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

[vaterman]

[quote name='Riuzzi' timestamp='1364756537' post='6731437']
[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1364652140' post='6725369']
[quote name='KappaRaider' timestamp='1364326721' post='6700183']
Really glad this place has done so well. I know for a fact that this place helped push OEM's to cater to the golfer who wanted to play what the Tour guys were playing hence the TP series, adjustability, more shaft options etc... I know this because back in 05, 06 I was on a conference call with a CEO of one of these companys and their R&D dept, showing them that there was a market for that type of equipment. I think the good amateur golfer was tired of the 2* closed face that all the company's were rolling out with back then and we wanted to get our hands on what the tour guys were hitting. I am glad that I was able to be a part of that back then.
[/quote]

Yes sir.

Whatever happened to that old avatar of yours. Wasn't it Will Ferrell playin drums?.. Can't remember
[/quote]

Cowbell...I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!

Some member names and avatars just stick together.

[quote name='vaterman' timestamp='1363389663' post='6619925']
I am new here and by some fluke I read that post by demolitionman. First time I read it was kind of difficult for me to read yet intriguing. Guess I could relate but was not ready to fully accept that I was heading the exact same way. A couple of weeks later i came to think of that post and I read it again this time removing the blindfold from my eyes and confronted that I indeed had started to move along the same track.

Thanks to his post I caught myself in time and changed my habits radically. The post just hit home so clean once I really confronted my own situation. Its bin a while now and I have not "fallen back" into the dark road and i have thought many times that I owe demolitionman a huge thank you. If any of you still have some contact with him please let him know that his "last post" did a world of change for this weird dude in Denmark still 4 years after he wrote it and please tell him how much he helped me.

Also I would really like to now how he is doing now. I really hope he is doing all great again.

That being said I thank the creators of this site. I haven't even been a member for a year and I have learned so much. Especially through this site I got to read Ernest Jones and Manuel de la Torre. Which has been just the thing for me.

In a week I go for a month to stay in Clearwater Florida. Who knows if i see a real life WRX'er on one of the courses
[/quote]

Velkommen til!
[/quote]

Hvad Søren... En dansker og du er sherif. Fantastisk

[jaehyukchae]

Good read. Thanks to all those that support WRX

[hankmoody]

Thanks to all. This is a very friendly, and knowledgeable place.

[Arafel]

[quote name='hankmoody' timestamp='1386886958' post='8290855']
Thanks to all. This is a very friendly, and knowledgeable place.
[/quote]

In all my years here, I'm still amazed at what you can find when you use the search function. It's a very rare occasion that I can't find an answer here.

[putts4bogey]

This is a great site and like an internet home away from home. Kudos to the founders and members.

[Zippy]

Boy, this thread takes me back. My first experience with the online golf equipment community was with the CBS Sports forums. Some dude named Dougweight loved to stir the pot, and there was this guy PRadetsky who always seemed to know his stuff and was really good at handling the ruckus. I followed the link in his sig and found GolfOpinions.com. I became one of the more prolific posters in the early days under the name Roydjt and saw the community come into full bloom. Paul R did a great job every year of documenting the PGA shows, and we seemed to have some nice inside connections for information on the newest gear. The pools that SnowDale ran for each major were a ton of fun. We had knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic people everywhere. I want to say that GO.com started up around 2000, maybe a couple of years before that.

One day this guy BigHitter showed up and he started to whore up the boards. He was answering every question about everything to anybody and it seemed that the answer was always the deep face TM300 driver with a Fujikura Speeder 757. This was around the time of the USGA's ruling about COR, and he was positive that 0.86 would be the limit. He was selling heads for like $500 apiece that were in the .83-.86 range. Shortly afterwards he founded BombsquadGolf.com and a flock of formerly loyal GO.com members followed him over there. Once the COR ruling came out, people were generally pissed off that they spent $800 on a club that was rendered useless. When business dealings went sour, I had people coming to me to see what kind of avenues they could pursue to get their money back. Paul filled me in on the conditions of his exit, and I could not have been more disgusted. I kept an eye on how BSG progressed, and I wasn't surprised by the success, but I was shocked by the amount of corruption that seemed to be going on. For the record, I've been banned from that site twice and both times I had no idea what I had done to deserve it. The last time I was around there, they were offering a $20,000 package of fittings and equipment that was just silly.

Over the years, GolfOpinions continued to dwindle. The last few years it's been hardly a trickle. A new owner bought the site from the original group a few years back and promised to bring it back toward significance, but I think it was just a move to try to pump traffic toward his own site, PutterTalk.com. The forums were hardly moderated and the owner was completely absent. The few active members left at the time were turned away. At some point, GolfWRX bought the site and we were excited that someone would actually do something with it, but it's only shriveled away from there.

