A personal view on what has gone so so wrong with this forum

[Pathetic Shark]

I have stayed off this forum for nearly seven months as I had gotten fed up with all the petty bickering, pathetic point scoring and downright nasty attitudes of some people. In other words, it was just like a typical golf club.

So just like a typical golf club, I just turned up to play golf and then got changed in the car park and drove home. In other words, I observed posts without logging in or commenting.

When I was Captain of a club in Surrey in 2020, I had to represent every member whether I liked them or not, agreed or disagreed with their opinions, in general did what was best for the majority. A bit like the non-funded moderators on this forum but appreciated by some of the people who truly understood the issues involved.

It would be a real shame if this forum, or even just the Out of Bounds section was taken down. But it is heading that way. More and more former forumers are becoming just that because of the attitudes here of some people.

Narcissists would be a good way to describe some posters. Show-offs, wannabe-know-it-alls, wind-up merchants and apologies for the phrase but "Covid Nazis" unfortunately fits the bill too. There is one well-known troll on this forum who plays at a club that I used to know well and I know how unpopular he is there too. He does well to even find two other people to play a competition with.

Everyone has different opinions - that is life and it is a good thing about life too. Everyone needs to learn to agree to disagree. But the modern world, fueled by social media, has made this nigh on impossible in many places.

I used to love the banter on this forum. I hosted a Zoom call before the Super Bowl where NFL fans here joined in and we had a great hour and a half talking about our other sporting passions from around the country. I know forum meets are fantastic and I have met many people at different golf courses around the country.

But there are all too many posters here who I would avoid like the plague if I came across them in real life.

I do not have a magic answer to fix this, perhaps one or two people need to be permanently banned - a kind of forum triage perhaps. We all know who they are - but can any steps be taken to make it healthy here again before the bleeding becomes terminal?

Just my two penneth - I wish you all a very Happy New Year on and off the golf course and I hope your 2021 was as happy as my turned out to be after a couple of really horrible years.


Paul Stewart
Pathetic Shark

 

[spongebob59]

No easy fix as we now live in a world where social media dominates social contact.
You're scared to say things incase you say it the wrong way and in a digital world you can't read body language.
Gone are the days where disputes often ended up in heated argument or worse blows exchanged and 10 minutes later you would be ina bar buying drinks and best of friends again.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't really think there's a problem. Would be boring if we all agreed all the time. Some people just need thicker skins. I have debates with people sometimes, even engage with trolls on here, but then I just walk away and remember that nothing we say on here actually matters. It's not that difficult.

 

[IanM]

Good to hear from you again.. I think forums, golf clubs, towns and cities are all the same.

Some lovely people, some utter wombats and everyone else somewhere in between. There are others who move up and down the continueum at various speeds!

I've thought the ability to block certain folders or threads would be a help.

Generally, my experience is a positive one. Assisted by careful use of the Block button!

 

[theoneandonly]

I don't really think there's a problem. Would be boring if we all agreed all the time. Some people just need thicker skins. I have debates with people sometimes, even engage with trolls on here, but then I just walk away and remember that nothing we say on here actually matters. It's not that difficult.

I'd agree , it's easy enough to scroll past the trolls and stuff you don't like . It's obvious who the big trolls are, just don't engage if it matters that much. It's probably easier to let things burn out than going miles the other way.

 

[Foxholer]

I have stayed off this forum for nearly seven months as I had gotten fed up with all the petty bickering, pathetic point scoring and downright nasty attitudes of some people. In other words, it was just like a typical golf club.

So just like a typical golf club, I just turned up to play golf and then got changed in the car park and drove home. In other words, I observed posts without logging in or commenting.
...

I believe it's called 'life'!

Just my two penneth - I wish you all a very Happy New Year on and off the golf course...

Likewise

 

[cliveb]

I mentioned it a few weeks ago in another thread, but I'll say it again:

It's a basic law of the internet that all forums start out as civilised discussion groups and slowly degenerate into cellpools of flame wars dominated by a hard core who just want to stir things. It goes back as far as Usenet. I remember what happened to the rec.audio.opinion group.

It can only be a matter of time before it happens to this forum. There's no reason why it should be unique and buck the trend.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

I'm new here, maybe I won't hang around if it's that bad

 

[Orikoru]

I'm new here, maybe I won't hang around if it's that bad

Ha, it's greatly exaggerated. As said above, like any forum there's plenty of great posters and a small minority of bad that you can easily ignore once you know what to look for.

 

[Crow]

I mentioned it a few weeks ago in another thread, but I'll say it again:

It's a basic law of the internet that all forums start out as civilised discussion groups and slowly degenerate into cellpools of flame wars dominated by a hard core who just want to stir things. It goes back as far as Usenet. I remember what happened to the rec.audio.opinion group.

It can only be a matter of time before it happens to this forum. There's no reason why it should be unique and buck the trend.

