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Movement in top 10
- Thread starter Mando
- Start date
There seems to be a popular misconception that prolific reviewers are quailty reviewers. I don't write reviews, I don't enjoy doing it. I have been playing for three decades and played 175 courses or so, all around the nation. My opinion would somehow be inferior? Top ten is unimportant to me, but course rating and reviews are. They are regionally bias. Finding a few reviewers that seem to think the same as you do is paramount.
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 2,233
From the perspective of a non top ten private course owner,making the top ten and being on the front page seems like the very best advertising you could have for increasing traffic on your course. I will also add, that when my course was in the top 25,(but not on the front page) it did not noticeably increase traffic. I'll also add that one of the great things about closing your course, is not having to read BS reviews of it.
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I'm not going to weight all reviews based on certain criteria, that would be a headache and like others have said, just because you share your opinion more often doesn't mean it's worth more than someone else's. The idea would be just to curb the issue of people joining the site, writing one crappy 5 star review because someone asked them to and then never visiting the site or writing another review.
Eventually the above does sort itself out once a course is in the spotlight but it takes a while. Weighting the drive-by's differently (or just eliminating them from the rating for that course) is a fairly simple solution that would address it more quickly. I'm thinking after X amount of reviews on a course, let's say 20 for this example, an algorithm will look at the reviews and throw out or lower the impact of drive-bys.
Eventually the above does sort itself out once a course is in the spotlight but it takes a while. Weighting the drive-by's differently (or just eliminating them from the rating for that course) is a fairly simple solution that would address it more quickly. I'm thinking after X amount of reviews on a course, let's say 20 for this example, an algorithm will look at the reviews and throw out or lower the impact of drive-bys.
Based on that idea, I'm curious how many of those Bucksnort reviews (or Flip City, Selah, etc.) would you pull/remove from the course's rating? Would it be all of the "1 played / 1 reviewed" reviews or would the person actually have to be active on this site?
Anything with 1 review would be effected. I do like that IMDB formula for their top 250 too, I might try that later to see how it effects the listings here.
Ah, I was unclear.
I meant, for your everyday course, not Top-10 or even Top-100 quality, does it matter if someone gives it a 2.5 while most others are giving it 3.5s?
I agree with the bold part. Next best option: keep it, but everybody chill out about its importance.
Everybody loves Top XX lists. Do you not watch TV in December and January?
I would bet those Top XX lists get this site as much attention as anything else.
I would bet those Top XX lists get this site as much attention as anything else.
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2008
- Messages
- 2,233
That would be an improvement, but won't the response just be to have the shill write a second review ?
How dare you call us
I am late to this party, but I am still confused. I have a limited area of places I play.
When I am looking for a new course to try I bypass the rating and see who has reviewed
it. I look to see what heelboycraig, BrotherDave, New, Bravethrower....etc etc, have to
say about a course. I am not always looking for a 5 star venue, just what I am about
to get into. Do I need to load up on midrange and leave the drivers at home? Should I just
avoid the course all together?
When I am looking for a new course to try I bypass the rating and see who has reviewed
it. I look to see what heelboycraig, BrotherDave, New, Bravethrower....etc etc, have to
say about a course. I am not always looking for a 5 star venue, just what I am about
to get into. Do I need to load up on midrange and leave the drivers at home? Should I just
avoid the course all together?
biscoe
* Ace Member *
I dislike this idea immensely even though I'm a Diamond TR.
My OPINION isn't the least bit more valuable than anyone else's OPINION.
If you find TR reviews more helpful, there's already a filter for that.
I don't understand the misunderstanding with the rating system here. It's fairly straightforward. The Top Ten isn't the FINAL WORD on course rankings; it's more of a guideline.
Reviews are NOT supposed to take into account one aspect of design more than the others, unless that's what is important to that individual reviewer. There are as many opinions on what constitutes good design as there are players. Ditto when it comes to amenities (or lack thereof).
Some people review based entirely on fun factor, and that's okay.
What's most important is that everyone 1) uses the entire scale (0.0-5.0) 2) individuals develop a personal method of reviewing and 3) individual reviews stay true to their rating systems over time.
I don't get how people are trying to make this a science when it's clearly a matter of personal tastes and opinions. As long as everyone's opinions hold the same weight and everyone uses the same scale, the outliers will be just that: outliers.
I agree.
Any attempt to take subjectivity out of a system that is by it's nature wholly subjective is misbegotten.
If you can't resist the urge to change something I would think dropping both the top and bottom "X" percent would be the way to go.
biscoe
* Ace Member *
As a former top ten course owner I will say that the number of people contacting me to play was certainly increased by being highly rated. Whether this is a good thing or not depends on your perspective. Reading BS reviews doesn't really bother me.
I have already tried getting this idea out there.... and was scorned
5% both ways really interesting.So many people arguing about which courses should rank higher. It's like trying to rank Pink Floyd vs. Elvis vs. Beethoven. The site is great for telling you which courses are awesome, why they're awesome, and what you need to beware of. Arguing whether apples should rank .05 higher than oranges is silly. Seems like guys arguing that their course should rank higher should instead go work on their course or donate a few bucks to the owners.
On that note, it would be cool if this site announced work days or donation links. Some courses (like Bridges in the Charlotte area) would be much improved with a coordinated, open-invite work day. Others (you know who you are), after seeing them sweat all day on their course I'd be happy to send them a few dollars for gas money or just a cold beer.
On that note, it would be cool if this site announced work days or donation links. Some courses (like Bridges in the Charlotte area) would be much improved with a coordinated, open-invite work day. Others (you know who you are), after seeing them sweat all day on their course I'd be happy to send them a few dollars for gas money or just a cold beer.
PMantle
* Ace Member *
I certainly did not think it had wow factor, but again, that may be because I learned the sport on a pretty darn fine course.
Yup, this can be a very regional thing. Growing up playing on Northern wooded courses and up north ski hill courses, something like Selah may not provide much wow to me either.
As a current not-top-ten course owner, I feel the same. We're happy that our visitors have enjoyed themselves, but if a Top-10 rating significantly increased our traffic, we'd just as soon pass. (Not that it's a threat to ever happen). I guess those looking for additional income might feel different.
And, yeah, it would have to be a pretty atrocious review to bother me, and then I'd probably shrug and think it reflects on the reviewer more than the course.
I don't as the TR system is biased towards people in urban areas.