It's weird to think that I've been browsing golf equipment forums for 15 years. I go back to when the Biggest Big Bertha was a hideous monstrosity and MacGregor was still forging their clubs here in the USA. AJ Tech was the s*** and nobody had heard of Fujikura yet. It's been a fun adventure. I'm glad to know that there is still a place to come to for unbiased, open sharing of opinions and information about the game of golf and its equipment.

-Roy

[scratchswinger]

[quote name='Zippy' timestamp='1387159743' post='8305445']
Boy, this thread takes me back. My first experience with the online golf equipment community was with the CBS Sports forums. Some dude named Dougweight loved to stir the pot, and there was this guy PRadetsky who always seemed to know his stuff and was really good at handling the ruckus. I followed the link in his sig and found GolfOpinions.com. I became one of the more prolific posters in the early days under the name Roydjt and saw the community come into full bloom. Paul R did a great job every year of documenting the PGA shows, and we seemed to have some nice inside connections for information on the newest gear. The pools that SnowDale ran for each major were a ton of fun. We had knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic people everywhere. I want to say that GO.com started up around 2000, maybe a couple of years before that.

One day this guy BigHitter showed up and he started to whore up the boards. He was answering every question about everything to anybody and it seemed that the answer was always the deep face TM300 driver with a Fujikura Speeder 757. This was around the time of the USGA's ruling about COR, and he was positive that 0.86 would be the limit. He was selling heads for like $500 apiece that were in the .83-.86 range. Shortly afterwards he founded BombsquadGolf.com and a flock of formerly loyal GO.com members followed him over there. Once the COR ruling came out, people were generally pissed off that they spent $800 on a club that was rendered useless. When business dealings went sour, I had people coming to me to see what kind of avenues they could pursue to get their money back. Paul filled me in on the conditions of his exit, and I could not have been more disgusted. I kept an eye on how BSG progressed, and I wasn't surprised by the success, but I was shocked by the amount of corruption that seemed to be going on. For the record, I've been banned from that site twice and both times I had no idea what I had done to deserve it. The last time I was around there, they were offering a $20,000 package of fittings and equipment that was just silly.

Over the years, GolfOpinions continued to dwindle. The last few years it's been hardly a trickle. A new owner bought the site from the original group a few years back and promised to bring it back toward significance, but I think it was just a move to try to pump traffic toward his own site, PutterTalk.com. The forums were hardly moderated and the owner was completely absent. The few active members left at the time were turned away. At some point, GolfWRX bought the site and we were excited that someone would actually do something with it, but it's only shriveled away from there.

It's weird to think that I've been browsing golf equipment forums for 15 years. I go back to when the Biggest Big Bertha was a hideous monstrosity and MacGregor was still forging their clubs here in the USA. AJ Tech was the s*** and nobody had heard of Fujikura yet. It's been a fun adventure. I'm glad to know that there is still a place to come to for unbiased, open sharing of opinions and information about the game of golf and its equipment.

-Roy
[/quote]

Wow! Thank you for that Roy! It's great to hear these stories. Easyyy mentioned in here that they bought Golf Opinions to keep all the archives and threads so that they would not vanish forever. Preserving history.

[easyyy]

[quote name='Zippy' timestamp='1387159743' post='8305445'] Boy, this thread takes me back. My first experience with the online golf equipment community was with the CBS Sports forums. Some dude named Dougweight loved to stir the pot, and there was this guy PRadetsky who always seemed to know his stuff and was really good at handling the ruckus. I followed the link in his sig and found GolfOpinions.com. I became one of the more prolific posters in the early days under the name Roydjt and saw the community come into full bloom. Paul R did a great job every year of documenting the PGA shows, and we seemed to have some nice inside connections for information on the newest gear. The pools that SnowDale ran for each major were a ton of fun. We had knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic people everywhere. I want to say that GO.com started up around 2000, maybe a couple of years before that. One day this guy BigHitter showed up and he started to whore up the boards. He was answering every question about everything to anybody and it seemed that the answer was always the deep face TM300 driver with a Fujikura Speeder 757. This was around the time of the USGA's ruling about COR, and he was positive that 0.86 would be the limit. He was selling heads for like $500 apiece that were in the .83-.86 range. Shortly afterwards he founded BombsquadGolf.com and a flock of formerly loyal GO.com members followed him over there. Once the COR ruling came out, people were generally pissed off that they spent $800 on a club that was rendered useless. When business dealings went sour, I had people coming to me to see what kind of avenues they could pursue to get their money back. Paul filled me in on the conditions of his exit, and I could not have been more disgusted. I kept an eye on how BSG progressed, and I wasn't surprised by the success, but I was shocked by the amount of corruption that seemed to be going on. For the record, I've been banned from that site twice and both times I had no idea what I had done to deserve it. The last time I was around there, they were offering a $20,000 package of fittings and equipment that was just silly. Over the years, GolfOpinions continued to dwindle. The last few years it's been hardly a trickle. A new owner bought the site from the original group a few years back and promised to bring it back toward significance, but I think it was just a move to try to pump traffic toward his own site, PutterTalk.com. The forums were hardly moderated and the owner was completely absent. The few active members left at the time were turned away. At some point, GolfWRX bought the site and we were excited that someone would actually do something with it, but it's only shriveled away from there. It's weird to think that I've been browsing golf equipment forums for 15 years. I go back to when the Biggest Big Bertha was a hideous monstrosity and MacGregor was still forging their clubs here in the USA. AJ Tech was the s*** and nobody had heard of Fujikura yet. It's been a fun adventure. I'm glad to know that there is still a place to come to for unbiased, open sharing of opinions and information about the game of golf and its equipment. -Roy [/quote]

