their hard work this congregation would become the largest in the golf kingdom. I think they only needed me to pray during a couple of computer viruses and when they changed the format of worship a few times.

I have to confess my sin... br61 led me down this road by selling me my first tour issue club--a TM 300 tour driver. I've done penance for that purchase through countless other purchases since and loved every minute of it!

Richard and Ryan, thank you for figuring out how to take a bunch of golf enthusiasts who are also sometimes opinionated, disagreeable and hard to please and making us family.

It's a miracle and a tribute to your dedication!

Mike

[SPY ZINGER]

I remember being an Insider and being in the Insider area having discussions with some of the ledgends that have taken the time to post here. Easyyy, Stage, Kev, BR61, and I could go on.

Over the years, Easyyy and I have had differences in professional opinion about things. But I'll tell you what, he always takes the time to listen and respond from his heart and with passion. Although I've recently started as a staffer at a competitive site, I have all the respect in the world for Richard and this site. Congrats and well done.

You have some good writers here, but when it comes to apparel, you'll always be hitting first from the fairway, but I digress. I keed, I keed!

[mh7vw]

Awesome to hear the details of the beginnings here at GolfWRX. I was a lurker on BSG for a while, but it lost value when the content all became the same drivel. I joined here in the summer of 2005 just before starting my senior year of college. This site was the reason for a lot of paper writing and studying procrastination, but well worth it! I value the opinions and news (and great pics!) found here. As an NY resident it also keeps me somewhat sane when I see the snow outside. Thanks to all for your efforts and time to create and maintain this community.

[joey3108]

Just to add and clear some info on where i was, I was supposed to be member #3....somehow I have to asked GXGOLFER due to a glitch in the software.

I end up where I end up now on the member#. I wish I could bring it back, Its just cool, I think

I was asked to help bringing the crowd since i was involved heavily on golf forums from the first golf forum existed and build the relationship through my business contacts....that was quite a loooooong time ago. Lots of misunderstanding from other sites at that time. It was expected! Lots of people don't know what is going on because I kept saying to my self "take the high road, action speaks louder". Those are water under the bridge.

At this size WRX can be a little over whelming and harder to catch up with everything are going on every day. Lots of people email or call me just to ask or confirm what they saw here on which review to read.... My advice are always consistent, Try to read/select a reviews from a happy customers, You have a better feedback IMO. Most cases I can only give more of a technical review, unless i really have it in my bag.

Not to forget, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all (new and old members). Thank you for all those years supporting me and WRX. Thanks for all those years for being my fans/friends. I will continue to do my best and keep up with you guys.

Cheers!

joe
www.joekwokgolf.com

[CBJ]

I couldn't imagine not having GOLFWRX, I'm on the site multiple times everyday!!!

Thanks for all the hard work and effort keeping this site top notch!!!!

[bobfoster]

[quote name='memphishorn' timestamp='1356791106' post='6133387']
I have apparently been here since Jan 2006 but don't remember how I got here the first time. I don't post a lot but am on here almost everyday as it is my go to golf site. I remember the Golf Channel Forums and what a mess they were and visited BSG a few times.

My early experience on hobby sites was in 1999 through about 2004 on the Bass Fishing Home Page when all I did was fish and had all but given up the game I grew up with (golf). That site looks today like it did in 1999/2000.

I glad to have this site to go to and thank Richard and Ryan for their commitmment to keep this place to go for golf info and for continuing to reinvest in the site.

This would be good day to re up my Club WRX membership. I think I'll do that now.
[/quote]

Yeah ... I just renewed mine. I wasn't here at the very beginning, but probably 2007 or 2008 or something (first as MidasMulligan, then, after that email account got hacked, BobFoster). Was living in Mexico City at the time, and had virtually no one to talk about golf with.

Truthfully ... the conversations (some of them) are fun, but the one HUGE thing this site does (that so few other on the interenet do) is maintain (as far as I can tell) a strict bright line between advertising and site content. When you read equipment threads you get pure, raw, unfiltered opinions from fanatic golfers (even if they are not favorable to products from sponsors). It was quite interesting to hear that apparently the site was started by someone precisely because of another site that was skewing content to please advertisers.

Way to go guys ... I'm not even sure how you do it (I imagine some advertisers must have at least asked if they could make certain they were seen in a ... er ... favorable light).

Keep up the good work.

