Ran,
Firstly a very big thank you to you and Ben for this website, its discussion group and for allowing me to join. I’ve been on here now since spring 2008 and in that time I’ve learnt an awful lot. Hopefully my occasional posts have been informative and given an extra insight into golf over here in the UK? But I’ve also made many new friends and hope to make and meet many more, all who enjoy discussing a subject close to my own heart, golf courses, their history and design.
I also feel I should thank you for using such a wonderful word as nincompoop in your opening post!
Now to the crux of the matter:
“This web site is read in all the corners of the world where golf is played and we have an obligation to present our best foot forward. 99% of you understand and act like that and we thank you for making this the best web site in the world, bar none.”
So, if we are to make sure this website remains the wonderful and informative resource that lives up to this statement above, then I believe that we probably need more than to just ask people to keep to GCA related topics and to tidy up their grammar?
If we see this as a resource used by others, then we need more active moderation? I’m not suggesting that you or Ben needs to be on here every day, but surely we could have some junior moderators?
These extra moderators would allow for there to be various sub headings to the forum. This is the only DG or forum that I actively partake in, but there many others out there that all seem to have their threads under various sub headings? If GolfClubAtlas was to copy this, it would mean that similar threads could all be grouped together and would also mean it would be easier to find them in future (especially seeing as how tricky the current search engine can be at times)? Take for instance Photo Tour threads, something that many people say is a big bonus of the DG. Many actively partake in these discussions in an informative and interesting manner, and they very nicely compliment your “Course by Country” reviews. If we were to have a junior moderator or two that could make sure these threads are titled correctly and in the right sub heading, then people from “all the corners of the world” would have a much enhanced resource? And in the case of Photo Tour threads, we already have something similar:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45478.0/ so why not bring something like this in house?
Other sub headings could be:
- Maintenance and greenkeeping
- Golf course construction
- Historical research
- Travel (There is after all a Golf & Travel section to the main website, though I notice it has been removed from the main navigation tabs)
- Other GCA links and resources (perhaps a regular GCA related book review could be an interesting topic if someone had the time and inclination)
- OT (yes why not, if they are all kept in their own section)
And probably several others, but at some point in the future, these could all be reviewed and expanded or removed.
Another query? If OT threads are to be omitted, then I’m curious as to how far we take something to be OT?
We all know that Tigers private life is OT or discussions related to other sports, but I’d hate to see some of the discussions on travel advice, book suggestions, recent events on the pro tour, even the architecture of clubhouses, all of which aren’t specifically GCA related but can be very interesting and not far off the mark.
Ran, I am hesitant in posting this response, but I hope my suggestions are taken as they are meant, which is well meaning and in no way a criticism of the way this place is currently being run. And I hope that one day I will have the opportunity to meet you in person, and thank you for this great website!
Cheers,
James