Roy, I am glad your here and I mean it. Remember JMHGO abbreviations? I still have PRad's WITB burned into my hard drive. Firesole forged irons.

We bought GO to honor it and give it the respect it needed. We need to develop a strategy to develop it to its old glory. I works now and the older posts are all there.

Welcome and thanks for peaking your head in here and saying hello.

BTW... you can always change you name here. There is a sticky in the website help forum.

[Mitchell]

Easyyy,
Glad you are honoring what GO was all about. That was definitely a trip down memory lane- I remember trading a member (grabbard?) a mint set of J's professional weapon irons even out for a set of practically unhit Founders Club 200 series blades w/ FCM stepped 6.0. We both shipped USPS the same day and agreed that if condition was not agreeable to both, we would send back within a week of reception, we both kept the sets, and 2 iron still makes appearance in my bag-simpler times!

[Jag80]

I think a pretty good amount of us have gone through CBS, GO, GEA, BSG and now WRX. Doesn't seem like more than 15 years, does it. Man, time flies and so does golf equipment.

[dxdgenert]

Man, those GO days were a blast. I went back a few nights ago and re-read some of my posts... I was a real jerk! I'm glad that I've moved beyon... Who am I kidding, I can still be a huge jerk but really enjoy being a part of the dysfunctional family.

If possible, I'd love a way to bring back the ridiculous, bandwidth-sucking picture signatures that most of us had. Try getting a thread to load on 56.6k dial up with 43MB of those bad boys present!

[attachment=2011031:image.jpg]

[Dinosaur]

has anybody else used the old bulletin board forums? I have long forgotten the codes we had to use just to post.

[smigin]

This is about the most fascinating thread I have ever read and although it says I joined in 2010 I was a member a few years before but a family etc... made me lose touch, so much so I couldn't remember my login or password so had to re-register.
I remember BSG and being a member was exposed to and being stunned by the sales bitching and vitriol; anyway more than enough by more knowledgeable folk than me.

I really appreciate what you founders set up, the enduring spirit of the site and the knowledge and valued opinions that have become like a bible to me when I finally get to buy a beastie.

thanks to one and all

[Ayoung19]

Very cool description of the site, never knew the real history behind it until now.

[jlt73]

I might give a bippity or a bop every now and then.. but never a bippity bop. That's just gentlemanly

[CMBaviator_FR]

this website is awesome

by the way what does WRX means ? on an aircraft WRX means weather radar, lol

CMB

[PGAWill0713]

Always wondered, pretty interesting.

[kgk]

I have always associated it with car tuners. "WRX" pronounced "works".

[bogeypro]

You forgot to mention Golfshackchat as well (some of us that left BSG went there as well).

GO was pretty cool back in the day.

Remember ham N egg golf forum? They went private (pay site) and they dwindled down as well.

Wow, I've been around these forums waaay too long. I would have to say I got my golf forum start on FGI probably 12 or 13 years ago.

[bogeypro]

[quote name='seasuks' timestamp='1357773377' post='6199631']
[quote name='stage1350' timestamp='1356828915' post='6136165']
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.
[/quote]

Wow, this thread brings back a lot of memories. Mostly of email exchanges with Todd telling him he was losing the site and why and him eventually banning me until, you guessed it 2036. I don't remember when I joined here but I know it was early and since the fallout of everything, I had pretty much signed off on golf forums. Especially since I've had the same set of clubs in my bag since 2005.

Brad put so much time and effort into that outting it was an absolute disgrace to read the reasons from Todd why he couldn't/wouldn't attend. After talking to those that had played with him in the past it quickly became apparent that it was because he coulnd't play to the level they said they could and they didn't want to be figured out. I made a lot of great friends on BSG, including Stage, and I've kept in contact with several of them over the last five or six years since we were all "Exiled" for various reasons including BLav28 who is my regular golfing buddy here in San Diego these days.