[easyyy]

[quote name='Johnny T' timestamp='1356827711' post='6136061']
Great history lesson of the site that has taught me so much. I stumbled on this site via Google back in 2009, looking for some reviews. Before my golf days I was a member of a couple of different motorcycle forums. Over time (usually within 2-4 years) those would either fold or crumble into a miserable place, largely because how they were ran. It is nice to be a part of a place that respects its members and their opinions. Bravo easyyy and Gx!
[/quote]
[quote name='topekareal' timestamp='1356828022' post='6136093']
Like many of you I was an Insider on BSG...loved the insider masters pool and may have even won a couple bucks...thanks EZ...but alas, I got sideways as well after dropping a bunch of cash on some lime green shafts and found I'd still left some yards on the table...had a couple frank conversations and then found I'd been banned until 2036...loved Rareguitars stuff too!

This site is indeed special and thanks to all of those who make it possible!
[/quote]
[quote name='jaiello' timestamp='1356828328' post='6136119']
Great thread here. I just checked and I have been a member here since Oct 2007 but for some reason I think I joined before that but somehow lost my log in creds and had to rejoin. I also came over from BSG and have enjoyed watching this site grow into something with real credibility. BSG really went downhill over the time I was there and while I never got banned by BH it was clear that he was running it into the ground. I still have some of the over priced stuff I bought there. I love this site and it's always open in one of the tabs on my desktop. Great discussions and run with integrity. Keep up the great work.
[/quote]
[quote name='Kadin 25' timestamp='1356828729' post='6136147']
[i][b]"For Golfers By Golfers"[/b][/i]
It just doesn't get any better than that!!
[/quote]

Thank you for your comments and I am having a great time with this thread. Again I will say it.... thank you more than you know for your participation and membership. Your opinions and relies and threads is the ONLY reason we are as good as we show today. Bravo!!!

[easyyy]

[quote name='Skaffa77' timestamp='1356828793' post='6136151']
I'm guessing I'm closer to an elder on this site than I originally thought...joined officially on Christmas Eve 2006 after stumbling onto this site...yep...stumbled via a Google search. I never knew about BSG...never really knew others shared the same crazy passion I had for golf and golf equipment.

Anyway, I quickly learned I knew very little about golf equipment compared to many people who where on this site (even back then during it's infancy). Since that time, I've gone through countless golf clubs, improved my game and spent way more time than I ever imaged on any internet forum. The truth of the matter is that this forum feels like home to me...a community of sorts where I feel like I belong. I check-in and read some great info or get a glimpse of some tour scoops...catch up on the posts of some GolfWRX regulars who add a bit a flare and add my input when I feel it brings value.

I'm glad this site is here and glad I've been a part of it for so long! Here's to many more years! Cheers!


[/quote]

I have said this to Stage and another. But is needs to be said again... Our experience here [color="#282828"]creates an odd internet friendship. Just because it is odd doesn't make is anything but REAL. We all have bonds here. Not the same as a face to face but in ways even stronger. Our bond is our passion in the game, our association as a "Member" and our vested time here. WRX respects that and always will protect it.[/color]

[easyyy]

[quote name='br61' timestamp='1356828805' post='6136155']
[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1356826240' post='6135887']
[quote name='br61' timestamp='1356824760' post='6135705']
Oh boy, reading few comments brought some good memories(and few bad ones). I first started browsing golf forums in 2000(I think) while searching for Cameron putters, GolfOpinions popped up and I joined there. I still have this same user name on all of golf boards that I frequent. It wasn't my 1st choice as an user name that I wanted was already taken on GO.

BH got into a rift with Paul Radetsky of GO so I was one of the first GO members that he emailed about joining BSG. I did enjoy being on BSG at first though. I played a round with Paul when I was in Orlando, got the whole story about the rift. Oh man, I'm not gonna repeat it.

I was an active member at BSG for few years but never really bought anything from him as his prices were always outrageous and that I could get the same items cheaper elsewhere. Got to know Easyyy and few other old-timers over at BSG. Later on, I was less active as I got disgusted with BH's tactics and what he did to me also for reasons that I won't get into as it's all in the past. He even put me on read only for a while for just being a member here. My online friends were getting banned by BH that I was running out of people to converse with. Few funny people such as Stage and few others started to disappear.

Just before WRX went online to public, the founders invited me to check it out. I liked it. Sure traffic was slow at first but I knew if the content grows and being run the proper way if it's possible to say that, the membership will grow. I'm kinda proud that I'm 49th member to join GolfWRX and still very active here. I do see few former mods and administrators of GO and BSG as members here.

I'm sure as long as I'm still living, I'll still be a member here. No doubt of it.
[/quote]

Look out... Bill is in the house. Nice to see you Bill. Did you know we (WRX) bought Golf Opinions? It is live and well. We bought it to preserve it as it was. GO and the original founders there deserve that. I owe that to them and the original name.

