One simple way YOU can make this site great...

[Matthew boals]

I can definatly feel your pain on this one guys. I have 7 reveiws that I have writen sence the start of the new year that have not recived a single thumb up or down.

I would like to "Thumbs up" your Avatar!

 

[deBebbler]

So I've been looking at some reviews lately and although I don't have any thumbs down, I have some reviews that are pretty similar to ones that have gotten bad responses... I have tried to keep it to the point while still highlighting the main aspects that I believe most people would find important. It has just annoyed me in the past to have to sit down and read through long-winded ones about hole by hole walkthroughs with a detailed description of every hazard you may encounter and recommendations on what I should be throwing on each hole.
Since some of us seem to be reading through each others, would it be asking too much to maybe get a little feedback via PM? I plan on playing a lot of new courses, updating some old ones and writing some long overdue reviews as it warms up and want to be sure that I am on the right track.
.....sorry if this is the dumbest post you've ever read, I just wasn't sure where else to post it and didn't want to start a new thread asking people to PM me about my reviews, lol.

Personally, I don't like hole by hole descriptions. I want a general idea of the course. If certain holes are noteworthy, then highlight them. The things to avoid are:

1. Bashing without supporting fact.
2. Ignoring all formatting and punctuation. Filter the reviews of Flip City by most helpful and read the first ten if you want some ideas on good formatting.
3. Three line reviews. They ALL suck.
4. Failing to spell and grammar check. Even if you don't own Word, the submission form spell checks for you somewhat. Use it!
5. If the course is your local, you had better deliver up some insight.

Follow those, and you are off to a good start.

 

[CwAlbino]

I won't vote on a review of a course I have not played.

 

[deBebbler]

I won't vote on a review of a course I have not played.

Do you choose to play one new course rather than another in an area based on the strength of any reviews? If so, you are finding them 'helpful' and failing to notify the rest of us.

Shame on you.

 

[chrishysell]

Do you choose to play one new course rather than another in an area based on the strength of any reviews? If so, you are finding them 'helpful' and failing to notify the rest of us.

Shame on you.

I played 150 courses before I ever saw discgolfcoursereview. The more reviews I read the more likely someone is getting a "no". Someone who critiques hole layouts, signage or lack of bag holders is getting a NO.

 

[mashnut]

Someone who critiques hole layouts is getting a NO.

You don't think a review should address the actual design of the course?

 

[chrishysell]

Not unless they can present me some info showing that they have designed and installed a few courses.

 

[jtencer]

So the only way a review can be helpful is if you agree or disagree with it.?:|

That's not my point. My point is that you can only validate the information contained in the review if you play the course. I would even settle for "Only thumb reviews of courses you have played or considered playing." It just doesn't make much sense to me to thumb reviews of courses you're never going to see.

 

[prerube]

That's not my point. My point is that you can only validate the information contained in the review if you play the course. I would even settle for "Only thumb reviews of courses you have played or considered playing." It just doesn't make much sense to me to thumb reviews of courses you're never going to see.

I never know what I am going to see, I still have 30 years to try to play them all.

 

[jtencer]

But doesn't it make more sense to read those reviews whenever you're planning your trip or after you get back? That's when the review is helpful or not.

A review for a course you may or may not play in the next 30 years isn't really helpful regardless of how well-written it is. Whenever you get around to playing the course go back and read the review and see if it helps.

Thumbing without playing makes the system entirely about format and writing style. Those things are important, but the content of the review is at least as important imo. It just feels like thumbing without playing cheats the system.

Sure, the greater number of thumbs would improve the statistics, but doing it this way also changes what you're measuring. I think it puts too much emphasis on the writing instead of on the content. That's just my opinion, though.

 

[prerube]

But doesn't it make more sense to read those reviews whenever you're planning your trip or after you get back? That's when the review is helpful or not.
A review for a course you may or may not play in the next 30 years isn't really helpful regardless of how well-written it is. Whenever you get around to playing the course go back and read the review and see if it helps.

Thumbing without playing makes the system entirely about format and writing style. Those things are important, but the content of the review is at least as important imo. It just feels like thumbing without playing cheats the system.
Sure, the greater number of thumbs would improve the statistics, but doing it this way also changes what you're measuring. I think it puts too much emphasis on the writing instead of on the content. That's just my opinion, though.

A review is helpful if it gives you information about the course. If all they type is "The park is only open from 8am to 5pm" that is helpful, atleast until someone else types the same thing with more info.
If it helped you plan a trip, if the reviews made you want to put the course on your wish list, or the reviews gave a solid course description then it can get a thumbs up.