A lot has changed in my life in the last five years, I got married, did three deployments with the Navy, had another kid, and moved to San Diego, but through it all, those guys that I became good friends with on BSG have always been there to keep me laughing. Even when I was 9,000 miles away with crappy internet access on a frigate bobbing along in the Persian Gulf.

It's nice to see what this place has become. I'll have to start perusing around the forums again and get caught up on the latest stuff now that I'm off of a ship and actually have a little time to play every once in a while. Congrats on the site easyyy, it has come a really long way!
[/quote]

Sea, its great to see you around! I remember coming over from Richmond and playing with you and Brad at TPC. One of the best memories of that day was a sea gull or some kind of big bird picking up Brad's ball from the fairway and dropping it like 80 yards on down the fairway. LOL

Was so windy, we were hitting 150 drivers into the wind. LOL!!

[Steelhead]

Bogey pro you are 10 members ahead of me! I was like #500 but changed my name with a new account and am #3852. I remember a lot of the old BSG & WRX posts and the back and forth. Geez we all spend way too much time on these forums . Good to remember how entertaining Ham & Egg, GO were( from way back!)

[roho]

I stumbled on this thread and started to read it. It brought back old memories. I think I qualify as an early joiner. I used to be active like Roy at Golf Opinions but mainly spent most of my time at FGI. I had a different user name but don't remember what it was. Back then I was interested in club building and fgi was mainly a componet site. I learned more about club building from that site than from anywhere else. Especially one member named Tim Hewitt who used to run the Ostrich site for golf supplies. Unfortunately due to the economy he took a job overseas and never came back. I don't think there isn't a golf forum I haven't tried. Others that I used to frequent were 4gea and Myrtle beach golf talk. I joined clubwrx because of the policy of no nonsence. I left fgi after being flamed and abused one too many times. Over the years I have lost interest in componets since most are not very good anymore. I'm retired and my game is slowly deteriating so I buy most of my brand name equipment now from ebay that is at least 1-2 old. I love looking at all the latest clubs at clubwrx, members posting pics of bags at tourneys etc. I not much of a poster anymore but do enjoy lurking in the forums. Thanks clubwrx, good job.

[JL529]

It's fascinating, not only golfwrx, but how many other "forums" start so simple and grew to be expansive. The "if you build it, they will come" quote comes to mind... I'm new but sure am glad I started being more active here. I'm really enjoying this place....

[scratchswinger]

[quote name='jgwak2' timestamp='1418261422' post='10575555']
It's fascinating, not only golfwrx, but how many other "forums" start so simple and grew to be expansive. The "if you build it, they will come" quote comes to mind... I'm new but sure am glad I started being more active here. I'm really enjoying this place....
[/quote]

Welcome! Be careful this place can get expensive and addicting!

[nitram]

[quote name='scratchswinger' timestamp='1418263042' post='10575705']
Welcome! Be careful this place can get expensive and addicting!
[/quote]

Understatement of the year

[irvtrain]

Man, this thread is a trip. I used to love BSG. Because of that site, I became good friends with SuperFonzie in real life. Unfortunately, like probably other well known members on there and here, he has quit golf altogether and these sites. I remember he would always have new equipment almost quarterly and was always looking to swap drivers with me. When people were getting banned I decided come here more often. I remember even certain names like Ari (from Scratch) and company names would get the *** treatment. It became an odd place. I stuck around BSG until the infamous site went off line for about a week and everyone came on here to discuss what was going on with that site. Even Petter7 showed up here for that discussion. Anyway, I still check out BSG from time to time but you can literally hear crickets in there. Hoss is still a good source for hard to find equipment and isn't charging outrageous prices. I just picked up a 10.5* Mini SLDR from him for less than a new driver off the rack. I still have my 16* Adams 5050 from them. It has found its way in and out of the bag for the past 7 years.

Anyway, this site has been great and getting tips for my golf trips is second to none. Love this site!!

[psygolf]

Anyone remember when Gypsy Golf was the coolest place to visit online & the only outlet for tour equipment back in the day?

:-)

[cota0429]

[quote name='psygolf' timestamp='1429740107' post='11419431']Anyone remember when Gypsy Golf was the coolest place to visit online & the only outlet for tour equipment back in the day?

:-)[/quote]

I live about an hour from there. Used to stop in all the time!

[Mitchell]

[quote name='psygolf' timestamp='1429740107' post='11419431']
Anyone remember when Gypsy Golf was the coolest place to visit online & the only outlet for tour equipment back in the day?

:-)
[/quote]Remember when they were cool, also remember when they shut down and still had a bunch of customer equipment, including my MP14 set they were reshafting, had to use extraordinary measures to get them back, not exactly a fan!

[Sean2]

This was the first golf forum I found. I have learned a lot about golf, golf equipment, and other golf related topics on GolfWRX. You can ask just about any golf related question and someone here will have an answer for you.

It's a terrific place to hang out.