Closed threads

MikeH said:
Toad/Smiffy/anyone else who is interested

I have been the person who has closed the vast majority of threads in the past month. I’ve also been the moderator issuing nearly all the infractions and the only one to issue bans.

Your opinion might be that these posts were harmless. I don’t agree and ultimately as the editor of Golf Monthly and the person who is responsible for the forum that's a decision I have to make.

The number of reported posts have significantly increassed in the last 6 months and I'm also recieve a lot of emails from users didspaointed about the level of flaming and abuse being posted. This tells me that a lot of people share my view.

I have posted updated rules and guidelines that in my opinion offer very clear guidance as to what is and isn’t acceptable on the GM forum. In addition to that I have been warning those who breach the rules about their behavior and outlining sanctions should they not change their style of posting

Some have chosen to take that advice on board. Others have not. Those who haven’t have been banned.

With the benefit of hindsight I should have taken this stance last year but tried to let forum users police themselves. Sadly that didn't work because although the vast majority of members want to use the forum the right way there has been a small minority seemingly determined to cause arguments and unrest. These types of user are not welcome on the Golf Monthly forum and will be banned from posting here.

It might make the forum more boring in some people's eyes but I'd rather that than threads being started with the intention of causing a row or threads being hijacked and taken off topic. Other golf forums are available where you can say and do what you like and for those users who don't like what I'm doing on the GM forum then they may feel more comfortable

I regret that I'm having to take this more hardline approach. As I said above I did try the 'hands off' option but that didn't work. That is a shame. Believe me I've got millions of things I'd rather be doing than monitoring posts day and night and be contacting people about their behavior but I won't standby and see what I think is a great online community that I have personally staked a lot of time on (and is a key bit of the business I'm in charge of) being undermined.

Thanks
Mike
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That's fair enough Mike but I think the OP raises a valid point. Some of the mods actions recently have been a bit heavy handed. I'm currently serving a 90 day infraction for something I posted as a humourous comment, no offence or malice was intended. Surely it would have been more appropriate for a mod to contact me and ask me to withdraw the comment or post an apology which I would happily have done?
 
JustOne said:
The thread is closed AFTER the rubbish has been deleted from it so it APPEARS to have no reason to be locked now.

I don't know why it bothers people so much, if you don't like the way the forum is run then why come here?

I think the mods are doing a great job and kudos to MikeH for drawing the line. The forum doesn't need people coming here and 'knocking it' all the time, plenty of us enjoy it.
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sums it up for me, good post:thup:
 
drive4show said:
That's fair enough Mike but I think the OP raises a valid point. Some of the mods actions recently have been a bit heavy handed. I'm currently serving a 90 day infraction for something I posted as a humourous comment, no offence or malice was intended. Surely it would have been more appropriate for a mod to contact me and ask me to withdraw the comment or post an apology which I would happily have done?
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Like the gestapo having the courtesy to knock on your door instead of just breaking it down?
I agree 100%
 
Did all the folk having a dig at the mods volunteer to be one when the positions were recently available?

The regularity of this sort of thread is pathetic. It's embarrassing that the posts from Mike have to be made, it's like a primary school class.
 
Smiffy said:
And you don't deduce something from that????
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How many times does a post saying "these are the rules, follow them" need to be made?!?

Reading the posts from GM, all of the users that have been banned have been told why that is a possibility, ergo have the choice to continue in the same vein or not. If they do, they get banned.

Yet when they do, and get banned, there is this reaction!
 
NWJocko said:
Did all the folk having a dig at the mods volunteer to be one when the positions were recently available?

The regularity of this sort of thread is pathetic. It's embarrassing that the posts from Mike have to be made, it's like a primary school class.
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From my experiences in life its the heavy handed approach that causes the knee jerk reactions I'm afraid.

Taking time to explain a decision or an action will often (not always) prevent consequences and kick backs. I have seen it first hand in so many situations and its rarely pretty.

Find a common approach and work it out instead of issuing threats and sanctions.
 
I am Spartacus said:
From my experiences in life its the heavy handed approach that causes the knee jerk reactions I'm afraid.

Taking time to explain a decision or an action will often (not always) prevent consequences and kick backs. I have seen it first hand in so many situations and its rarely pretty.