Take my North Greenville review, I have 20 thumbs up, and I hope that 20 people have not played that course. My review saved them from a long drive just to be disappointed by 3 practice baskets in a muddy field. That review is helpful and no one has played that course. Do I think those 20 people cheatedthe system? Hell no, that is what reviews are for.

As far as cheating the system, how about the people who get pissed offin the forums and thumb down users reviews, that is cheating the system. No system is perfect.

 

[prerube]

But doesn't it make more sense to read those reviews whenever you're planning your trip or after you get back? That's when the review is helpful or not.
A review for a course you may or may not play in the next 30 years isn't really helpful regardless of how well-written it is. Whenever you get around to playing the course go back and read the review and see if it helps.

Thumbing without playing makes the system entirely about format and writing style. Those things are important, but the content of the review is at least as important imo. It just feels like thumbing without playing cheats the system.
Sure, the greater number of thumbs would improve the statistics, but doing it this way also changes what you're measuring. I think it puts too much emphasis on the writing instead of on the content. That's just my opinion, though.

A review is helpful if it gives you information about the course. If all they type is "The park is only open from 8am to 5pm" that is helpful, atleast until someone else types the same thing with more info.
If it helped you plan a trip, if the reviews made you want to put the course on your wish list, or the reviews gave a solid course description then it can get a thumbs up.

Take my North Greenville review, I have 20 thumbs up, and I hope that 20 people have not played that course. My review saved them from a long drive just to be disappointed by 3 practice baskets in a muddy field. That review is helpful and no one has played that course. Do I feel those20 people cheated the system? Hell no, they read a review and avoided a course that was not worth the trip, that is one of the reasons we have reviews.

As far as cheating the system, how about the people who get pissed off in the forums and thumb down users reviews, that is cheating the system. No system is perfect.

 

[solomon.trenton]

I hope that people dont think you have to play a course to find a review helpful. I find that if there is a bevy of information in the review then it will be helpful. on the opther hand if they just say they played awful and the course sucked it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that it wasnt helpful, at least i hope so. as long as there is some information about the layout, amenities and other important information such as inaccurate signs or you must have a map then it is helpful IMO.

 

[solomon.trenton]

I played 150 courses before I ever saw discgolfcoursereview. The more reviews I read the more likely someone is getting a "no". Someone who critiques hole layouts, signage or lack of bag holders is getting a NO.

bag holders is the biggest joke in the world. like your bag wont be on the ground for your next throw?

 

[chrishysell]

I was in a difficult mood this morning. To me bag holders are the biggest waste of money. I have always had some sort of shoulder issues. Lifting my bag up to hang it on a bag holder was just something I never did. Spend the money on some better benches so people will sit their bags on them and I can knock them off and say "benches are for sitting". I love doing that.

 

[sloppydisc]

Timg,

Feel free to send the mini I never ordered to one of these poor souls that desperately yearns for your autograph. That can be my donation to the up-and-coming future of DGCR.

sloppy

 

[prerube]

I never requested my gold level mini, we need a contest for these unclaimed minis

 

[sloppydisc]

And to the rest of you guys,

I am housebound for the last few weeks, and for a few more weeks. I'll be thumbing reviews all over the place. But please make them decent and informative. I don't need a novel, but if you're a slacker, you'll be getting a big, fat, sloppy thumbs down! This will also give me a nice chance to build my wish list. Yippee!!

 

[AKormendi]

I was in a difficult mood this morning. To me bag holders are the biggest waste of money. I have always had some sort of shoulder issues. Lifting my bag up to hang it on a bag holder was just something I never did. Spend the money on some better benches so people will sit their bags on them and I can knock them off and say "benches are for sitting". I love doing that.

Okay. I've never mentioned bag holders in a review, but I certainly mention signage and course layout. I've never designed a course, and you seem to think this invalidates my opinion. At the same time, when I go to a new course I like to know if its necessary to print out a course map ahead of time or to pay special attention to not skip from hole 11 to 14 just because the flow of the course leads them to each other while 12 & 13 sit back in a loop. I've also played courses with 9 holes and about 900' walks in between each hole. Something that I think may be worth mentioning. These features are never the focus of my review, but as a reviewer its my duty to try and give the reader the most complete assessment of the course as possible. This includes shot selection, scenery, pads, terrain, maintenance, accomodations, and even signage and course layout. If you're thumbing down for including all these things I think you're doing it wrong.
But I agree, Chris, people who complain about bag holders deserve thumbs down.

 

[kevinmzane]

bag holders, lol..... *purse holders