I will never forget PRad's WITB with those Firesole Forged TMAg but Miura forged irons. JoshWhit, Mitch2. So many inspired me.
[/quote]
Richard,

Yes, you informed me earlier this year that GO is now under WRX ownership. I need to go over there more often. I got to hit those "famous" Firesole Forged irons, ha. I did have a set or few of those irons. Nice sticks. Thanks to golf forums, I can't think of a player's set from TM that I haven't owned.

Speaking of those, I remember Seaport selling those sweet JDM clubs from Japan, also spent too much $$$ with him. So many good guys that I've gotten to know online over the years. One must know that there are many good moderators over there and here too. It's a thankless job trying to make everyone happy.

You guys are doing a great job and I appreciated all the time you guys have put in.


Pitbull,
You aren't only one that regretted selling a favorite club or few.
[/quote]

Was it Brian Seaport??? I bought a set of Coin Forged Japan TMag cb's from him. Headcovers to. After JoshWhit wrote those off the hook reviews I bought them. Tiburon bought them from me.

[maverick]

As I remember Easy and a few of the mods were on that other site as I was. It was getting so commercial many of us were ready for something new. I received an email about this site and have been a member since back then in 05. Unfortunately user names change and I lost a few online 'friends'. I posted under the handle "Parsaver" there. I thank the owners and mods for keeping this site a place that is pleasant to log-onto.

[Turbo]

Great thread guys!! Special Thanks to Richard, Ryan, and ALL members who make this site possible and easily the best golf discussion.

[easyyy]

[quote name='LeftRev' timestamp='1356829111' post='6136185']
I remember the day WRX became a reality. By the time I logged in...44 others had already joined [among the new parishioners...br61, madball, hifade]. All of us were excited to be part of the new forum. I told Richard early on that I volunteered to be the designated chaplain for their venture--the Left Reverend. Little did I know that through their hard work this congregation would become the largest in the golf kingdom. I think they only needed me to pray during a couple of computer viruses and when they changed the format of worship a few times.

I have to confess my sin... br61 led me down this road by selling me my first tour issue club--a TM 300 tour driver. I've done penance for that purchase through countless other purchases since and loved every minute of it!

Richard and Ryan, thank you for figuring out how to take a bunch of golf enthusiasts who are also sometimes opinionated, disagreeable and hard to please and making us family.

It's a miracle and a tribute to your dedication!

Mike
[/quote]

Mike,

Thanks for chiming in. Wow. Just wow. Awesome to see you here in this thread talking shop. I feel like it is a reunion. Funny post to. You have a way with the english language.

Those 300 Tours got around. All were fitted with the Speeder757 in them.

[wobgon]

Who was member # 1??????????

[DRGJR72]

Hi Richard,

I remember when I joined this site in November of 2005. I was working at a club in Southern California and stumbled across it after a google search for some golf club that I was trying to find a picture of for another pro. I joined that day and never looked back. Reading about where the site came from just a few months prior to that has been interesting.

Since moving to Singapore I have not posted as much as I did when I was in the states, but still hop on several times a week to keep abreast of what is happening and also check the classifieds!!

It has been a great experience and part of the connection for me has been the ability to contribute through posts, articles I have written for WRX, reviews, selling/trading on the BST, taking some pictures at the US Open at Pebble, and any advice I was able to give to another member that asked. GolfWRX has clearly been more than just another website for me. I have also been able to meet a few people from the site and even forged a great friendship with Joe Kwok when I moved to Northern California. I think that is part of the greatness of this place...the ability to meet, discuss, rant, and even play golf with people who have similar interests and passion for this crazy game.

This site is much different than it was in 2005, but at the core it is still a group of people that are passionate about golf.

Thank you and keep up the great work.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year,

Dan Grannan

[golow]

I started as a Jr Ho on GEA and GO. Then came BSG. Made a lot of cyber and real friends. Lifelong friends from other states, countries and continents - we've played, will play again, We talk, type, and share pics and stories of our kids to this day.

It didn't take long to see through BSG and Todd in terms of $$ first and truth, fun, and family so far down the line they were unrankable. But I was loyal to the community. I was a top 10 poster there ... but then all the cool cats were leaving for WRX. I joined WRX in May of 2005 in it's infancy and lurked. In retrospect I was hurt that everyone jumped ship and even told MrParr1Noid to just leave when he ranted while exiting (I was wrong). I could compartmentalize : Todd is a tool / members are cool.

I have a feeling that panic set in over there re: the exodus. They even asked me to be a moderator. I said "no thank you", stopped posting there, moved to WRX full time. Why ? Community.

I love you guys (mmmm Xanax)

golow(TM)