But for a series of very hard working mods I think it would have gone under a long time ago.

It's been said before but worth repeating:
Many thanks to all the mods, past, present and future.

 

[Piece]

If the last two years have taught us anything, it's not to get too hung up on trivial things. This golf forum in life's priority ladder is one of these trivial items. Don't let it become too important or be too involved so that if affects.

I only really look at the OoB section now and I certainly pick and choose my threads to monitor. I'm oblivious to almost all the trolling and issues; I certainly have no clue who the one or two main trolls could be, and long may my ignorance reign!

Forums and social media is where everyone is an expert and everyone is right. Know your limits and know when to ignore or move on.

 

[RichA]

I have stayed off this forum for nearly seven months as I had gotten fed up with all the petty bickering, pathetic point scoring and downright nasty attitudes of some people. In other words, it was just like a typical golf club.

So just like a typical golf club, I just turned up to play golf and then got changed in the car park and drove home. In other words, I observed posts without logging in or commenting.

When I was Captain of a club in Surrey in 2020, I had to represent every member whether I liked them or not, agreed or disagreed with their opinions, in general did what was best for the majority. A bit like the non-funded moderators on this forum but appreciated by some of the people who truly understood the issues involved.

It would be a real shame if this forum, or even just the Out of Bounds section was taken down. But it is heading that way. More and more former forumers are becoming just that because of the attitudes here of some people.

Narcissists would be a good way to describe some posters. Show-offs, wannabe-know-it-alls, wind-up merchants and apologies for the phrase but "Covid Nazis" unfortunately fits the bill too. There is one well-known troll on this forum who plays at a club that I used to know well and I know how unpopular he is there too. He does well to even find two other people to play a competition with.

Everyone has different opinions - that is life and it is a good thing about life too. Everyone needs to learn to agree to disagree. But the modern world, fueled by social media, has made this nigh on impossible in many places.

I used to love the banter on this forum. I hosted a Zoom call before the Super Bowl where NFL fans here joined in and we had a great hour and a half talking about our other sporting passions from around the country. I know forum meets are fantastic and I have met many people at different golf courses around the country.

But there are all too many posters here who I would avoid like the plague if I came across them in real life.

I do not have a magic answer to fix this, perhaps one or two people need to be permanently banned - a kind of forum triage perhaps. We all know who they are - but can any steps be taken to make it healthy here again before the bleeding becomes terminal?

Just my two penneth - I wish you all a very Happy New Year on and off the golf course and I hope your 2021 was as happy as my turned out to be after a couple of really horrible years.


Paul Stewart
Pathetic Shark

Funny. Your original post has managed to incorporate negative labelling, petty namecalling and a personal attack on an individual who, while unnamed, can probably identify himself from the description.

 

[Smiffy]

Funny. Your original post has managed to incorporate negative labelling, petty namecalling and a personal attack on an individual who, while unnamed, can probably identify himself from the description.

Can I have a guess please????

 

[bobmac]

 

[hovis]

I don't really think there's a problem. Would be boring if we all agreed all the time. Some people just need thicker skins. I have debates with people sometimes, even engage with trolls on here, but then I just walk away and remember that nothing we say on here actually matters. It's not that difficult.

I don't know mate. I visit a carp fishing forum and pretty much everyone gets on all the time. There maybe one or two cross words but people soon agree to disagree and move on.
Golf is different because it's a sport full of knobs.
I can think of maybe 50+ members of my course that I'd cross the road to avoid talking to them. There's not one person I dislike at my fishing club and only two at my skydiving club

 

[Leftitshort]

Can I have a guess please????

Start your own thread. See how long it lasts????

Guess who?

 

[Leftitshort]

I don't know mate. I visit a carp fishing forum and pretty much everyone gets on all the time. There maybe one or two cross words but people soon agree to disagree and move on.
Golf is different because it's a sport full of knobs.
I can think of maybe 50+ members of my course that I'd cross the road to avoid talking to them. There's not one person I dislike at my fishing club and only two at my skydiving club

Golf attracts a certain type of bellend. Me included ??

 

[Deleted member 1147]

For a long spell this year, summer in particular, I thought the forum had improved

 

[GreiginFife]

This place is a bastion of friendliness compared to places like DIYnot. Now that’s full of well polished knobs.

 

[theoneandonly]

I don't know mate. I visit a carp fishing forum and pretty much everyone gets on all the time. There maybe one or two cross words but people soon agree to disagree and move on.
Golf is different because it's a sport full of knobs.
I can think of maybe 50+ members of my course that I'd cross the road to avoid talking to them. There's not one person I dislike at my fishing club and only two at my skydiving club

I read but don't really post much, but I'd say there are a couple of mega trolls and we all know who they are. Then there are few who clearly have polar views and love to argue with one another.
The removal of political threads has made no difference, but then it never would've.
It's all pretty lightweight stuff anyway and certainly doesn't bother me.