Find a common approach and work it out instead of issuing threats and sanctions.
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Heavy handed approach!? This is an Internet forum that people consciously sign up to, including the rules.

Some folk must have way more time on their hands than me if the style of modding on an Internet forum is so important, sheesh.
 
NWJocko said:
Heavy handed approach!? This is an Internet forum that people consciously sign up to, including the rules.

Some folk must have way more time on their hands than me if the style of modding on an Internet forum is so important, sheesh.
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I think you have missed the point!
 
NWJocko said:
How many times does a post saying "these are the rules, follow them" need to be made?!?

Reading the posts from GM, all of the users that have been banned have been told why that is a possibility, ergo have the choice to continue in the same vein or not. If they do, they get banned.

Yet when they do, and get banned, there is this reaction!
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I agree that the rules are there for all to see in black and white but one of the things that makes this forum entertaining is the banter. Unfortunately, one person's banter is another person's offence. If you apply the letter of the law there would be no banter and the forum would then become a pretty boring place.

So, common sense should prevail and a quiet warning in the offender's ear would make more sense than issuing a ban. Fair enough if they choose to ignore it, infraction or ban. But I think the vast majority of people on here would be happy to hold their hand up and apologise if someone else thinks they have overstepped the line.

The mods also use the standard excuse that they do not read all posts and rely on people reporting comments. If that is the case then there are some pretty humourless people on here :confused:
 
drive4show said:
I agree that the rules are there for all to see in black and white but one of the things that makes this forum entertaining is the banter. Unfortunately, one person's banter is another person's offence. If you apply the letter of the law there would be no banter and the forum would then become a pretty boring place.

So, common sense should prevail and a quiet warning in the offender's ear would make more sense than issuing a ban. Fair enough if they choose to ignore it, infraction or ban. But I think the vast majority of people on here would be happy to hold their hand up and apologise if someone else thinks they have overstepped the line.

The mods also use the standard excuse that they do not read all posts and rely on people reporting comments. If that is the case then there are some pretty humourless people on here :confused:
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Have you read mikes post? They get a word in the ear before they are banned.

Not even sure why I got involved in this, will leave you to argue as normal.

Edit, last point is a general you rather than anyone!
 
NWJocko said:
Have you read mikes post? They get a word in the ear before they are banned.

Not even sure why I got involved in this, will leave you to argue as normal.

Edit, last point is a general you rather than anyone!
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No they don't. As I stated earlier, I've got a 90 day infraction for what I considered a harmless and humourous comment. No warning.
 
I am Spartacus said:
I think you have missed the point!
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I dont think he has..

Just groundhog day thats all , not sure how long you have been lurking before joining but Mike has had to come on here a few times and try put a stop to people breaking rules ..
How many times does it have to be repeated to us all ?

heres a golf forum welcome along ,

for various reasons we have a list of rules if you wana join you have to abide by them , the owners of the forum asked for volunteers to give of their free time to moderate this forum , the moderators are GIVEN a set of guidelines by the owners to keep the forum in the spirit the owners want..

To be fair to users if you have a problem with a moderator or moderating style you have a contact to air your grievence ..
they owners wont allow this to be discussed openly on the forum ..

we can all walk out on a golf course and follow a rule book , we might not like the rulings in some cases but if we want to belong to the game that is golf we must abide by them ,

Both golf and the forums main rule is the same . , heres the game , play by the written rules or find a different sport /place ..
 
drive4show said:
Ban or infraction, either way it amounts to the same heavy handed behaviour :ears:
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Having been on both ends of the forum flame wars it is pretty clear. Come on, have some fun but behave with respect. Put it in golfing terms, imagine you are visiting another clubhouse and decide if the comment you are about to make would be appreciated if you did it in that environment. If the answer is probably not/maybe then perhaps you need to reconsider
 
drive4show said:
Ban or infraction, either way it amounts to the same heavy handed behaviour :ears:
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There's a Golfing analogy here.

You may have hit your ball close to a Water Hazard and it got a nasty kick into it - so a Penalty for the infraction.

But I think you've just done the equivalent of playing a shot after making an illegal drop!

Always worth checking the Rules!:eek:
 
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